A Strong People- Ephesians 3:14-21

750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers 510: Power

One New Year’s Day, in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas.

The amusing thing was this float represented the Standard Oil Company. With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas.

Often, Christians neglect their spiritual maintenance, and though they are “clothed with power” (Luke 24:49) find themselves out of gas.

A Strong Church is...

I. Powerful Through the Spirit of God vv. 14-17a

In this passage, Paul brings the first half of the book to a close and he concludes his prayer for the Ephesians

Primarily, his prayer for them is a prayer that they would be strengthened by the power of God

The Father grants this power and has the authority to deliver it to His people

The Spirit actively works in our hearts to deliver this power

The Son, as a result of this work of God’s power, dwells in our hearts

The Father works through the Spirit so that the Son can be present in us!

There is an important implication here that we must not overlook:

Paul prays for this power because it is not immediately evident in the life of the Church

Are we, individually and corporately marked by the kind of strength that Paul describes here?

Not numerical strength

Not organizational strength

Not financial strength

Not influence or position

Do we have the power of God present among us?

Could you find Jesus here?

We have men of science; too few men of God. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. Man is stumbling blindly through a spiritual darkness while toying with the precarious secrets of life and death. The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living.

-Omar Bradley 1948 Armistice Day Speech

II. Planted in the Love of God vv. 17b-19

We must be “rooted and grounded” in the love of God

Using an agricultural and an architectural metaphor, Paul shows the relationship with the believer to the love of God

It is completely foundational to us

To reach this position, we must know what is beyond knowledge: the love of God towards us in Christ Jesus v. 19

When we consider the staggering promises of His love for us and we rest in Him we experience the outworking of His power towards us

It is transformative; we will be filled with all the fullness of God

When we comprehend the incomprehensible we will be filled with the infinite

Our character will be marked by the full presence, life, power, and love of God towards others

This indwelling presence of Christ in our hearts through faith is utterly critical to the character of the life that we live in Him and for Him

Paul has given us a consistent picture in this letter of being “in Christ”

However, we struggle to understand why it matters. We do not understand at all how to “abide in Christ”

The greatest works of God do not begin with visionary leaders or powerful organizations, but with people whose lives are deeply settled in the notion that they are powerless apart from Christ

Watchman Nee tells about a new convert who came in deep distress to see him. “No matter how much I pray, no matter how hard I try, I simply cannot seem to be faithful to my Lord. I think I’m losing my salvation.” Nee said, “Do you see this dog here? He is my dog. He is house-trained; he never makes a mess; he is obedient; he is a pure delight to me. Out in the kitchen I have a son, a baby son. He makes a mess, he throws his food around, he fouls his clothes, he is a total mess. But who is going to inherit my kingdom? Not my dog; my son is my heir. You are Jesus Christ’s heir because it is for you that He died.” We are Christ’s heirs, not through our perfection but by means of His grace

III. Pursuing the Glory of God vv. 20-21

Paul closes this passage with a doxology, a word of praise to the glory of God

Paul makes us aware of 3 things about God. He is:

Powerfully capable

He makes the task that seems impossible possible

He is not limited by our own imaginings of His capability

Presently working

His power is already at work in us

He is not waiting for us to do something to begin His work; He is inviting us to trust in His work

Perfectly glorious

In Christ, the glory of God is revealed; We see His holiness, His beauty, His power

Likewise, He intends that this glory be displayed in His church, throughout all generations! v. 21

The London Times reported remarkable changes that took place in the public spirit. For example, in Swansea people who had left their parents in the "workhouse" for the poor came to take them out. Entire congregations were on their knees in prayer and "for the first time there was not a single case of drunkenness at the Swansea County Petty Sessions." The Bible Society saw orders for Scriptures multiply to three times the level for the previous year. At Bangor University revival fires were spreading in January of 1905.  There were "only a third or a fourth of the students attending some of the classes...Beginning with a spontaneous outburst of praise and prayer among the men students, the movement spread . . at a united prayer meeting...some...broke down sobbing."

David Lloyd George, who later became Prime Minister of England, saw one of his political rallies taken over by the Welsh revival.

The Times reported on January 16th, 1905 that "At Glyn-Neath a feud had existed for the past ten or twelve years between the two Independent Chapels, but during the past week united services have been held in both chapels, and the ministers have shaken hands before the congregations." The fires of spiritual awakening crossed the ocean.

In 1904 the Atlanta newspapers reported an amazing revival of prayer sweeping the city. On November 2nd the Supreme Court of Georgia closed so people could attend prayer meetings. Stores, factories, offices and even saloons followed suit. "For two hours at midday all Denver was held in a spell . . . The marts of trade were deserted between noon and two o'clock this afternoon," the Denver Post reported on January 20th, 1905. One Kentucky pastor died of overwork after receiving 1,000 new members in two months.  Out of a population of 50,000 only fifty unconverted adults remained in Atlantic City, New Jersey!

God worked through the testimony of a young new believer named Florrie Evans. When Pastor Joseph Evans asked for testimonies Florrie arose and with a trembling voice said, "I love Jesus with all my heart." God used this to melt the hearts of many others.