A Christmas Prayer

In This Series, We’re Celebrating the Coming of Our One & Only Lord Jesus | Christmas Eve Candlelight Service | 7 PM.

Ephesians 1:15-23

English Standard Version Chapter 1

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 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, 18 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, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 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. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Intro: Nativity Scenes & A Loss of Wonder.

I. Our Wonder Problem is a Knowledge Problem.

In the Craziness of the Season, We Often Don’t Take the Time to Think About What’s Going On Here.

The Incarnation = God Becoming Man & Living Among Us.

If the Incarnation Happened, It Changes Everything For You & Me.

The Incarnation Matters Because God is Revealed to Us in Jesus.

In the Incarnation, The Infinite Became an Infant.

If We’re Not Careful, We Tend to Think That Jesus Stays a Baby.

The Incarnation Doesn’t Matter If Jesus Doesn’t Go to the Cross & Rise from the Dead.

Baby Jesus Doesn’t Stay a Baby. If He Does, We Wouldn’t Be Here.

But If Your Faith Only Has Christmas, You Don’t Have Faith, You Have Ritual.

II. Paul Senses a Knowledge Problem in the Ephesians.

Paul is a Hebrew Man Speaking to Greek People.

Hebrew View of Knowledge Includes the Experiential Aspect.

Paul is Grateful for Them, But His Prayer is that They Would Understand More.

This Understanding Doesn’t Come from a Book, It Comes from God.

Grow in the Knowledge of Their God.

(17) 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,

They Knew About Jesus. Paul Wanted Them to Grow in Their Knowledge of Him.

It’s the Difference Between Passing a Test on Niagara Falls & Seeing it in Person.

The Incarnation is Important, Because Without It, God Would Not Be Revealed to Us.

But, We Want to Go Deeper - We Want to Know Him More. My Sense of Calling: I Want People to Know Him.

If You Aren’t Amazed By the Fact that You Get to Know God - I Feel Like I’m Not Doing My Job.

I Had Thanksgiving Dinner Without the Ability to Taste. Did I Really Know It? If You Think That Knowing God is Bland, Your Taste Buds Don’t Work.

What’s the Remedy? Bang on Heaven’s Door Until God Fixes Your Taste Buds.

Grow in the Knowledge of Their Hope.

(18) 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,

Hope was Already Accomplished Through Christ’s Death & Resurrection.

Hope in the Bible is Sure. It’s as Good as Done.

Paul Wants Them to Rest in the Hope that is Already Theirs.

This Week, We Should Close On Our House. Once We Sign the Closing Documents, The House is Ours. But It’s One Thing to Sign the Documents, It’s Another Thing to Live in It. The Documents Have Already Been Signed, Paul Wants Them to Live in the House that is Their Hope.

iv. He Wants Us to Grasp an Understanding of All We Will Receive in Heaven.

If You Know That Something Good is Coming in the Future, You Live Differently in the Present.

v. Jesus Says Don’t Store Up Treasure on Earth; Store Up Treasure in Heaven. He Doesn’t Say Don’t Store Up Treasure; He Says Store It Up in the Right Place. There is So Much Good Waiting in Heaven for Those Who Believe.

“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” - C.S. Lewis

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:11

Grow in the Knowledge of The Power Available to Them.

(19-23) 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.

His Power Toward Us is Immeasurably Great.

It’s the Same Power That Raised Jesus from the Dead.

It’s the Same Power That Exalted Jesus Above All Other Rulers & Authorities.

We Need His Power in Our Lives.

If We Rely On Ourselves, We Won’t See His Power. If We Rely on Him, We Will.

III. Why Does This Knowledge Matter? 2020.

Knowing God is the Remedy for Isolation.

Knowing Hope is the Remedy for Despair.

Knowing Power is the Remedy for Helplessness.

Closing: A Christmas Prayer for Awaken Church: That We Would Know Him More.