May 22, 2011
Evening Service

This morning we were able to see some of the attributes Paul exhibited as a true follower of Christ.

• Servant hood-ministry-humility-suffering
• He viewed the trials and persecutions he endured as a chance to champion the cause of Christ not as being a victim of them.

 

He also plainly spelled out one of the mysteries of Christ.  It was that God’s grace is now open to all people not just the Jews.  This was a totally new perspective for everyone (3:5-6).   This creates an avenue that each of us can now have access right into the very presence of God through the same Spirit and the work of Christ.

 

He also shared that these truths were a revelation to him from God, not taught of man.

 

 

Eph 3:14-15  For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  (15)  of whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named,

• The reason he refers to is the fact that the Gentiles now have been given the opportunity to be partakers in the grace of God and are now part of the church (His body).
• Bowing could be the actual physical posture of his body, or it could point to the posture of our soul.  We can pray in any position and at any time but, our spirit should be bowed in humility and reverence.
• He prays to the Heavenly Father, who is the Creator of all and the head of our spiritual family.

 

Eph 3:16  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;

• The Greeks referred to three parts of the “inner” man,  in essence what made you you.
• Paul prayed that these three areas would be strengthened according to the riches of His glory.
• Reason-grant us wisdom to discern between right and wrong to keep our lives pure and safe.
• Conscience-our inner guide that needs to become more sensitive and tender always on alert.
• Will-our desire that drives us to act upon our reason and conscience.
• 2Co 4:16  For this cause we do not faint; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

 

Eph 3:17  that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

• He prays for us to be strengthened in the inner man so that:  Christ may dwell in our hearts.  We receive the Holy Spirit when we first believe.

 

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

 

• Here though, I think Paul is speaking to the fact that we give Christ access to every room and closet in our hearts.  Every part of our lives will then be controlled by Him.
• In essence, the more we allow Christ access to our lives, the more comfortable He feels and the more He is able to use us for His glory.  The more of Him we accept the more we can reflect.
• We then stand on a firm foundation of love.

 

 

 

 

 

Eph 3:18-19  may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height,  (19)  and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

• Paul prays that we may grow so we can begin to understand the vastness of God’s love for us.
• Rom 5:8  But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

 

• One commentator defines these levels like this:

 

• Width-the wideness of God’s grace being offered to not only the Jews, but to all mankind.
• Length-the amount of time that God extends that grace; from eternity to eternity.
• Depth-the level in which Christ stooped in order to save us.  He live among us in this world of sin and degradation.
• Height-the level for which we are now able to reach.  We can now be seated with Christ as fellow heirs of His Kingdom.
• We will never fully understand the love He offers us until perhaps in that day that we stand before Him.
• However, don’t give up trying to learn as much a s you can.  Grow..grow..grow.  Drink deeply of His love.

 

Eph 3:20-21  Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  (21)  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever. Amen.

• We serve a God who can do even more than we can ask or think.
• The power that works within us is the Holy Spirit which is constantly at work seeking to produce the fruit of a Christ like character.
• We often doubt ourselves, but never doubt God.
• Paul closes His prayer asking that God receives the glory generated by the church of Jesus Christ now and always.
• We, as a church, need to use that as a baseline of our activities asking:  How does this bring glory to God?

 

 

Paul is praying strongly that we would be strengthened in our inner man allowing Christ to dwell in every aspect our lives.  Allowing us to comprehend (at least some) the vast love He has for us.

 

Aim high on your goals of serving and knowing Christ.  There are heights that we cannot even imagine available to us.