The Power of God For Us Who Believe (Eph 1:19b-23)

The Power of God For Us Who Believe: Ephesians 1:19-23 Pray & Intro: From praising God and his blessing to thanksgiving to God for his work in his people and praying for his people to have deep experiential knowledge of the hope of his calling, the riches of his glorious inheritance, and the incomparable greatness of his power… toward us who believe.  Hyperbole, exaggeration – but when you talk about the attributes and character qualities of God, you can’t exaggerate! Listen to Paul pile on about God’s power exerted in Christ! Not only that, but exerted in our behalf! Read Eph. 1:15-23 & Discuss vv. 19-23: Pray to know the power of God. I. What is Paul selling? Why does he go on about this “power toward us who believe”? A. Power unlimited, immeasurable, incomparable (I know I don’t usually talk about the Greek words unless they help you see something… but you’ve gotta see this.) 1. ὑπερβάλλον μέγεθος (huperballon megethos) – exceeding/surpassing… extreme greatness! 2. Then, after using the regular term for ‘power’ (dunamis), Paul adds an additional phrase with three synonymous terms to underscore the basis or standard of this exceptional might: ‘according to the operation of the strength of his might’. (O’Brien) – engergiea (working, exercising, operating) of his mighty strength, or the strength of his might (τὴν ἐνέργειαν τοῦ κράτους τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ).  Paul has piled up equivalents because he wants to convince his readers that God’s power working on behalf of believers is incomparable and able to bring them to final salvation. (O’Brien) B. And consider the importance for believers (and teams of believers) to have knowledge (επίγνωσις) of this power! (And this looking almost exclusively just in Ephesians…) 1. It is a saving power. – 2:5-7  Also describing in Romans how the righteous live by faith, Paul says in 1:16 that the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” 2. It is a serving power. – 3:7  How did Paul and how do any of us get grace-gifts for ministry, whether by teaching or serving? “by the working of his power” 3. It is a strengthening power. – 3:16-21  to give us courage, rest, peace, and hope in the knowledge of him and his love for us 4. It is a sanctifying power. – all of chs. 4&5 to 6:9, but see 4:22-24 in particular  In whose power does this growth take place (individual or corporate)? 5. It is a protecting power. – 6:10-13  to guard against temptation from the evil one C. [Back to our passage] Paul explains this power toward us who believe by describing it as the same power that raised and exalted the central figure of your faith—Jesus Christ. II. He lives! He reigns! – THAT Power.  Christ left the position and authority of heaven and died to save sinners. – That part of the gospel Paul assumes we understand b/c he emphasizes the power of God that raised Jesus to new transcendent life (power over death and evil) and exalted him to unparalleled honor and authority (power, position, and authority over his enemies, over all, and as head of the church). A. Think about it! The resurrection power of God in Christ is what gives us life and guarantees our resurrection. The resurrected position of Christ (Lord over all – name/title) ensures his authority to exert his power (over everything) on behalf of his body, the church—his people. B. [OFF] Digging in to the text… (to look at Paul’s detailed description of God’s demonstration of his power and the exercising of the strength of his might!) 1. He raised him from the dead – from death to life (no big deal, right?) a. How many formerly dead people do you know and hang out with? b. And spiritually (from death to life)! – His resurrection life gives him power to give life to us. His resurrection guarantees our future resurrection.  1 Cor. 15:12-19 tells us that those who don’t believe in the resurrection are of all people most to be pitied. – But we believe the words of our Savior in John 6:40 “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” 2. [OFF] And seated him at this right hand – the place of unparalleled honor and privilege… to reign – By raising Christ and exalting him God demonstrated his power by Defeating death and Dethroning sin (subjecting his enemies/evil) 3. Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion – spiritual forces of varying hierarchy – angels, both holy and unholy: Eph. 3:10 & 6:12  To whom belongs the ultimate rule, authority, power, and dominion? a. Allusion to Psalm 110:1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”  Superior to every imaginable power raised against him by his enemies (assurance!) b. Psalm 8:6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,  22a – not just inferior but subject to him 4. Above every title bestowed (name) – Phil. 2:9-11 – this age and the one to come (inaugurated but not consummated)  Christ’s supremacy will continue forever! [OFF 5. [Put all things under his feet] and gave him as Head over everything… to the church a. Again, head over all things is about his authority – God gave the head over the entire universe to be the head of the church (the head – the center for leading and giving charge to the body) b. (ekklesia) The assembly – often in Paul used of particular local gatherings (whether meeting in someone’s home or another place), here understood as one massive assembly (of believers in Christ) gathered around Christ – with the local assembly dimension as well b/c it is the visible expression of the new relationship believers have to God and one another 6. Which is his body a. Paul uses this metaphor to describe the church as the visible expression of the resurrected power and position of Jesus in obedient submission to his leadership. b. The body of Christ is the fullness of him who fills all things in every way.  Fullness – divine power, essence and glory C. [Stepping back again] THAT’s the power of God at work toward believers—on behalf of and in believers. III. Are you buying what Paul is selling? (We usually mean that negatively, but I mean it positively today!) Pray to know the power of God. Does this superlative prayer help you to see and desire to know the power of God toward us who believe? A. Do you have resurrection life?  If there are two things in this world you can’t control, they are death and evil. God has power over both.  1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, B. Do you live by Christ’s resurrection power in recognition of his resurrected position? He is Lord! C. Don’t pray for power (as if it’s unavailable or unattainable). You need to pray to know God and his power and pray to submit control of your life to the Lordship of Jesus, allowing his power to work in you and through you.  Pray for salvation, his empowerment for service, his strengthening to grasp his glory and submit to His will for you, pray for him to change you, and pray for him to protect you from yourself and the schemes of Satan.