Ephesians Women's Bible Study: We Want World Peace!

In the movie Miss Congeniality, Sandra Bullock is an FBI agent pretending to be a beauty pageant contestant. When asked on stage “What is the one most important thing our society needs?” she answers, “That would be harsher punishment for parole violators, Stan.” The boisterous audience goes silent. It’s a funny point in the movie because everyone knows the “correct” beauty pageant answer to that question is “world peace”—even Sandra Bullock’s rough and tough character, who hastily adds, “And world peace!”

Everyone wants world peace, right?

In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve had world peace. They existed in a joy-filled relationship with their Creator, each other, and creation. They were even at peace with themselves. But when sin entered into that paradise, all was broken—relationship with God, relationship with each other, relationship with creation and even humanity’s peace within our own hearts and minds. And thus, we have been wishing for world peace ever since.

Countries fall into genocide and neighbors murder neighbors. Children on the border are separated from parents. We witness sex trafficking, gang violence, pornography, inner city children caught in cycles of poverty,  and we experience our own personal struggles in marriage, singleness, anxiety, fear, parenting. Who will rescue us from this mess? When will we get world peace?

This fall at Redeemer, our Women’s Bible Study participants will delve into the book of Ephesians together. In Ephesians, Paul tells us that if we have trusted in God’s Son, we have been reconciled to God through Jesus (Eph. 1:3-10), and the implications of this reconciliation are far reaching. Through Christ, God has brought peace not only with God but peace with one another as well. 

So what does this mean to me in my daily work and relationships? I still wake up, eat breakfast and go to work. Has God really brought this promised peace?

Paul says, “yes”, that peace has come in Christ who himself is our peace (Eph. 2:14). And yet, after talking about peace for three chapters, Paul finishes his letter with a call to “put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil,” Eph. 6:11.

Why does Paul tell us about the peace and reconciliation brought to us through Christ for three chapters, then end with this call to suit up for war? For some reason, in His infinite wisdom and goodness, He has chosen to make us active participants in that peace coming to this earth. As Christians, our call is to become a part of the war for peace.

We have the opportunity to help one another suit up for this battle as we study the book of Ephesians with the women of Redeemer this fall.

Your women’s ministry leaders have been studying Titus 2 and praying about the role of spiritual mothers (or life-on-life biblical discipleship) in our women’s ministry. Our women’s Bible studies will be ground zero for this discipleship.

We are excited about some changes to our Bible Study format. Throughout the semester we will provide active training in personal Bible study tools to help us engage the Scriptures on our own during the week. We will have Bible Study table groups who begin each week’s Bible study together, led by two spiritual mothers for each table. There will also be a wrap up teacher leading the larger group at the conclusion of the study. And we will have brown bag lunches, dinners and coffees with these spiritual mothers covering a range of life topics so that we learn from one another how to apply these truths in our daily lives.

Join us as we encourage one another in the body of Christ. Scripture says Redeemer is a body (1 Cor. 1:12) and can only function when all our parts are working together. We need you in women’s Bible study! Come bless others and be blessed.

Registration for the Fall semester of Women’s Bible Study is open now; you can register HERE and get all the details about morning and evening Bible studies.