1 - Context Is Key
The Book of Ephesians
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12m
In this opening session, Dr. Rene Rochester lays the groundwork for studying the book of Ephesians by exploring the historical and cultural backdrop of the city of Ephesus. From the influence of pagan worship to the rise of commerce, athletics, and philosophy, Ephesus was a thriving yet spiritually dark city in need of the gospel. Dr. Rene shows how Paul’s ministry, alongside leaders like Timothy, Priscilla, and Aquila, brought the good news into this environment and why understanding context is essential to understanding Scripture. As she reminds us, God meets us where we are, but He never leaves us there—He calls us into a new kingdom, under a better way, through Christ.
Up Next in The Book of Ephesians
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2 - The Body of Christ: Sit, Stand, Walk
Dr. Rene unpacks the significance of the human body as a metaphor for the body of Christ in the book of Ephesians. Drawing from the cultural backdrop of Ephesus and its devotion to the goddess Artemis, she contrasts false worship with the true purpose of our “earth suits.” Through vivid illustrat...
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3 - The Blessings of Redemption
Now we begin the book of Ephesians itself, beginning with chapter one. Dr. Rene unpacks Paul’s reminder that redemption—being bought back through the blood of Jesus—is at the very heart of the gospel. Both Jew and Gentile, male and female, must come to God the same way: through Christ’s finished ...
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4 - From Death to Life
In this session, Dr. Rene transitions from Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1 into the life-changing truth of Ephesians 2. She contrasts the old way of living—dead in sin and following the spirit of disobedience—with the new life given through Christ. With vivid illustrations, Dr. Rene explains how God...
