Paul's Petition for the Saints
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Review Last Week:
-Paul talked in (v.8) About the unfathomable riches of Christ.
-The mystery that have been veiled that where unveiled during the NT of which Paul was minister. And that was that God is widen his salvific safety net to include Gentiless
-God did it this way so that his Manifold Wisdom might be revealed in the Supernatural realm to the Supernatural beings who marvel at his plan
-as Gentiles we now have access to God. Which means we can go into God’s bedroom or his Throne room and sit right next to him and bear our heart in front of him
I. Paul’s Prayers for the Saints
I. Paul’s Prayers for the Saints
13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
(v.13) “Therefore connects this portion to all the truths from Chapters 1-3” Particularly the truth that God had used Paul as a Minister to the Gentiles to open up Salvation to the world.
(v.13) “I ask you not lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory” Paul tells the believers at Ephesus “Don’t feel sorry for me because of the situation that I am in, because I am doing for you and your edification.” Paul is insinuating that his trials are worth the results that have come from his affliction.
What was Paul going through at this time?
-The Book of Ephesians was written in between 60ad-62ad along with Col, Philippians, & Philemon. We call these books “prison epistles” Let’s take a look at his situation to give a greater understanding of what he was going through.
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16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him. 17 After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 “And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. 19 “But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation. 20 “For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.”
acts 28:16
(v.16) Paul was put in Jail by the Romans on behalf of a phony charge trumped up by the Jews. Notice the text Paul was on house arrest guarded by one Soldier.
(v.17-19) Paul tell us about the phony charges.
(v.20) Look at how Paul describes his existence. “For I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel” Although he is under house arrest he is still binded up by chains and restricted. During this time Paul wrote four books.
13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Eph
(v.13) Paul sitting in a house under arrest and chained up tells the believers at Ephesus that my trials have served to be for your benefit. Paul understood what it meant to use your life as a sacrifice for others.
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
(v.13-14) “For this reason” the prepositional phrase coincides with (v.1)
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
(v.1) You remember in (v.1) Paul is teaching about his calling to the Gentiles. He tells us the he is a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles.
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
Eph 3:
(v.14) Paul tells us what he does on behalf of the Gentiles. In (v.1) he say I am willing to be a prisoner both literally and figuratively. (v.14) And I am willing to get down on my knees and pray for them.
(v.15) Paul in this verse tells us that The Father is the classifier of all creation. You have three classes of beings: Animal, Human and Angelic. Paul is saying in this verse that the Father is the creator of all, but he is not the Father of all.
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
Eph 3:16
(v.16) “That He would grant you” Paul is about to tell us his prayer request for the believers at Ephesus but also apply to us. Yall this is powerful that we get to read and mediate on a prayer that was spoken by the Father of the Gentile Church. Prayer lets us know where his mind is and what he feels is the most important thing that needs to be communicated to his spiritual children. I believe that if Paul was alive he would still be praying the same thing for us as a church.
(v.16) “ that He would grant you, According the riches of his Glory”
This Glory is the whole revealed perfections of God, not merely His Grace and Power.....Wuest
-Paul is asking the Father to grant his prayers according to inexhaustible storehouse of his Grace, Mercy and Wealth.
Prayer Request:
Prayer Request:
This is Paul first prayer request for the Saints at Ephesus
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
Eph 3:
(v.16) “To be strengthened” the verb is passive meaning that Paul is not asking the believers at Ephesus to do it, but that God would do it to them.
a. Strengthened—Means becoming strong. This is a day by day daily strengthening.
(v.16) “with Power through His Spirit in the inner man,” Paul then makes his prayer specific and says “Lord I want you to stengthened them with “Dunamis”(He is able power)
(v.16) “Through His Spirit in the inner man” Paul then tells us where the source of this power will come from; and that is the indwelling power of the Spirit. And then he tells us where the strength needed to applied. He is not praying that we will have physical strength, but strength in our inner man. Both in our Soul and Spirit. The immaterial part of our makeup.
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
eph 3:
(v.17) “So that” this conjunction tells us that Paul has not changed thoughts and that these following petition are still connected to the original prayer request.
(v.17) “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith”
a. Dwell—Kata(Down)—Oikew(to live in as a home)----To settle down and be at home---Make himself at home
Holman New Testament Commentary: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians C. Paul’s Prayer for Power Resumed (vv. 14–19)
This is more than resident faith that comes with salvation. This is Christ’s being at home in one’s heart.
In the little booklet My Heart Christ’s Home, Robert Munger (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1954) pictures the Christian life as a house, through which Jesus goes from room to room. In the library, which is the mind, Jesus finds trash and all sorts of worthless things, which he proceeds to throw out and replace with his Word. In the dining room of appetite, he finds many sinful desires listed on a worldly menu. In the place of such things as prestige, materialism, and lust, he puts humility, meekness, love, and all other virtues for which believers are to hunger and thirst. He goes through the living room of fellowship, where he finds many worldly companions and activities, through the workshop where only toys are being made, into the closet, where hidden sins are kept, and so on through the entire house. Only when he had cleaned every room, closet, and corner of sin and foolishness could Christ settle down and be at home. To have Christ dwell in our hearts through faith means for him to be at home in every corner of our life, because we believe his promises and therefore become obedient to his word.
Dr. Max Reich Says: If we make room for the Spirit He will make room for the Lord Jesus
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Second Prayer Request:
Second Prayer Request:
(v.17) “and that you” This is a transitional preposition letting us know that Paul is still in prayer but he is talking about another prayer concern
(v.17) “Being rooted and grounded in love”
a. Rooted—rizow---Perfect Passive---firmly fixed, constant
b. Grounded---Themeliow---Perfect Passive---foundational, to lay foundation of
Summary of (v.17) “being rooted and grounded in love”—Paul is praying that your life will be built on the foundational truth that God loved you with a love that started in the past, but resonants all the way to future glory, and that you would firmly fixed in that truth. This is something that he asking the Father to do to you.
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
What is Paul’s Prayer Goal?
(v.18) “may be able” this verb is in the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is the mood of hope not surety. In English we might say “I hope my son graduates from college” in this sentence the verb “Hope” is in the subjunctive mood meaning that it lacks surety.
(v.18) Paul is essentially saying “I hope they may be able to comprehend”
a. Comprehend---Apprehend---Understand---Take hold of---Wrap your head around…This is when you have been studying something for a long time and then finally understanding comes and you say “I got it”
(v.18) “With all the saints” The love he gives to us is individual but it is not exclusive. Paul is praying that every Saint is able to comprehend this amazing love. Then watch him transition
a. What is the breadth?
-God’s Love is wide
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16 and you might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might play the harlot with their gods and cause your sons also to play the harlot with their gods.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him And saved him out of all his troubles.
Exodus
psalm 34:
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
b. What is length?
psalm 34:
b. What is the Length?
-God’s Love is Long
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6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;
Exodus
Would you marry a bride if you knew at the altar she would cheat on you every day? Well Jesus did....Jared C. Wilson
c. What is the height?
-God’s love is High
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3 For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy.
d. What is the depth?
-God’s love is deep
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1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
eph
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
(v.19) “and to know” the word for know-ginosko—which means in this scripture experiential knowledge.
(v.19) In the previous verse Paul is trying to help understand The conceptual knowledge of the Father’s love for us. In (v.18) is your college education. Where you learn and your mind expands to truths that you were previous not aware of. But in (v.19) Paul says I don’t want you to just have a college education of God’s love. Paul prays that you have and on the job understanding of God’s love. This is what we call experiential knowledge of God’s love.
(v.19) “and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge” The Love of Christ and the many experiences we have does not touch the depths of his love for you. You remember last week that word “Unfathomable” which means untraceable, unsearchable. His Love is all these things. It has no bottom or top. The Love of Christ that you experience is just the tip of the iceberg.
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
(v.19) “that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God” in this scripture “be filled” is passive meaning it is something God does for you. Paul is asking the Lord to full you up beyond your capacity.
How does one get filled up with the fullness of God?
-Yielding to the Spirit---What does it mean to yield to the Spirit? look back up at (v.1) it is to consider yourself; a slave, a bondservant, a prisoner. Meaning that you truly live the principle that your life is not your own.
-Let’s take a look at this principle in Christ
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19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,
col
-Summary-The Father took pleasure in making himself home in the tent of Jesus; his body. That’s because Jesus fully yielded himself to the Father.
Transition Statement: Like any great Preacher Paul starts his descent to his conclusion from the first three Chapters
II. Paul’s Conclusion
II. Paul’s Conclusion
20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
(v.20) “Now” Paul is still on his knees in prayer and just wants to glorify the Lord a little bit. We call this a doxology! Don’t you love that first word. Paul is talking like someone with confidence in God. Seems like some matters have been settled with him. Paul had a college education into the love of God and he had some on the job training experiencing “The Love of God” so he is speaking from confidence.
(v.20) “Now to him who is able” Paul says “He is able” guess what greek word “able” is “dunamis” Paul says now to him who is “able” meaning without restriction or restraint.
What is he able to do?
(v.20) “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” We have to do some work with this greek word which I have trouble pronouncing.
a. abundant- perissos- exceeding some number value or measurement -uper(above)---Ek(violent intensifier)
eph 3:20
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
(v.20) You will notice in your translation we put “ly” on abundantly and exceedingly those are the English Languages way of intensifying the verb by making them adverb.
-I was cold
-I was really cold
-instead adding “ly” to the end the Greek Language adds prefixes to the front. To help you to understand intensifiers. Now lets summarize this scripture.
20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament Chapter Three
The compound word is a superlative of superlatives in force. It speaks of the ability of God to do something, that ability having more than enough potential power, this power exhaustless, and then some on top of that. Thus, Paul says that God is able to do super-abundantly above and beyond what we ask or think, and then some on top of that.
-We take the highest level of our thoughts in prayer and then God is able to exceed that and then put a cherry on top.
-And this scripture is not talking about stuff and possessions he is talking about the usage of our pitiful life!!!!!
(v.20) “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” Paul then tells us where the power is going to come from to complete these task. Notice that word “power” dunamis(able power) that works(energeo) energy.
(v.20) Many people quote this scripture and wrongly apply this to material possession. Paul in this prayer doxology is not talking primarily about Material Possessions; he is talking about the usages of one’s life! Which is far more glorious than just a new house, new job or car.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament Chapter Three
The compound word is a superlative of superlatives in force. It speaks of the ability of God to do something, that ability having more than enough potential power, this power exhaustless, and then some on top of that. Thus, Paul says that God is able to do super-abundantly above and beyond what we ask or think, and then some on top of that.
(v.20) Paul could not have known that God would use him to be personally responsible for the Salvation of Gentiles. What that means is that although Paul has been dead for for 1958 years yet Gentiles are still being saved because of his ministry. Paul could not have known this!!!
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament Chapter Three
God is able to do for us and answer our prayers according to the efficiency, richness, and power of the working of the Spirit in our lives. This latter is determined by the yieldedness of the believer to the Holy Spirit. Thus, the saint determines what God is able to do for him. In His inherent ability, there is no limit to what God can do in and through the saint. But the saint limits the working of God in and through him by the degree of his yieldedness to the Spirit.
(v.20) Paul could not have known that God would use him to be personally responsible for the Salvation of Gentiles. Paul has been dead for for 1958 years yet Gentiles are still being saved because of his ministry. Paul could not have known this!!!
(v.20) Paul could not have known that God would use him to be personally responsible for the Salvation of Gentiles. What that means is that although Paul has been dead for for 1958 years yet Gentiles are still being saved because of his ministry. Paul could not have known this!!!
(v.20) Paul could not have known that God would use him to be personally responsible for the Salvation of Gentiles. What that means is that although Paul has been dead for for 1958 years yet Gentiles are still being saved because of his ministry. Paul could not have known this!!!
21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
(v.21) “TO HIM be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. AMEN(it’s over-it’s settled)
Application Points: Paul’s Prayer for the Believers
Strengthen---Make them Strong with Dunamis Power in their inner man
Yield to the Spirit so that Christ can take his shoes off and relax in your heart
Make them to know conceptually and experientially your love
Explain your prayer request to God for him to make you a sharp tool in his hand.....Explain your journey from Ky to MI and how you were hoping that KY was the end of your trials and Yet God took you through three more years of hard affliction with Carmen and Rian’s Health.