Prayer for the Church (1:15-23)

Introduction:

Last week we were shown the summary statement of the immeasurable blessings of God’s miraculous covenant of redemption given to us his saints. We saw that this covenant of redemption was a combined trinitarian cooperation between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the earth were laid. We saw how Jesus, the Son, redeemed us by his blood, providing forgiveness from sin, adoption as sons, and an inheritance waiting for us in heaven. Finally, we saw how the Holy Spirit seals us at salvation with the indelible mark of ownership which no one can remove, and is given to us as a guarantee, or down payment, that our inheritance awaits us in heaven.

This morning we find Paul’s prayer for the church, another single sentence in the greek, in chapter 1:15-23. A prayer that petitions the godhead for wisdom and knowledge to understand these blessings given to us in Christ.

Text: Ephesians 1:15-23

Ephesians 1:15–23 ESV

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Main Idea: Since the blessings of God for His saints are rooted in the absolute domination of Jesus Christ over heaven and earth, we who are His body can live with absolute hope.

I. Prayer of Thanksgiving for Their Faith (15-16)

(15) For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,

For (dia - because of) this (demonstrative pronoun referring back) reason - or these blessings that have just been declared, and because these blessings will have an effect in both time and eternity...

I have heard of your faith - Paul had ministered in Ephesus for over two years, but the time of writing may be as much as five years later. The church had grown considerably since then. It may be that Paul mentions people whose faith and love he knows only by report because Ephesians was a circular letter for several churches.

and your love toward all the saints, - the characteristics of a true saint of God

John 13:35 ESV

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

(16) I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

I do not cease to give thanks for you - thanksgiving is another mark of the saint of God.

Colossians 2:7 ESV

7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

remembering you in my prayers - praying for one another shows our thanksgiving to God for one another, and Paul now gives us the content of his prayer for them:

II. Prayer for Wisdom and Knowledge of God’s Revelation (17-20)

(17) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

Lord Jesus Christ...Father...Spirit - again we see the involvement of the godhead

may give (didomi [aor, act, sub] - to grant access to) you the Spirit of wisdom (sophia [noun] - skill) and of revelation (apokalypsis [noun] - to communicate to man by God that which was previously hidden) in the knowledge (epignosis [noun] - coming or bringing into focus, that which truly exists) of him, - this wisdom and understanding can only come through God’s revelation of himself.

Matthew 16:16–17 ESV

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

(18) having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,(19) and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened (photizo [per, pas, par] - to give light to) - having hearts flooded with light. We know from science that it is impossible in the physical world to see anything without light, so it is with the spiritual world. This spiritual light is shown so...

that you may know (oida - know absolutely, not experientially)

the hope - the calling hope done by he, the eternal Father!

the riches - The Father’s glorious inheritance is the saints he called

the immeasurable (hyperballo [pre, act, par] - going beyond a mark) greatness (megathos [noun] - intense greatness) of his power (dynamis [noun] - explosive inherent power) -

toward (preposition of direction) us who believe -

according (preposition of reference) to the working (energia [noun] - energy at work) of his great (kratos [noun] - bulldozer-like power, ability to make anything happen) might (ischys [noun] - capabilities, qualities, or skill that can get things done) - God is seen as a skilled construction worker with limitless energy and unstoppable power!

Is there an example of this unstoppable power that we may observe? Yes...

(20) that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, - the same power and might that raised Jesus from the dead and seated him on the right hand of the Father, is the power that will bring us all the way home.

This power and might will be further displayed in Paul’s...

III. Prayer for Understanding of Christ’s Dominion (21-23)

(21) far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion - referring back to the heavenly places, transcendent in location.

Philippians 2:10–11 ESV

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

not only in this age but also in the one to come. - I would be remiss if I didn’t give what I think this is referring to. Jesus’ absolute authority over heaven and earth may not be apparent now, but it certainly will be during his millennial reign. A time where Jesus enemies will become his footstool.

Hebrews 1:13 ESV

13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

Revelation 20:1–10 ESV

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. 4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. 7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

(22) And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

put all things. Paul quotes Ps. 8:6 as being fulfilled by Christ’s exaltation over all creation and as head over the church. head. Like a present-day “head of government,” this term points to Christ’s preeminence as Lord (see note on 1 Cor. 11:3).

gave him as head over all things to the church - Christ is the absolute head over his church, which is his body. He controls all and it exists, functions, and draws its life from Him exclusively.

(23) which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

body - Christ has so identified himself with his church that it is said to be his very body, much as Adam described Eve as “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Gen. 2:23) and as God declared man and wife to be “one flesh” (see note on Eph. 5:28–30).

fullness - The church, filled by Christ, fills all creation as representatives of Christ.

So What?

Do we understand that the same power the raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at the Father’s right hand, is at work in us and will take us all the way home?

Being in Christ means that we are absolutely secure in every way since Christ is over all things in both heaven and earth…there is no one of nothing greater!

Since Christ is head of the church which is his body, we are to function as a unified unit nurtured and directed by our head.