Eyes Wide Open

Ephesians 1:15-23

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Opening: When Everything Comes Into Focus

Imagine a student who has spent most of the school year sitting near the back of the classroom.

Every day, the student struggles to read what the teacher writes on the board.

The words look blurry.

Numbers run together.

The student constantly asks a friend, “What does that say?”

Eventually, the student assumes the teacher just has terrible handwriting.

Then one day, the student visits an eye doctor and discovers that they need glasses.

When the student puts on the glasses for the first time, everything suddenly comes into focus.

The words on the board become clear.

Road signs can be read from a distance.

Individual leaves can be seen on the trees.

Nothing in the world changed when those glasses went on.

The board did not change.

The road signs did not change.

The trees did not change.

What changed was the student’s ability to see what had been there the entire time.

Transition to Spiritual Truth

Sometimes we can live the Christian life with blurry spiritual vision. The truth is right in front of us, but we do not always understand how incredible it really is.

We know that God loves us.

We know that Jesus died for us.

We know that the Holy Spirit lives within believers.

We may have heard those truths our entire lives, but they can still feel distant, blurry, or disconnected from everyday life.

Recap of the First Sermon

Last week, we began our journey through Ephesians with a sermon titled “Who God Says You Are.”

In Ephesians 1:1–14, Paul showed us what is true about every person who is in Christ.

Read Ephesians 1:15–23

“This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.

He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.”

Paul’s prayer is that God would open their eyes. He wants them to see His grace, understand what they possess in Christ, and recognize that Jesus rules over everything.

That brings us to the main idea of tonight’s message:

When God opens our spiritual eyes, we begin to recognize His grace, understand our blessings, and trust the authority of Christ.

Tonight, we are asking God to help us live with our Eyes Wide Open.

Point 1: Thank God for the Grace You See

Ephesians 1:15–16

Exposition

“This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.”

Paul begins with the phrase “This is why.”

This connects his prayer to everything he explained in verses 3–14.

The Father chose and adopted them.

The Son redeemed and forgave them.

The Holy Spirit sealed them.

Paul moves from praising God for the blessings of salvation to thanking God for the evidence of salvation.

Paul identifies two evidences of God’s grace in their lives.

Faith in the Lord Jesus

Their faith was more than believing that Jesus existed.

They trusted Jesus as Savior and submitted to Him as Lord.

Paul does not simply call Him Jesus. He calls Him “the Lord Jesus.”

Their lives were now centered upon and surrendered to Jesus.

Love for All the Saints

Their faith in Jesus changed how they treated God’s people.

Their relationship with Christ could be seen through their relationships with other believers.

Paul says they loved “all the saints.”

It is easy to love people who agree with us.

It is easy to love people who are part of our friend group.

The gospel produces a love that reaches beyond our preferred group.

Faith and love belong together.

Faith describes our relationship with Jesus.

Love describes our relationship with His people.

Genuine faith moves vertically toward Jesus and then expresses itself horizontally toward others.

Tony Merida summarizes it this way:

“A Christian has faith in the Lord Jesus and has love toward the saints.”

Paul was not claiming that these believers were perfect.

He was recognizing that God’s grace was producing something real within them.

Their faith and love were evidence that the gospel had taken root in their hearts.

Paul says, “I never stop giving thanks for you.”

Paul does not congratulate the Ephesians as though they transformed themselves.

He gives thanks to God because God produced this faith and love within them.

“I never stop” describes a consistent and persistent pattern of prayer.

Whenever Paul prayed, these believers regularly came to his mind.

Before Paul asks God to do anything more in their lives, he thanks God for what He has already done.

Transition to Illustration

Sometimes we do the exact opposite. We quickly notice everything that is wrong with someone while overlooking every sign that God is already working in them.

Illustration: The Glasses of Grace

Tony Merida describes this as the difference between looking at people through the glasses of grace and looking at them through the glasses of criticism.

Two people can look at the same person and notice completely different things.

One person notices every weakness, mistake, and irritating habit.

The other person recognizes how they are growing, serving, loving, and becoming more like Jesus.

The difference is not necessarily the person they are looking at.

The difference is the lens through which they are looking.

Paul looked at the Ephesians through the glasses of grace.

He did not pretend they were perfect.

He knew they still had room to grow.

Their imperfections did not prevent him from recognizing what God was producing within them.

When we look through the glasses of criticism, we will always find something wrong. When we look through the glasses of grace, we will find reasons to thank God.

Transition to Application

It is easy to talk about wearing the glasses of grace, but what does that look like in the hallways at school, at practice, in your group chat, at home, and here in the student ministry?

Application

Ask What People Can See in Your Life

Paul had heard about the Ephesians’ faith and love.

If Paul heard a report about your life, what would he hear?

Would he hear that you trust Jesus when life becomes difficult?

Would he hear that you follow Jesus outside of church?

Would he hear that you love people who are outside your friend group?

Would he hear that you include students who are usually ignored?

Faith is more than attending church or knowing Bible answers.

Faith means trusting Jesus and living under His leadership.

Love means treating people like they matter to God.

Can people see your faith in Jesus through the way you love others?

Change the Way You Look at Other People

Students are constantly encouraged to criticize and compare.

We criticize someone’s clothes, appearance, personality, or abilities.

We screenshot someone’s mistake and send it to our friends.

We make fun of people so we can feel better about ourselves.

We only notice what is wrong with our parents, teachers, siblings, and classmates.

The glasses of grace help us look differently.

Notice the student who is becoming more involved in worship.

Notice the person who invited a friend to church.

Recognize the student who stood up for someone being mistreated.

Notice when your parents are trying to guide and protect you.

Look for ways your friends are growing in their faith.

Looking through the glasses of grace does not mean pretending wrong behavior is acceptable.

It means refusing to define someone only by their worst moment.

Say Something When You See God Working

Paul did not keep his gratitude to himself.

He told the Ephesians that he had heard about their faith and love.

His words encouraged them to continue growing.

Encourage the things that have eternal value:

Their faith

Their love

Their character

Their courage

Their spiritual growth

Turn Your Encouragement Into Thanksgiving

Paul did more than compliment the Ephesians. He thanked God for them.

When you see God working in another student, turn it into prayer:

“God, thank You for helping this person grow.”

“Thank You for giving me friends who encourage my faith.”

“Thank You for what You are doing in our student ministry.”

Before complaining about everyone at school, thank God for one person who is living for Jesus.

Before complaining about your family, identify one way God has used them in your life.

Before criticizing someone in the student ministry, look for one sign that God is working in them.

Point 1 Challenge

This week, choose one person at school, at home, or in the student ministry. Look for evidence of God’s grace in their life, thank God for it, and then tell that person what you noticed.

Transition to Point 2

Paul saw God’s grace in the Ephesians, and it caused him to give thanks. But Paul also knew there were spiritual truths they could never see clearly without God’s help.

That is why Paul’s prayer continues with our second point:

Point 2: Ask God to Open Your Eyes

Ephesians 1:17–19

Exposition

“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.”

Paul is praying for people who are already Christians.

They have believed in Jesus.

They have been sealed by the Holy Spirit.

But there is still more for them to understand about God.

Paul is not praying for them to receive a different gospel or some secret spiritual knowledge.

He is praying that the Holy Spirit would give them the wisdom necessary to understand more deeply the truth God has already revealed.

Spiritual Illumination

This is what the Bible means by spiritual illumination.

Revelation is God making truth known.

Illumination is the Holy Spirit helping us understand and embrace that truth.

We can read the words of Scripture with our physical eyes while still needing God to open our spiritual eyes to understand their meaning and significance.

Knowing God Personally

The ultimate goal of this wisdom is found at the end of verse 17:

“In the knowledge of him.”

Paul’s greatest desire is not merely that they would know more information about God.

He wants them to know God Himself more deeply.

Christian growth is not simply gaining more biblical facts.

The facts matter because they reveal the God we were created to know.

The more clearly we understand God’s character, promises, and work in Christ, the more deeply we come to know Him.

Paul continues in verse 18:

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know…”

In Scripture, the heart represents more than our emotions.

It describes the center of our:

Thinking

Desires

Affections

Decisions

The “eyes of your heart” refers to our spiritual ability to perceive and understand the things of God.

Paul is praying that the light would come on inside them.

He wants the truth they have heard to become truth they genuinely understand and treasure.

Paul identifies three realities he wants them to see clearly.

The Hope of His Calling

“What is the hope of his calling.”

God’s calling refers to His gracious work of bringing sinners to Himself through Jesus Christ.

The Ephesians had been called out of spiritual darkness and brought into a relationship with Christ.

Because God called them, their future was secure.

Biblical hope is not uncertain wishing.

It is not saying, “I hope this happens, but I don’t know.”

It is confident expectation based upon the character and promises of God.

Their hope was not founded upon their ability to hold on to God.

Their hope rested upon the faithfulness of the God who had called them.

The Riches of His Inheritance

“What is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”

Paul has already spoken about the believer’s inheritance in verses 11 and 14.

Because they belong to Christ, God’s people have a glorious future waiting for them.

Everything God has promised will one day be fully experienced in His presence.

The wording may also carry the idea that God’s people are His treasured inheritance.

God does not view His children as unwanted burdens.

Those whom He has redeemed are precious to Him.

His people will display His glory forever.

The Ephesians may have felt poor or insignificant according to the world’s standards.

Spiritually, they possessed an inheritance that could never be taken away.

The Greatness of His Power

“What is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.”

Paul piles one expression of strength upon another because ordinary language seems insufficient to describe God’s power.

God’s power is not merely great. It is immeasurably great.

It cannot be calculated.

It cannot be exhausted.

It cannot be overcome.

This power is directed “toward us who believe.”

Paul is not describing a distant power that God keeps removed from His people.

God’s power is actively at work in those who belong to Christ.

The Ephesians did not need a new source of power.

They needed their eyes opened to the power God was already exercising on their behalf.

In verse 20, Paul demonstrates the greatness of this power by pointing them to the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus.

Transition to Illustration

Paul is not praying that God will give these believers a brand-new hope, inheritance, or power. He is praying that God will help them see what they already possess in Christ.

Illustration: Turning on the Light

Imagine walking into your bedroom at night without turning on the light.

Everything is already in the room:

Your bed

Your dresser

Your backpack

The shoes you forgot to put away

All those things are present, but you cannot see them clearly.

You might even trip over something that has been there the entire time.

When you flip the light switch, the light does not create anything new.

The light simply allows you to see what was already there.

That is what Paul is praying for in Ephesians 1.

These believers already had hope.

They already had an inheritance.

God’s power was already working toward them.

Paul is praying that the Holy Spirit would turn on the light so they could understand what God had already given them in Christ.

We don’t only need God to give us truth. We need God to turn on the light so we can understand and treasure that truth.

Transition to Application

The question is not whether God has given us truth. The question is whether we are asking Him to help us see and understand it.

Application

Ask God to Open Your Eyes Before Asking Him to Change Your Circumstances

Most of our prayers focus on changing what is happening around us:

“God, take away this problem.”

“Fix this friendship.”

“Help me pass this test.”

“Make this difficult season end.”

Those are not wrong prayers, but Paul begins somewhere deeper.

Paul prays that God would help believers see:

The hope they have in Christ

The future God has promised them

The power God is already working toward them

Sometimes God changes our circumstances.

Other times, He opens our eyes so we can see those circumstances differently.

When life becomes difficult, pray:

“God, before You change what is happening around me, help me see what is true about You.”

Ask God to Open Your Eyes When You Read His Word

We should never approach the Bible as though we can understand and apply it without God’s help.

Before you read, take a few seconds to pray:

“God, open my eyes. Help me understand Your Word, know You more deeply, and see what You want me to see.”

Don’t only read the Bible to:

Finish a chapter

Maintain a streak

Answer discussion questions

Say that you completed your quiet time

Read the Bible with the desire to know the God who gave it to you.

Point 2 Challenge

Every day this week, pray the words of verse 18 before reading your Bible: “God, open the eyes of my heart and help me see what is true.”

Transition to Point 3

Paul wants believers to see the hope, inheritance, and power they possess in Christ. But how can we know that God’s power is really great enough to hold our future and help us through what we are facing?

Paul answers by pointing us to Jesus—the King who defeated death and now rules over everything.

That brings us to our third point:

Point 3: Rest in the King Who Rules Everything

Ephesians 1:20–23

Exposition

At the end of verse 19, Paul speaks about the immeasurable greatness of God’s power toward those who believe. Beginning in verse 20, he gives the supreme demonstration of that power:

“He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens.”

Paul wants believers to understand God’s power, so he directs their attention to Jesus.

God’s power is displayed through the resurrection and exaltation of Christ.

Christ Has Been Raised From the Dead

God demonstrated His power by raising Jesus from the dead.

Jesus truly died upon the cross and was placed in the tomb.

Death appeared to have won, but God raised Him to life.

The resurrection declared Christ’s victory over:

Sin

Death

The grave

The resurrection is not simply an inspiring ending to the story of Jesus.

It is the decisive demonstration that no enemy can overcome the power of God.

Christ Has Been Seated Beside the Father

God not only raised Jesus from the dead; He also seated Him “at his right hand in the heavens.”

In the ancient world, the right hand was the position of highest honor and authority.

Paul’s language reflects Psalm 110:1:

“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”

Jesus is not waiting to become King at some future point.

Jesus is reigning now.

The One who was rejected, crucified, and buried has been raised and enthroned as the victorious King.

Jesus completed the work necessary for our salvation and sat down in the place of authority.

His seated position does not communicate inactivity.

It communicates the completion of His saving work and the certainty of His rule.

Christ Is Supreme Over Every Power

Paul continues in verse 21:

“Far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

Paul uses several terms to describe every kind of authority and spiritual power.

The Ephesians lived in a culture filled with idolatry, magic, and fear of spiritual forces.

Paul assures them that none of these powers are equal to Jesus.

Christ is not merely above them. He is “far above” them.

There is no competition between Jesus and the powers of darkness.

Satan is not God’s equal.

Demonic forces do not threaten Christ’s throne.

Earthly rulers do not possess ultimate authority.

Paul says Christ is above “every title given.”

No person, power, position, or name can rival the name and authority of Jesus.

His authority is not temporary.

Jesus rules “not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

Governments change.

Rulers die.

Kingdoms fall.

The reign of Jesus never ends.

Verse 22 reinforces this truth:

“And he subjected everything under his feet.”

This language points back to Psalm 8, where God gives humanity authority over creation.

What humanity failed to do because of sin, Jesus accomplishes as the perfect Son of Man.

Everything has been placed beneath His feet.

Nothing exists outside His ultimate authority.

Christ Is the Head of the Church

Paul says that God:

“Appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body.”

Jesus rules over everything, but Paul specifically emphasizes what His authority means for the church.

God has made Christ “head over everything for the church.”

Jesus is not simply the head of the church.

He is the ruler over all things for the benefit of His church.

The One who loves, saves, and leads the church is the same One who possesses authority over all creation.

Paul describes the church as Christ’s body.

Jesus is the head who gives direction, unity, and life to the body.

The church does not belong to a pastor, denomination, or congregation.

The church belongs to Jesus Christ.

Paul closes the chapter by calling the church:

“The fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.”

This does not mean Christ is incomplete without the church.

Christ fills His church with His life and presence.

The church is the body through which the reign and glory of its Head are displayed in the world.

Jesus fills all things and rules over all things.

The church’s confidence is not found in its own strength.

Our confidence is found in our relationship with the King who rules everything.

Transition to Illustration

Paul wants the Ephesians to understand that the power working toward them is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him above every authority.

The resurrection tells us that the final outcome has already been decided.

Illustration: Watching a Game You Know Your Team Won

Imagine that someone recorded an important game, but before watching it, you discover that your team won.

While watching the replay, your team may:

Fall behind

Turn the ball over

Miss an important shot

Make a terrible play

If you did not know the outcome, you might become nervous and wonder if your team was going to lose.

But because you already know the final score, you do not panic during every difficult moment.

The difficult moments are real, but they cannot change the final outcome.

Christians still experience:

Temptation

Fear

Rejection

Suffering

Spiritual opposition

Those struggles are real, but the resurrection of Jesus has already declared the final outcome.

Jesus defeated sin and death.

He has been raised, enthroned, and placed above every authority.

We do not know every detail of what will happen along the way, but we know who wins.

Because Jesus has already won the victory, we do not have to live as though the outcome is uncertain.

Transition to Application

Knowing the final outcome does not mean that every moment will be easy. It means we can face every difficult moment with confidence in our victorious King.

Application: Live From Christ’s Victory

Many students live as though everything depends upon them.

You feel as though one bad grade will ruin your future.

You panic when a friendship begins falling apart.

You believe rejection determines your value.

You feel powerless when temptation keeps returning.

You become overwhelmed because you cannot control what happens next.

Resting in Christ does not mean that you stop caring or stop trying.

It means you obey Jesus without carrying the weight of being in control.

When something feels out of control, remind yourself:

Jesus is still alive.

Jesus is still seated on the throne.

Jesus is still above every authority.

Jesus is still the head of His church.

Jesus will still have the final word.

Ask yourself

What am I currently afraid of because I have forgotten that Jesus is still King?

Bring that fear to Christ and pray:

“Jesus, this situation feels out of control, but I believe You are still on the throne. Help me trust You and obey You in the middle of it.”

Point 3 Challenge

Stop living as though the final outcome depends upon you. Live faithfully, trust completely, and rest in the victory Jesus has already won.

Conclusion: Live With Your Eyes Wide Open

Paul’s prayer ties all three points together. He wants believers to see spiritual realities that are easy to miss.

Look Around: See God’s Grace in Others

Paul looked at the Ephesians and saw evidence of God’s grace.

He saw their faith in Jesus and their love for God’s people.

Instead of only noticing their weaknesses, Paul thanked God for how they were growing.

Put on the glasses of grace. Look for God’s work in the people around you.

Look Again: See What You Have in Christ

The Ephesians already possessed hope, an inheritance, and God’s power.

Paul prayed that God would turn on the light so they could understand what they had already received.

When life becomes dark, confusing, or painful, ask God to help you see what remains true.

Ask God to open your eyes so that you can know Him and understand what He has given you.

Look Up: See the King on His Throne

Paul ends by directing their eyes toward Jesus.

Jesus has been:

Raised from the dead

Seated beside the Father

Placed above every authority

Appointed as the head of the church

Life may feel uncertain, but the final outcome is not uncertain.

Jesus is alive, Jesus is reigning, and Jesus will have the final word.

Bring the Points Together

When your eyes are wide open, you will see God’s grace in the people around you, God’s blessings at work within you, and God’s Son reigning above you.

The question is: Where do you need God to open your eyes tonight?

Have the glasses of criticism prevented you from seeing God’s grace in someone?

Have your circumstances made you forget the hope, inheritance, and power you possess in Christ?

Have fear and anxiety caused you to live as though Jesus is no longer on the throne?