Who is your role model?

Calvary

Good morning, it is a light to be here with you this morning and to have with me most of our children. My wife - Carole, son Josiah and his bride Becah, Isaac and Naomi are with us, just one son away to university out of state is missing.

Calvary University - a place where we prepare Christian’s to live according to a biblical worldview and to serve in the church and in the world. This our 89th academic year - we are thrilled to have 371 students enrolled. 85 are living on campus and about 150 are online students. The balance commute for a variety of reasons - are early college, Graduate and PhD level or live in the local area.

Why Calvary - we believe God has a purpose in providing Calvary to the church as a training ground for the disciple who is ready for and desires to ground themselves in the word of God while also preparing for a life of service in ministry.

This graphic helps us to explain a bit more about what we mean.

We are founded on the word of God; every class has as a beginning point the word of God. Therefore, the foundation upon which we are built is the word of God itself.

The two main pillars that support the structure are the mission and vision, that we would prepare Christians to live according to a biblical worldview and to serve in the church and the world. We aspire to be a place of excellence in training men and women to serve.

The format is three part -

we train to serve; Service is placed here because it carries that level of importance to the results we are looking to produce. To serve, that the student will serve, that the institution does serve, through providing talent, resources and counsel to its alumni and associated stakeholder churches.

We train - yes, we are a university, therefore we have classes, programs, and degrees that prepare men and women to serve.

We Research - to learn how to do better, and to learn what are the issues of the day we need to be sure and be addressing both in serving and in training.

We do this by being

affordable - not cheap, but the cost is meant to make it possible for any who want to come to be able to come.

Biblical - founded on the word of God, discipleship is wrapped in and through campus life and all the classes.

Community - Here is a significant element. Our on-campus resident population is now less than 25% of the student body. We believe that the best environment for our students, particularly undergrad is in an on-campus experience. The discipleship that comes through living together in close quarters cannot be ignored. This is a key area for us in coming years - to attract students back to the on-campus environment in a day and age when the online option has become so popular.

Why do we do this? Why are we so intentional about all this?

Because we believe that through all the thought and preparation that is put into this, we are doing our part to build of the body of Christ. We understand that we are not the church, rather we walk alongside the church to help it obtain key training as needed to assist in developing leaders, teachers, musicians, workers, businessmen and women, people who will work and minister and serve God with their whole being all the days of their lives.

Together this morning, let’s take a brief look what Scripture says about prayer and role models.

Who is your role model?

What is a role model?

The dictionary says - “a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated.”

As a parent we learn quickly what this means as we watch our children repeat our mistakes. Painful as it is, it is a distinct reminder of the fact that we - as humans - have a natural bent to see others as better and worthy of learning habits from.

Where does that bent come from?

It comes from the creator - the God of the universe who knew what he was doing when he put all of creation together. You can look to nature and watch the animal kingdom and see this same natural bent taking place. In truth it is how the young learn to survive.

As a parent, the have been many painful days for my wife and I as we watch and see our own weaknesses repeated in the lives of our now “mostly” adult children.

Why is this important to draw out, as uncomfortable as it is? Part of this role model experience is the disciplining and correcting work that goes alongside the parent child relationship.

The role model sets an example, and the follower learns by practicing for themselves what the role model is teaching by example.

When we turn to the Book of Ephesians; most of the epistles that Paul wrote we will see a complementary section in the opening chapters of those texts. Here in Ephesians, we have a glorious passage that gives a tremendous example of how to pray.

Before we examine the text let’s review a few facts that will give insight to who the audience was that he was writing to.

The city of Ephesus is locating in Asia Minor - present day Turkey.

Its people were distinguished for amiableness and refinement of manners, and for luxury, for music and dancing, and for the seductive arts that lead to vicious indulgence. Numerous festivals occupied them at home, or attracted them to neighboring cities

It was in a rich region of country, and seems to have risen into importance mainly because it became the favorite resort of foreigners in the worship of Diana, and owed its celebrity to its temple more than to anything else

​In Roman times it was the metropolis of Asia, and unquestionably rose to a degree of splendor that was surpassed by few, if any, oriental cities.

Paul remained longer at Ephesus than he did at any other one place preaching the gospel. He seems to have set himself deliberately to work to establish a church there, which would ultimately overthrow idolatry. Several reasons may have led him to depart so far from his usual plan by laboring so long in one place. One may have been that this was the principal seat of idolatry then in the world.

Another reason why Paul sought Ephesus as a field of labor may have been that it was at that time not only the principal seat of idolatry, but was a place of great importance in the civil affairs of the Roman empire

Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians § 3. Notices of the History of the Church at Ephesus

The church at Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia, and the first one mentioned to which John was directed to address an epistle from Patmos, Rev. 2:1–7

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 2

‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake and have not grown weary.

‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

‘Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.

As we walk through this passage, let’s ask ourselves these two questions. “What does Paul focus his prayer about?” and “What does Paul not include in his prayer?”

Following Paul as a role model for prayer:

Paul’s prayer teaches us how to pray for fellow believers and why these prayers are effective.

I. How to Pray

note here that he isn’t saying - Like Jesus did - pray like this. He is recording the prayer for us to see and hear. Why - because he is living out as a role model how to pray. So, what is included in that?

a. Without ceasing - v 16

We are to pray without ceasing. Does Paul mean that he is repeating himself over and over again without stopping? The idea here is that there is an ongoing presence in his prayer life about the Ephesian church while making mention of you in my prayers.

II What to pray

a. Paul has two main requests he presents as the foundation for his prayer.

They are based on a significant construct -

that it is “God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory” who will be the one to grant the request.

How often when we pray, do we do so with the mindset of leaning against some attribute or attributes of God before asking?

Paul begins his prayer by addressing him for whom there is no other equal. We talk of Christ, he is savior, redeemer, - but Paul is addressing Christs Father, the one who made glory and is the only one worthy of possessing glory.

When I allow someone to give me credit, or praise for something that I am either unworthy of or just plain didn’t do. What is happening? I am stealing for myself some of that glory.

Sure, it feels good, but to whom does it really belong?

The first of the three requests that he makes is:

1. Give a spirit of wisdom and revelation of knowledge of him

as we pay for one another - what do we pray for? What are the requests that make the prayer list?

OK. I’ll say it out loud - in a place and time where HIPPA says our medical information is to consider amongst the most private of all information - why is medical information the primary request that we share?

Here, Paul begins to show us what the priority prayer request should be. let’s not be mistaken - Jehovah, creator God is a God who heals, and we can and should intercede on behalf of each other physically.

Paul’s priority though is shown in what he prays for here.

A spirit of wisdom

and revelation of knowledge of him.

Paul is more concerned here that we are receiving wisdom from God and growing in our knowledge of him.

Who is him? the one and only one worthy of all glory. The one and only one able to provide all wisdom

the one and only one who is the author of all truth

the one and only one who is eternal

the one and only one who is sovereign over all of creation

This idea of revelation here is not about writing new Scripture, rather it’s about our, yours, my ability to grow in our understanding - to learn new things. To have our eyes opened to the delights of what it means that God is the author of all truth.

2. Heart may be enlightened

this phrase is a continuation of the previous line of thought -

as we increase in our knowledge and wisdom of Him who is the author of all things

our heart should be enlightened.

What does he mean by enlightened?

As we grow in our knowledge of God,

this knowledge should affect our attitudes and how we see life and conversations.

As we focus here, the self-serving, self-interest will fade away and be replaced with a glorious outlook that says he is preeminent and what happens here is temporary.

3. Know what is the hope of his calling

This next request extends the thought line.

As we focus on him,

A. the fruit will be that our hope is founded in his calling.

This can be taken two ways –

first, he is referring to salvation,

second, he is referring to eternity.

Considering the focus of the overall prayer, I would suspect he meant this latter idea of eternity.

particularly since this clause is directly tied to the next one with the word “and” where the focus is on eternity.

B. The riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

a. The apostle labours here, and still more in the following verses, for language to express the greatness of his conceptions. This inheritance is not only divine as having God for its author; but it is a glorious inheritance; and not simply glorious, but the glory of it is inconceivably great.[1]

b. This is not just for you, but to be enjoyed by all who are sanctified

C. surpassing greatness of the power toward us who believe

a. Look at Col 2:12

b. As God raised Christ from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places; so you, that were dead in sins, hath he quickened and raised you up together in him. This analogy is the very thing he would have them understand. They had undergone a great change; they had been brought to life; they had been raised from the dead by the same almighty power which wrought in Christ. There was as great a difference between their present and their former condition, as between Christ in the tomb and Christ at the right hand of God.[2]

c. Lest believers should be cast down under a sense of their unworthiness, the apostle recalls them to a consideration of the power of God; as though he had said, their regeneration is a work of God, and no common work, but one in which his almighty power is wonderfully displayed.[3]Calvin

d. Faith is no such easy matter as our opposers imagine, when they say, ‘Believe, Believe, how easy is it to believe.’ Neither is it a mere human work, which I can perform for myself, but it is a divine power in the heart, by which we are new born, and whereby we are able to overcome the mighty power of the Devil and of death; as Paul says to the Colossians, ‘In whom ye are raised up again through the faith which God works.’ ”[4]Luther

III. Why we can and should pray this way v. 19b-21

A key question in answered without being asked by Paul or his audience/s

Why is it that we can and should pray this way?

Let’s take a moment and think of this. Why do we pray?

a. We are commanded to

b. It is taught as a key spiritual exercise

c. It is the way of communing with the sovereign creator of the universe.

a. To commune –

i. are we listening, or are we only asking?

1. Be Still and know that I am God -

ii. To be in relationship with another, what does communication look like.

iii. Are there times when we say to each other words of affirmation or acknowledgment? Why?

1. To deepen the communication and to affirm the other.

Paul here finishes this model with helping us to see and understand how this works in relationship to a holy God

As we pray

The focus then is on the Father and Christ. Who they are, and how their being affects the communication? In truth, what we are really looking for when we pray is to access the power He represents. Yes? Not from a selfish perspective –

Or maybe that’s part of the equation – the prayer is selfish in thinking I bring something to the table.

Considering eternity, who the Father is and what Christ has already done….

A. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of his might

a. Whose might? From where does it come?

i. Jesus Christ –

1. and how is that such power rests here?

ii. It was given when he [Christ] was raised from the dead

iii. And is seen because of Where he is seated

1. at the right hand of God

a. who else holds such a position – no one

2. in the heavenly places

a. Is there any equal to this position?

Paul then presses on further –

We are still talking about why these prayer requests are valid – Because –

3. He is “Far above all rule “

4. and authority

5. power

6. dominion

7. and every name that is named

8. both in this age and the age to come

A. Why we can have confidence in this prayer – v 22-23

1. We can have confidence praying this way because of the reminder that Paul gives us

a. Who is He in verse 22 –

i. God the Father

1. It is God the Father who is the actor here in these verses

ii. put all things in subjection under his feet

1. Who is his – Christ

2. All things – is there anything in this world that is not in subjection to Christ?

iii. Not only did he put Him over all things – He “gave him as head over all things to the church”

1. which is his body

2. the fullness of him who fills all in all

Conclusion

What are the answers to the two questions we began with?

“What does Paul not include in his prayer?”

Urgent needs of the day

The temporal pressures of this world

The desires of our heart

“What does Paul focus his prayer about?” and

The excellencies of Christ

The glories of the heavenlies

The wonder of eternal life with God the Father and Christ

Finish by reading Psalm 46 and pray

[1]Hodge, C. (1858). A commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians (pp. 75–76). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers. [2]Hodge, C. (1858). A commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians (p. 77). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers. [3]Hodge, C. (1858). A commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians (p. 78). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers. [4]Hodge, C. (1858). A commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians (p. 78). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers.