1) How would you describe people who have a close relationship? What words would describe the depth of their connection?
2) What’s a down payment? What does it mean to make a deposit on an item?
3) What does God make available to His children because of their relationship with Christ? What do we have on hand because we are following Christ?
Blood brothers. Soul sisters. Two peas in a pod. All of these describe people who are well connected. But there is an even greater connection for those that are following Christ. In the opening section of Ephesians, Paul helps us understand the depth of our relationship with Christ. To do this, he uses the phrase “in Christ” (“in the One He loves”, “in Him”) six times (verses 3, 4, 6, 7, 11 and 13). Much more than a casual relationship, our life, our hope and our identity are found in Christ.
A deposit is something given as a pledge or down payment. The deposit represents a portion of the total and indicates a commitment to provide the rest. Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit as a “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (1:13-14)”. We know that the Holy Spirit was given after Jesus went to heaven as the One Who would be with us and in us. But God in us isn’t all there is. Our full inheritance is a place in heaven where we will be with Him forever. The Holy Spirit is God’s promise that there is more to come!
Paul's prayer for us is found in verses 15-23. But be sure to slow down and read what he prays. He does not pray politely that we would have a good day. He does not pray that everything would work out well. Instead, he prays boldly for our understanding of what we have available in Christ. Specifically, he prays that we would come to realize the hope, riches and power that are ours because of Jesus (1:18-19). Consider Paul’s prayer. How would you live differently if you came to better understand what God has for us?