Knowing Love That Passes Knowledge
Notes
Transcript
Handout
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 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—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.
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.
Introduction:
In Eph. 3:14-21 Paul is praying.
[We can “Know Love that Surpasses all Knowledge,” by…]
Sharing in Building the Church (2:19-21)
Sharing in Building the Church (2:19-21)
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
3x’s Paul is moved to write “For this reason”
1:15
3:1
3:14
These reasons
1) What reason is Paul refer to in verse 14? (2:19-21)
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens and members of the household of God
[We can “Know Love that Surpasses all Knowledge,” by…]
Submitting to the Will of God (3:14)
Submitting to the Will of God (3:14)
2) What does Paul do before the Father? (Eph. 3:14)
I bow my knees before the Father
[We can “Know Love that Surpasses all Knowledge,” by…]
Encouraging God’s People (3:15)
Encouraging God’s People (3:15)
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Read Mk. 1:15 and Eph. 1:9-10
3) What time was it in Paul’s time?
It is the fullness of time
4) His purpose is to begin what in the Apostles time?
to unite all things in Him,
things in heaven
and things on earth
[We can “Know Love that Surpasses all Knowledge,” by…]
Maturing in Our Christian Life (3:16–17)
Maturing in Our Christian Life (3:16–17)
5) Where does God strengthen us by His Spirit? (Eph. 3:16)
in your inner being
6) Paul prays that Christ dwell in our hearts, how? (Eph. 3:17)
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith
7) The Apostle prays that we might be rooted and grounded in what? (Eph. 3:17)
that you, being rooted and grounded in love
[We can “Know Love that Surpasses all Knowledge,” by…]
Expanding Our Spiritual Capacity (3:18–19)
Expanding Our Spiritual Capacity (3:18–19)
Paul bows his knee to the Father so that we may have something
Something which we will need God’s help with. Ordinary human capacity will not achieve what we need.
8) What is the breadth of God’s love? John 3:16
For God so loved the world
9) What is the length of God’s love? Rom 8:32
A cross where God “spared not His own Son”
10) What is the depth of God’s love? 2 Cor 5:21
Jesus Christ was made sin for us
11) What is the height of God’s love? John 14:1-6
“I go to prepare a place for you”
Some spiritual growth/ spiritual maturity will be required in order for us to begin to understand God’s love for us.
Verse 19 contains our Paradox
Read 1 John 4:9, then fill in the blank on how God’s love was made manifest to us.
12) In this the love of God was made manifest among us,
that God sent His only Son into the world,
so that we might live through Him
[We can “Know Love that Surpasses all Knowledge,” by…]
Bringing Glory to God (3:14, 16, 17)
Bringing Glory to God (3:14, 16, 17)
In Paul’s prayer he mentions Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
They make Paul and our prayers possible.
Prayer is not about getting our will done in Heaven, but about getting the Father’s will done on earth.
13) Who is mentioned from the Godhead in the following verses?
3:14 - Father
3:16 - Spirit
3:17 - Son
3:19 - Son
3:21 - Son
the Bible teaches us that the members of the Godhead glorify one another.
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
14) Read John 13:31-32, and complete the statement by filling in the blanks.
The Son glorifies the Father
15) Read John 16:13-15, then complete the statement by filling in the blanks.
The Spirit glorifies the Son
Conclusion: