Untitled Sermon (15)

Ephesians 3:14–21 CSB

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Introduction:

For this reason.....

Ephesians 3:14 CSB

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father

For this reason (contextually)=previous things Paul has addressed, such as:

spiritual wisdom/insight

unity

purpose

the gospel preached to all, etc.

For this reason (pastorally)

I don’t just want to preach to you. I want to preach with and for us. This means that I want to be aware of what the Spirit is doing and I want to be a part of that. This means that we ought to be praying for one another. (why pastors need prayer). (our Wed. text group) (our prayer page).

Ephesians 3:16–17 CSB

16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love,

(these are two different statements)

A Greek-English Lexicon κρᾰταιόω

κρᾰταιόω,

strengthened=make strong for

A Greek-English Lexicon δύνᾰμις

δύνᾰμις

power=might/explosive power

through the Spirit “in” the inner man

2 Corinthians 4:7–18 CSB

7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. 8 We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 10 We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we also believe, and therefore speak. 14 For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you. 15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

“Through the Spirit Christ will settle in their hearts and strengthen them (and guide their lives)”

Know the Love of Christ

Ephesians 3:17–19 CSB

17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

knowledge vs. experience (watch out for Gnosticism)

true knowledge is knowing God

paradox of v. 19 (to know but surpasses knowledge)

word can’t describe it nor can thoughts fully conceive it.

The Message of Ephesians 3. The Conclusion of His Prayer (Verses 20–21)

We notice now that the apostle’s four petitions are sandwiched between two references to God. In verses 14–16 he is the Father of the whole family and possesses infinite riches in glory; in verses 20 and 21 he is the one who works powerfully within us. Such a God can answer prayer.

He is Able to Do

Ephesians 3:20–21 CSB

20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.