Will you please make your way in your Bibles this morning to Paul�s epistle to the Ephesians, the third chapter, where we will be looking together at verses fourteen through verse twenty-one, That�s Ephesians three, fourteen through twenty-one and it is found on page eleven forty-seven in your pew Bibles. We are going to be looking this morning at Paul�s prayer for the church at Ephesus, and actually for all of the body of Christ dispersed throughout the world. While you are making your way there, allow me to just say this morning that it truly is an absolute joy for me to be gathered here again to with all of you, the body of Christ, corporately worshipping our magnificent God this morning.
I trust, and I hope that all of you, thoroughly enjoy the blessing that almighty God has given to each of us in this life in allowing for us to gather together with His people each and every week on the Lord�s Day, all in order to spend our time together lifting up our voices, and praising His holy name. It can be the kind of thing that we begin to take for granted if we don�t remind one another why we gather in the first place! I find myself lately actually longing for the arrival of this day of the week and just being with the people again that God has called me to serve in the midst of! What a precious gift we have been given in corporate worship, in being fed together from the Word of God every week, and enjoying the blessings of Christian fellowship. What a gift we have been given in that we can lift our voices together this morning knowing that we have not been left in this world to struggle down the path of this, often difficult life alone, but that God has given to us one another; in order to strengthen one another, comfort one another, and lift up one another, and support one another. We have been given this gift of fellowship and love for one another that makes gathering together to sing praises to almighty God just that much more of an enjoyable occasion in our lives. It makes the struggles of this life seem manageable knowing that God has saw fit, in His infinite wisdom, to not leave us to ourselves, but He gave to us this powerful bond which we share in Jesus Christ, it unites us eternally, and allows us to sharpen each other, as we go through this life seeking to bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ.
What a privilege we have been given in that we are called, and made to image the glory of Jesus Christ, acting corporately as His very body, being knit together by, united by, Gospel fueled love for God and for one another! Paul in the twelfth chapter of His letter to the Romans speaks clearly of the true marks of the authentic, genuine body of Christ. We find there that love, genuine, Christian love was at the very top of that list. We spent some time earlier this year, looking at that mark, as we focused on it in the thirteenth chapter of Paul�s first letter to the church at Corinth. The mark of true and genuine love; love which is the direct, natural result of the gospel of Jesus Christ being proclaimed to those who have been quickened by the Spirit of God. The Church of Jesus Christ, according to the pages of sacred scripture, is marked, it is distinguished by the way in which it�s members pour out their love for one another. It is a distinguishing characteristic that we share that separates us from the world that we live in. It makes us different. We live in a world that is entirely motivated by self, yet we see in the Bible that we are called by Jesus Christ to act selflessly. This is true and genuine love, and when it is present in our lives we know it. We cannot help but to put the needs of others above our own. We desire to be with one another, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and building one another up, edifying one another. This genuine love that Paul speaks about is part of the life of faith, on this side of glory. It is part of living in this fallen world as a Christian. It is a sign of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and we ought to praise God when we see it. We find comfort in it when it is present in our lives. This morning I would like to continue to look at this particular fruit of the Life lived by Faith in Jesus Christ. It is one that all of us that here this morning who have seen the depths of our sin in God�s Holy Law, and who subsequently have witnessed the mercy that God has extended to us through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, we all hope to see in our own lives. It is that fruit that we are made to bear by the grace of God, on this side of the glory of heaven, which serves to edify and build His body. It is the comfort of Jesus Christ to those who belong to Him! God has called us to be His followers, and I would like to look this morning at what this looks like in our lives. How do we live in this way? What does the Bible say about the way we live together, as the very body of Christ, in the here and now? I would like to look at the Word of God and talk to you about the power that we are given as the true and legitimate children of God in this life. I think it is important that we do this, because I think that the power that we have been given in this life is something that the �evangelical church� in our day, with all of its emphasis on the individual, has almost completely lost sight of. And it is something that the apostle Paul made quite clear, in all of his letters to all of the churches under his watchful care, that they should never lose sight of. The power that you and I possess as members of Christ�s body, is yet another thing that marks us as genuine members of His church, and again is further evidence of the Spirit of God working in our lives, further assurance for us in this troubled life to know that indeed, we do belong to Him! We are unified in Jesus Christ! And we see here in Paul�s prayer for the Ephesian Church the extent of that unity. Will you please turn with me to the third chapter of Paul�s letter to the Ephesians, and follow along as I read to the end of the chapter, beginning with verse 14. READ. PRAY.
Paul is, in the end of this third chapter, having just explained to these gentiles how the mystery of Jesus Christ has now been revealed to the prophets of God through the spirit of God, that they (gentiles) were fellow heirs together with him of the promises in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. In other words Paul is saying that he Paul; a Jew among Jews, a Pharisee of all Pharisees, is a member together with them of the body of Christ through the precious blood of Jesus Christ who was in fact both his as well as their savior. The Gentiles, and the Jewish people, were both brought into reconciliation with God through one savior and He is Christ Jesus the Lord. And Paul is speaking with love for these people literally dripping from His pen. He tells them that God has basically chosen him; the least of Gods people, a persecutor of the church, a former hater of Christ, to bring the good news that God�s mercy extends to them and that they are all members of one body and that he (Paul) loves them with all of his heart. And here at the end of this section we find the apostle Paul telling his beloved flock what his prayer for them is as part of the bride of Christ. And let me say that though Paul gets right to the power that is ours in Christ, his prayer for the people of God is one that is full of humility. It really is quite a contrast that I hope will become more and more evident to you as we dig in. Paul says: For this reason�. This reason we know from earlier in the chapter is that Almighty God has called the gentiles to be partakers of His grace through the gospel�. And so it is for this reason that Paul says that: I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named; again do you see that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a powerful thing! It takes a man like Paul; who hated the church, and who stood nodding his approval during the deaths of the churches earliest martyrs, a man who found inexplicable pleasure in dragging the Christians off to imprisonment and to beatings, and it fills him with awe when he is truly humbled by God through the proclamation of Jesus Christ and is then shown the error of his ways. The simple message of the Gospel took this man and so humbled his heart that we find him here in this letter to the church at Ephesus pouring out his love for these gentile Christians, and he speaks of his joy for their inclusion in almighty God�s glorious plan of redemption! The message of the Gospel itself changed the course of Paul�s life forever. It changed his heart so drastically that we find him here on his knees before God crying out to Him to fill these people, the former objects of his hatred, his former enemies, he prays for God them to fill with power from above. They are not Jews, they are gentile followers of Christ, and Paul loves them as his own people! He finds his identity with them as his fellow heirs, and as his flock. He has been entrusted with their care, and so his heart aches for God to be glorified in their lives. Do you see the power in Paul�s prayer for the church? It goes back to that genuine love which can only be brought about through the Spirit of God. Paul prays with humility, he mentions that all of creation receives its name and its being from God, that there is nothing in this world that we know and live in, that is not subject to Him! Yet, Paul also prays with confidence, knowing that almighty God is going to be glorified through those whom He calls his people. Do you see that here? Paul understands to the extent that we can understand who God is, and he cries out to the sovereign Creator of the universe, and he boldly asks, he pleads, that God would strengthen His church. And how should God strengthen His church? Look at verse 16. That according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being. Do you grasp what it is Paul is asking for here? We know from scripture that now, that is in this present reality, this present world, we only see dimly, as through a glass, the vastness of, or the absolute majestic glory of God in our lives! For now the glory of God, the majesty of God, as it exists in the Glory of heaven, is somewhat veiled to us! And we know that someday the glass or that veil will be removed in Glory, and we will actually behold God as He is. But even with our limited and finite minds we can, at least as far as we are able to, begin to wrap our minds around the awe inspiring largeness of God. And here we find Paul, a shepherd of the flock at Ephesus, asking that Almighty God would empower us, with very His Spirit, in our inner being. Think about that. The very Spirit of God! Beloved, this should absolutely blow our minds to consider it! The word of God says that we, the people of God, have His Spirit in our inner being, empowering us to bring glory to God in this life, empowering us to live our lives to the glory to the honor of His holy name! It is the spirit of God that actually strengthens us to do what we are called to do! Do you feel weak as you struggle through the hardships that are such a part of this life? Are you all too well aware why it is that this life, that is life lived in this fallen flesh, living in this fallen world, why it is often referred to as a vale of tears? Beloved, no one likes to suffer. We all have at one time or another suffered hardships in this life, if you have not you can know with certainty that you probably will at some point. I know in my own life I have suffered and in the midst of my suffering I have wondered at how Paul could count it all joy to suffer. But I found that the end of my suffering was the glory of God and the big picture began to be a little clearer to me. The point is that when we do suffer; from where do we seek our comfort, from where do we seek our strength? The Word of God says that the very Spirit of God Himself is our strength. How could we ever perceive anything that this life can throw our way to possibly overpower this unequaled, unending, immeasurable source of strength? Paul prays that the people of God would be strengthened, not simply so that they will be those who are known for their strength, rather that they will be strengthened so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Paul loved the church and he prays that it would be filled with a supernatural power, a power that is beyond any power that we might know in this life, a power that is all together other worldly! And why does Paul want this power for the church of God? Is it for global domination? Is it for military might? Is it so the church will remain unscathed in a world that is opposed to its very message of hope? Surely Paul wants us to have this power so that we can flex our spiritual muscles and show the world and even the Church once and for all what we are made of, right? Is it to mystify the world with our feats of supernatural, even mystical power? Surely Paul has to want the church to have the power to overtake the wealth of this wicked world and use it for good not evil, right? No, you see Paul has a different perspective than what is popular with so many in the church today. Paul simply wants the church to know what it has in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that the church members or the members of Christ�s body might be filled with the fullness of God, all to the glory of God! He is praying for the inner witness of the Spirit of God in our lives, taking blind eyes and allowing for them to see. The Spirit of God showing us our sin and driving us to our knees before God as we realize how offensive our sin is to Him, and causing us to realize that we are deserving of only the harshest form of punishment, and opening our eyes to our desperate need for a savior. A savior, who unlike us, is actually, truly, and perfectly righteous! Then that very same Spirit allows us to then glimpse the grace of God, in that even while we were like this, vile and offensive sinners, Jesus Christ, though innocent, willingly died for us, paid the penalty that our sin, our guilt had earned. This is the Gospel and it changes the way that we perceive the world we live in. It gives us new motivation in this life, namely real and true gratitude, to live lives worthy of the calling of God. And this message is everything. As important as all of the business of the church that we are even momentarily about to engage in is it is but adornment for the building! But the Gospel of Jesus Christ is far more than just adornment for the building, it is the very foundation upon which the building sits, without it there would be no building! Do you understand? It is not a peripheral aspect of Christianity, it is the very heart and soul of it! The truly Good news of Jesus Christ sets us free from the bondage of sin. We are declared righteous by God because of Christ�s righteousness, we are adopted as son�s of our Father in heaven and we become heirs of the precious promises of God. What message could be any more powerful than this one? The power that Paul prays for the church to receive is something that this world cannot offer or even come close to ever duplicating. The power is that the actual Spirit of God enters our hearts and opens blind eyes and deaf ears to the life changing message of the person and work of Jesus Christ. It should humble us, and bring us to our knees to even consider the grace of God that Paul is expounding on here. Do you recognize the unifying power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you praise God in His sanctuary this morning, truly grateful for His mercy towards you, you who I will guarantee you are the most miserable sinner you know? If you do, and you know that; then the joy and the peace that are yours in Christ are indescribable. Words simply only skate around the edges of ever describing the peace that is yours in Jesus Christ this morning. It absolutely moves you towards a genuine love for God and others! You were lost but now your found, and that is a life changing realization! Or maybe your conscience has been pricked this morning into realizing how easily we can be distracted in this life away from the gifts that are ours in Christ. Will you cling to Him, look to Him, go to Him for repentance this morning and give God praise for His goodness towards you? Do you recognize that your source of strength comes not from within yourself but from the very Spirit of God Himself? This is the gift of faith. To have your heart stirred within you by the Word of God and to be strengthened by his Spirit, and to repent knowing that God is glorified even in that repentance. Knowing that God has declared you righteous by the perfect blood of Christ, and clinging to Him with all that you are! Or are you in another group all together this morning? Maybe you think all of this is nonsense, and your heart is hard this morning, and you cannot wait to get out of this place and back to the comfort of your own ideas and opinions. Back to the comfort of living to please yourself and looking out simply for number one, you. Nothing in your life is more important than you, and you find yourself hating the Word of God for challenging what you perceive to be the truth about yourself. Please, allow me be crystal clear with you this morning. Scripture is clear that all of creation is subject to almighty God, not just those who in your mind decide to place themselves in subjection to him. You may be confident that in the end all will be subject to his final judgment. God will judge those as righteous who because of Christ�s blood covering their sins, and who have had their eyes pried opened through the power of the spirit, who have been given life changing faith, allowing for them to know their sin and the depths of their forgiveness, He will mercifully give them eternity in Glory with Him. And he will absolutely judge those as wicked who have shunned the good news of the gospel for any idol of their own creation, and treated the name of Christ to be just another name on earth, He will certainly condemn them to eternity in the lake of fire to be tormented forever. If that is where your heart is this morning than I will pray for you as Paul did. If your heart is hard than I hope that the very power of the Spirit of God opens your eyes so that you can see. You see the message of the Gospel contains power that even the strongest one you know cannot fight if the Spirit of God gives him or her a new set of eyes. Beloved I pray that He will. I hope all of us that are in Christ this morning will. You see the glory of God is found when we are being conformed into that glorious image of Christ by the grace of God! And that image is not found in strong individuals. It is not found in spiritual superstars. It is not found in your ever placing yourself far above all of these here this morning in wisdom and discernment and theological expertise! Beloved the overwhelming theme of this letter to the Ephesians is that the image of God is seen gloriously in the unity of the body under its head, the Lord Jesus Christ! No man is in isolation, an island in the kingdom of God! We bring glory to God when we are unified by faith in Jesus Christ alone! We as a community of believers must come to understand the fact that the depths of our forgiveness far outweigh the petty differences that we perceive to stand in our way of loving fellowship with one another! No matter how strong we might think we are we cannot thwart the will of God and we know that in the end he will be glorified, either through his extension of grace to the righteous in Christ, or through His just punishment of the wicked, God will be glorified. Paul�s closing of this prayer gives those in the church encouragement and empowers us as we go into the world and face those who are adamantly opposed to God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask for or think, according to the power at work in us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen. It is a sad commentary for the church when we fail to even ask. We have grown accustomed to picking ourselves up by the bootstraps and digging deep and finding a way to accomplish what lies in our way. Paul says that He is able to do far more than we could ever ask or think. We cannot even begin to comprehend the vastness of the store house of His power. I pray that you and I see this today and we tap into the power of God through the Gospel and we are used by God to change the world that we live in through His power, and to His glory, and that with the power of His Spirit strengthening us I pray that we would give hope to those who have no hope, and that because of it, because of us functioning as the true body of Christ in love; that His name, the name that is above all names, the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, our head, would be praised and honored forever in the life of this church. As we prepare this morning to discuss the coming year of our church, may that end be on the hearts of each and every one of us! Amen.
