Know: Identify the life and death of Christ as central to the fulfilment of God’s ultimate purpose to bring harmony and unity to all creation.
Feel: Foster attitudes that help to maintain the unity that is his or hers in Christ.
Do: Seek to remain connected to Christ in order that he or she may experience the fullness of the blessings He provides.
Learning Outline:
Know: Fulfilling God’s Purpose
What is God’s purpose for His creation?
What has Christ’s death done for us? List as many consequences as possible.
We often limit our discussions of what Christ accomplished to the theological topic of salvation. In what specific ways do the life and death of Jesus impact relationships and unity?
Feel: Humility and Submission
What attitudes does Paul consider are necessary for maintaining the unity that Christ has given so much to achieve?
How can we cultivate these essential attitudes so that they become natural responses in our lives?
What does submitting to one another mean practically?
Do: Remain Connected
What advantages are there to being connected to Christ?
How can we maintain an ongoing connection with Christ on a daily basis?
Summary: God has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ. This stunning truth results in our adoption, forgiveness, and redemption, but also in the healing of our relationships. As we remain connected to Christ, we experience a transformation of our attitudes and actions that promotes unity.
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Ephesians 2:19–22
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: To experience the oneness that God expects of His church, we must be continually connected to Christ, the Source of unity.
Just for Teachers: The New Testament clearly places Jesus at the center of the Christian life. It is His death and resurrection that provide salvation, hope, and an understanding of how unity is possible between Christians. As you discuss the lesson, emphasize how the life and death of Jesus provide the key to attaining Christian unity.
Opening Discussion: Give your class a coded message related to the topic of the lesson, but don’t give them the key to solve it. Choose a complex code that class members are unlikely to be able to work out on their own. Let the class spend time puzzling together over how the message might be solved. After they have worked together for five minutes or so, drop a hint about the key without giving away the full details of the key. Allow the class a few minutes to try to make sense of what you have told them. If they still need help, provide the full key to solve the message. Spend a few minutes discussing the central idea of the message they received before discussing the following questions.
Questions for Discussion: Why was a key important for solving the message? Maintaining internal church unity seems to be like a puzzle for many churches. Why do you think this difficulty might be the case? How is knowing that Christ is the Key to unity helpful for solving problems in the local church?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The book of Ephesians summarizes the good news of the gospel and outlines God’s vision for a church that acts in love and unity to fulfil His purpose. As you explore several passages from Ephesians, emphasize that the church and its unity depend on Christ and our ongoing relationship to Him.
Bible Commentary
Discussion about disunity often focuses on doctrine or truth. Christians lament that if we could only agree on what we believe on an issue, disunity would cease. While unity in doctrine does play a role in church unity, doctrinal unity is not the primary key to understanding unity and disunity. The key to unity is found in Jesus Christ.
I. The Source of Unity (Review Ephesians 1:3–14 with your class.)
Any discussion about the unity of the church cannot take place without the recognition that Jesus Christ creates unity primarily through His death and Resurrection. It is these events that give rise to the statement of praise at the beginning of Ephesians. While the verses conform to the Jewish style of praise, they are marked by the repeated reference to the fact that all God has done for us is “in Christ” or “in Him.” The extensive list of blessings available to believers “in Him” includes being chosen, predestined, and adopted, as well as being given grace, Redemption, forgiveness, and a seal guaranteeing our inheritance. Indeed, it seems that in Christ no spiritual blessing has been withheld from us (Eph. 1:3). But notice also the way that relationship and unity underlie much of the passage before being brought into direct focus in verse 10: we were chosen to be holy and blameless. God wanted us to be like Him and commune with Him. We were reconnected with God through adoption, and our broken relationships were healed through Redemption and forgiveness. Paul summarizes the cumulative effect of these blessings in Ephesians 1:9, 10. These blessings were designed so that God could bring unity to His creation in Christ.
The focus on Christ as the Key to unity continues in Ephesians 2:11–22, where Christ is portrayed as the Remover of barriers so that all can have equal access to God. The passage alludes to the dividing wall in the Jewish temple that restricted those who were not Jews from the temple proper and hence from access to God. Christ’s death has figuratively torn down this wall so that Jew and Gentile alike can be reconciled to God. But it was not just the Jews and Gentiles who were now able to be reconciled. Paul understood that Christ had broken down all barriers, whether racial, class-related, or gender-based. All people now had equal access to God and His great salvation.
Consider This: What does it mean to have every spiritual blessing in Christ? What relevance do the blessings in the heavenly places have for life right now? What clues does Paul provide in Ephesians 1 to help us to understand God’s motivation and purpose for blessing us? What does this purpose have to do with unity?
II. Remaining Connected to the Source (Review Ephesians 4:1–6 with your class.)
As a result of what God has done in Christ, we are one body, indwelt by one Spirit, living in one hope (Eph. 4:4). We have a common Lord and faith that has been witnessed through a common baptism (Eph. 4:5). Because God has gone to such great lengths to bring all things into unity, those who call themselves Christians are called to live in a manner that maintains that unity. Chapters 4–6 of Ephesians describe the attitudes and actions that help to maintain this unity. Some of the key attitudes include humility (Eph. 4:2), gentleness (Eph. 4:2), patience (Eph. 4:2), truthfulness (Eph. 4:25), love (Eph. 5:1), submission (Eph. 5:22, 23), and obedience (Ephesians 6).
However, we cannot experience unity unless we are connected to Christ. Paul alludes to this truth in Ephesians when he discusses all the blessings we have that are “in Him” (Eph. 1:4, 7, 9, 10, 13, NKJV). John is more explicit, illustrating the need for connection with Christ by using the image of a vine (John 15:1–17). A branch lives and thrives only when it is connected to the source of life. As we put faith in Christ’s redeeming act and are baptized into His death and Resurrection, we are connected to the Source of life, power, and unity. However, the singular action of baptism does not guarantee ongoing connection with the source of life. We must seek continually to remain connected to Christ in order to bear fruit, such as the transformed attitudes that underlie our ability to love and submit to one another. Remaining connected to Christ, therefore, provides the foundation for unity with one another. The closer we are to Christ, the closer our relationship will be with those around us.
Consider This: In what sense are we “in Christ”? How can we remain connected to Christ in order to experience the fruitfulness and transformation that God desires for us?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: While Christ is the Source of the unity of the church, every member is called upon to maintain the unity of the church. Help students to understand their need to remain connected with the Source of life and unity in order to fulfil God’s will for the church.
Application Questions:
Why are all of the blessings that are listed at the beginning of Ephesians focused on the unity of God’s creation?
If Christ is the Key to unity and all Christian unity is dependent upon Him, what part does each individual member play in the unity of the church?
Discuss the following quotation by Ellen G. White: “While the graft is outwardly united with the vine, there may be no vital connection. Then there will be no growth or fruitfulness. So there may be an apparent connection with Christ without a real union with Him by faith. A profession of religion places men in the church, but the character and conduct show whether they are in connection with Christ.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 676.
Which of the attitudes outlined in Ephesians do you think is the most important for maintaining the unity and harmony of the church? On what evidence do you base your answer?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: The idea that Christ is the key to unity and harmony may seem very theoretical. It is important that your class understand that Christ’s role is very practical.
Activities:
Draw a diagram in which you try to connect the ideas of the lesson in a meaningful way. Be certain to show how Christ is the key to unity.
Create a large key out of any material that you have available to you. Distribute paper key tags to each member of the class and have them prayerfully complete one of the following sentences on the tag:
Christ is the key to improving my relationship with . . . .
Christ is the key to removing barriers between me and . . . .
Christ is the key to unlocking God’s purpose for my life in regard to . . . .
Christ has forgiven me; therefore I need to forgive . . . .
Christ has offered me grace; therefore I need to . . . .
Once everyone has finished writing, use pins to hang the completed tags on the key.
Adjust My Preferences
Welcome! Please set your reading preferences below.
You can access this panel later by clicking the
preference icon
in the top right of the page.
Key Text: Ephesians 2:9, 10
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Know: Fulfilling God’s Purpose
Feel: Humility and Submission
Do: Remain Connected
Summary: God has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ. This stunning truth results in our adoption, forgiveness, and redemption, but also in the healing of our relationships. As we remain connected to Christ, we experience a transformation of our attitudes and actions that promotes unity.
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Ephesians 2:19–22
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: To experience the oneness that God expects of His church, we must be continually connected to Christ, the Source of unity.
Just for Teachers: The New Testament clearly places Jesus at the center of the Christian life. It is His death and resurrection that provide salvation, hope, and an understanding of how unity is possible between Christians. As you discuss the lesson, emphasize how the life and death of Jesus provide the key to attaining Christian unity.
Opening Discussion: Give your class a coded message related to the topic of the lesson, but don’t give them the key to solve it. Choose a complex code that class members are unlikely to be able to work out on their own. Let the class spend time puzzling together over how the message might be solved. After they have worked together for five minutes or so, drop a hint about the key without giving away the full details of the key. Allow the class a few minutes to try to make sense of what you have told them. If they still need help, provide the full key to solve the message. Spend a few minutes discussing the central idea of the message they received before discussing the following questions.
Questions for Discussion: Why was a key important for solving the message? Maintaining internal church unity seems to be like a puzzle for many churches. Why do you think this difficulty might be the case? How is knowing that Christ is the Key to unity helpful for solving problems in the local church?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The book of Ephesians summarizes the good news of the gospel and outlines God’s vision for a church that acts in love and unity to fulfil His purpose. As you explore several passages from Ephesians, emphasize that the church and its unity depend on Christ and our ongoing relationship to Him.
Bible Commentary
Discussion about disunity often focuses on doctrine or truth. Christians lament that if we could only agree on what we believe on an issue, disunity would cease. While unity in doctrine does play a role in church unity, doctrinal unity is not the primary key to understanding unity and disunity. The key to unity is found in Jesus Christ.
I. The Source of Unity (Review Ephesians 1:3–14 with your class.)
Any discussion about the unity of the church cannot take place without the recognition that Jesus Christ creates unity primarily through His death and Resurrection. It is these events that give rise to the statement of praise at the beginning of Ephesians. While the verses conform to the Jewish style of praise, they are marked by the repeated reference to the fact that all God has done for us is “in Christ” or “in Him.” The extensive list of blessings available to believers “in Him” includes being chosen, predestined, and adopted, as well as being given grace, Redemption, forgiveness, and a seal guaranteeing our inheritance. Indeed, it seems that in Christ no spiritual blessing has been withheld from us (Eph. 1:3). But notice also the way that relationship and unity underlie much of the passage before being brought into direct focus in verse 10: we were chosen to be holy and blameless. God wanted us to be like Him and commune with Him. We were reconnected with God through adoption, and our broken relationships were healed through Redemption and forgiveness. Paul summarizes the cumulative effect of these blessings in Ephesians 1:9, 10. These blessings were designed so that God could bring unity to His creation in Christ.
The focus on Christ as the Key to unity continues in Ephesians 2:11–22, where Christ is portrayed as the Remover of barriers so that all can have equal access to God. The passage alludes to the dividing wall in the Jewish temple that restricted those who were not Jews from the temple proper and hence from access to God. Christ’s death has figuratively torn down this wall so that Jew and Gentile alike can be reconciled to God. But it was not just the Jews and Gentiles who were now able to be reconciled. Paul understood that Christ had broken down all barriers, whether racial, class-related, or gender-based. All people now had equal access to God and His great salvation.
Consider This: What does it mean to have every spiritual blessing in Christ? What relevance do the blessings in the heavenly places have for life right now? What clues does Paul provide in Ephesians 1 to help us to understand God’s motivation and purpose for blessing us? What does this purpose have to do with unity?
II. Remaining Connected to the Source (Review Ephesians 4:1–6 with your class.)
As a result of what God has done in Christ, we are one body, indwelt by one Spirit, living in one hope (Eph. 4:4). We have a common Lord and faith that has been witnessed through a common baptism (Eph. 4:5). Because God has gone to such great lengths to bring all things into unity, those who call themselves Christians are called to live in a manner that maintains that unity. Chapters 4–6 of Ephesians describe the attitudes and actions that help to maintain this unity. Some of the key attitudes include humility (Eph. 4:2), gentleness (Eph. 4:2), patience (Eph. 4:2), truthfulness (Eph. 4:25), love (Eph. 5:1), submission (Eph. 5:22, 23), and obedience (Ephesians 6).
However, we cannot experience unity unless we are connected to Christ. Paul alludes to this truth in Ephesians when he discusses all the blessings we have that are “in Him” (Eph. 1:4, 7, 9, 10, 13, NKJV). John is more explicit, illustrating the need for connection with Christ by using the image of a vine (John 15:1–17). A branch lives and thrives only when it is connected to the source of life. As we put faith in Christ’s redeeming act and are baptized into His death and Resurrection, we are connected to the Source of life, power, and unity. However, the singular action of baptism does not guarantee ongoing connection with the source of life. We must seek continually to remain connected to Christ in order to bear fruit, such as the transformed attitudes that underlie our ability to love and submit to one another. Remaining connected to Christ, therefore, provides the foundation for unity with one another. The closer we are to Christ, the closer our relationship will be with those around us.
Consider This: In what sense are we “in Christ”? How can we remain connected to Christ in order to experience the fruitfulness and transformation that God desires for us?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: While Christ is the Source of the unity of the church, every member is called upon to maintain the unity of the church. Help students to understand their need to remain connected with the Source of life and unity in order to fulfil God’s will for the church.
Application Questions:
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: The idea that Christ is the key to unity and harmony may seem very theoretical. It is important that your class understand that Christ’s role is very practical.
Activities:
Once everyone has finished writing, use pins to hang the completed tags on the key.