 Good morning, everyone. Welcome to BC 103, the course on New Testament Survey. Today we are going to look at the letter to the Ephesians. So even before we could begin, can I request one of y'all to please lead us in prayer? Thank you, Father. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for this day. Thank you for this time and the moment that we came here to learn things from you, Lord. Lord, as we are going through your Bible, Lord, that teaches new things, Lord, whatever the Ma'am is going to teach, give us understanding that we all understand and to going that Lord. Lord, thank you, Lord, for your being in this class, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Vijay. Thank you, Vijay, for praying. Let me present the PowerPoint. Give me a minute. Okay. So all of us are there. We all can see the presentation that has been presented on the screen. It's visible, right? Okay. Okay. So today we're going to look at the book of Ephesians. Who's the author of this letter? Apostle Paul was the author of this letter and the book of Ephesians. We have about six chapters. We have about six chapters and even before I could go deep into the chapters, I would like to brief to you on the city of Ephesians. Okay. So let me change the slide. Okay. So we know where the city of Ephesians is. It's here. It's in Asia, Asia Minor and it is here. Can we see it? Ephesians, I've moved the cursor there. Okay. So it is, there's a major harbor. They have a lot of sea trades happening here. It is actually basically a huge city. Ephesians is a huge city and it is one of the top five cities of the world in those days, like among Alexandria, Antioch, Corinth and Rome. So Ephesians is one of the major cities among these and it was, it was known for major shipping port and it had crossroad merchants moving goods from east to west, from one place to the other. And it was a very wealthy city and had many traders visiting the city, just like how the city of Corinth was when we studied in the book of Corinthians. Same like that because there's a major harbor, major sea port there. There's a lot of business traders visiting the city. So among this, there's, this place is also an epic center of worship for the, worship for the most of the Greek and the Roman gods. So there was a very well known, it is, you know, it was known as the great temple of Artemis. This place was known for the temple of Artemis, which was one of the seven wonders in those days. So let me display the temple. This is how the temple looked like. It had the temple of Artemis and it was one among the seven wonders of the ancient world. It had, you know, because it was known for this temple, there were many, it was known for the pilgrimage. Many visitors came into this place for the temple and it had among all these, it was, this place also had a Jewish synagogue. All the Jews from Dachora, you know, they formed a synagogue. So we read that in the book of Acts chapter 2, that the city of Ephishes also had a Jewish synagogue there. So some of the Jews would be the ones from this place who followed Apostle Paul to Jerusalem to stir the trouble. In last class, we were reading about how the Jewish or the Judaizers were causing a lot of trouble for Apostle Paul in this ministry. So we also see in this place that the Lord ministered in the Church of Ephishes through few of the key leaders. Yes, Apostle Paul. Along with Apostle Paul, there were other five key leaders who ministered in this place. One was Achilla, Priscilla, Paulus, Timothy and Apostle John. So for over, Apostle Paul ministered in this place for over three years, after which he was put in prison by the Romans and Paul wrote this letter from the prison. So that was one of the reason why this letter is known as prison epistle. Okay, so even before I can go there, let me show the ruins of the temple that is here right now. This is the temple of Artemis. These are the ruins that is actually there right now at Ephishes. The book of Ephesians has six chapters and six chapters are divided into two portions. The first chapter one, two, three talks about our position in Christ. When it talks about our position in Christ, it talks about what God has done for us, what God has done for us and it emphasizes on the sovereignty of God. And we also see in chapter two, we see that what Christ has done for us. And we see it emphasis on the grace of God. And we also look at what Christ has done between us, that is reconciliation, us to God. And the second part of the chapter, second part of this letter that is chapter four to six talks about our practices on earth, where we have a new unity, chapter four talks about the importance of unity, a new walk has a new creation in Christ. It is so important for us to have this new walk, new strength. Then it also emphasis this whole letter, the first three chapters, it emphasis on the doctrinal, where the vertical relationship between us and God. And the second portion of the letter that is chapter four to six, it is horizontal, talks about our relation with others, each other. And the core phrase in this letter that is in chapter one, verse four, it clearly, Apostle Paul writes that you each of us wear in God's mind. When we personalize it, it says you wear in God's mind, you wear in God's mind. So he says in Ephesians chapter one, verse four, he says, he chose us in him before the foundation of the earth. Even before the foundation of the earth, God chose you and me. We were in his mind. And in chapter four, verse one, chapter four, verse one, he says, therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. So he emphasizes on walk in a manner worthy of the calling that you were called for. So when we look at that, we also see that there were four prison epistles that Apostle Paul wrote during this time. That is one was Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and the letter to Philemen. It is one of the four letters that he wrote during the prison time. So if you and I were in prison, what would be in our mind? What would be in our mind? You know, we will get into a time of like, why was this injustice done to me? Where is God? I'm doing his ministry. Where is God? Why am I put in prison? What image am I creating to others whom I'm ministering to? The people who Apostle Paul is ministering to, will they not have a question? Hey, he cannot free himself from the bondage he's been put into prison. How can I receive the Gospel from him? Look at the thought process of Apostle Paul. Even when he's bound in the prison, even in his prison when he wants to show that nothing can stop the Gospel which Christ has put within him. So he's seeking for different ways. How can I share the Gospel with others? So he's been allowed with some of the visitors who can visit him in the prison. So when people visit, he writes a letter and he sends it along with them. So he's writing a letter to Ephesians and then he's writing a letter to Philippians and he's writing a letter to Colossians and he's also writing a letter to Philemen. It was one of the personal letter that he's writing to him on account of Unesimus who was a ranaway slave from Philemen that we will go into deep when we study that letter. I'll explain it to you who was Unesimus and who was Philemen and what was the relationship between Philemen and Apostle Paul. So we see that even during this imprisonment, we see that Apostle Paul encouraged himself. He was a self-encourager. Nothing could stop, look at the attitude. Our attitude is more important during the time of persecution or during such time when you're going through a difficult situation or circumstances, we need to carry a right attitude. Even in imprisonment, he could always look at the circumstance and talk about the circumstance and you know, crib about it and but then he is not focusing anything about it but he's setting his focus on Jesus himself because he set his focus on Jesus himself. Though he was bound, he's been free. Those he is behind the prison, behind bars, he's still free because he's in Christ, there's freedom in Christ. So nothing can change Apostle Paul. And we see some of the letters. Okay, so the background of this is we need to get back to again the Book of Acts chapter 18. I request all to turn to Book of Acts chapter 18 verse 19, 20 and 21. Can I request one of y'all to please read? And he came to Ephesus and he prayed to Ephesus and led them there. But he himself entered the synagogue and reason was to choose. When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent. 19 and 20. Okay. So you started from 18, 19, no, 19, 20, 21. Okay. But to believe what I'm saying, I must by all means keep this coming facing Josephine, but I will return again to you, God willing, at least say it from Ephesus. Yes, thank you. So we see that Paul first visited the city of Ephesus on a secondary journey. Let me go back to the map. So Paul visited the city of Ephesus on a secondary journey and on this occasion, he was in a hurry to get back to Jerusalem because of Feast and only ministered very briefly in the synagogue. So he first started the ministry at Ephesus and the synagogue that was present in the city. And the church at Ephesus actually was found in the third missionary journey when we read Acts chapter 19 verse one to 41. When we read, we see that Apostle Paul had enough time to, you know, get back to Ephesus, stay there, minister to people and plant a church. So he actually planted the church at Ephesus in his third missionary journey. So Paul was actually, during his ministry there, Paul was actually getting good fruit. Firstly, he ministered to the disciples of John the Baptist who were present there. So it was easy to minister to them so that he had good leaders who can serve along with him. So he first ministers to the disciples of John the Baptist whom he came across in that place. So he taught them, he shared the gospel with them and they had the receptive heart to receive the gospel and they accepted it. And later we see, he spent about three months ministering in the local synagogue that was present there. He ministered to the Jews first. And because these Jewish leaders were very strong and they're custom, they were not very open enough to the teaching of the gospel which Apostle Paul was carrying. So because these Jewish people rejected Apostle Paul, he left the synagogue and he stepped out to minister to others. So what did Apostle Paul do here? He rented out a facility just like us. You know, he rented out a place and he started ministering them because there were few, you know, there were quite a number of people who were accepting his gospel. So he made a place where they all can meet together and where he could minister freely to them. So he ministered there for about two or more years and he saw a great fruit, a number of people coming into the teaching, to receiving the gospel of Christ. And so in chapter 19 verse 10, Acts chapter 19 verse 10, we see, and this continued for two years so that all who dwell in Asia heard the word of Lord Jesus, both the Jews and the Greek. And you know, some also suggested, some of the scholars suggest that during Apostle Paul's ministry time in Asia, in Asia, where he could plant the seven churches of which the book of Revelation that we read about chapter 1 to 3 where Apostle John talks about the seven churches, that would have been planted by Apostle Paul in this third missionary journey. And when he was ministering, when Apostle Paul was ministering, can we read Acts chapter 19 verse 11? Can I request one of y'all to please read? Acts chapter 19 verse 11, now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul. Thank you. So the people when he was sharing the gospel, there was an unusual miracle that took place. That means when Apostle Paul was sharing the gospel, the more of the Holy Spirit was backing Apostle Paul and every word, every teaching that he taught them through which people could accept this gospel because this gospel didn't come with more words, but this gospel had come with great power. So as he was ministering to this people, now we need to know the background of this place. This place had a great temple. It was one among the seven wonders. It had a big temple. And when you see there was a big temple, you should also know there would be prostitution, which is very legal in those days. There's prostitution. There's a lot of black magic happening in this place. So when Apostle Paul was ministering, can I request y'all to read Acts 19 verse 18 and 19? And many of you had believed, came confessing and telling your deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them beside the fall and they counted up the value of them and a total of 50,000 pieces of silver. And verse 20, please. So the word of the Lord who invited me and prevailed. So what we see here, we see even the black magicians, the word of the Lord reached them. The scripture says when you hear the truth, the truth sets you free. So what happened to these black magicians? They felt the power that they had at no value. They were convicted. This is what happens when the presence of God moves. Wherever Apostle Paul moved, the presence of God backed them. And in his teaching and his preaching, there was understanding given to the people. And that changed the black magician people. In fact, they brought their books and they burned it in sight of everyone. That means there was a true conviction where these magicians experienced the power of God. They experienced the true God. They experienced Jesus ministering to them in their heart. And there was a true transformation. And we also see in verse 20, the word of God grew mighty, mightily and prevailed. So we see in verse 24 and 27, when we read further, we see that the gospel disrupted the local trade in, you know, local trade, because you know what happens in revival, right? The whole city changes, the whole city changes, the people are transformed inside out, sins have been convicted. So what happened when people changed? There were a lot of visitors coming from outside to visit this temple. But then here there's a church ministering, flourishing, growing in word and ministering in power. People have been receiving this new gospel. They were, people were receiving this new gospel. The lives were transformed. And because of which there was a businessman, Demetrius verse 29 to 41, when we read, we see there was a businessman named Demetrius. He was selling the silver smith. He was a silver smith selling the idols of this goddess's diner or the goddesses of Artemis. And his business was affected because people were changing to this new gospel. And because his business was affected, what he did, he called the leaders of that place and he made them come against apostle Paul because, you know, the people are getting transformed. They have been receiving to this new teaching and, you know, the businesses are getting stopped. People are stopped coming to worship this goddesses into the shrine. There's a major loss of the business has been affected. So what happened? They tried to create a big riot in that place against apostle Paul. Now apostle Paul as a leader does not go against them. So what he does, he is actually looking at these few believers in the church who are growing in the word and in spirit. He felt the Lord will carry them further. So what he does is quietly leaves that place and moves on to the other city. Okay. He briefs the leaders there and he says, y'all continue the work here and I will move up. So he moves out from that place from Ephesians in peace. So some of the main theme that we can look at this from this letter to Ephesians are the holy community that God is trying to create in this place. The whole letter ministers to us as the community that God is building or God is creating is to live out the calling. So this is what apostle Paul encourages the believers in Ephesians when he left that place. He said, God has called you. So you need to build this community. You need to build this community in word and in spirit and he left that place. So the theme in this letter is Paul focused on what he had in Christ, not on the situation or circumstance that he was in. He focused on Christ. When we read Ephesians chapter 1, can I request I'll return to Ephesians chapter 1 from verse 1 to 14 or exactly from verse 3 to 14 we see a praise. Praise that is apostle Paul is praising God saying, blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Further he says, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that he would be holy and without blame before him in love and he goes that way. He keeps praising God. We see that the whole from chapter 3 to 4 we see that it is a sentence of praise and to God. It begins with blessed and he lifts up the praise and thanksgiving to God for the benefits that he has in Christ. Yes, it is poetic in nature. The second theme that we see through this letter is when we read verse from 3 to 6. This portion brings a threefold division acknowledging the unique of each person of the Godhead in our redemption. He talks about the tribute to the Father and from chapter 1 verse 7 to 12 he talks about the tribute to the Son and then from verse 13 to 14 we see is giving a tribute to the Holy Spirit. So he is acknowledging Father, Son and the Holy Spirit and later portion we see apostle Paul focuses on nine things that he experiences as believer in Christ and he is also encouraging us. I am just changing the slide. Yes, we are here. So as a believer in Christ we are chosen before the foundation of the world. So he is encouraging every believer. As a believer in Christ you have been chosen before the foundation of the world. Efficiency chapter 1 verse 4 and he goes further than he says we are predestined unto the adoption as children. We have been adopted as child of God. Third point we see we have obtained an inheritance and we are accepted in the beloved and our sins have been forgiven through the redemption of Jesus Christ. That the work that he did on the cross and then when he is talking about the Holy Spirit the last few verses we see that we are sealed in the Holy Spirit with a promise saying that you are the child of God and then we heard the word of truth. We trusted after we have heard how did we trust the understanding the trust the conviction the assurance in the heart that can only be ministered to each of us through the Holy Spirit. Okay, Bill said that Paul also focuses on the eternal purpose of God and God's instrument for that purpose as the church. So we see in chapter 1 talks about the eternal purpose of the church. As he talks about the church he is also talking about the preeminent one which we have in Jesus Christ that Christ is the preeminent one and in chapter 2 he addresses about the temple of God and Jesus is the chief cornerstone and we have the communion with him. In chapter 3 he talks about he addresses about the family of God and Christ is the first born son and he also has the purpose of multiplicity. In chapter 4 he addresses about the the church as the body of Christ and Christ is the head of the body and then he talks about the various functions of the body and in chapter 5 he talks about that the church is the bride of Christ and Christ is the head and he also talks about the husband of the wife is the head and then the purpose he brings here is the bride for the son and in chapter 6 he talks about the church as the army of God and the Christ is the captain of that army and he has a dominion over everything. This is what he addresses and along with it Apostle Paul is also focusing on what is happening in the heavenly places of which we are unable to see with our eyes and he says that the phrases are the heavenly places and you know in chapter 1 verse 3 he starts like blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So he is ministering to us saying that when we are in Christ we have the access of all the blessings all the blessings that are in Christ has now become to us we have we have been blessed when we are in Christ we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing as we studied on different themes we also look at some of the features from the book of Ephesians. So Paul refers the three different spiritual posture of the believer in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 6 can I request one of your to be Ephesians chapter 2 verse 6. So chapter 2 verse 6 says raised up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So here we see where is our position is where are we being seated. So as a believer we have a position in Christ Jesus and we are seated in him in the heavenly places. Can I request one of you all to please unmute and read chapter 4 verse 1. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you are called. Thank you. So through this verse we see our walking our conduct so what we see here as a believer we need to walk worthy the calling that God has called each of us. So can I request one of you all to turn to chapter 6 verse 11 that you may be able to stand against the whilst with them. Yes so what happened it shows us standing what are we standing against so we see the believers we have a posture of resistance to the work or the enemy. We have to stand firm in the place where we are and they resist the devil so I take it free. And in chapter 2 verse 11 to 22 verse 11 to 22 can I request one of you all to read it's a big chapter is it okay okay so I'll just brief you all okay what happens verse 11 to 22 therefore remember that you once gentile in the flesh you are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands that at that time you were without Christ being alien from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ and further we can read different talks about Christ who's a peace and then 19 to 22 talks about Christ our cornerstone so Paul describes first the former condition of the gentile from verse 11 to 13 he talks about the former connect that is he talks about the gentile in the flesh talks about the uncircumcision how we are without Christ and how we are alien to the common wealth of Israel and we are strangers from the covenants of promise where we have no hope and without God in the world we are far off and when we are far off we become enmity from God and then he goes further he talks in Christ our peace 14 to 18 can i request one of y'all to read verse 14 to 18 he is our peace who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation having abolished and splashed their enmity that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances starts to create in his own one human man from the two thus making peace and actually my weapons have been both to God in one body through the cross thereby putting to death the enmity and he came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near but to him we both have access by one spirit to the father of God thank you thank you so what happened from verse 14 to 18 we see that Paul describes the present condition to the gentile of the gentile he says now we are in Christ Jesus where you know we have been nigh by the blood of Christ and we are at the peace with God and man we have been made new and then the middle wall of the partition has been broken down and we have brought one in Christ we are the new man we have been reconciled into one body with God and he is also going further to you know preaching the peace to those who are far and you know through this when we accept Jesus as a Lord and Savior now there is an access between God and man and further more he goes verse 19 to 22 can I request one of your to read just unmute and read now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God having been built on the foundation of the apostle and prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in whom the whole building being joined together grows into a into a holy temple in the Lord you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the spirit thank you so what we get to understand from verse 9 to 22 is that we are no more strangers and foreigners in Christ because we are now one in Christ Jesus so we have this new fellowship new citizenship in Christ and we have been brought into the household of God so the Jews and Gentiles have joined together where we have made one citizen no more we have been addressed like you are Jew you are Gentile but then we are addressed in we are in Christ Jesus okay so been said that apostle Paul is actually moving to a conclusion part and he talks to I mean he calls out the ministry he calls out the ministry the five-fold ministry in chapter four verse 11 can I request you all to read please himself he gave some to the apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers so he requests you to come to the first one let's read for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ thanks friend so here we see that a personal Paul is giving us a close look on the five-fold ministry and its functions here we see that you know God called he himself gave some the calling of a apostle prophet evangelist pastors teachers so it is God who called them into the ministry and when God calls he gives them the gift the skill that is required to minister and to flow in that area we see he also equips the saints for the work of the ministry why to edification and Christ that is for the edification of the church in expansion of the church to bless the church that's why he calls these leaders and he equips them and he ministers the church in and through that for the edification of the church now can I request you on to turn to chapter six verse 12 to 18 we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities against power against the rulers of the darkness of the age against spiritual hordes of wickedness in the heavenly places therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand therefore having created your waste with truth having put on the breastplate of righteousness and having shot your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God being always with all prayers supplication in the spirit being possible to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints thank you so what we see here is Paul gives us a very detailed report a detailed description about the importance of the armor of God we need to wear the armor of God to come against the schemes of the enemy so it is very important so what do we learn what do we learn from the letter of efficiency throughout what was our learning we see that the letter of efficiency when we when we see the passion that apostle Paul carries within himself to go into this new city where it is known for people from across the nation to travel into the city for two reason for traders and we also see the pilgrimage people come to this place on pilgrimage so he sees two type of people one is earnest to do the business and the second we see earnest to know God they're coming into a temple and you see the city has a huge population but that there is no presence of or the knowledge of the true God to this people so he decides that he should visit this place next time the secondary journey he just passes through he sees everything understands the place the culture the social setting and he goes I'm sure this what I've been in his mind to pray for that place for God to minister through him and now he decides for the third missionary journey I need to come to this place and minister when you study this letter Paul never stayed this long more than two years in any other place other than efficacious he had the heart for this people because the culture they are so far away from God he saw the business merchants where they're putting all the effort in doing business and doing things that are perishable they're putting in all the effort to do things are perishable things but they didn't know the God and then he's seeing the other crowd they yes they have this earnest thirst to know God but then they're worshiping the idols which is not even a God so he's come he's come with full flesh to minister so as usually goes to the synagogue any ministers so what we see is throughout the gospel you see there's a fruit there's a hard work of a person called in this place through his hard work we see the ministry of Jesus Christ people lives have been changed changed transformed and the ministry grew it grew and it flourished way we see this the power of God backed Apostle Paul we see Lord also sent leaders like you know God raised leaders through the ministry of Apostle Paul like Akhila and Priscilla joined the ministry they were the business merchants who were selling purple cloth they joined the ministry then we see Apollos who had been equal uh equal like Apostle Paul who's well knowledgeable in the world and he was also ministering in this place and then we see Apostle John or ministering in this place and then Timothy who was trained by Apostle Paul then finally Apostle Paul leaves Timothy at the church of Ephishes to continue the work and he stepped out when he had the persecution coming against him because the whole city was getting transformed the business of the temple was affected for which you know there was a riot created and they asked they expelled Apostle Paul from the city but then Apostle Paul peacefully agreed to get I mean come out of walk out of that city but then he left Timothy a spiritual son of Apostle Paul whom was trained under his leadership he left the church on his leadership and he stepped out saying that Timothy you stay I'll minister to the people we can continue to minister to the people you grow get this grow church grow stronger so Paul is mentioning to us through this letter that Jesus is the source of the spiritual blessing he's ministering to all the believers he's saying you have been blessed in Christ Jesus you have every spiritual blessing within you you were created you were in God's mind at the foundation of the earth itself is showing their identity their place in Jesus in Christ Jesus you also says the cornerstone of the church and the goal of the spiritual maturity he brings and he nurtures them to grow in spiritual maturity because of the situation and circumstance that this church was in so what we reflection what is the reflection when Apostle Paul wrote this letter Apostle Paul was in the prison so in the prison he's been focused on Jesus and he's been encouraging people and he's also encouraging himself so if you were an eye where in the prison how would we set our mind on what would we do and as we are ministered by the word and how do we how have you grown in Christian life since you came to faith in Jesus Christ so we need to think when when the gospel reached us each of us for the very first time what was our reaction how did we grow receiving that word how did we grow so when we look at that you see the seed that was sold by someone into us has led us here to be equipped more in the word so that is how Apostle Paul looked at sharing the gospel and efficiencies every word of God that he preached was a seed was a seed that he saw in the believer's life and he allowed the Lord to you know nurture that seed and allow that seed to grow to bear more fruit in it so you see the seed that was sown in us through someone who's in Christ that seed is grown that seed led us to thirst more be nurtured in the word that has helped us to join the Bible college to be equipped so now you know the power of the seed so as you and I could grow in this Christian life in faith in Jesus Christ now isn't it our turn for us to carry this gospel and share this bag that is filled with good seed within us to others so we need to think what did Apostle Paul do we need to do the same thing if the Holy Spirit could back up Paul in a strange land like Ephishes where the power of evil was so much against him but he never feared anything that's the reason in chapter 6 he talks about the armor of God when you go there to minister when you carry the gospel and go you're not going alone you're not going alone there you're going the presence of God you're going with the armor of God the heavenly yours God backs you up with the heavenly used so no so there's no part in this world no evil part in this world can come against you because God himself has covered you with the armor so we need to know that we need to put on the armor of God carry the gospel and go and you can see how the Holy Spirit can back each one us each one of us to minister his gospel so that we can see the power of God in our ministry so that is all about the letter to Ephesians I pray and hope but as we study these letters the passion that Apostle Paul carried may stir us to be more like him that is one of the reason why Apostle Paul writes in one of his letters saying imitate me as I imitate Christ what is imitating the passion that he carries no matter what happens I'm not going to give up on the gospel of Christ I'm been stoned to death the last letter we saw how he was stoned to death and in this letter we see that he's behind bars he's behind the chain but look at his attitude look at his mindset he says no matter where I am I'm focused on Jesus I'm seeing different ways how I can share the gospel so this should be something within us this should be implanted within us this attitude should get into us it should get into our spirit that no matter what situation you and I are and I put in that situation should not affect us should not affect our calling we should be like the ant if I've any of y'all tried when the ant is crawling or going on the running on the wall if you interrupt his path will he stop moving he finds another way how much more you and I are better than that ant isn't it so nothing should hinder in we minister not carrying this gospel it should be within us to share the gospel in different ways and God is a God of creativity he will give us the creativeness how to minister in different situation to people we are put in so with that I'll end the session can I request one of y'all to please lead us in prayer I mean to end the session yeah one of y'all please go ahead and pray dear heavenly father thank you very much for bringing us here it's time to pray and it's time to understand your word and thank you very much and the leaving a smile now please understand more new things very further and other clouds to come and thank you for preaching and teaching a new thing to die and memory father and Jesus let me pray amen amen thank you so much for joining in today's session I hope it was a blessing God bless see y'all next week thank you