Application Point:
Church members and leaders need to be on guard against false teachings that do not align with Scripture.
the dangers the Ephesian church would face.
28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock
of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers,
to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.
29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you,
not sparing the flock.
30 Men will rise up even from your own number
and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.
31 Therefore be on the alert,
remembering that night and day for three years
I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.
32 And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace,
which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.”
identify the different terms and images used for pastors.
Note that “wolves” continues the metaphor of sheep and shepherds.
Encourage adults to suggest ways a false teacher in a church could be like a wolf among a flock of sheep.
Emphasize Paul’s challenge for the elders to remain alert to this danger.
Use information in the paragraph below to explain Paul’s benediction to the Ephesian elders.
Review these points from this week’s Bible passage:
Encourage the group to react to the Apply the Text questions on page 87.
Encourage adults to share ways believers can discern false teaching.
Write their responses on the board.
Challenge them to spend time in prayer this week, asking God to help them be alert to the dangers to their own faith and the faith of others.
Encourage the group to use the Daily Exploration on pages 89-91 to dig deeper into God’s Word this week.
Close in prayer,
asking God to help your group to remain faithful through a lifetime of relationship to Christ.
Reinforce the session by texting or emailing the group during the week. Encourage them to be on guard against false teaching and to commit to a life of faithfulness. Remind them to meditate on the memory verse this week (Acts 20:24).