Sunday Service 5-19-19 - Ephesians 3:14-21 - Paul's Bold Prayer For The Church

 The basis of Paul’s prayer was his knowledge of God’s purpose. It was because of what God had done in Christ and revealed to Paul that he had the necessary warrant to pray. For the indispensable prelude to all petition is the revelation of God’s will. We have no authority to pray for anything which God has not revealed to be his will. That is why Bible reading and prayer should always go together. For it is in Scripture that God has disclosed his will, and it is in prayer that we ask him to do it Also prayer before instruction/admonishment beginning in Ch 4 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, For this reason – back to vs 1 – back to ch 2 – back to vs 12-13, 10-11. The basis of Paul’s prayer is God’s revealed purpose. I bow my knees – posture – not common – earnestness, humility, the Father – see 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…” In Christ, God is OUR Father – Jew & Gentile 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, Every family – the WHOLE family – (pater, patria) – could be family of God or could be Paul thinking of his mission to all the earth. In heaven and on earth – saints and angels and saints in heaven A name better than Abraham 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, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith According to the riches of his glory … yet not for the outside but for the inside – not one prayer for circumstances, worldly treasure, appearance, etc., not even sickness or safety Strengthened with power … through his Spirit in your inner being … Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith Doesn’t Christ already dwell in our hearts through faith? Degree, Experience – like make your election sure – experienced in the here and now. Faith is not just a memorized confession of faith, not just the answer to a catechism question, not even just a study/survey of Biblical doctrine – it is an experience of knowing Christ – a personal relationship with Christ… (woman at airport) Again, not a Lord who makes us weak, but who makes us strong! Again, do we trust Him? Do we know Him as our boldness, access with confidence? -that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. The inner strengthening of the indwelling Spirit of Christ would result in … Rooted and grounded in love – the roots and foundation – without this will not grow/stand – without love you will not grow, you will die; without love you can’t build anything else, you will fall. Without love you will not be indwelt by the Spirit of Christ … It’s assumed. No disconnect. Infinitive phrase. Without this, you will not comprehend the breadth, length, height, depth, etc … It’s love leading to more love. There are the roots and foundations of love and then there are the breadths, lengths, heights, and depths of love… And, Paul prays for strength for both, neither comes from us. And, it is in part in loving others that we actually know more of Christ’s love. Yet it seems to me legitimate to say that the love of Christ is ‘broad’ enough to encompass all mankind (especially Jews and Gentiles, the theme of these chapters), ‘long’ enough to last for eternity, ‘deep’ enough to reach the most degraded sinner, and ‘high’ enough to exalt him to heaven. Or, as Leslie Mitton expresses it, finding a parallel to Romans 8:37–39: ‘Whether you go forward or backward, up to the heights or down to the depths, nothing will separate us from the love of Christ.’ Ancient commentators went further. They saw these dimensions illustrated on the cross. For its upright pole reached down into the earth and pointed up to heaven, while its crossbar carried the arms of Jesus, stretched out as if to invite and welcome the whole world. Armitage Robinson calls this a ‘pretty fancy’.2 Perhaps he is right and it is fanciful, yet what it affirms about the love of Christ is true. With all the saints – Paul prays for this for all the saints … but, it’s that we can’t do this without “all the saints”; with all the saints is where this love is experienced, displayed, practiced, taught, valued, preached, prayed for, guarded. Jews and Gentiles, men and women, young and old, black and white, with all their varied backgrounds and experiences. (The love of Christ is so long and high and deep that we cannot see this love or experience it all by our finite selves. We have to grasp it “together with the saints” (Eph. 3:18). As isolated individuals, we cannot reach the level of maturity that God has designed for us. This fullness happens as we live in a loving, redemptive community with one another, as we struggle together, and as we grow together. This is why he said back in chapter 2 that “we grow together into God’s holy temple” Eph 2:21-22) How to know the unknowable? Power 1:19, grace, 2:7, riches 3:8. Like my wife but more infinite… eternity. that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. The inner strengthening of the indwelling Spirit of Christ, being rooted and grounded in love, knowing the unknowable love of Christ would result in … something even more impossible: Col 1:19 – fullness of God dwells in Christ, Eph 1:23 – fullness of Christ is in the Church, Eph 4:13-16 – we attain to the fullness of Christ, grow up into him Eph 5:18 – be filled with the Spirit (rather than wine), Matt 5:48 – be perfect as God is perfect, John 17:22,26 – the love and glory given Christ, he gives us 2 Cor 3:18 – And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Rom 8:29 – the elect are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. This is a message of both superlative flattery along with inspiration and calling to something higher! This is a super-encouraging message for the Church (gentiles). This is how important, how glorious you are. It’s not flattering us for something we’ve done but for how God sees us, how God has appointed us, how God has set us apart, what God has purposed for us in His plan for everything. … The only appropriate response is DOXOLOGY! Orthodoxy  Orthopraxy  Doxology! Colossians 1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, Ephesians 1:23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 4:13–16 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Matthew 5:48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. John 17:26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. An aside to relook at Paul ... A pre-conclusion Prays nothing for outward life, all for inward life. Parallel to Proverbs – Wisdom If the inward life is strong, we can handle the outward life. Subjective Experience is Key: Christian Witness. Doctrine vs Christian Life - 1 Tim 6:3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, To be given a gift vs experiencing the gift. To be pronounced married vs to be married. To look at a map vs to visit the place. Love is the subjective experience. Prioritizing People, Investing in People. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Is Paul bold and confident? Why? He believes in God. Do we? Super-superlative – far more abundantly – more than more than more God is able to do … ALL … we ASK or THINK … At work within us. The glorious mystery of the Church can only happen by God’s power. His infinite love can only be known by his infinite power … Thus … to Him be glory. In the church and in Christ – the body and head, bride and groom All generation – past history, forever and ever – eternity – AMEN!!