Praying to the Father

I. Thank God for Evidence of Grace in His People (1:15–16).

A. The first evidence of grace is Faith in Jesus

Everything begins with faith in Jesus

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. 7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Phm 4–7.

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Col 1:3–5.

B. The second evidence of grace is Love for the saints

God’s people love one another. Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

John mentions this as a proof as well several times in his epistles; for example, “This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16).

In verses 15–16 we see a thankful, praying apostle.

There’s a well-known story in the Bible of the Good Samaritan. Imagine this for a moment: two people pass by a man who is in distress, yet the Samaritan stops and helps him! He could have easily ignored him, but his love showed evidence of grace. Just like the Samaritan, sometimes it’s the small acts of kindness that reflect our faith beautifully. It’s not always about the big gestures, but about responding with love in our everyday lives.

We must look for evidence of grace in others, point it out to them, and thank God for them.

II. Ask God for Divine Illumination (1:17–20).

Paul is asking God to give them spiritual eyes to see who God is and what God has done for them.

It is absolutely necessary that we seek the Spirit’s help in understanding His truth. God’s mind is revealed in Scripture, but we need “Holy Spirit glasses” to understand it accurately and deeply. Spurgeon said that apart from the Spirit it is easier to teach a tiger vegetarianism than an unregenerate person the gospel (An All-Around Ministry, 322).

Why do pray to God for Illumination?

A. To know God better (1:17b)

This may seem elementary, but is anything more important? D. A. Carson says, “What is the greatest need in the church today?… The one thing we need in Western Christendom is a deeper knowledge of God. We need to know God better” (Call, 15).

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Jn 17:3.

The Christian life is about knowing God and making Him known to others.

J. I. Packer, in his classic book, Knowing God, says that those who know God have four characteristics: great energy for God, great thoughts of God, great boldness for God, and great contentment in God (Knowing God, 27–31).

B. To know the blessings of the gospel better (1:18–20a)

So, what does Paul want his readers to understand? He mentions three particular blessings, distinguished by the word what in English:

• “what is the hope of His calling” (v. 18a);

• “what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints” (v. 18b); and

• “what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe” (v. 19).

1. Hope (1:18a)

“what is the hope of His calling” (v. 18a)

Paul asks God to open their eyes to know the hope to which He called them. In eternity past He called us. Then we believed in the present. And our hope also has a future dimension. We look forward to God summing up all things in Christ. Our salvation is marked by massive hope.

There is much suffering in this life; there are many dangers, toils, and snares, but glory is coming.

2. Inheritance (1:18b)

“what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints” (v. 18b)

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), 1 Pe 2:9–10.

In the Christian life, God’s ‘inheritance’ points on to its end, to that final inheritance of which the Holy Spirit is the guarantee (verse 14) and which Peter describes as ‘imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you’. For God’s children are God’s heirs, in fact ‘fellow heirs with Christ’, and one day by his grace the inheritance will be ours. John R. W. Stott, God’s New Society: The Message of Ephesians, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979), 57.

3. Power (1:19–20a)

“what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe” (v. 19).

Think about where some of these Ephesians were coming from. Some were formerly caught up in magic, the Artemis cult, astrology, and emperor worship. Their lives were dark and perverted (Eph 4:17–19) until Christ saved them. The people of this culture lived in fear of hostile spiritual forces (O’Brien, Ephesians, 138). Paul is assuring them that God’s power is supreme over all their enemies!

The power Paul describes operates not as a single dramatic intervention but as an ongoing, transformative force shaping believers toward their ultimate destiny.

What is the proper response?

III. Praise God for His Exaltation of Christ (1:20–23).

This is why we can have confidence in the hope of our calling, our inheritance, and the power of God

A. Christ’s resurrection (1:20a)

God, with His infinite wisdom and power, has done what no man can do. He raised Jesus from the dead!

Because of the resurrection, life has meaning. Our labor is not in vain. The resurrection of Jesus testifies to the fact that Jesus is the Messiah. The resurrection gives believers enormous hope and sufficient power for living a life of service to God.

B. Christ’s enthronement (1:20b)

Jesus is not only alive forevermore, but He is also reigning forevermore. Paul notes here the enthronement of Jesus.

Jesus himself claims this position. To be at the “right hand” was a position of privilege, honor, favor, victory, and power. This position belongs to Jesus Christ alone.

What does that mean for us? It means everything. Everything is under the reign of the seated King! The author of Hebrews says He is upholding the universe by the word of His power, and He upholds it all sitting down (Heb 1:3). If He is doing this, then we can trust Him with our problems—both great and small. Our hope is not in a political election but in the seated King.

C. Christ’s supremacy (1:21–22a)

supremacy over all earthly powers

Christ’s supremacy over every title or name

Christ’s supremacy over all His enemies with the phrase “under His feet.”

Paul is saying here that not only is every power inferior to Christ, they are also subject to Him (O’Brien, Ephesians, 145).

D. Christ’s headship (1:22b–23)

Finally, Paul mentions Christ’s headship over the church. Here we see the amazing connection between Christ and His church. Only the church, not all creation, is said to be His body. Consequently, the church should be important to us! Jesus identifies Himself with it! He is head over it.

As Lord over all things, He fills all things, but this filling of the church is different. Only the church is His body, and He rules it and fills it in a special way. What this means is that we as a church are entirely dependent on Christ.

What encouragement this must have given to the house churches in the region of Ephesus. What encouragement it should give to us!

The early church faced persecution, yet they thrived because they recognized Christ's headship. In today's world, we might encounter challenges and doubts. Like the apostles who turned to Christ in prayer and unity, we too must remember that Christ is the leader of His church. He provides not just direction but also strength to persevere, assuring us that the gates of hell will not prevail against His purpose.