Ephesians 6:21-24

I. Character (Ephesians 6:21)

A. Beloved brother (Galatians 3:27; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 John 3:10-17; 4:20-21; 2 John 5)
B. Faithful minister (Matthew 5:33-37; 23:11; 1 Timothy 3:8-13)

II. Service (Ephesians 6:22)

A. Brought news of Paul (Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 11:18; 2 Thess. 3:11)
B. Brought comfort to the church (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

III. Prayer (Ephesians 6:23-24)

A. Peace (Philippians 4:7)
B. Love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)
C. Grace (Titus 2:11-14)

Ephesians 6:10-20

I. The war (Ephesians 6:10-13)

A. Our commander: God (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13; Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 35:4; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Timothy 2:1; Philippians 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:15)
B. Our enemy: the devil (Eph. 6:11-12; 4:14; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 1 Peter 5:8-9)

II. The armor (Ephesians 6:14-17)

A. Belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14; John 8:32)
B. Breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14; Proverbs 13:6)
C. Feet prepared with the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15; Rom. 10:15; Matt. 5:9)
D. Shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16; Romans 10:17)
E. Helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8)
F. Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 119:11)

III. The prayers (Ephesians 6:18-20)

A. Prayer for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18; James 5:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
B. Prayer for the preacher (Ephesians 6:19-20; Acts 4:29)

Ephesians 6:5-9

I. The responsibility of bondservants/employees (Eph 6:5-8)

A. Do what is right with the right attitude (Ephesians 6:5-7)
1. “With fear and trembling” (Ephesians 5:21)
2. “In sincerity of heart” (1 Peter 2:18-20)
3. “Not with eyeservice” (Philippians 2:12-13)
4. “With goodwill” (Colossians 3:23)

B. The motivation behind the attitude: “as to Christ,” “as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,” “as to the Lord, and not to men” (Ephesians 6:5-7)
C. The principle of reaping and sowing (Ephesians 6:8; Galatians 6:7-9; Colossians 3:24-25)

II. The responsibility of masters/employers (Ephesians 6:9)

A. “Do the same things to them” (Matthew 7:12)
B. “Giving up threatening” (Acts 4:17, 29; 9:1)
C. Even the boss has a Master (Philippians 2:9-11)
D. “There is no partiality with Him” (Galatians 3:28)

Ephesians 6:1-4

I. The responsibility of children (Ephesians 6:1-3)

A. Obey your parents – listen to, hearken (Matthew 8:27; Acts 6:7; Acts 12:13)
B. This is right – righteous, just (Hebrews 10:38; James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12)
C. Honor (Exodus 20:12)
1. One cannot honor God if he does not honor his parents (Matthew 15:3-9)
2. Honor also commanded toward widows (1 Timothy 5:3), to all men and to the king (1 Peter 2:17)

D. The first commandment with promise

II. The duty of parents—specifically fathers (Ephesians 6:4)

A. Do not provoke your children to wrath
B. Bring them up (Proverbs 22:6)
C. Training and admonition – a balance of positive and negative (2 Timothy 3:16)

Ephesians 6:21-24

I. From friends (Ephesians 6:21-22)

A. Seeing old friends who have been away for some time (Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7)
B. Good news about friends (Ephesians 6:22; Philippians 1:12-14)

II. From God (Ephesians 6:23-24; 1:2-3)

A. Peace (1 Peter 3:10-11; Romans 12:18; Ephesians 2:14; Matthew 5:9)
B. Love with faith (James 2:22; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 6; 2 Thessalonians 1:3)
C. Grace (Romans 6:23; Isaiah 59:2; John 3:16; John 14:23)

Ephesians 6:18-20

I. Prayer (Ephesians 6:18-19)

A. Paul’s prayers (Colossians 1:9; Philippians 1:9; 2 Corinthians 13:7)
B. Paul encouraged prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Timothy 2:1-4)
C. When should we pray? (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
D. For whom should we pray? (Ephesians 6:19; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 1:5; Matthew 6:9-13)

II. Perception (Ephesians 6:18b)

A. Gideon’s army (Judges 7:5-7)
B. Keep your eyes open so you’re not taken by surprise (1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 5:15-16)
C. Be watchful for opportunities to do good (Galatians 6:9-10)

III. Persuasiveness (Ephesians 6:19b-20)

A. Peter and John’s boldness (Acts 4:8-13)
B. Paul’s boldness (Acts 20:27; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 4:2)

Ephesians 6:13-17

I. Questions about wearing the whole armor of God

A. Why? (Ephesians 6:13)
B. Stand against what or whom? (Acts 20:29, 30, 38; Ephesians 2:1-5; 4:17-24; 4:1-3)

II. Defensive weapons

A. Gird your waist with truth (Ephesians 6:14a; John 8:32)
B. Breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14b; 1 Timothy 6:11; Romans 3:10, 23; 1 Corinthians 1:30)
C. Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 8:4)
D. Shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 11:1, 6; Romans 10:17)
E. Helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17a)

III. The offensive weapon

A. The sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17b)
B. Use it properly (2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 4:12)

Ephesians 6:10-12

I. “Be strong in the Lord…” (Ephesians 6:10)

A. “Be strong and of good courage” (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 16-18; 21:43-45)
B. Strength comes from God and is found in Christ (Romans 8:1; James 4:7; Philippians 4:13, 19)

II. “Put on the whole armor of God…” (Ephesians 6:11)

A. Spiritual armor (Romans 13:12-14; John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 6:3-7)
B. “Wiles” = schemes, tricks

III. “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood…” (Ephesians 6:12)

A. Do not underestimate the devil’s smarts (2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 4:2; 2 Timothy 3:7)
B. Do not underestimate the devil’s strength (1 Peter 5:8)