Ephesians 2:15-23

The prayer of Paul

What I would like you guys to do during this sermon is to write any attributes of God that we find in the text so we can discuss them later

What charateristics of God does Paul describe?

v11-14 -

If we remember from last week, Paul opened his letter with this beautiful passage of praise for God, laying the groundwork for the rest of the letter. Paul focused on the plan that God had made from before creation to save his people, and gives all credit to the Father, Son, and Spirit in individual ways.

I just want to review verses 11-14 real quick. Paul describes the trinity to the reader - We were predestined by the Father for salvation, we belive in the gospel of Christ and place our hope in him, and then we are sealed with the Holy Spirit until we receive our inheritace, that being everlasting life in the presence of God. This is Paul showing the Ephesians the power and grace of our triune God and his plan for our redemption

What we will read tonight is Paul asking God to help these people understand that, and know that our salvation is all God’s work. To put all our hope in him and his perfect plan.

READ ENTIRE PASSAGE

v15 -16 -

Paul commends the faith of the people in Ephasus as well as how they treat eachother.

Paul says he “does not cease,” and this is a common theme in all his letters. Paul is constantly in prayer, constantly giving thanks, and praying that those in Christ can continue to deepen their relationship with God.

v17-19 -

Paul was a man deeply concerned for the hearts of people, and if you notice throughout all his letters, Paul is not only praying for the saints, but his prayers are really focused on the growth of the body. Not necessarily in size, but in devotion to the Lord.

Look at verse 17, He asks that God give his people wisdom and revelation, meaning that he wants them to understand God’s word, understand their salvation, Paul wants them to truley know what the Lord has done for them, then in verse 18, he asks for enlightenment and knowledge. Paul desperatly wants God’s people to have a relationship with God above all else

Eyes of our hearts - This is Paul’s way of comparing what we see with out eyes vs what we know to be true with out hearts but cannot actually see. Paul wants us to see two things through our hope in God-

Now lets read this carefully here - “the riches of HIS enheritance” and “His immerasurable greatness” to us who believe

His inheritance of us - God’s people are the most important thing to him, we are his inheritance. He wants to enjoy us forever becasue we are his creation, and we are