Read the chapter out loud. Describe the main ideas of the chapter in your own words, out loud or in writing.

Transcription

1 Ephesians 1 1. Which three verses begin with the words In him? What do these verses say that we have in him? (Question-forming [i.e. grammar] bonus: Where in the chapter is the antecedent of him?) 2. What picture does the word lavish (v. 8) bring to mind? Enjoy the generosity of our good God today! 3. What does Paul pray for the Ephesians in verses 15-23? Pray this prayer for someone you know this week a pastor, a parent, a friend, etc. Key verses: 3, 7, 11, 18, 22 If you re not sure how to memorize an entire chapter, try this: Day 1: study the first three key verses. Practice them until you can say all three out loud without stopping. Day 2: read the chapter out loud again, review the three verses you ve already learned, and memorize two more key verses. Day 3: read the chapter out loud again, review the verses you ve learned, and memorize the last two key verses. Day 4: read, review, and memorize two new verses from the beginning of the chapter (verses 2 and 3). Day 5 and following: review each day, and memorize the rest of the chapter a little at a time.

2 Ephesians 2 1. Be sure to read this chapter as though Paul wrote it specifically to you. Every time it says you or we or us, take it personally. (If it helps, put your name in instead of you or we or us. You will have to rearrange some of the helping words.) Does this change your perspective on any particular verse? (Optional) Which verse(s) did you see differently? What changed? 2. What would it be like as a Gentile before Christ came? (Hint: check verse 12.) 3. Paul uses the metaphor of a building in verses How does this picture help us understand our relationship to Christ and to each other? Key verses: 3, 8, 9, 10, 14, 17, 19 If you re having trouble remembering last month s material, try this: In addition to your new memory work, 1: Read your review chapter(s) once or twice. Try to quote it (them). 2: Split the review chapter into parts (e.g. verses 1-11, verses 12-17, verses 20-29). Find the part you have the most trouble with. Read that part three times and then try to quote it. 3: Randomize your quoting. There are some computer quiz programs that can help (ask your coach or a veteran quizzer). Or you can go the old-fashioned way: write the references on flash cards, mix them up, and quote through the deck. (You don t need to write the whole verse on the card, but it can help your memory if you do.) 4: Mix your review quoting in with your new material.

3 Ephesians 3 1. In verse 1, Paul begins a statement with the words, For this reason He doesn t finish that statement for a while. Where in the chapter does he pick up that thought again? (Hint: He starts his statement over again.) 2. Why does Paul call himself the very least of all the saints? 3. What is Paul praying for the Ephesians in verses 14-19? For whom could you pray this prayer this week? Key verses: 6, 10, 12, 16, 20 If it s hard to find time to study, try this: 1. Study in the car! Some of you are already pros at this. Spend a few minutes reading your chapter (or memorizing a verse) on the way to the grocery store, soccer practice, or wherever you re going. 2. Study in the dark! Well, not really dark. If your parents agree, try getting up ten or fifteen minutes earlier than you usually do, and spend that time looking over your material. If you re not a morning person, ask your parents if you can stay up an extra ten or fifteen minutes at night just to study. (Be sure you are actually studying! ) 3. Study at the table! See if your mom or dad might have a moment after lunch or dinner to ask you some verses or listen to you quote. 4. Study instead of other things Is there a free time activity that you spend a lot of time on (computer, reading, board games, climbing trees, whatever)? Carve out a few minutes from your activity and grab that quiz book. Warning: Do not attempt to study quiz while riding a bike, driving a car, playing basketball, or doing similar activities. Serious injuries may result. (Of course, then Mr. Gossell wouldn t be able to say, It wouldn t have happened if you had been studying. )

4 Ephesians 4 1. In verse 1, Paul refers to himself as a prisoner for the Lord. This isn t the first time Paul has referred to himself this way. Take a moment to count how many times Paul references his imprisonment through the book of Ephesians. Why do you suppose he is emphasizing this? What can we (or should we) learn? 2. Verse 15 contains the phrase speaking the truth in love. Why is that so difficult to do? 3. So far in Ephesians, Paul has been showing us truth about Christ s work for the Gentiles specifically. In chapter 4, and especially in verse 17, he begins to tell the Gentiles how their lives should change because of Christ s work for them. List three or four specific applications that Paul makes in the second half of the chapter. Key verses: 1, 7, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 If you want to focus on cumulative review, here are a few tips: Start with your best chapter from this month s material. Randomly quote through the chapter (on a computer or with flash cards). Add the next chapter to the randomizer (shuffle the next chapter into your deck) and repeat. Work backwards chronologically add chapters from last month, and then the month before, and so on. If you end up with too much material at once, take out the chapter(s) you started with and keep going.

5 Ephesians 5 1. Verse 15 tells us to look carefully then how you walk. Verse 17 says do not be foolish. Pay close attention to Paul s warnings and prohibitions in this chapter. Are there any of these that he might say specifically to you, if he happened to overhear you at church? 2. Paul has two main points in verses The practical point becomes an illustration for the spiritual point. What are these two points? 3. Eight key verses are listed for you below. This chapter is full of verses that need to be on the tips of our tongues. If you were choosing the key verses for this chapter, which ones would you select? Key verses: 1, 4, 8, 11, 16, 23, 27, 29 If you want to change up your quiz study rhythm, here are a few ideas: Read Set time aside to read your earliest chapters. Try reading through your material once a day for two weeks. Listen Find an audio Bible and listen to your chapters. If you can, try to listen at least once a day, especially to your hardest chapter(s). Repeated listening can work wonders (ask Jonathan McClurg). Why? Either reading or listening through your chapters is a good idea. Both techniques can help in shoring up your memory of specific verses or phrases, as well as strengthening your location skills (i.e. finding the right verse during a quiz). They can also highlight areas of weakness, making key verses easier to isolate and study. Randomized ( normal ) practice will likely be easier if you add one of these straight-through techniques to your study time.

6 Ephesians 6 1. When people think of Ephesians 6, they often immediately think of the armor of God (verses 10-20). It makes a cool Sunday school lesson or VBS theme, but Paul uses this metaphor for a serious reason. Remember: If you need armor, you re going into battle. There is great danger (verse 12). Every piece of the armor is crucial. Name two pieces of the armor of God and explain why those two are important. 2. The other part of Ephesians 6 that most people think of is the first verse. You ve heard it millions of times. (No joke.) Think about it, though. Take it seriously, even if you re sixteen or seventeen. Are there any exceptions that the Bible gives for this verse? What excuses do we often give ourselves to ignore this verse? 3. Verses 5 through 9 deal with bondservants and masters. You are (most likely) not a bondservant or a master. How could these verses still apply to you? Key verses: 2, 7, 12, 13, 18, 23 If you want to glean advice from older quizzers, here are a few tips: Just go up and ask! Any of the experienced quizzers could have study tips and tricks. If you re intimidated by going up to an older quizzer, ask your coach or a friend to go with you. Talk to your coach and ask him/her to recommend one or two quizzers for you to talk to. Ask your coach or ministry head to put you in touch with a retired quizzer from your ministry. James Gossell, Daniel Peycke, Caleb Monnington, Emily Schweikert, Sarah Robinett, Michael Dietzel, and many others would love to answer your questions or tell you how they handled studying and scheduling difficulties. (Many coaches and table officials are former quizzers, too!) Possible questions to ask (come up with your own questions, too!): Did you have a special trick or strategy? What was it? How did it help? How did you learn a new chapter? How did you review your material? How did you keep all of your material memorized? How did you keep it all straight? What did your study schedule look like? What s the most important thing to focus on when studying a chapter? Did you study alone, with a friend, or in groups? Which way do you recommend and why? What other things did you have to do besides quiz? How did you find time to study and get everything else done? Who was the best quizzer that you knew? What made them the best? What are some problem areas to watch out for?