Ephesians 1:15-23

Introduction: Our passage is one that we will take time to review. We’ve been looking at the first chapter of Ephesians for a little while now. We’ve looked at some pretty important doctrines in the process. This week we will see one of God’s major desires for the saint, and by the way, if you are born again you are a saint. In our text, Paul shares a specific prayer he has for the saints that make up the church at Ephesus. Seeing that this is the Word of God, Paul’s prayer is Biblical and pleasing to the Lord! It is a prayer that I should pray for the folks in our church and I do. It is a desire that we should have for ourselves and should pray for ourselves. When answered it is a prayer that can and will transform our lives. What we will see today in our passage is my desire for myself, my family, and our church, I also believe it is God’s desire for all of us. I believe that this passage speaks to the outline I gave you in the beginning of our study on Ephesians, that the first 3 chapters deal with what we have and are in Christ! The Lord wants us to know and understand these truth!

Wherefore....vs. 15a - 16

The word “wherefore” tells us that what is going to be said is in response to what was previously stated. What is the ‘wherefore” therefore? This means that we should look back at what was said in the previous passage. In vs. 12-14 we get the answer to that question…because the people he is addressing(the church at Ephesus) were saved, they had trusted Christ as their saviours, and because of this, he has something to tell them.

First, since he heard of their “faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints.” What he has to say to them is a result of their salvation, but also of their love for all the saints.

God wants us to love one another, He wants us to care for one another, and He wants us to help one another.

Because of what he knew of them…vs. 12-14, and what he has heard of them…vs. 15a, he also continues to give thanks for them and to pray for them .vs, 16. What a blessing to have the man of God praying for you! I believe it is my responsibility to pray for all of you by name regularly, ideally everyday. It is my responsibility and part of my calling.

The prayer(about to be explained, the result of what we’ve read)…vs. 17 - 19

I thought this was interesting how he refers to the one he is calling on to work, “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ”. We know who this is because it tells us it is “the Father of glory.” However, isn’t Christ Himself God, yet He submitted Himself to the Father. John 20:17 “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” Christ clearly submitted Himself to the Father and calls Him His God! How much more should we be willing and obedient to submit to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost?

What he was specifically praying for....

That they would receive from the Father, the spirit of wisdom and revelation! I first want to point out that it is a little s spirit. That means that he was praying that men’s spirits would be effected in such a way they would have God’s wisdom and revelation. I believe this happens through the influence of the Holy Spirit! Romans 8:16 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”

We know that wisdom is from God. Proverbs 2:6, 7 “For the Lord giveth wisdom: Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” “He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.” The desire is that they would have wisdom from God! Daniel 2:28-30

Daniel 2:28–30 KJV 1900

But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

The Lord shows us here that while He may give the Word, He also has to be the one to interpret it! He does that through His Word(comparing Scripture with Scripture) and through the Holy Spirit(opening our eyes)!

We know that revelation is from God! Ephesians 3:1-12 It is a blessing what Christ has done for us! We have His revelation to us in the Word of God written by the apostles and prophets!

Ephesians 3:1–12 KJV 1900

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

“in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;” God had a specific purpose for the wisdom and revelation that Paul was praying the believers would have. It was that they would have full understanding of Him and all that their salvation and relationship with Him provided them. So many Christians do not fully understand what they have in Christ, they do not know who they are in Christ, they do not comprehend just how secure “Eternal Life” is. I believe it is because of our carnality and lack of studying the Word of God. This results in ignorance, which results in a lack of understanding, then confusion, and ultimately we get stuck in unbelief, fear, doubts, and even get led astray. Colossians 1: 9-14

Colossians 1:9–14 KJV 1900

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Colossians 2:1–8 KJV 1900

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

vs. 18b, The Lord wants us to know the hope of His calling! We have discussed some of this already in past sermons. Remember the study on “Adoption?” That it is speaking of the glorified, celestial, incorruptible body that we will one day have! It is part of the inheritance that we have to look forward to! We will see this answered more clearly and thoroughly as we continue our study through Ephesians. We will learn much of what we have in Christ and more about His calling! Ephesians 4:1-4

vs. 18c, He wants us to understand “the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,” One day we will rule and reign with Christ, in our new bodies, we have this to look forward to. We will study this more in the weeks to come.

vs. 19, He also wants us to understand “what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,” We will also learn more about this but consider these verses from the next chapter we will cover in the weeks to come…Ephesians 2:12-16

Ephesians 2:12–16 KJV 1900

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Why is it so important for us to know these things? First, God wants us to know! Secondly, a lack of knowledge as already stated produces a lot of insecurities and makes us ineffective for the Lord! The Lord wants us to know His Word, He wants us to have a strong faith, and He wants us to be confident! Romans 10:17

Romans 10:17 KJV 1900

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Final remarks…vs. 20-23

We are going to cover these verses more when we are done our Bible Conference but I wanted us to see what is presented here briefly. What we have in Christ both now and in the future began at His resurrection and has been demonstrated through the power exercised when Christ ascended and was exalted after being killed. These are all things that are impossible but through Christ they are available to all of us!

Conclusion: This whole passage points to the fact that God wants us to know more about Him, His Son, what He has done for us, and what we have in Him. He has revealed what He wants us to know in His Word! We truly do not know anything of God without His revelation. It exalts Christ and it educates us allowing us to have confidence in what we believe! I believe it is the perfect precursor to the week we have coming up with brother Faggart. He is going to teach us about our Bible, He is going to teach us the Bible, and it will help us grow! God wants us to know so that we can have peace, so that we can have confidence, and so that we can effectively serve Him! Let’s strive to learn all that we can!