Ephesians 1:15-23

Introduction:

The last few weeks we looked at all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ

This week, we look at the heart of pastor as he faithfully prays, not that they would receive more from God, but that they would see more clearly what they already have in Christ.

Though marked by genuine faith in Jesus and love for the saints, they still needed spiritual illumination.

So Paul prays that God would open the eyes of their hearts to grasp three realities…

The hope of His calling, The riches of His inheritance, and the greatness of His power

This passage reminds us that mature faith is not just believing in Christ, but living in light of who He is and where He reigns.

1. (V15) I have heard of your faith in Christ and love for the saints

Heard of your faith and your love for all the saints

The heart of a pastor is to see the flock healthy and faithful

Their faith and love were evidence of their participation in this great work of God.

Faith and love do not earn us participation in this great work of God.

They are evidence of our participation in God’s plan.

a) Faith in Christ produces an overflow of the heart which results in love

The natural response to faith is good works

James 2:18 “But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

b) Love for all the saints

We don’t always see eye to eye on everything

We have different life experiences

We come from different backgrounds

Disagreements will happen

The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, especially in the church

We must handle conflict biblically

1 John 4:20 “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”

John 13:35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””

We’re commanded to love

c) Agape Love

Die to self

Love is action

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

c) For all the saints

No Partiality

James 2:8 “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;”

James 2:9 “but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”

1.1 (V16) Paul is thankful for the saints and always praying for them

When Paul heard of the faith and love of the Ephesians, he could do nothing else but give thanks for them.

a) The heart of a true shepherd

Thankful for the people and faithful to pray for them

I pray for you and we pray for you as a staff

Building the data base

Need a complete list of everyone person who attends the church

1.2 (V17) Praying for the spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of Him

Paul prayed that the Father would grant the Ephesians the spirit of wisdom and that He would give them revelation of Christ

Colossians 1:9 “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”

a) Spirit of wisdom

The spirit of wisdom gives insight into the true nature of things and revelation is the unveiling of God himself

The Holy Spirit reveals truth to us from the Word, and then gives us the wisdom to understand and apply to our lives

He gives us understanding to believe and knowledge that empowers us to apply the truths to our life

Wisdom is rightly applied knowledge

A mature believer is some who knows the Word of God and rightly applies it to their own life

b) In the knowledge of Him:

Our Christian life must be centered around this purpose – to know God as He is in truth

As revealed by His Word, and to correct our false, idolatrous ideas of who God is.

Application: We hear of people in today society who claim to be a Christian

But their ideas or their understanding is far from the knowledge the Bible teaches

Their following someone, but its not Christ

We must worship in Spirit and in truth

c) The natural mind cannot understand these truths without the spirits revelation

1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The natural mind cannot understand, its only through the Holy Spirit that you receive wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ

1.3 (V18) Your eyes opened that you may know the hope of His calling

In V17-19 Paul wanted them and us to know…

The hope of His calling

The riches of His inheritance in the saints

His power to those who believe

a) Eyes of the heart opened

Paul is praying for spiritual illumination, not intellectual knowledge

You know God and the things of God through experiencing Him

God opens our understanding to see truth clearly

Praying for the inner man, which includes the emotions, the mind, and the will

b) The hope of His calling

Ephesians 2:12 “ at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

Prior to Christ, we had no hope

Our hope in Christ gives us assurance, not uncertainty

We use the word hope, like hope it snows, but the biblical word hope means assurance

General calling: Called out of darkness into light

To know God and make Him known

Individual calling: God has an individual plan and purpose for you life

My calling is a pastor, teacher

Also I have a heart for this community

As we seek Him through the Word and in prayer He will reveal His individual calling

I remember when the Lord called me to Calvary Chapel Sonora

He spoke to my heart, I want you to be a blessing to this church and to the community

c) The riches of His inheritance in the saints

We are purchased and redeemed

Believers are God’s treasured possession

d) The result of this hope

Assurance of resurrection and eternal life

Freedom from sin and perfected justification

1.4 (V19) The exceeding greatness of His power toward those who believe

That we might know His power (V19-22)

a) Paul wanted believers to know of greatness of His power towards those who believe

The word power in Greek is dynamais, which means a spiritually dynamic and living force

The power of God directed toward believers

It’s through the Holy Spirit you have the ability to understand and live out the calling on your life

1.5 (V20) Resurrecting power that raised Christ from the dead

a) What type of power?

It’s resurrecting power

The type of power that can raise Christ from the dead and can surely transform lives

It’s amazing watching the sanctification process in a person life

Jesus spoke to the disciples and said its is better that I go that I should leave you with the Holy Spirit

b) Sitting on the right hand

The right hand is the place of friendship, honour, confidence, and authority

Christ sitting in His rightful place at the right hand of the Father, gives Him the ability to forgive sin

Acts 2:24 “whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”

1.6 (V21) Far above all principality and power, might and dominion

a) His power and authority are greater than any principality and power

God is greater

Despite the evil day, God is far greater than any demonic power or authority

God is merciful, but the days are numbered for those who appear to get away with committing evil

Philippians 2:9 “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,”

Luke 1:32 “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.”

Were still in a fight, but war has been won and Christ has defeated death through the work of the cross

1.7 (V22) He put everything under His feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church

a) Christ is the head of the church

Now all things are under His feet. It set Jesus as the head over all things, including the church.

Romans 12:5 “so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”

1 Corinthians 15:27 “For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.”

Psalm 8:6 “You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,”

In conclusion:

When God opened our eyes, He gave us hope. When He called us, He claimed us as His own inheritance.

And when He raised Christ, He placed Him above all things for our good.

The same power that reigns in heaven now works in us—so let us live with assurance, walk in our calling, and submit joyfully to Christ, the risen Head of the church.

If God has opened our eyes to know the hope of His calling, and if Christ now reigns as Head over all things for the church, are we living with the assurance of that hope and the submission that His lordship deserves?