Effective Bible Study

#14 – More Than We Can Imagine (I) Riches Beyond Measure: Lessons from Ephesians

October 20, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Ephesians, Pages, Series

In Ephesians 3:14-21 Paul returns to the thought he began in chapter 3, verse 1. After his parenthesis about his ministry and God’s plan to demonstrate His Great Plan through the church, he now prays that the Ephesians will experience even more of the “glorious riches” of the Father. He prays that they will be strengthened, that Christ will permanently dwell within them, and that they will be able to fully grasp how great God’s love for them is.

Every epistle by Paul except II Corinthians and Titus contains one or more explicit prayers by him. One such list can be found here. Our present passage is the second of three prayers found here in Ephesians (1:15-23; 6:19-20). He will then complete his “theological” teaching, and begin the next chapter with how the believers should live out God’s Great Plan in their lives and in His church.

Editorial: About a Movie and a Burial at Sea

October 18, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Editorial, Teaching & Study

Perhaps this article will seem strange to some, especially since it appears on a website about effective Bible study. However, I think it is important for those who teach and preach to know that you should and can draw inspiration and illustrations from a wide variety of sources.

Currently there is a movie available only through Apple TV+ starring Tom Hanks called Greyhound. It is a movie of historical fiction; in other words, it is a fictional story of events firmly rooted in history.

#13 – The Mystery Revealed Riches Beyond Measure: Lessons from Ephesians

October 17, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Ephesians, Pages, Series

It was important that the Ephesians (and us along with them) understand exactly what Paul’s ministry was about. He was entrusted along with others (3:5) with declaring God’s revealed mystery. This secret (Gk. musterion) is that in Christ all become one people redeemed by God’s grace in Christ. According to Ephesians 3:10, God’s “intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known,” not just to all mankind, but even to all those in the heavenly realms (spiritual world).

Pick of the Week: The Story of the Gutenberg Bible

October 16, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Church History, Pick of the Week

I am very excited about an upcoming series I plan to write for Effective Bible Study (this website!) about Johann Gutenberg and the “Gutenberg Bible.” My enthusiasm is for several reasons:

I am a trained printer with a background in letterpress (what Gutenberg Used), offset press, and digital.
I have owned or helped operate several printing companies as a means of support over the years for my ministry.
I have recently purchased a small tabletop letterpress and some other equipment and hope to spend time in the near future teaching my grandchildren here in Lubbock the joy and satisfaction of printing using this method. (For those with the interest, I purchased a 5 x 8 Kelsey Excelsior Press and am waiting for new rollers to be custom-made for it.)
The invention of printing as done by Gutenberg literally changed the world, including Christian evangelism and education.
The story, as much of it as we know, is a fascinating story.

#12 – The Place Where God Lives Riches Beyond Measure: Lessons from Ephesians

October 13, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Ephesians, Pages, Series, Teaching & Study

Ephesians 2:11-22 now reveals the great mystery that God had kept hidden even from the Jewish people as He foretold the coming of their Savior. In Greek thinking and language, a “mystery” was a “divine secret,” something that only a divine being could reveal. And this secret of God was that the riches of His salvation through Christ was not only the forgiveness of sins, but the making of two completely different peoples – Jews and Gentiles – one new people shaped into a holy temple where God is worshiped.

“In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.” – Isaiah 2:2

History: Herod’s Temple

October 12, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Church History, Graphics, Resource

The Temple in Jerusalem that stood in Jesus’ time is commonly referred to as Herod’s Temple or the Second Temple. It was a total rebuild and upgrade of the much more modest structure built after Jewish people began to return to their homeland at the end of the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 3). It was completed about 520 BC. Herd began his reconstruction in about 19 BC. Parts of Herod’s structures were still under construction even as Jesus visited it during His ministry (John 2:20-21; Matthew 24:1-2).

There are lots of resources available to help us visualize what this structure and the complex surrounding it probably looked like. These resources are helpful because the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70 and the current Temple Mount is occupied by an Islamic Mosque and the Islamic Dome of the Rock shrine.

#11 – A Salvation That Is by Grace Riches Beyond Measure: Lessons from Ephesians

October 10, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Ephesians, Pages, Series

In Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul reminds us that we were in desperate straits before God by His grace saved us through the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ. “For by grace have you been saved through faith” should be the amazing hymn of every believer!

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. – Ephesians 2:8-10

At this point in his epistle, Paul presents the core of God’s great plan. He also presented these ideas in his letter to the Romans, but in much more detail and with the Jewish people more in mind.

History: Martin Luther, the Musician

October 9, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Church History, Resource

Motivated by the recent documentary on Martin Luther which we recommended, today I want to touch on another aspect of Luther’s influence on Christianity – the way we “protestants” view music! “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise,” said Luther. He also wrote, “Music is next to theology!” And, “It (sacred music) drives away the devil!”

This article is not going to be long. Instead it will link to other resources freely available on the internet to let readers learn as much as they will of the work and influence of Luther in the realm of sacred music.

But briefly I would repeat what I tell my students in our History of Christianity course. Luther wrote hymns in the language and style of the people of his day. He even published a hymnbook of his and others hymns to be used in the “protesting” churches. He strongly believed in and practiced congregational a cappella singing.

Pick of the Week: Documentary & Podcast on Martin Luther

October 7, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Church History, Pick of the Week

Martin Luther is one of the most interesting people to me in the history of Christianity. From young law student to monk to college professor to reformer – his impact on church history can scarcely be overstated. And yet, he seemed to be laser focused on knowing and doing God’s will, not on elevating himself or trying to profit from his eventual fame.

This month begins the 500th anniversary of his being excommunicated by Pope Leo X in January 1521… and all the things that transpired afterward. Ligonier Ministries are making a documentary and a new podcast available to commemorate what would turn into a “sea change” in Christianity.

#10 – Having the Eyes of Your Heart Enlightened Riches Beyond Measure: Lessons from Ephesians

October 5, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Ephesians, Pages, Series, Teaching & Study

Having presented God’s purpose and plan to bless us beyond measure, Paul now prays (1:15-23) that our eyes be opened to see what God has and is doing on our behalf! Otherwise, we have riches beyond measure, but will continue think and live like paupers. Today we will also learn just how great Jesus is, and our vital connection to Him as His “body” on earth.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” – Ephesians 1:18-19

#9 – The Plan & Purpose of God Riches Beyond Measure: Lessons from Ephesians

October 4, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Ephesians, Pages, Series, Teaching & Study

Today we finally begin our study of the actual text of Ephesians. The first section, covering 1:3-14, presents Paul’s premise for the entire book. Here we discover that our salvation is the culmination of the purpose and plan of God from before the Creation. Nothing was by chance with Him; all had been been foreseen and provided for. And it was all for our us!

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” – Ephesians 1:11-12

Paul uses some wonderful words in our text that really illuminate and emphasize his point about God’s eternal plan. Here’s a list of some of those words: predestined, purpose, will, riches, grace, lavished, praise, seal, and pledge.

Pick of the Week: Free New Book on Intelligent Design "Foresight: How the Chemistry of Life Reveals Planning and Purpose"

October 2, 2020 By Richard Cravy in Apologetics, Pick of the Week

Creation or Evolution? This is a question we continually have to answer as scientism has invented an alternative to the Biblical narrative of where the universe, life and humankind came from. This is a crucial discussion for many reasons, including whether the Bible is actually true, whether Jesus was telling the truth (Matthew 19:4), and if there really is a Supreme Creator.

An increasing number in the scientific community, especially among those who are not considered Bible believers, are contributing to the “Intelligent Design” movement. While not actually a formal movement, this is a new way of thinking, and it proposes that many aspects of the world/universe around us cannot be explained by random chance or blind processes. Their research reveals lots of examples of amazing design – examples which have no other reasonable explanation. No surprise that is where many of us have been all along!