The First Chapter of My New Book
Ephesians for Teens
I’m thrilled to share a brand new resource: a short, accessible devotional-style Bible study guide that will lead teens through the book of Ephesians with encouragement and practical application. The Bible study guide includes 12 lessons, each featuring an introductory thought, a Scripture reading from Ephesians, discussion questions, a concluding reflection, and practical application.
It would be perfect for family devotionals, Bible classes, youth groups, or personal Bible study. So that you can get a feel for what the book has to offer, I want to share with you the first chapter of Ephesians for Teens.
Lesson One: Blessed (Ephesians 1:1-14)
It’s not uncommon to hear someone say they are “blessed.” Unfortunately, we often believe having some sort of material advantage over other people is what it means to be blessed. When we say we are blessed, we are often thinking about things like strength, talent, beauty, money, comfort, or luxury.
Of course, we feel fortunate to have something others don’t have; some sort of advantage, privilege, or upper hand. We don’t have to feel guilty about these realities. However, “blessed” might not be the best word to use. If we think of these material advantages as our personal blessings we might not realize they were given to us not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. Christians are meant to leverage our advantages and privileges for the sake of others, just as Jesus did for us (Philippians 2:1-11).
That said, being “blessed” is something different. It’s not about how fast you run or high you jump, how popular you are, the amount of money you have, what car you drive, or how good looking you are. After all, the Christians in the ancient city of Ephesus were incredibly blessed, even though there is no reason to think they had any of these material advantages.
Paul wrote this letter from prison. Yes, that’s right, from prison. His audience, likewise, had probably experienced some level of persecution and rejection. Yet, in spite of their often difficult circumstances, they were blessed.
Scripture Reading
Read Ephesians 1:1–14.
Discussion Questions
What sort of blessings does this passage describe?
How would you redefine “blessed” based on this passage?
Is Paul describing blessings that are past, present, future, or all of the above? What might that teach us?
How would it affect your life if you really believed and embraced Paul’s words in this passage?
Concluding Thoughts
It may seem godly and grateful to think of yourself as “blessed” when you think of your car, money, or talent. However, these things can disappear in a moment. They are just temporary advantages.
We all have days when we are broke, our car is not working, we are not achieving peak performance, we have a big pimple on our face, and no one has asked us to hang out. These unfortunate circumstances don’t mean our blessings are gone. A Christian is blessed on these uncomfortable days, as well as on the enjoyable days. Our real blessings haven’t changed or gone anywhere.
Our real blessings are as permanent as our relationship with Christ. Imagine what our attitude could be on the field or court, with our family, or at school if we woke up believing that we are blessed every single day. We are not just blessed when we have something others don’t have, or can do something others can’t do.
We are blessed because God has adopted us into his family. We are blessed because he has an inheritance he is excited to give us. We are blessed because we’ve been rescued and are loved by God. A bad day doesn’t change any of that.
Application
Set an alarm on your phone to go off at the same time every day. When it goes off, let it be your reminder to ask, “What makes me blessed?” Then, answer that question, “God wants me in his family!” That is why you are blessed and it is true no matter what else is happening that day.
How to Purchase the Book
Ephesians for Teens is available on Amazon in paperback and as a Kindle ebook. If you are interested in purchasing 10+ copies for a youth group or other Bible study, please click here to submit a form for special pricing.
I love you and God loves you,
Wes McAdams
I bought the book right away. We will use it for our teens class. Thank you for your work!