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Read: Ephesians 3:16-19
Listen: Ephesians 3

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. Ephesians 3:17b-18

Paul spends three chapters reminding believers in Ephesus who they are in Christ. This new identity is to shape their relationships with each other. The gospel doesn’t just change individuals, it transforms entire communities. After establishing their gospel identity, Paul provides a list of behaviors to abandon and virtues to embrace, explaining the reason behind each instruction. The gospel is highly relational, not merely a set of moral guidelines. Ephesian believers no longer live in brokenness but build community together. Security in their identity provides wholeness and freedom, empowering new behaviors that build genuine connections with each other and restore what sin has broken.

The same dynamics that shaped relationships in ancient Ephesus still affect us today. We all long for deep, human connection—it’s how God created us. Whether in our marriages, families, workplaces or small groups, certain actions shatter our connections while others strengthen them. Lying is one sin that breaks trust and destroys community. Honesty, by contrast, builds and deepens our connections with each other. The more secure we are in Christ, the more freedom we experience to be honest with others. This week, we’ll explore practical ways to put off lying and grow in truthfulness, creating the deeper relationships we were designed for.

TODAY: Use Ephesians 3:16-19 as a prayer, asking God to help you live out your new identity in Christ. As you pray these verses, ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and root you in Christ’s love so you can build authentic community with others.