For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 6

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

Today I complete my study of Ephesians via my participation in a Discipleship (D) Group that is part of my church. For this morning, I move to a more detailed examination of Ephesians 6:21-24.  These verses focus on Paul's closing remarks to the church in Ephesus in this prison epistle.  Paul tells the Ephesians that he is sending Tychicus to them so that they "may know how he [is] and what [he is] doing"...and so that "Tychicus may encourage [their] hearts" (v21-22). He then sends final greetings in v23-24.   

To assist my learning this morning, I watched the following videos from DesiringGod.com:

What Do the Lives of Teachers Tell Us?

In this video, John Piper observes four key reasons why Paul provides the details he does in his closing remarks to the church in Ephesus:

1. he shares details of how he is doing and what he is doing (i.e. in v20 Paul remarks how he is in "chains" or prison) so that the church can appropriately pray
2. he shares details of what he is doing because teachers not only use words to teach but also teach by enabling others to see how they live, thereby providing a model to imitate; see also 1 Corinthians 4:11-17
3. he shares details because he wants the readers to not lose heart as Paul is suffering for their glory and their sake; see also Ephesians 3:13 and Colossians 1:24
4. Christ gives us teachers to equip and they do so not just with words but by actions and through face-to-face interactions and fellowship; Tychicus is sent in person on behalf of Paul as an encouragement; see also Ephesians 4:11-12
   

A Closing Cry for Peace and Love - through the cross we not only have peace and with God but also with each other.  Love is the means through which we have peace with God and with others. Both peace and love are WITH faith - to show that love and peace flow FROM faith (1 Timothy 1:5). 

Grace from Start to Finish - grace WITH ALL who love Christ with a love that it is incorruptible based on an imperishable source (lasts forever). See also Romans 11:4-6 and Ephesians 1:4-6.  Grace produced faith and then this produced all the fruits of the Spirit, including love and peace.  God gives us grace and this grace via faith produces more (future) grace (infinitely and forever); see also James 4:4-10 and 1 Peter 5:5-7.

Incredible messages from God this morning!  Thank You Jesus!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God - thank You for the grace You have already given me and thank You in anticipation of the grace I know You will give out to me in the future.  I am not deserving of this of course.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility....Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Leviticus 3, 7

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility....Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ….Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Ephesians 2:14, Romans 5:1, John 14:27

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - wrapping up at chapter three - Peace with God - covering Leviticus 3:1-17, looking specifically at the final themes We Express Thanksgiving to God, We Give Our Best to God, We Share Our Lives with the People of God, and We Find Peace with God. Here, my commentary describes the peace offering in Leviticus 3 and 7 (ESV) as the fellowship offering, and a quick check of the NIV translation reveals how these translations (ESV and NIV) both refer to the same offering - peace (ESV) and fellowship (NIV).

Aligning with the themes for today, my commentary urges us to see how the peace/fellowship offering:

• offers thanksgiving to God for providing a path to atonement and communion with Him
• represents how we are to give our best to God as the fat portions of the animal are seen as rare and as such a delicacy at the time of the Old Testament - an offering of fat was to be giving God our best
• describes corporate worship and fellowship both with God and with other worshipers - in the presence of God, eating of meals together from the fellowship offering; we are to share our lives not just with God but also with the people of God; the commentary urges us also to look at how we are to pray for one another (James 5:16), encourage one another (Hebrews 10:25), bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13), love one another (John 13:34), serve another (1 Peter 4:10), be kind to one another, and forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32); "[c]learly God intends for us to share our lives with His people."
  
•  in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, provides the perfect sacrifice for sin and Jesus is our peace (Ephesians 2:14, Romans 5:1, John 14:27)

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who provides peace - with God, with others, and peace of mind - thank You Jesus!  You are truly amazing and I am not deserving how You reconciled me to Yourself...I continue to sin.  Worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.