Ephesians

Please note: This product is a digital file. You will need to download the file to your computer and print it from your printer.

Age Group

Youth

Brief Description

Intersection includes complete resources for teaching both younger and older youth, including learner’s materials, teaching guides, and handouts. The teaching guide is options-based, so teachers can customize sessions to match their favorite approach.

“Ephesians”

Did you know that if you lock the door and turn off the telephone or beeper, you can read all of Ephesians in less than half an hour? And, in the process, you may just end up discovering how much you truly enjoy this brief but powerful letter. The entire piece contains a mere six chapters, and refreshingly, is not laden with heavy theological treatises. Of utmost importance–for your purposes especially–this circular letter was written to somewhat new believers, namely to gentile Christians in the churches of Asia Minor. With this in mind, it is easy to understand why young people may be able to relate easily with Paul’s teachings. But, even if this weren’t the case, the positive message of Ephesians has universal appeal nevertheless.

Through the Ephesians passages, teenagers can learn that they have been adopted as children of God, and as such, are now members of a very important group. In a fast-changing society, today’s youth can be particularly sensitive to issues of belonging and feelings of being “left out.” In Session One, young people are encouraged to explore what it means to be a part of a group, addressing in particular the sense of belonging that groups can provide. Knowing that they are truly part of a family–the family of God–can affect every aspect of teens’ lives, while simultaneously changing the way youth perceive themselves as well as their relationships with others.

This invitation to participate in the family of God is also an offer to explore a rich heritage, to conduct our lives in a way that reflects the group to which we belong. With so much focus on the present and the immediate future, many teenagers need help seeing how the past actually applies to daily living. In Session Two, youth are guided to see the value of our Christian heritage, to understand how their lives contribute to God’s overall plan, and to be confident in their knowledge that they are indeed taking part in the ongoing process of Christian history.

Although many young people feel as if they have very few special talents or abilities, take this opportunity to assure your group that all youth are wonderfully gifted individuals. In Session Three, teens are guided to understand that when they share their gifts–and they are gifted, to be sure–they and the greater church benefit from their efforts. Meanwhile, sharing their gifts also serves to further not only their ongoing Christian development, but also the growth of the church at large.

Today’s youth also need to know that God has a wealth of protective resources available to help them withstand any difficulties that might surface along the journey. When they take the responsibility to do their part teenagers no longer have to face their problems alone. In Session Four, young people are given the opportunity to name their difficulties, examine the roots of their problems, learn about the protective resources God offers, and consider the likely results of the choices they ultimately make.

By studying Ephesians, youth can better understand that they have a place to belong, a foundation on which to stand, something to contribute, and the available resources to help them live through tough times. As you embark on this unit, begin by reading all of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Become familiar with the letter, and you just might find that you have joined the ranks of those who find Ephesians to be one of their favorite works in the Bible.

by Natalie Nicholas Adams

User License
The purchaser of this file has permission to print twenty copies of this Learners Study Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.

The purchaser of this file has permission to print one copy of this Teaching Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold, copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.