Ephesians 3:14-21

Gathering

Welcome

Announcements

FTN Aug 19, - volunteers, 4-6

Men’s breakfast. Next Wed.

Need Volunteers for Nursery and Children’s ministries.

S/S 9:45- 10:45

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

Opening Prayer

Call to Worship

Affirmation

Historic Creeds and Confessions (Apostles’ Creed)

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; The third day he rose again from the dead He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Song of Affirmation

Special Music

Psalter Lesson

Psalm 130:1–8 ESV

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! 2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. 5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Special Music

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

Offering

Doxology

Special Music

Sermon

Ephesians 3:14–21 NRSV

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Letter to the saints at Ephesus

Big Church?

Little Church?

House Church?

Group of Believers?

To Gentiles

Ephesians 2:11–14 (NRSV)

11 So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision”—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.

Ephesians: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition (The Purpose of the Letter)

The purpose of Ephesians is best understood by considering its structure. The letter can be divided in half, with the first three chapters containing mostly theological discussion, and the last three chapters expounding more on the practical expression of the faith in daily living. Paul is exercising his responsibility as an apostle to direct the church, forming its theology and practice so as to accurately reflect the image of Christ.The theology Paul presents to the Gentile readers is an explanation of God’s design of salvation, planned for their benefit from before Creation. Paul describes the inner workings of the church as a unified result of diverse activities and expressions. His message to these people, who formerly were considered outside the grace of God, is that they have been included in God’s plan as recipients of God’s grace and participants in His kingdom. They are now fellow heirs with the Jews. They have been saved by grace through faith. The distance between them and God has been closed. The hope of eternity has been made possible. The witness of God’s presence is now a fulfilled promise.

Ephesians: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition (The Theme of the Letter)

The main theme of the Ephesian letter is God’s great plan of salvation revealed, experienced, and lived out among the Gentiles. Paul understands that the plan of God to save the world includes all, which includes the Gentiles, and although presently incarcerated because of his connections with the Gentiles, Paul writes to expound the faith and encourage them in it.

Two parts

Part 1

Theology

God’s plan of salvation for the Gentiles.

Not an afterthought but planned from before the beginning of time.

Part 2

Practical advise for living by faith.

It is in part 2 practical advice for living by that we get the great “Whole Armor of God” scripture. Ephesians 6:10-17

Ephesians 6:10–17 NRSV

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Paul also included in his letter, two prayers.

This small epistle letter made up of only 6 chapters has half of two chapters devoted to prayer.

Today’s text is the second of those two prayers.

Ephesians 3:14–21 (NRSV)

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

Posture of prayer - bended knee.

Why does draw attention to.

Maybe he wants them to see the intimate way in which he prays for them.

Bended knee,

standing

prostrate

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.

16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit,

STRENGTHENED

Not through training, pushups, situps, two mile run.

It is through something that the Holy Spirit does deep down inside of you.

17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

Christ dwell in you hearts.

rooted and grounded in love.

John 15:4–9 NRSV

4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.

18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

Power to comprehend.

Breadth and length and height and depth.

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

To know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.

Filled with the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

To summarize Paul’s prayer

Christ may dwell in your hearts, grounded in love, and that they may understand the magnitude of God’s love.

The key to this prayer is in verse 17.

Ephesians 3:17 (NRSV)

17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

Analogy

Two dimensional world.

Stick figures.

people, cars, buildings, trees,

all flat 2 dimensional objects.

A three dimensional being comes into our world.

We can only see him in two dimensions.

That’s how it is with Christ.

We cannot comprehend all there is to Christ.

Except through faith.

Through faith the Holy Spirit that dwells in you more and more as you grown in faith will reveal the mysteries of God.

This is important.

July has been tough. For me, for all of us.

We buried a good friend. A brother.

I buried another friend Friday.

We get tired.

I with Paul pray that you may understand the

Immeasurable magnitude of God’s love.

height, breadth, width, length,

Like two dimensional figures on a page trying to understand a three dimensional person, we simply cannot understand the magnitude of God’s love by thinking about it, or studying it.

We understand the magnitude of God’s love through faith.

It is my prayer for you, that we through faith grow in our understanding the immeasurable magnitude of God’s love.

It is this immeasurable love that caused the King of all creation to step onto earth as a servant, and a slave.

And to give himself as a sacrifice for all of mankind.

Pray for me.

Ephesians 6:18–20 NRSV

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

I am not a prisoner in chains, but I have my burdens.

Handicap

Used cars

“You can’t fall in love with every one of them, they are just cars” (Dad)