Ephesians 3:14-21 - Can we really pray for THAT?

WELCOME

INTRO

The first three chapters we’ve covered thus far in Ephesians were about WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST

the final three are about HOW WE ARE TO LIVE

in-between, we find today’s passage, Paul picks back up his second prayer in the communication to the Ephesians with a prayer for a specific thing: power.

understanding both who we are in Christ and how we are to live is essential in the life of Christians. but more than knowledge is needed, we need to experience the power of God in a practical way to live our lives in a way that glorifies God. In order to properly experience truth we need the power of God at work in us.

READ

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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.

Our lives would be richer if the doctrine of the Trinity did more to inform our prayers, our praise, and our Christian practice.

We are saved from first to last by the triune God

the Father planning salvation

the Son accomplishing salvation

the Spirit applying salvation.

We’ll see this played out beautifully as we work our way through Ephesians 3:14-21 today… let’s begin!

FOCUS ON 14-16a

English Standard Version Chapter 3

For this reason I

PRAY FOR HUMILITY

Paul’s posture in prayer: Kneeling wasn’t common for the Jewish people (EX: wailing wall). Not at all saying that kneeling is the only posture for prayer, but Paul’s body posture accurately represented the posture of his heart: humbly approaching with deep humility and emotion before God.

What approach might we draw from considering Paul’s posture here?

Humility: this is the fruit of gratitude for the grace of God which is what Paul has been exalting in throughout the preceeding chapters.

Desperation: when we realize that we are approaching the only One who can act on our behalf, it gives us a proper sense of helplessness. We are like the Ephesians in this way: we need something that only God can provide: POWER. God’s power is a gift, which makes us desperate

Concern here: the danger of “self-made people” becoming “stiff necked people”

Paul calls us to be ‘desperate people.” Are you coming to God desperately?

As we gather today, do we have the mindset that without God, we can do nothing?

Are we going about our daily lives detached from the power that God alone can provide?

Do we so but into the mentality that “God helps those who help themselves” that we neglect the truth that we are helpless without his power and in our weakness his strength is made perfect?

Here’s the unique encouragement that we should find amid these questions: WITHOUT HIM we can do nothing, but WITH HIM, we can go about the ministry that he has created us for to the lost and hurting world around us!

Confidence: Paul has been making it clear, we have access to God, confident access through faith in him (v.12). We can pray with confidence because we are approaching our Father who lives us (John 16:26-27).

He is a TRUE FATHER:

Exalting Jesus in Ephesians Humble Confidence

Our Father is the

APPLICATION:

Let us find our identity in Christ.

Being humble doesn’t mean we take on a lower identity than the one Christ purchased for us on the cross, nor do de allow culture to dictate who we are

Paul urges us to be rooted and established in love—God’s love.

This is why we need to immerse ourselves in His Word, allowing our hearts to be the dwelling place of Christ.

FOCUS ON 16-19

English Standard Version Chapter 3

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power

PRAY FOR THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S POWER AND LOVE

Notice all the phrases about power and love in this passage:

“strengthened with power” (v.16)

“rooted and firmly established in love” (v.17)

“Able to comprehend [God’s love] (v.18)

“To know the Messiah’s love” (v.19)

“filled with all the fullness of God” (v.19)

“according to the power that works in us” (v.20)

Exalting Jesus in Ephesians Pray for the Fullness of God’s Power and Love (Ephesians 3:16–19)

Paul is essentially praying for the readers to experience what he has just talked about in the previous chapters: Christ’s supreme power and God’s great love toward sinners. We should remember that prayer and teaching always go together (Stott, Ephesians, 132). It is one thing to teach it or hear it; it is another to experience it. Let us look closer at what Paul believed the Ephesians desperately needed, which is what we desperately need also.

Where do we need this strength and power? ON THE INSIDE!

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:16 that the outter man is perishing but the innter man is being renewed. Our bodies may be wearing out and weakening, but our inner man may be renewed by the Spirit.

The world around us often puts the emphasis in the wrong place: a hyper-focus on the exterior, make sure you’re paying attention to your inner being, church!

Why is that important to keep a close watch on? Because, as Paul tells us, it is so that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. Paul is not separating out the two persons of the trinity: Christ & the Holy Spirit. Rather, he uses the language of the strength of the Spirit (v.16) and the indwelling Messiah (v.17)

Christ dwells in our hearts BY the Spirit.

This dwelling is taking up permanent residence, a long-lasting abiding. This is more than just a passing feeling, a fleeting stopping in for a visit - this is Christ, taking up his rightful place as the ruler over our hearts.

ILLUS: What parent would pray for power for their child? I’ve spoken with many parents over the years, been one for 24 myself—never heard one of us pray for power. Heard prayers for courage, boldness, gentleness, patiences, obedience, selflessness, wisdom, healing, keeping… never power.

So, why then, would the TRUE FATHER lead Paul to pray to him for POWER for his children?

So that we would have the power to grasp Christ’s love for us.

We need God’s power to understand the limtless dimesnions of His love toward us.

This love was expressed most explicitly through the Cross.

Rooted in history, but meant to be experienced personally, by each on here, today.

Exalting Jesus in Ephesians We Need Power to Grasp Christ’s Love (3:17b–19)

Let me point out two ditches to avoid regarding experience. First,

The power of God that allows us to experience

Know that you are secured in God’s Love

Know the limitless dimensions of God’s Love

Know that His Love surpassess knowledge

Know that God’s Love makes you mature

Exalting Jesus in Ephesians We Need Power to Grasp Christ’s Love (3:17b–19)

As individuals, we are to go on being filled with the Spirit of God (5:18). And as a church, although we are already filled with His fullness (1:23), we are to grow up into Him until we reach fullness (4:13–16). God is growing us up into maturity in Christ, which means He is growing us up into the fullness of Christ. In Colossians Paul says that God’s fullness dwells in Christ, and we have come to fullness (

APPLICATION:

What areas in your life where you need God’s strength?

Invite the Holy Spirit to work and transform your inner being.

Make time for silence and solitude, creating space for God’s presence to dwell within you, grounding your identity in Christ.

FOCUS ON 20-21

Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)

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.

PRAY WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Both prayers in the letter focus on power.

In chapter 1 Paul asks that the Ephesians might know God’s power toward them (1:19)

In chapter 3 he asks that they might know God’s power at work within them (3:20)

Paul begins to

to do above [but that’s not all]

to do above and beyond [but that’s not all]

to do above and beyond all that we ask [but that’s not all]

to do above and beyond all that we ask or think

God can do more in response to one pray than we can do in one hundred years of planning and plodding.

APPLICATION:

What are the areas that God is calling you to live with an expectation of God’s immeasurable greatness.

Our prayers often reflect limited vision; let us pray boldly and live expectantly, knowing God is capable of far beyond our comprehension.

CLOSE

The same power that raised Christ from the dead now indwells us by his presence and Spirit.

We ought to anticipate, and request, that God will overcome big sins, change bad habits, and make us into better followers of Christ.

As long as he desires to get glory through the church and in Christ Jesus, we can be sure that God, in ways that are surprising and at times imperceptible, will magnificently exceed our expectations, to his everlasting honor and our everlasting joy.