Ephesians 1:18-23

Our Resources in Christ, Part 2: Is there Something More?

1907 February 19, 1978

Ephesians 1:18–23

# Bible Study Notes: Ephesians 1:18–23

Series focus: Our Resources in Christ

Sermon date: Feb 19, 1978

Father of glory, thank You that in Christ we lack nothing. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts to know the hopeof Your calling, the riches of Your inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of Your power toward us who believe—the same power that raised Jesus and seated Him at Your right hand. Make us, as Your church, the fullness through which Christ is seen. Amen.

Ephesians 1:18–23 – Bible Study Summary (MacArthur, “Is There Something More?”)

1. Big Idea – No “Something More” Christianity Salvation in Christ is complete. In Him, believers already have “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet 1:3) and are “complete in Him” (Col 2:10). Any search for a second level, secret key, or “extra” spiritual experience (Christ + something) quietly denies the sufficiency of Christ and the finished work of the cross. The Christian life is not getting more of Christ, but understanding and using what we already have in Christ.

2. The Colossians 2 Warning – Christ Plus = Christ Denied MacArthur uses Colossians 2 to expose common “plus” errors: Christ + philosophy (human wisdom), Christ + legalism (rituals, days, rules), Christ + mysticism (visions, angels, “deeper experiences”), Christ + asceticism (harsh self-denial as spirituality). All of these say, “Christ is not enough.” Paul’s answer: all the fullness of deity dwells in Christ, and you are complete in Him; no extra tier is needed.

3. Why Paul Prays – You Can’t Live What You Don’t Understand (Eph 1:15–18a) After listing our riches in vv.3–14, Paul doesn’t tell believers to go get more; he prays they would grasp what they already have. True change requires spiritual illumination: the Spirit makes revealed truth real to our understanding. MacArthur stresses: you will never live out principles you do not understand; so Paul prays for “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.”

4. “The Eyes of Your Heart” – The Key Greek Insight In v.18 Paul prays: “the eyes of your understanding/heart being enlightened.” The Greek is kardia (“heart”). MacArthur:

In biblical/Jewish thought, “heart” is not primarily emotion; it is the control center of thought, will, and understanding.

Deep feelings were associated with the splagchna (“bowels,” inner organs). That’s why Scripture speaks of “bowels of compassion.”

So “heart” = your inner reasoning, convictions, choices; the place where you process and decide, not just where you “feel.”Implication for your study: Paul is not asking for a warm feeling but for renewed thinking. God’s Spirit enlightens the believer’s kardia so truth governs the mind and will, and then emotions rightly respond. Any spirituality that bypasses the mind and targets emotion alone is unstable and dangerous.

Let me give you an illustration. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 6 – 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 11: “Of ye Corinthians – “ sort of a sighing introduction there “ – our speech to you is candid; our heart is wide open." He says, “I've got an open mind before you.” He's using the word “mind.” “My mind is so open to you. Oh, everything that’s in my mind to say to you, my will, all that I know, I want to convey to you.”

But look at verse 13: "I speak as unto my children in fair exchange – " he says " – open wide your mind to us." In other words, “Hey, I got some things I want to teach you, and we need to get our minds together on this thing. There needs to be some learning, some understanding, but you've got something in the way.” And that's verse 12 in the middle, "On our part there's no constraint, but there is constraint in your bowels," splankhnon.

He's saying, “I can't take God's truth from my mind and give it to your mind because you're emotions are in the way.” Literally, the Greek says, “They were tightened in their bowels.” We would say, today, they were emotionally uptight.

When the Holy Spirit works on the believer's mind, He enriches that mind to understand divine truth that is deep and profound and thus to relate it to life. And that's exactly what Paul meant when he said to the Colossians in chapter 3 verse 16, “You don't need human philosophy. You don't need human wisdom. You don't need legalism, asceticism, mysticism. This is what you need. You let the word of Christ dwell in you – ” what? “ – richly," Colossians 3:16.

5. Three Things Paul Wants Believers to Know (vv.18–23) (1) The Greatness of His Plan (v.18): “The hope of His calling” and “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” From eternal election to eternal glory, believers are “master-planned” into God’s saving purpose. Our identity and security rest in God’s unbreakable plan and lavish inheritance.

And not only is it a great plan but it's a rich plan. Look at verse 18. He just tells you what's involved: “The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” We’re saints. We're the hagios. We're the holy ones, made holy in Jesus Christ, and there is an inheritance – not only an inheritance but the glory of His inheritance, and not only that but the riches of the glory of His inheritance.

What does that mean? That just means that whatever God's got for us, there aren't words to describe it. It's too much. It's just as if Paul says, “It just goes on and on, the inheritance, the glory of the inheritance, the riches of the glory of the inheritance. You never hit bottom.” It's a marvelous magnitude of the blessings of salvation that he wants us to understand.

(2) The Greatness of His Power (vv.19–20): Paul piles up four power-words (dunamis, energeia, kratos, ischus) to say: God’s immeasurable power is already directed “toward us who believe.” It is the very power that raised Christ and seated Him in glory. This power guarantees both: endurance in ministry and suffering, and the certainty that God will finish what He began (keeping, not just gifting). Seeking “more power” as if we lack Him misjudges what we received in Christ.

Now, this is really kind of humorous. The Holy Spirit wrote this, but He always used the human agent. And Paul, here, is trying to describe how powerful we are, and he just throws in every word he can think of. In fact there are four different words for “power” in verse 19 alone – four different Greek words for power.

— dunamis from which we get dynamite

— energeia from which we get energy

— “mighty” is kratos, another word that could be translated “power,” is sometimes translated “dominion,” and then he ends with another word “power,” which is ischus, which isn't the same as the other words.

The first word, dunamis, means inherent power. His second word, energeia, means operative power. The third word, kratos, means ultimate power. The fourth word, ischus, means endowed power. And what Paul is saying is there’s power, power everywhere you cut it, and it's yours.

We have power to evangelize. People say, “Well, I'm afraid I don't have power to witness for Christ.” You have the power to evangelize. Listen, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto – “ what? “ – salvation..." You have that power. You have the power to evangelize

The apostle Paul went into Thessalonica in chapter 1 verse 6. Then, he said, "Our gospel came not in word only but also in – “ what? “ – power and assurance...," power for evangelism.

— Power to evangelize (Eph 3:20; Acts 1:8)

— Power to suffer (2 Cor. 4:7)

— Power to do God’s Will

— Power to serve (Col 1:29)

You have the power. In fact you've got so much power you're dangerous. Don't go running around looking for something more. That's an affront to the gracious, total love of God who, in Christ, has given us everything. Everything.

The Bible says He'll raise you out of the grave and you will sit with Him in the Father's throne, and it says just no reason to be insecure because the same power that raised Christ and brought Him to His coronation will do the same for you. So he says, “I hope, God, that You’ll help them, by Your Spirit, to understand the greatness of the plan and the greatness of the power that will make the plan happen.”

(3) The Greatness of His Person (vv.21–23): The risen Christ is far above all rule and authority, every name, every age; all things are under His feet. He is Head over all things for the church, which is His body, “the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Astonishingly, Christ chooses to manifest His fullness through His people; He dwells in us and expresses His life through us.

— Moves to talking about His majesty

— Christ secures, empowers us

— Nothing more to seek

— Timothy was getting kind of timid, and he was getting kind of beaten down. He was getting discouraged in his ministry, and some of the people were hassling him because he was young, and some of them were hassling him about his doctrine, and some Ephesian errorists were confusing him and people were stringing out genealogies. And Timothy was kind of petering out of his ministry, and so he was getting a little bit discouraged

— Paul says, Remember the greatness of he who lives within you (2 Tim 2:8)

— His might matches his majesty

— He is above every name (Phil 2); He is above the angels (Hebrews 1)

— we are hupernika, super conquerors, super nikes in Christ.

— Paul reminds us, here, that He is the one who is head over everything, even the church, which is the fullness of Him that filleth all and all.

6. How to Use This in Your Study

Emphasize: Sufficiency – In Christ, believers lack nothing; the issue is illumination, not acquisition.

Emphasize: Heart (kardia) – Call your group to let Scripture reshape their view: heart = thinking/decision center. Pray for “the eyes of your heart” = “the eyes of your mind and will” to be enlightened.

Emphasize: Identity, Power, Person – Walk them through: (a) Do you know the plan you’re in? (b) Do you trust the power already at work in you? (c) Do you remember who this enthroned Christ is who lives in you?

Land here: Reject “Christ-plus” anxiety; respond by deepening understanding of the Word, depending on the Spirit, and living confidently out of the riches already given in Christ.

Father of glory, thank You that in Christ we lack nothing. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts to know the hopeof Your calling, the riches of Your inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of Your power toward us who believe—the same power that raised Jesus and seated Him at Your right hand. Make us, as Your church, the fullness through which Christ is seen. Amen.

Reference: John MacArthur, Our Resources in Christ, Part 2 – Is There Something More? (Sermon 1907). https://www.gty.org/sermons/1907/our-resources-in-christ-part-2-is-there-something-more