Christ Our Power
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“Christ Our Power”
Ephesians 1:15-23
Several weeks ago now I preached a message “Christ Our Example”
As I have continued to think about that message and what Christ is to each of us, I decided that I would spend some more time in the coming weeks talking about that very subject.
What is Christ to you?
What does the Bible say about it?
And what can we infer from Scripture?
Just a few examples of what I may preach in the coming Wednesday evenings would be (as I already preached) He is our example, tonight I’ll be preaching He is our power (may take a couple weeks) our ransom, substitute, truth, way, life, light, the list could go on and on, but I think you get the point.
Just a quick recap reminder because it has been a few weeks.
Christ as Our Example showed us first and foremost that we must be willing to deny our flesh. When we are able to do that the rest comes a little easier.
When we are already prepared to deny our flesh, it is easier to endure persecution, submit to authority, love each other even when each other seem to be unlovable, and forgive one another.
The problem most people face is a lack of humility, but Jesus showed us true humility but humbling Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.
The result of that type of obedience and humility is exaltation.
While it is unlikely and of us will ever be able to obtain that level of humility, we can certainly strive for it day in and day out…
This evening I want to preach, “Christ Our Power”
As I already said, this one might take a couple evening to complete, but we will see where we end up.
So, this evening I want to start by reading Ephesians 1:15-23
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
PRAY
Paul says, I am praying for you that God Himself will give you wisdom and the revelation to know Him, the hope that He has called you to, the riches of His glorious inheritance in us, and an IMMEASURABLE POWER TOWARDS US, that comes to us through what He already did for and in Christ.
Long story short… CHRIST IS OUR POWER!!!
Ultimately, we saw Christ as our Example in the way the He lived and gave His life as a ransom for many.
We also saw His power in the way that He healed the lame, opened blind eyes, cleansed leper, cast out demons, and raised the dead, but in my mind the true revelation of power came in the resurrection.
I. THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION
Tim Keller is a renowned pastor. He leads Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC. He is a phenomenal writer, scholar, and preacher of the Word of God. He shares a story that perfectly describes the Power of Christs Resurrection
A minister was in Italy, and there he saw the grave of a man who had died centuries before who was an unbeliever and completely against Christianity, but a little afraid of it too. So the man had a huge stone slab put over his grave so he would not have to be raised from the dead in case there is a resurrection from the dead. He had insignias put all over the slab saying, “I do not want to be raised from the dead. I don’t believe in it.” Evidently, when he was buried, an acorn must have fallen into the grave. So a hundred years later the acorn had grown up through the grave and split that slab. It was now a tall towering oak tree. The minister looked at it and asked, “If an acorn, which has power of biological life in it, can split a slab of that magnitude, what can the acorn of God’s resurrection power do in a person’s life?”[1]
Keller continues by commenting:
The minute you decide to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, the power of the Holy Spirit comes into your life. It’s the power of the resurrection—the same thing that raised Jesus from the dead.… Think of the things you see as immovable slabs in your life—your bitterness, your insecurity, your fears, your self-doubts. Those things can be split and rolled off. The more you know him, the more you grow into the power of the resurrection.[2]
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
The Power of Christs Resurrection gives us the power to die to ourselves daily, and be resurrected brand new. It gives us the power to allow old things to pass away and let all things become new!
Paul acknowledged that knowing Christ and knowing the power of His resurrection, was a primary goal for himself, and it MUST be a primary goal for us!
It is the belief in Christs resurrection, and the hope of our own resurrection that our faith is founded on.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 that Christ is the firstfruits of the resurrection that gives us all the aforementioned hope that we can attain the same thing!
THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION
II. THE POWER OF HIS GRACE
a. Saved BY GRACE!
b. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
c. GRACE to live! Grace to Suffer! Grace to forgive as we have been forgiven...
THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
THE POWER OF HIS GRACE
III. THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT
a. Ephesians 3:14-20
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 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.
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,
b. THE SAME POWER THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE GRAVE LIVES AND WORKS IN US AND THROUGH US.
c. It’s Through His Spirit that we can do GREATER WORKS!!!
THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
THE POWER OF HIS GRACE
THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT
IV. THE POWER OF HIS PRESERVATION
a. 1 Peter 1:3-5
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, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
b. John 10:27-28
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
THE POWER OF HIS GRACE
THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT
THE POWER OF HIS PRESERVATION
V. THE POWER OF HIS LOVE
a. 2 Peter 1:3-8
2 Peter 1:3–8 (ESV)
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
THE POWER OF HIS GRACE
THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT
THE POWER OF HIS PRESERVATION
THE POWER OF HIS LOVE
VI. THE POWER OF HIS MINISTRY
a. Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
i. He has given us a ministry and a mission to complete
b. Acts 3:12
And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
i. Even though He gave us a ministry and a mission, it is ultimately HIS!!
VII. THE POWER OF HIS STRENGTH
a. 2 Timothy 1:8-12
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
He guards us and gives us HIs strength.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
VIII. THE POWER OF HIS WORDS
a. 2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
b. Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
c. John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
IX. THE POWER OF HIS GOSPEL
a. Romans 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
b. 1 Corinthians 1:18
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
X. THE POWER OF HIS PROMISES
a. 2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
[1]Barry L. Davis, 52 Sermons about Jesus, Pulpit Outlines Series (Barry Davis, 2012), 8.
[2]Barry L. Davis, 52 Sermons about Jesus, Pulpit Outlines Series (Barry Davis, 2012), 8.