Thank God For The Power!?

Ephesians 1:18–23 AV

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

3 themes for this morning:

Theme words:

Power

Salvation

Resurrection

Theme 1: Power

There are three things that the Apostle Paul wanted the church at Ephesus to understand.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.”

He said “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened”

I pray that the eyes of your heart. Eyes.

Perception, see, learn, understand. Desire excited by perception.

Matthew 13:15 AV

For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

“hupolambano tina apo ton ofthalmon” Luke 24:16

Luke 24:16 AV

But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

Paul understands that there was a point in the saints life that they did not know God, they did not know Jesus. Their hearts waxed gross, their ears were dull of hearing, and their eyes were closed.....but thank God for the “POWER” God healed them of their spiritual blindness. Someone in here today you might be spiritually blind....you might can’t understand the deep things of God.....you might only be a surface worshipper....but I want you to know that God has the power to heal your spiritual blindness! God can open up your understand.

Paul says I pray that the eyes.....your perception, I pray you see God, I pray you learn God, I pray you understand God, I pray that the eyes of your understanding/heart being enlightened.

I pray that the light hits your heart.

When light hits our eyes it registers in the mind, it gives us understanding of our surroundings, it gives us direction, we can make sound decisions, we can see when danger is around us. I pray that you have direction, I pray that you have spiritual insight and wisdom, I pray that you would be aware.....lift your hand toward your neighbor and say “I pray that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened”. I know some of us been in this way for awhile and we think we know all....but you don’t know the half.....there is so much depth to God....so much more for you to know and understand....I pray that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened.

“That ye may know what is the hope of His calling”

The original language translated says “To know for yourself”. To be conscious of, to be aware of, to learn for yourself, to recognize.

To learn, to be aware, to recognize what? The hope (elpis) of His calling. The expectation, the confidence of what? Of His calling (klesis) God’s invitation, God’s calling, everyone that is in here, everyone that is listening to the message.....whether you are saved, whether you are not saved, whether you’re living right, or whether you are in a backslidden state.....God is calling. God has a calling for your life......God is looking for you....He’s putting the word out today......it is up to you whether you heed the calling.

Paul says I pray that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling. When God calls you and when you heed the call of Jesus, and when you except the call God there should be an expectation, a confident expectation, something should happen and something will happen. What can you expect, you can expect God to save you, you can expect God to be with you, you can expect God to work on you, and finally you can expect eternal life!

The next stanza: Paul wants them to.....

“Know what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”.

Riches of the glory of His inheritance.

What you have been given, that which is valuable, what has been bestowed upon you.

Riches of His Glory

Possessive

Glory.....the majesty of his saving grace. Paul wants the Ephesian church to come to a place where they really understand what the Lord has done for them. To understand the majesty of his saving grace, to understand what Jesus laid on the line for you to be saved, to understand and appreciate what Jesus endured for your salvation! For you to understand how valuable you are to God! When we understand this it should motivate us to live for Him, when we understand this it should motivate us to praise Him and give Him glory! It should motivate us to love Him....why?

Because “you are his inheritance”!

You belong to God......every believer everyone that has accepted Christ and believed the gospel, everyone that has been saved......you are His inheritance!

You are valuable to Him, you are precious to Him, The Lord made an investment into to you and He didn’t use silver nor gold....but He used his blood.....He laid down his life to save you, He laid down his life to redeem you. He purchased your freedom! I need to let every bound person know that Jesus died and rose again to purchase your freedom! Every sinful person, every person living out of the will of God that Jesus died to purchase your freedom.....you don’t have to be a slave to sin.....Jesus lived, died, rose again, ascended so that you can be free, so that you can be forgiven, so that your slate can be wiped clean, so that you can be healed, so that you can be delivered.....He purchased our salvation!

Let’s move:

“What is the exceeding/surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe”.

What is the exceeding/surpassing greatness. Exceeding means to throw beyond or run beyond the usual mark, to surpass. Immeasurable.

Greatness- vastness.

of his

Power (dunamis) God’s ability, God’s miraculous power, God’s mighty power, God’s authority, God’s majesty.

So when we put it all together......God just doesn’t have power....He has great power, God has the ability to perform great miracles......let me stop there because one of the reasons some of us don’t see miracles because we think that God just has power.....we don’t realize God has GREAT POWER! It exceeds our human comprehension and here it is we doubt God and we waver in our faith and we think that the problem is too big or the situation has gone on for too long or that person is too far gone and can’t be reached, I’ve wrestled with this situation for a long time and if God wanted me to be delivered then.........but I dare you to articulate to the top of your lungs GOD HAS GREAT POWER! GOD has the power to save, God has the power to heal, God has the power to deliver, God as the power to transform, God has to power to restore, God has the power over humanity, God has the power the angels, God has the power over demons, God has the power over the devil.......God has the power! Holla out “Thank God For The Power!”

It’s a mighty power, it’s a wonderful power, it’s a vast power.....it never wanes, it never weakens, it never runs out, He has enough power to help me and to help you and to help all of humanity. 1,988 years later the POWER of God is still working!

Summation of all four statements:

“These are in accordance (NASB)”

The eyes of your heart be enlightened.

That you know the hope of his calling

Know what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

Know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.

(together, working together) working with the strength of His (God’s) might”. So this knowledge working along with God’s mighty power.

What power?

The power which he wrought (performed/worked) in Christ! How?

This power:

Matthew 28:1–10 AV

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Acts 1:3 AV

To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Acts 1:9–10 AV

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

The POWER “which He brought about 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 every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all”.

Listen and it just doesn’t stop there, because Jesus possesses eternal life: Jesus said

Revelation 1:18 AV

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

And if we are his children:

John 1:12 AV

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Then we are heirs and joint-heirs with Christ:

Romans 8:17 AV

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Titus 3:7 AV

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The whole purpose that Jesus came was to die for the sins of humanity, to save that which was lost:

Jesus himself said:

Luke 19:10 AV

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

“The Son of man” capital “S” messianic title.....a title given to the messiah, a title given to the Christ. In the Old Testament

When you don’t know God you are lost, when you are living in sin you are lost, when you haven’t repented you are lost, when you haven’t been baptized you are lost, when you haven’t received the Holy Ghost, you are lost, if you have backslidden....you are lost…if you are half-stepping for God......you are lost. But the good news is that if you are in one of those categories Jesus is looking for you! His seeking you.....this seeking was just not restricted to Jesus earthly ministry. Jesus is still seeking those who are lost, He’s still calling those who are in sin, He’s still calling those who have backslidden, He’s still calling us who are saved! He’s still seeking and He’s still saving today!

All because Jesus died, and was resurrected, and ascended to glory He is qualified, He is able.....He is capable, to save!

Theme 2: Salvation

Isaiah 49:6 AV

And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

When Jesus came out of that grave, He was the light that was coming out of darkness, just like when the sun rises.....it shines into the darkness. On that blessed resurrection morning.....right before the sun rose.....the Son rose shining into darkness. This light wasn’t just for the Jews, this light just wasn’t for the Israelites, but Jesus.....the light that John spoke of in the gospel of John 1st chapter....was the light that was given for every person Jew and Gentile alike so that He could be our salvation unto the end of the earth!

Salvation? What is salvation? What do you mean preacher when you say you need to be saved?

Old Testament:

Save (yasa) means to rescue, to deliver, to be saved from. Hence divine salvation, when God saves He saves from or rescues from earthly enemies. Often times, Israel’s sins caused them to be in predicaments that result in the judgement of God. God would cause their enemies to triumph over them, not to destroy them but to bring them to repentance because they stopped serving God and started worshipping false idols. When the Israelites called on God.....their cries were intense because of their enemies.....when they would turn back to God and cry on God....God would save them! He would rescue them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.

New Testament:

Save (sozo)

Salvation in the New Testament expands from the saving of outside forces (enemies) to now being saved, delivered, and healed within the whole man. So now God just doesn’t save you from the enemies that surround you....He saves inside and out. Jesus on the inside....working on the outside.....oh what a change in my life! We are talking about salvation bringing wholeness to people. Wholeness.....spiritually, wholeness mentally, wholeness physically!

Remember last week we were crying Hosanna.....and Hosanna means “save Lord” and this is what Jesus came to do. He didn’t come to just do a one-sided deliverance......he came to bring FULL DELIVERANCE!

Jesus came to save:

The different types of salvation:

Jesus had/has the power to save from:

Physical Ailments and Conditions

The power of Sin

The condemnation of the law

From the wrath of God

From the power of death

From the power of Satan

To redeem back to God

To live for God

For eternal life

The power to save you from yourself, the power to change your life.

Theme 3: Resurrection

Jesus Christ is the first fruit of the resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:20 AV

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

It is a known fact that there have been several resurrections throughout the Old and New Testaments. However, there is a difference between those resurrections and Jesus’ resurrection. Those who were given their life back eventually died again. When Jesus came back, he was given a new body, Jesus couldn’t die a second time. He was the first one to ever receive a new body and not be subject to death a second time.....this is why He is the first fruit of the resurrection. For those of us who believe and accepted Him as savior we too will receive this same type of body!

“Raised Up”

First God raised Jesus from the dead. The Lord raises us up from sinful deeds that result in death and gives us life through his Spirit. Secondly, Jesus as Christ ascended to glory......we too will ascend to glory. The Lord is going to take us to a new heaven and a new earth.

Jesus Got up with power! All power in Heaven and in Earth belong to me....Jesus said. Thank God for the Power!

Jesus Christ conqueror death, hell, and the grave. Matter of fact gave a victory speech afterward and said all power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me. When did Jesus conqueror death, hell, and the grave.....when He got up....He got up with Power!

Close:

1 Corinthians 15:20–27 AV

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

Everything is under his feet.....He conquered everything. And if he conquered everything, and if we be heirs and joint-heirs of Christ that means that you are a recipient of victory. And if everything is under Christ’s feet that means that everything is under your feet! I dare you to stomp one time and say it’s under my feet! Sin, is under my feet, addiction is under my feet, pain, is under my feet, sickness is under my feet, fear is under my feet, worry is under my feet, death is under my feet, Hell is under my feet, demons are under my feet, Satan is under my feet......all because Jesus got up from the grave, all because Jesus got the power, and if you be the child of God then God gave you the power.....You ought to thank God for the power!!!