Paul Prays

How long have you lived in your home?

I did the maths and worked out I’ve moved home on average every 2.75 years. 12 homes in 33 years.

Others of you might be more settled.

I know when I met Ellisa she had only ever lived in one home and her family lived in that home some 30 odd years before selling it last year.

Now I believe that when you live in a home for a long time, you can really start to get comfortable.

You can redesign the kitchen or bathroom just how you want it.

You can buy the perfect couch for a room because that is where that couch is going to be forever.

When you you’ve lived somewhere a long time, that place becomes more than a house. It is a home. And that home reflects something of who you are.

Well as we reflect on Paul’s prayer this morning, we see that he prayers that Christ would dwell, in us. And just as when we dwell in a home it takes on our character. So too when Christ dwells in us, and really makes himself at home in our hearts, we too will begin to reflect more and more his character.

But before we look at the content of Paul’s prayer, or what Paul prays, first lets look at the why and how of Paul’s prayer:

Why Paul Prays

Eph 3:14 opens ‘For this reason’...

What reason?

Remember back at v1 of Ch 3. Eph 3:1

Ephesians 3:1 TNIV

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

Before Paul got sidetracked at the start of Ch 3 by telling the Ephesians of his own experience of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, he was beginning to tell the Ephesians about what he does in response to the things he was talking about back in Chapter 2.

This idea that God has made us alive through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:1-10) and that this new life we have bears the fruit of bringing peace to people on earth. Specifically Jews and Gentiles who were once enemies and separated. (Eph 2:11-21). It was this coming together of Jews and Gentiles and Paul’s personal experience of that and God’s saving grace that led to his diversion at the start of Chapter 3 and it is that grace, and the unity of God’s people that now motivates his prayer.

Why do you Pray?

I wonder what it is that motivates your prayer life?

We live in a world where for many people the only time they get to prayer is when things get really bad and they feel they have no control. Prayer is for many like a last resort. A failsafe upon which when all else has failed they rely.

Let’s be encouraged by Paul to let our prayers spring from our theology. That is as we learn more about our God. As we study his word. As we are encouraged time and again by his grace to us in Jesus Christ, let this knowledge and learning fuel our prayer just as Paul’s knowledge and understanding of God and the experience of His grace fuelled his prayers.

How Paul Prays

Not the literally the mechanics, but the attitude that informs his prayer life.

And Paul prays humbly (he kneels v14).

He knows who God is and what God has done for him and for the world. And so though we may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph 3:12)

Ephesians 3:12 TNIV

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

We approach freely and confidently in humility. There is freedom and confidence that is arrogant. And there is freedom and confidence that is full of humility.

We see it in sports people. If you follow Tennis perhaps it’s the difference between Nick Kyrgios and Roger Federer.

You know, Kyrgios acts confidently and plays with freedom (lots of trick shots etc.) and he’s good. But he’s not humble.

Federer is probably the greatest player of all time. He too is confident and plays with freedom and yet gracious and humble in his manner, appearing always thankful for his opportunities.

Confidence with humility. That’s how we should be with God.

How do you pray?

Do you think confident humility is an accurate description of how you pray?

So we know why he prays, but what of the content of his prayer?

What Paul Prays

Here we get to Christ dwelling in us as I mentioned at the start.

Strengthened with Power

Ephesians 3:16 TNIV

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Only read v17a (stop at full stop)

Ephesians 3:17 TNIV

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

Paul is asking in these verse that God would continue to make himself at home in the hearts and lives of the believers. We know that every Christians is a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit

Ephesians 2:22 TNIV

And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Paul now prayers that Christ, by his Spirit would make himself at home in the life of the Christian. In fact the very word Paul has chosen which we have translated as dwell, speaks of the idea of someone really making themselves at home vs a place where someone might stay for a night or two.

Paul prays that Christ, by His Spirit will settle down in their hearts, and from his throne there both control and strengthen them.

The Christian’s power comes from Christ, dwelling in us by His Spirit and becoming more and more at home. That is we need Christ to take us over so that we can be strengthened and empowered to live out our lives as Christians.

Grounded in love

Paul prayers for the strengthening power of the indwelling of Christ in the Christians life in order to enable them to live lives grounded in love.

Start at v17b (after full stop)

Ephesians 3:17 TNIV

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

Ephesians 3:18 TNIV

may have power, together with all the Lord’s people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

Only read v19a (stop at hyphen)

Ephesians 3:19 TNIV

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Remember that Paul is praying in response to his knowledge and understand of what God is doing through Jesus Christ.

And what is God doing?

He’s bringing together Jew and Gentile. People who normally wouldn’t hang out together, now in Christ find themselves untied. And so of course they need Christ to dwell in them and grow in them his love for all people.

The church doesn’t work without Christ taking hold of each one of us and growing our love for one another. And it’s not our love, it’s Christ’s love in us that enables us to love those whom we might not otherwise.

Finally Paul prays

Filled with God’s fullness

Start at v19b (after hyphen)

Ephesians 3:19 TNIV

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Paul finishes his prayer requests by praying not only that Christ would dwell in them and grow his love in them. But that they might have all the fullness of God. When we put our faith in Christ, we begin a journey to perfection, that is only completed in heaven. Paul is praying that the Ephesians might experience more of that change in the here and now. He’s praying for ongoing growth in godliness. He’s praying that ultimately we would experience all the fullness of God that Christ himself has.

Big prayer!

God can do it!

Paul rounds out the prayer by reminding the Ephesians who it is that he’s asking these things of.

Ephesians 3:20–21 TNIV

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

God is the one who can do more than we ask or imagine. Paul is not asking anything of God that he cannot do because he can do more than we ask or imagine.

As God answers Paul’s prayer and works his power in the lives of the Christians, transforming them, it brings not only changed lives, but glory to God.

We have been praying a prayer as a church that God might grow us. That we would be a church for Lindisfarne, making disciples of Jesus.

We have been praying that Christ Jesus might have glory in every generation. Young and old.

We have been praying that we would grow us spiritually.

We have been praying that more people might join us in this vision. And they are. As they have joined us, God has needed to grow us in our love for people we don’t know.

As we’ve made some big changes lately in our church. Getting through them has been hard, and ultimately it has required God to grow us in our love for each other.

We need God to continue to grow strengthen us, the people of his church in Lindisfarne, with his power to love. We need God to continue to enable us to live sacrificial lives of love. And the only way God’s going to do that is by making himself more at home in our hearts and minds. We you join me in praying confidently and humbly for God to do just that in our lives? Just as Paul prayed he would do in the lives of the Ephesians.

So, knowing that our God can do more than we ask or imagine. Let us trust him and ask him to strengthen us with his power, dwell in us more fully, grow us in his love and fill us with his fullness.

To him be the glory in our church and in Jesus Christ in every generation forever and ever Amen!

Prayers

Father

We thank and praise you for all you have done for us in Jesus Christ.

Thank you that you have raised us with him. Thank you that we are no longer dead in our sins, but alive in Christ Jesus.

Knowing all you’ve done for us. Help us in our own lives to be people of prayer. Who approach you with confident humility.

As we’ve heard from your word today, please make your home in our hearts. Strengthen us with your power, grow us in your love and fill us with your fullness.

Help us to be a people known for our love and that this would give glory to you.

Lord in your mercy.... hear our prayer

Almighty Father, govern the hearts and minds of those in authority, and bring the families of the nations, divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin, to be subject to rule and reign of your son our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bring peace to our broken world we pray.

Lord in your mercy...

We give you thanks for the 12 boys and their coach found alive after being trapped in a cave in Thailand by rising waters, for the divers who reached them with food and supplies, for all who are working to rescue them, and for the millions throughout the world who have held them in prayer during the search.

Lord in your mercy...

We pray for the Edwards family as they reel from the tragic murder of Jack and Jennifer at the hands of their own father in Sydney this week. Be with their mother Olga as she mourns. And surround her and the rest of that family with love and support at this time.

Lord in your mercy...

Here at home

We thank you that in Jesus you reveal your love for each one of us. we hold before you those who are homeless and cold especially in this bitter weather. Draw near and comfort them in spirit and bless those who work to provide them with shelter, food and friendship.

Lord in your mercy...

In our parish

We give thanks for the work of the little shop and pray for those who volunteer. We give thanks for the great work Terry has done over many years and continue to pray for the transition as different people take over the running of the shop.

We give thanks for the playgroup. And thank you for a wonderful term 2 with many more new families met. Please help us to continue to connect with these families and that as they experience our love they might know it is actually your love for them demonstrated through us.

We thank and praise you for the many volunteers in the church, who give up their time and money to help the parish function. Please continue to strengthen them for your service and raise up more people to serve you.

We also give thanks for our parish council. Help them all to remain close to you and guide them as they make decisions on our behalf.

We pray too for our ministries in the nursing homes, that in their final days people would take comfort in you.

Lord in your mercy...

And we pray for those who are sick or suffering...

Lord in your mercy...