Paul's Prayer for Strength and Insight (3:14-21)

Introduction:

As we continue in our study of this amazing letter to the Ephesian church, penned by the apostle Paul, who was chained to a Roman guard, we have continually been lifted from the dregs of humanity into the very presence of the eternal God. This eternal God who in ages past covenanted together, as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit determined by decree to redeem a people from every tribe, nation and tongue from those they would create, and that this people would be called his prized possession, the church, through whom he would declare his glory to all his creation including the rulers and authorities in heavenly places.

These great truths were given to us as indicatives, or facts, in chapters 1-3, in which we are to act upon in faith. As we close this indicative section of this epistle and before we move into the imperative or command section next week, Paul takes time for prayer for strength and insight for all who read and are seeking to understand the magnitude of all that has been said. He then closes this section with a great benediction which we shall look at shortly as we study together Ephesians 3:14-21.

Text: Ephesians 3:14-21

Ephesians 3:14–21 ESV

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Main Idea: Since God has decreed to save a people, his true church, they are to be filled with the fullness of God, and manifest that fullness through love.

I. Paul’s Prayer For Strength (14-16)

We will note here that Paul does not say that this is a human derived strength, as always,

A. God’s Strength Begins With God (14-15)

(14) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

For this reason - Paul here is applying what he told us in the previous verses:

Ephesians 3:11–12 ESV

11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

I bow my knees - Jews normally prayed standing (Matt. 6:5; Luke 18:11, 13). Kneeling appears to have been an expression of both, humility and urgency (Ezra 9:5; Luke 22:41; Acts 7:59, 60). This verse, I believe, returns to the prayer Paul had begun introducing in v. 1

before the Father - the sovereign of the universe.

(15) from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

from whom - the Father (14)

every family in heaven and on earth is named - God’s present action in the naming of “every family” is a further affirmation of his sovereignty over all creation.

For not only is God transcendent and outside of his creation, but is immanent, in that, he is meticulously involved at every point and in every way of his creation, in other words, God is always paying attention.

Matthew 10:28–30 ESV

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

The reality of God’s meticulous intimacy with his creation should cause us to “tell all” (as we mentioned last week) to him, knowing that he hears and will answer according to his will for us. We see next that,

B. God’s Strength Is Inward Strength (16)

(16) that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

That (conjunction) - so as a result, we are now about to show this meticulous God in action as he draws from his eternal storehouse...

[according to] (preposition of reference) the riches of his [glory] (doxa [noun, qualitative genitive - which means that the immeasurable quality of God’s splendor and majesty]) - the apostle is saying that we are referencing the very glory of God in all its richness…what makes God, God!

[he may grant] (didomi [aor, act, sub - it is now possible] - to be given that which you did not have before, a new state) you [to be strengthened] (krataioo [aor, pas, inf - verbal-noun] - becoming strong) with [power] (dynamis [noun, dative of means - means of the action] - power inherent within)

through (preposition of means) his Spirit - by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit

in your inner being -

Note that true change happens from within, and is reflected outwardly.

This is some of Paul’s most pointed language about the work of the Holy Spirit within individuals (2 Cor. 5:17). Much of Ephesians addresses believers’ corporate identity (e.g., 4:3–6, 12–16). But corporate identity begins when Christ dwells in individual hearts.

Note: The True Church is neither a common confession (where everyone belongs just by attending) to the exclusion of individual experience, nor a private piety without corporate vision (only personal, no need to assemble together).

Not only does Paul pray for the power of God, but Paul prayers for insight to use and understand that power:

II. Paul’s Prayer For Insight (17-19)

It’s one thing to have a tool, and it’s quite another to understand the implications of that tool and how to use it, so Paul explains that it takes the inner power and presence of God to make us aware that,

A. God’s Insight Is Rooted and Grounded in Christ’s Love (17-18)

(17) so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

[so that] Christ [may dwell] (katoikeo [aor, act, inf] - take up residence in) in your [hearts] (kardia [noun] - the control center of ones thoughts, volition, emotions, and knowledge or right and wrong) - Christ is to take over the control center of our lives.

This takes the power of God to do this change in our lives since we always desire to take control of our own lives.

through faith - the means by which this is to happen. This is not organic but spiritual; it’s not show me then I will do, it’s trust Christ fully, risk the outcome on him, and the manifestation of that is...

that [you, being rooted] (rhizoo [per, pas, par] - as a plant, firmly fixed to the ground) and [grounded] (themeioo [per, pas, par] - firmly fixed building foundation) in [love] (apape [noun]), - as a result of Christ dwelling in our hearts, and our resulting faith in him, we become firmly planted like a tree, and foundationally secure as if a house, in his love. This happened in the past with continual present day implications. And as a result of being rooted and grounded in His love, we...

(18) may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

[may have strength] (exischyo [aor, act, sub] - to be completely able) [to comprehend] (katalambano [aor, mid, inf] - to grasp or understand) - we are now completely able to understand.

We see here a volley back and forth between the strength needed and the insight given. They work hand in hand and we can’t have one without the other.

with all the saints - with all our brothers and sisters in Christ

what is the breadth and length and height and depth - These measures of space recall the temple image of 2:21. As the “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5) are linked in love, God’s dwelling grows and is filled with Christ Himself. God uses the love among “all the saints”—Jew and Gentile alike—to build a temple that is greater than any of its individual parts. The spatial language exalts Christ’s love for His people—a love that is inclusive, inexhaustible, and self-sacrificing. This expresses the immeasurable dimensions of God’s riches in Christ. Matthew Henry says it like this:

The breadth shows its extent to all nations and ranks; the length, that it continues from everlasting to everlasting; the depth, its saving those who are sunk into the depths of sin and misery; the height, its raising them up to heavenly happiness and glory. (Matthew Henry)

So verses 17-18 can be summed as, because Christ dwells in us and has taken control of our hearts, we are therefore, firmly fixed in his love, and are now able to understand with our brothers and sisters in Christ, the immeasurable dimensions of Christ’s love for his people. But that’s not all, Paul goes on to assure us that,

B. God’s Insight Surpasses Human Knowledge (19)

(19) and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

and [to know] (ginosko [aor, act, inf] - to know through experience, a knowledge that ripens with age) the love of Christ - learning experientially of Christ great love for us by our daily walk with him.

[that surpasses] (hyperballo [pre, act, ind] - continually extreme, superior, and of a far greater degree) [knowledge] (gnosis [noun] - learning and reasoning) - to know the love of Christ by experience supersedes any kind of logical reasoning on how and why Christ would love us. Christ’s love for us is unreasonable, defying all human logic, since we by nature are not lovable.

that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. -The purpose ultimately is to be filled with God’s fullness, which in the context seems to be synonymous with the indwelling love of Christ. This is why Jesus talked so much about love to his disciples:

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

As well as John the apostle:

1 John 3:13–18 ESV

13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Thus I believe to be filled with the fullness of God, is to be filled with the love of Christ which manifests itself in deeds not just words!

To sum up the first two points from verses 14-19, Paul’s prayer is that we would be strengthened by the power of God the Holy Spirit’s through his presence within which will increase our faith and firmly ground us in the love of Christ, so that, as we grow, we begin to understand that vastness of that love, thus becoming more and more filled with God as we manifest that love by good deeds to the body of Christ.

As a result of all that has been said, it is as if Paul’s heart and mind are bursting with such wonder and gratitude, that he can no longer contain himself so he breaks out in his closing doxology.

III. Paul’s Closing Doxology (20-21)

Like any great doxology, their is but one primary focus and that is what God does, and who God is...

A. God’s Ability (20)

(20) Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Now to him [who is able] (dynamai [pre, mid or pas, par] - verb form of the noun dynamis used in verse 16 and at the end of this verse 20) - not only is this power inherent within the very nature of God, but it is produced by God like a dynamo (generator) produces electricity.

[to do] (poieo [aor, act, inf] - bring about or carry out) [far more abundantly] (hyperekperissou [adverb of degree] - beyond the farthest degree) - God, the everlasting power source, is able to bring about that which goes beyond anything known or observable, especially more...

[than] (hyper [preposition of degree]) [all] (pas [adjective] - the full quantity or extent) [that] (hos [relative pronoun]) [we ask] (aiteo [pre, mid, ind] - to plead or ask with an expected answer) or [think] (noeo [pre, act, ind] - to form a mental image) - anything we could think about asking for or even imagine in our feeble minds.

[according to] (kata [preposition of reference]) the [power] (dynamis) [at work] (energio [pre, mid, par] - the ongoing work or energy) within us - See 1:19–23; 2:5, 6. The first half of the letter climaxes as Paul considers the overwhelming power of God, who carries out His gracious (2:7) and all-wise (v. 10) plan for the reconciliation of the human race.

As a result, we are left with nothing to boast of humanly, but only,

B. God’s Glory (21)

(21) to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

to him be [glory] (doxa [noun]) - Because of the power that God has given to the church, the church brings glory to Him.

in the church and in Christ Jesus - Paul conceives of the church as a unified whole, not as isolated entities, and that unified whole is one with Jesus Christ.

[throughout] (eis [preposition] for, or into ) all [generations] (genea [noun] - normal time between successive generations), forever and ever. Amen. - this plan of God was not for any one generation but was an eternal plan to included peoples from every generation in time for all eternity. God’s glory and God’s plan are one and the same, both are eternal, and both include us his church…amen and amen!

So What?

Do we understand that for us to experience the strength we need each day to carry out all that God has given us to do, it must begin with the eternal God himself, not anything we can conjure up?

Do we understand that to be filled with the fullness of God, we must be filled with the love of Christ?

Do we really seek to understand all that God has done for us to the point where we break out in praise and thanksgiving to him?