That Christ May Dwell in Your Hearts

Ephesians 3:14–21 ESV

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Paul makes a truly impassioned plea here. That is why he says he kneels, when standing was the normal position in Jewish culture. He submits himself to God. He says the phrase “Before” which is a face to face preposition that would indicate a intimate relationship. He truly regards God as father and has spent several verse hoping the Ephesians will do the same.

Father - Head of household which is why he says every family is named.

2 Corinthians 4:16 ESV

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

Colossians 3:10 ESV

and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

None of us will fully comprehend what we have in Christ in this life. Paul prays for God to strengthen us so that we know the love of God and the Love of Christ fully. However, we can catch glimpses of that love. Since chapter one, Paul has been trying to help us see the blessings we have in Christ. Now, he is appealing to God through prayer that He might make these things real to the Ephesians. As your pastor, I am praying the same thing for each of you.

Paul did not want to simply write about the love of God,

He wanted the Ephesians to “experience and know this love”.

In experiencing this love first hand, he knew they would then truly be rooted and grounded in love.

Ephesians 1:15–23 ESV

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Colossians 1:9–13 ESV

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

He is not doubting their faith, he is praying that God would solidify and confirm their faith. This was so that his preaching would not be in vain.

His desire was for his preaching to have brought them to a place of truly experiencing the love of God, the grace of God and the salvation of God.

Ephesians 3:19 ESV

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

He wanted them to look inside and see Christ there.

He wanted God to truly enlighten their hearts

Ephesians 1:18 ESV

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

When trouble or struggle came, to know Christ is there.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Dwelling inside them.

This was for them but, not just for them.

This was also for Paul

Colossians 1:21–23 ESV

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

1 Corinthians 15:1–2 ESV

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

1 John 2:19 ESV

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

There is nothing worse as a pastor than to realize someone you saw such promise in, such gifting in, and invested yourself in, turnout to have no relationship with the Lord.

I pray your inner being is being renewed - strengthened

you will need Christ in you for that.

I pray you will be rooted and grounded in His love

you will need Christ in you for that

I pray you will comprehend the breadth, length, height and depth of Christ’s love.

you will need Christ in you for that

why? Why do I pray these things for you? Why did Paul pray these things for them?

I want you to be filled with the fullness of God.

I want you to experience Him, not just have some faint knowledge of him.

I want you to experience his love.

Experience his strength

Experience stability in him.

You will need Christ in you for That.

Colossians 1:28–29 ESV

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.