Rooted and Grounded by Prayer
Ephesians: Rooted and Grounded • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Notes
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For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Introduction
Introduction
The Bible contains several different types of what we call “books”. Some are historical books. Some are poetry. Some are prophecy. The New Testament contains letters or what we call “epistles.”
The letter of Paul to the Ephesians is an important epistle in the Bible that has much to say on the subject of what our church should be. Paul will show us the importance of unity, faithful leadership and biblical order in the church. We will see the vital part that their family plays in the life of every Christian. We will see the blessings of God through His salvation. We will also see the reality of the spiritual warfare around us.
Throughout the book of Ephesians, it is evident the importance of Christians that are faithful in the daily challenges of the sinful world we live in. What would it take for a Christian to change their habits? Why would they cease to walk with God? What should be their relationship to the local church?
These questions and many others will be answered in this letter to the Ephesians. Written by Paul, probably from prison in either Cesarea or Rome, Ephesians corresponds chronologically with Colossians and Philippians. If you were to compare the phrases and the ideas between New Testament books, you would find that Colossians and Ephesians have many similarities. Sometimes they are close to the exact same words in Greek. Additionally, both books were brought to their respective addressees by Tychicus from Paul.
All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
In Ephesians, Paul is writing to a group of people that he now likely did not know as well as some of the other churches he had written to. Though he spent between two and three years in Ephesus, that had been several years before. The people were likely scattered in different house churches and had seen new converts since Paul had left. Paul’s time in Ephesus was brought to a close by a great uproar against the preaching of the cross in Acts 19. He left from Ephesus for Macedonia on the other side of the Aegean Sea.
And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
As we look at the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, there are several concepts we will want to remember that are central to the theme of this book:
Christ is the central figure in the book. “Christ” or “Christ’s” is used 46 times. The name Jesus is used 21 times. We see the phrase “in Christ” 10 times. This phrase is important in the first three chapters and shows us the circumstances of the saved person.
The Church is the central institution of the book. Christ established the church. Paul is strengthening the foundation of the church and that which is built upon it.
Love is one central word of the book. Used 17 times in different forms, we will see that this is an attribute connected to Christ. Only agape love is mentioned in the letter to the Ephesians.
Grace is another central word of the book. Paul uses grace in connection with salvation. Grace is ill-deserved favour requiring a response of thankfulness. Grace is used 12 times in the book, the third most of Paul’s letters behind Romans and 2 Corinthians.
Unity is a central application of the book. The identity of the Christian is “in Christ”. The church is the body of Christ and we are united in Him.
The central theme of Ephesians is the unity of believers in Christ as part of the local church.
We are beginning our series on the letter in the heart of the third chapter. This will give a glimpse into the desire of Paul in writing this letter. We see here the vision of Paul for the Christians at Ephesus. This is the same desire that God has for us today. Being rooted and grounded in love is how we are able to have strength on the inside no matter the turmoil on the outside. Do you need calm? Do you need peace? Do you want safety and security? It is found in the love of Christ.
Why does Paul talk about “the cause” to the people in Ephesus? What is the importance of this phrase to the book of Ephesians? The Greek word here indicates the purpose or reason for the following items. A cause is something that we discern from its visible effects. When we see something has happened, we are able to go back and track the reasons and the purposes. If I were to ask you why some event happened, you would give me “the cause” that brought about that event. If I asked you why the American Revolution occurred, you would likely tell me that the Patriots did not like taxation without representation.
A cause is something that brings about action. We have a desire to move toward or away from a cause. If there was a terrible smell in this room, we would all be trying to get out of the door and into the hallway. That smell would be “the cause”.
Here, Paul is continuing his thought from chapter 3:1. There, he was about to pray but took the following verses to defend his Gospel and talk about fellowship. We will see this more as we study each section of the book. Now in verse 14, he is back to praying for the church at Ephesus. He had a desire that the church would be secure and growing in Christ. In our passage, we see that he is continuing to use the illustration of a building that he has been using throughout the book, see chapter 2:10, 22 etc. Paul uses this illustration to show we are built on the foundation of Christ.
Declaration
Declaration
Paul is praying that the Ephesians will have strength through the Holy Spirit in the inner man. Strength through the Spirit on the inside allows comprehension of the love of Christ. The heart’s desire of the preacher of the Word of God is to see inner strength growing in the hearts of his audience. That is my desire for you today. In this long Greek sentence found in verses 14-19, we see the four aspects of Paul’s prayer.
1. Paul Prays for Your Inner Man
1. Paul Prays for Your Inner Man
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Paul begins this long sentence with the phrase “for this cause”. The cause is found in verse 16, “to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” Paul wants the Ephesians to be able to withstand anything that might come. Paul is creating a statement as the foundation of this inner strength.
A. Because God is our Father, v. 14-15
A. Because God is our Father, v. 14-15
Paul calls on God to take action on behalf of the Ephesians. We see the posture of his prayer as he kneels before God. The posture of Paul in prayer is significant. Paul uses the imagery of bowing before God.
Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary (Ephesians 3:14)
Among the Jews it was usual to stand to pray…Kneeling for prayer, though it has become a regular Christian attitude, was formerly an expression of deep emotion or earnestness, and on that basis we must understand Paul’s words here.
We have seen Paul pictured kneeling. How does Paul picture God here? God is pictured as the prototype of Fatherhood in the world. God is the Father of the family.
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows,
Is God in his holy habitation.
Paul had been discussing the unity of the Jews and Gentiles in chapter 2 . Now he is pointing out the God is the Father of all that is holy on the earth and in heaven.
B. God works through His riches in glory v.16
B. God works through His riches in glory v.16
This is one of the purposes of Paul’s prayer. Paul prays for God to work in His people for His glory. The phrase “riches of his glory” tells of the overabundance of wealth in the splendor of God. The word for “glory” is the same as that used in the description of Solomon by Jesus.
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
The riches here show the abundance of God. God always gives out of His perfect abundance. When God gives, He gives out of His abundance. He gave us His abundance through His Son, Jesus.
For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
C. To grant strength by His Holy Spirit v. 16
C. To grant strength by His Holy Spirit v. 16
We experience this strength through the working of the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us that we will be “strengthened”. This is more than just physical strength; it emphasizes the psychological strength of the heart.
Beyond that He uses the word “might”. Louw-Nida says this “the potentiality to exert force in performing some function”. This same idea of amazing power found in
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
What is the inner man? We find him inside us containing what only we see and know. Each of us is known best by God and then by ourselves. We see ourselves at our best and our worst. We saw this in our study on the word “heart” in the Bible.
In the multitude of my thoughts within me
Thy comforts delight my soul.
Paul is praying that the people at Ephesus, and us as well, would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in our inner self. This implies that we must have a relationship with the Spirit. All must choose to allow the Spirit to work in their heart.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
This same prayer of Paul for the Ephesians is also found in the letter to the Colossians. The prayer make clear the importance of praying for the Holy Spirit to help other Christians. Paul says,
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
2. Paul Prays for Christ’s Presence in Your Heart
2. Paul Prays for Christ’s Presence in Your Heart
that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Both the work of the Holy Spirit in strengthening us as well as Christ’s presence in us are part of the Christian life. We can experience these realities after salvation. But do we choose to acknowledge them?
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
We ourselves are able to realize the truth of Christ’s presence inside our inner self. The word dwell is often connected to residence in a house. Christ dwells inside our hearts.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
The method to take advantage of the presence of Christ is faith. This is the idea of real confidence and belief in something reliable.
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament (Ephesians 3:13–21)
Of course, Christ does dwell in the heart of every true believer, but not every heart is a comfortable home for Him. Christ loved to go to Bethany because his friends there loved Him, fed on His Word, and served Him…Does He feel at home in our hearts? Christ feels at home in our hearts when He finds faith and love.
We ought to desire the noticeable presence of Christ in our lives. While He is in all of us that are saved, we often neglect to make Him feel welcome. Christ’ dwelling and the Spirit’s strengthening are connected by Paul in his prayer.
3. Paul Prays for Settling Love in Your Mind
3. Paul Prays for Settling Love in Your Mind
that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
A. Love is the foundation v. 17
A. Love is the foundation v. 17
The Ephesians being rooted and grounded is another purpose of Paul’s prayer. Paul has the goal of settlement for the Ephesians. Later, he will write
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
The word rooted is a word referring to plants. The word is passive showing that the Spirit is causing the believer to take root. A tree takes time to develop roots that will bring forth water and nutrients from the soil.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Not only rooted but also grounded, a reference to a building. There is the establishment of a foundation. The church of the believers at Ephesus must have a foundation for its construction. We see at least three aspects in the Pauline Epistles of the Christian foundation.
The foundation can only be Christ.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
The foundation is expanded on the apostles and prophets but plumbed off of Christ as its beginning.
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
The foundation identified in Christ assures the reliability of the building.
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Both rooted and grounded happened at salvation but are effective in the life of the Christian today. Permanent rooting and grounding against the storm of life is the state of a Christian that is strengthened by the Spirit. We must choose to be rooted and grounded. In Colossians, Paul commands
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
B. Of the Building of Understanding v. 18
B. Of the Building of Understanding v. 18
Nothing but faith can comprehend the truth.
Martin Luther
Comprehending love with all the saints is something we can experience. This means that this is something that will happen to the rooted and grounded Christian. Also we see that the word “comprehend” indicates that we are acting upon ourselves. We make this choice to understand the love of God through our choice to partake of the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
What are we comprehending? We are comprehending the love of Christ found in verse 19! Love is one of the central words in the book of Ephesians. In Romans, Paul observes
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Here four measurements make up a spiritual plumb-line. Each measurement is different not identical. We perceive the many dimensions of the love of God. Christ’s love is unable to be measured or fully understood.
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
A spiritual building requires a sure foundation. A sure foundation requires a indomitable Cornerstone. The building of the Christian life is constructed on the working of the Spirit as He strengthens us. Choosing to be strengthened by Him will allow you to be settled in your faith.
If you would understand the Word of God in its knotty points, if you would comprehend the mystery of the gospel of Christ, remember, Christ’s scholars must study upon their knees.
Charles Spurgeon
Paul is praying for our comprehension of the great love that Christ has bestowed on us. His love settles our inner man.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
4. Paul Prays for the Fullness of God in Your Life
4. Paul Prays for the Fullness of God in Your Life
and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
A. Christians must pursue knowing Christ’s Love v.19
A. Christians must pursue knowing Christ’s Love v.19
Knowing the love of Christ is accessible to the diligent believer. Comprehending is the work of figuring out something. Knowing is the work of learning more and more of Christ’s love. Our Christian life is both. Paul is praying that they will know something that ultimately is unknowable. The Love of Christ is beyond our ability to learn. Paul still desires this knowledge for his readers. As we learn more of the love of Christ, it is something that we can live out to the brethren.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
A disciple of Christ is always learning more and pursuing harder after the example of Christ. How hard is your pursuit today? How fast are you running after Christ?
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
This knowledge is something that we possess in our inner being. We cannot sell it or buy it, just acquire it. Knowledge of the love of Christ begins with the strengthening of the Spirit.
B. To experience the fulness of God v. 19
B. To experience the fulness of God v. 19
Paul’s prayer has moved from the inside of his reader to the outside. He begins in the inner man, moves to the heart, proceeds to the mind and ends with the life of the reader. All of our beings are to be transformed by the Word of God. Fulness is another purpose of Paul’s prayer. Paul wished that they would be filled with the completeness of God. We receive the fulness of God through our relationship with Christ.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Fulness is only a small measure of the completeness of God. We can choose either to have the fulness of the world or the fulness of God. We must take advantage of Christ’s love.
The fullness of the earth can never satisfy the soul.
William Bridge
Fulness further carries the idea of not just one aspect of God in us, but of the highest indwelling of God in us. Paul was praying for the Ephesians to experience the reality of eternity with God while still here on earth. Growth is connected to the love of Christ and our experience of the fulness of God. Revelation tells us about that future day.
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Paul had a habit of praying for other people. In each of his letters, he talks about the requests and people involved in his prayers. He was concerned about the people he had invested his ministry in. This concern drove him to faithful prayer. This concern was a result of the strengthening of the Spirit in his own life. Paul sought to instruct them to take the next step of their walk with Christ.
What about you?
Are you strengthened with might by the Spirit in your inner man? Or are you weak and tossed to and fro? Are you discouraged and worried? The Holy Spirit is the answer to your situation. He is already living within and is ready to give you what you need.
How is the presence of Christ visible in your life? Do you fellowship with Him? Is He welcome in your inner man? Does Christ guide you to pursue His example? Paul wanted the Ephesians to be both “in Christ” and with Christ.
Are you settled on the love of Christ? Does it secure you against the storms of life? How does your ship fare in the vast sea of the Christ’s love for mankind? We can be strengthened in that love through the work of the Holy Spirit and Christ.
What part of God fills you? Is is a trickle or a fountain? Is it a portion or a filling? God wants us to experience the fulness of God through the love of Christ.
Paul is praying that the Ephesians will have strength through the Holy Spirit in the inner man. Strength through the Spirit on the inside allows comprehension of the love of Christ. The heart’s desire of the preacher of the Word of God is to see inner strength growing in the hearts of his audience.
Are you able to comprehend the love of Christ and to know it?
Are you learning more about the sacrifice of Christ?
As we study Ephesians, remember the heart of Paul for the readers of his letter. Paul wants inner strength through the Spirit, the presence of Christ in their lives, the love of Christ as their foundation and the fulness of God in their hearts. Today, we too can experience these answers to Paul’s prayer.