A Dwelling Place

Intro:

Ephesians 3:14–16 NKJV

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

Tonight, we will continue our study of [Praying with Paul]. The title of my message is, [A Dwelling Place].

I was in Springfield last week for class. There was a man there I had not met before. Being this far into the program, I know most of the other students.

The professor introduced him. His name is Jerry Spain, he is a retired missionary. He worked in Africa for nearly fifty years. He caught my attention with his words of wisdom and his desire to pray.

He shared that at the age of 83, he wants to finish strong and do all he can for God. I was so impressed with him, I invited him to preach in September for grandparent’s day.

But he told a story about going to a place in Africa where he had to help heal some deep hurts. He came to a church that seated 600. Because of the difficulties they endured, only twelve people were present on the first Sunday.

He and the local pastor agreed to pray for the church. They called prayer meetings, sometimes it just being the two of them. Fifty years later, the church now has 5,000 people attend.

He shared that he never prayed for a church of 5,000, just that God would help the congregation. He never had any idea that God could do something as remarkable as he did in that African town.

I thought of that as I prepared this message. We’ve been praying with Paul. When Paul was alive, the Church likely had less than 100,000 members.

I doubt Paul imagined a day where there would be billions of Christians and over 500 million believers who spoke in tongues. He had no way of knowing that.

God is still answered his prayers. What Paul prayed for the Ephesians, is also what God wants for us.

Some of the prayers we pray will not get answered in our lifetime. Our prayers work for us and future generations.

A few weeks back I explained that these verses are like a staircase. We slowly and methodically continue to spiral upward in the discipleship process.

It is as though each verse in 3:14-21 is another step closer to being where God wants us. Paul began praying that we grasp God’s generous glory and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Now, we will look at verse 17. Paul paints the picture of Jesus being with His people. I want us to see that there is a place in God where were can go— where we live with the constant awareness that He is near to us.

Let’s look at this possibility in three ways— who, what, and where.

1. Who—Christ

Ephesians 3:17 NKJV

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

Who is the one that walks with us?

Christ. Paul lived during a time where there was MANY opinions on God.

Paul had to contend with the Jewish people. They believed in God, but they hated it when Paul spoke about Jesus being the Son of God who takes away the sins of the WORLD.

After his conversion, he immediately began to preach Christ in the synagouges, that He is the Son of God. The Jews hated this so much.

Acts 9:23 NKJV

23 Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.

On the other handThe Romans and Greeks had many gods that they worshipped and celebrated.

Paul faced ridicule by some Gentiles for His ardent belief that Jesus rose from the dead.

Acts 17:32 NKJV

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.”

People were okay with the concept of gods, but to think that God would sacrifice His only Son for us, it was too much for some of the intellectual thinkers.

Why is there such a problem when we get down to the identity of Christ?

Satan is okay with a belief in God as long as we are not specific about Jesus for Jesus is the only one who can take away sin.

The reason is simply this— it is through Jesus’s sacrifice that humanity has the hope of salvation and redemption from sin.

Before Paul specified what he desired God to do, he clarifies WHO he wants— Christ.

Who was the source of Paul’s prayers? Christ.

2. What —Dwells

Ephesians 3:17 NKJV

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

What did Paul want Christ to do? That we would become Christ’s dwelling. A dwelling is a place for God to rest.

Throughout Scripture, God was very specific about where He would dwell. I think of his conversation with David when he wanted to build God a temple.

2 Samuel 7:5–6 NKJV

5 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.

David had the novel idea of building God a temple. What would the temple do? It would give God a place to dwell. God responded to the prophet Nathan to inform David that He never requested a house.

In all the time God’s people traveled, not once did He request a house. Instead He dwelt in tents and tabernacles.

God looked down through history to a day when this would change. Instead of requesting a physical house, He had another plan.

2 Samuel 7:11 NKJV

11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house.

How would God make David a house?

If we follow David’s genealogy, we will find a man named Joseph and a woman named Mary, who gave birth to a Son named Jesus, who is the Christ.

God expected the day when He would dwell in His people.

John 14:19–20 NKJV

19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

We are alive because CHRIST, the who, Dwells, the what.

Paul prayed prophetically, WHO, Christ, will do WHAT, dwell...

3. Where—Heart

Ephesians 3:17 NKJV

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

Where does Christ dwell? In our hearts!

The idea is so simplistic even a child understands that God dwells in our heart.

But the reality is much more complex. The heart does more than pump blood. Throughout Scripture, the heart creates a lot of problems.

I someone tell me recently, I know in my HEART. I replied, you cannot trust your heart:

Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV

9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

More than ANYTHING else, the HEART is deceitful. Jesus taught:

Matthew 15:19 NKJV

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

Think of this for a moment:

Murder is a heart issue

Adultery, infidelity, is a heart issue

Sexual immorality is a heart issue

Stealing is a heart issue

Lying is a heart issue

Slander against God is a heart issue

What a terrible place for Christ to dwell. But Paul prayed that Christ would reside in our hearts. Why?

Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

When Jesus dwells in us, He removes the sin and deceit that consumes our hearts and puts His Spirit in us, giving us a new heart.

We cannot trust our heart, but we can trust Jesus to transform our heart.

Close:

Paul bowed his knees before God, asking that the Lord would give the Ephesians a grasp of God’s glory and generous Spirit.

How would this happen?

By having Christ dwell in our hearts.

Remember these verses are like a staircase. At the top of the stairs is a door. Through that door is another realm in God. How can we get there?

We know what God wants to do, but HOW do we have Christ dwell in our hearts?

Paul summarized it all with one word— FAITH.

If we were all honest with ourselves, I mean total blatant honesty, we would acknowledge that deep down, we are all pretty messed up and really need God’s help.

I know that is not popular. I realize we do not like to go around and emphasize our shortcomings. But the truth is this, without God we are nothing.

I love Paul’s prayer so much. He prayed it for the Ephesians, but I take hold of it for my life.

I need Christ. I cannot make it without Jesus.

I want Him to dwell. I long to be the place where He resides.

I have to have Him in my heart. If I trust my heart, I am in trouble.

Through faith, God can take us to a place in Him we have never been.

Our faith will open the door to move our heart closer to God’s heart.

The process takes time. Paul had no idea all God would do through his prayer.

The missionary I mentioned, Jerry Spain did not have an inkling that the struggling church of twelve people would become a thriving congregation 5,000.

And we cannot fully comprehend all God wants to do in and through us. But we can pray IN FAITH, that CHRIST will DWELL in our HEART.