Prayer For Wisdom

Why is Paul Filled with Joy

Paul has just used 203 words Uninterrupted speaking of his joy for all that Christians has in Christ. Salvation, Election, God’s grace, Inheritance, Hope, and a few more we have Christ. Remember Paul is in Prison and he is speaking about these Joys as he is experiencing a Deficit. He is in prison encouraging believers who are free to live life in a normal way

Now if I’m on lock down; it probably changes the way I speak about inheritance. It doesn’t mean much to me in prison. The riches of HIS grace has a different meaning for me if I am in chains.

Paul models for us how to have true lasting Joy, true and lasting fulfillment no matter what our circumstances. The question on the table is, where is your Joy? What brings you fulfillment?

Paul is still excited; Overwhelmed with Joy because of Grace, Salvation, Election and as he is writing Burst out in prayer.. . . “For this reason . . . .” signals a prayer. He does this again in the Beginning of Chapter 3. . “for this reason”

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter to the Ephesians 1. Thanksgiving for the Readers’ Faith and Love, 1:15–16a

1. Thanksgiving for the Readers’ Faith and Love, 1:15–16a

15–16a Immediately following the introductory berakah or eulogy, Paul reports his thanksgiving (vv. 15–16a) and intercession for his readers (vv. 16b–19). He mentions his unceasing gratitude to God for the good news he has received about them, and assures them that he constantly intercedes for them. In the eulogy Paul had praised God for blessings which he and his fellow-Christians received; now in his thanksgiving he expresses his gratitude for the divine work in the lives of his readers.

what is Paul giving thanks for: FAITH, LOVE, HOPE. Lets look at these

Verse 15

Preaching the Word: Ephesians—The Mystery of the Body of Christ A Prayer for Enlightenment ( Ephesians 1:15-19 )

Paired with their exemplary faith was their “love for all the saints.” Significant here is the word all; they loved all their fellow Christians! The reason this is so striking, of course, is that this is often not true in Christian circles.

they loved all The Saints- quote . .

“We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.”

Preaching the Word: Ephesians—The Mystery of the Body of Christ A Prayer for Enlightenment ( Ephesians 1:15-19 )

Our surface Christianity arms us with what we think are proper prejudices and a rationale for criticizing those who fall short, keeping them at arm’s length. Not so with the Ephesians! That is why the word for “love” here is agape — a thoughtful, volitional, purposeful love that wills to love even the unlovely — the very love of God himself.

The church at Ephesus.. . . .

There was none of this in Ephesus. They looked out for each other, bearing each other’s inadequacies and eccentricities and sins in love. They lived out Jesus’ new commandment: “‘A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another’

Preaching the Word: Ephesians—The Mystery of the Body of Christ A Prayer for Enlightenment ( Ephesians 1:15-19 )

Do we thrill at hearing of the faith and love of others? Do we rejoice in others’ spiritual attainments? Especially revealing, do we praise God when this is happening in places we are not present? Other churches? Other organizations?

Verse 17

Preaching the Word: Ephesians—The Mystery of the Body of Christ Paul Prays for a Better Knowledge of Christ (v. 17)

To begin with, Paul prays that the Ephesians will develop a deeper knowledge of Christ: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (v. 17).

Knowing Christ is one of the New Testament’s ways of describing saving faith. Jesus himself said in his High Priestly prayer, “Now this is eternal life: that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent”

John 17:3 ESV

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

John 17

what does it mean to know about Christ ?

What does knowing Christ involve? It involves knowing more than facts about Christ. I know a lot about President Obama. I know where he went to school. I know what sports he played. I know his chronological history. I know some of his weaknesses and strengths. But I do not know OBAMA. The facts are helpful, but they are not enough. Knowing Christ involves more than a passing acquaintance.

What does it mean to Know Christ? Ask the Audience. How is this done?

Preaching the Word: Ephesians—The Mystery of the Body of Christ Paul Prays for a Better Knowledge of Christ (v. 17)

Tragically, there are many religious people who believe they are Christians and yet do not know Christ. Jesus warns, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

Matthew 7:22–23 ESV

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

matth 7:22-33

Preaching the Word: Ephesians—The Mystery of the Body of Christ Paul Prays for a Better Knowledge of Christ (v. 17)

So the question which must be asked is: Do we really know Christ? Are we in him? Is he in us? Does he know us? (See Galatians 4:9; 1 Corinthians 8:3.) Is there an intimate exchange between him and us?

Paul’s concern in life was to Know Christ

Philippians 3:7–14 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

phil 3:

extra verses

Galatians 4:9 ESV

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

1 Corinthians 8:3 ESV

But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

1 cor8:3

Preaching the Word: Ephesians—The Mystery of the Body of Christ Paul Prays for a Better Knowledge of Christ (v. 17)

The great need of any church, whether it is healthy or not, is knowing Christ — an epignosis — a better, deeper, fuller knowledge of Christ. I have memorized only a few verses in the Greek, but Philippians 3:10 is one, and it begins tou gnonai auton — “that I may know Him” (NASB).

How can this knowledge be attained?

By the Holy Spirit

1 cor

1 Corinthians 2:10–11 ESV

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

Luke 11:13 ESV

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Verses 18-19

Paul prays for Spiritual Vision-

From asking for a better knowledge of Christ, Paul moves on to request better spiritual vision: “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (v. 18a). In Scripture, the heart is the fulcrum of man’s being, the seat of his intelligence and will

Preaching the Word: Ephesians—The Mystery of the Body of Christ Paul Prays for Better Spiritual Vision (vv. 18, 19)

Specifically, Paul asks that we would have our vision bettered regarding three things: hope, riches, and power.

Hope-

First, hope. Paul wants us to have a better vision of “the hope to which he has called you.” Our hope has its source in our election, which took place before the creation of the world (1:4). It is sealed in us by the Holy Spirit, given as a sweet down payment, an arrabon, of what is to come. This hope is the grand hope of being manifested with Christ in glory — “the hope of the glory of God” (). “Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (). “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (). Paul prays that we will take hold of this gigantic hope.

Riches-

Second, riches. Paul prays that our eyes will be opened as to “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” What he wants us to see is that we are God’s riches — “his possession,” . . . .

Think of it: he owns all the heavens and numberless worlds, but we are his treasures. The redeemed are worth more than the universe. We ought to be delirious with this truth! Paul prays that we will see this with our heart’s eyes.

Power-

Third, power. Here Paul outdoes himself as he stacks synonym upon synonym in an attempt to describe it. With the Greek synonyms inserted, verse 19 reads like this: “… and his incomparably great power [dunamis] for us who believe. That power [kratos] is like the working [energia] of his mighty strength [ischus].” Paul has layered these synonyms to express as best he can the highest power possible. He exhausted his language describing this power of the resurrection (see v. 20). What we must see is that the power that raised Jesus from the dead can bear directly on our lives now and at his appearing. This stupendous power changes us from children of Hell to children of God and gives us practical victory over sin in our lives. We will see it visibly someday in the resurrection of our bodies, for no created power in the universe can do that.