Welcome back to VBVF Tuesdays…Pastor Mike here…thank you for your continued participation in this study, this examination of the book of Ephesians…we miss having you here in person for worship and study, but we know the day is coming when we will be able to safely gather together and we will rejoice in that day, but until then, stay safe and stay connected with us through this livestream opportunity or on demand viewing later

Thank you so much, Charlie and Amy, for leading us into the presence of God in worship…we are grateful for your faithful and passionate love for the Lord and your skill in what you do…thank you!

Tonight we conclude the first half of this marvelous book -- relatively short in length but incredibly full of content -- only six chapters but six of the most densely packed chapters to be found in the Bible

Let’s remind ourselves of the framework of this book, for knowing the structure and outline of a book is important to understanding the message of the book…the first three chapters describe the doctrine of the Church, beginning with the saving work of the Godhead -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- as God chooses a people from humanity to become a new people, a people for His own possession, as Peter says it, “a royal priesthood, a holy nation” -- describing the meaning and blessing of being “in Christ” -- followed by Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians (and us) to fully understand and embrace all of who we are in the Lord

Chapter two goes even further, defining us as “dead in our trespasses and sins” but going on to the nearly unbelievable truth that God took those who were dead and “made us alive together with Christ” reminding us that we are “saved by grace through faith” -- then moving from reminding us an individuals of our state apart from God, Paul moves to discuss the state of the lost Gentile nations apart from God, but miraculously affirms that we who were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ, and are part of the construction of a dwelling place for God by the Spirit

Chapter three, which we wrap up tonight, begins with Paul’s revelation of the “mystery” of the joining together of the Jews and Gentiles into one body, made possible by the breaking down of the dividing wall of hostility between the two groups as both are reconciled to God through Jesus, then to each other

Now tonight, Paul again turns to prayer, as he summarizes and concludes the doctrine of the Church as he has revealed it in those first three chapters, and lays the groundwork for ch 4-6 

Listen and follow along in your copy of God’s word as I read:

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.

Pray

A fitting end to the doctrinal portion of the book, and a perfect way to set the stage for the exhortational portion of Ephesians

Let’s jump into the text -- just after a prelude to tonight’s passage -- to see what Paul finishes here, we have to see what he started back in verse 1

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—

Paul repeats in verse 14 what he says in verse 1, which itself is a reference back to the end of chapter two…”what reason, Paul?” Go back to the end of chapter two…

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. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

I. Humbled Before God                           3.14-15

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 

The reason Paul is a prisoner of Christ Jesus, the reason he bows his knees before the Father is that he sees now ONE church, made up of “living stones” joined with the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ Himself, being built into a holy temple in the Lord, “fitted together” as our slide says…they are, and will be, a “dwelling place for God by the Spirit” 

No longer would the Jews be the only people of God…now the Gentiles would be “grafted in” as Paul says in Romans 11, and God will have “one flock and one Shepherd”

Paul understands the breathtaking sweep of the plan and purpose of God, “to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” and he falls to his knees in amazement and worship 

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, even though the Jewish custom was to pray in a standing position…praying while kneeling was reserved for the most urgent and serious requests…such as Solomon kneeling at the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem…but here Paul cannot stay on his feet…

So while he is driven to his knees, he knows, as we know, that we are kneeling not before an angry monarch, not before an arbitrary tyrant ready to exact revenge, not before a powerless figurehead who cannot take action on our behalf or assist with our needs, but before the Almighty God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the One whose arm is strong enough to save, and His heart kind enough to care; He knows that we are but dust, yet He stoops to lift us up…we are humbled before Him, yet we may be so bold as to call Him “Father” -- isn’t that beautiful? One simple word: “Father”

And this before a God who knows everything about us…every sinful act, every thoughtless word, every selfish attitude, every impure motive…and worst of all, we realize while on our knees in the burning light of His holiness and purity that in truth, the reason we have flirted with sin is that, at least at that moment, our love for the pleasures of sin overcame our love for God…we realize that, indeed, we do not love Him as we should, for if we did, we would keep His commandments

John 14.15      15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 

And we would abide in His love more fully as we are more obedient…

John 15.9-10     9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 

But there’s a reason this prayer begins from our knees…because we cannot approach Him on the basis of our love for Him, but only because of His love for us.

The only reason we are still alive before Him is because He tells us to call Him “Father” -- because He loves us more than life itself, because He sent His only Son to die for us, and because the Son willingly went to the cross, to buy our redemption at the price of the very blood of God…

And Paul now rightly sees the Father not as only related to the Jews, but as the source of the whole family of God, all the redeemed of all the ages, the Jews and Gentiles alike

Now Paul moves to the heart of his prayer…

II. Strengthened by God                           3.16-17a

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—

Paul now appeals to all members of the Trinity as he prays for the people of God…

A. “Father, please provide your riches…”                         3.16a

We’ve already seen in this book the nature of these “riches…”

God is “rich in mercy” -- 2.4

”…so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” -- 2.7 

We’ve discovered the “unsearchable riches of Christ” -- 3.8

But what is their source?

“7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us,” -- Eph 1.7-8a

The riches of God are His boundless kindness and mercy, given to us by and through the blood of Christ…they weren’t just to pay the debt of our sin, though they certainly did that…but the surpassing worth of the blood of the Savior was enough to adopt us as the children of the Most High God…that we would be welcomed into the household of God as His sons and daughters

B. “Spirit, strengthen us with power…”

you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Resurrection power, which we saw in Ephesians 1.19-20 --

Ephesians 1.19-20        19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

Paul’s prayer is that the believers -- all of them -- would be strengthened with power by the Spirit -- not just with power, as if it were from ourselves, but with the Spirit’s power (dunamis)

Who is this Holy Spirit? In short, He is God; the Third Person of the Trinity; never a “force” “it” or impersonal “presence”

He teaches (John 14.26)

Guides (Romans 8.14)

Confirms our salvation (Romans 8.16)

Comforts (John 14.16)

Helps us and intercedes on our behalf (Romans 8.26)

Sanctifies us, producing in us the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5)

Indwells us permanently (John 14.17, I Cor 3.16, 6.19, Romans 8.11)

Raises our mortal bodies (Romans 8.11)

Gifts us with spiritual gifts (I Cor 12.4 ff)

Unites us with God and other believers (I Corinthians 12.13)

All these things -- and more -- are the work of the Person of the Holy Spirit

Many of us, when we think about God, think first of Jesus, which is good and right; then we tend to think of the Father, which is also good and right; we might tend to think last of the Holy Spirit

John 3.5-8      5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Where we live, there are a number of trees -- mostly oaks, like most places -- and our house faces north, so when a strong north wind is blowing, you can really see it in the oaks

That’s one thing Jesus means here -- you can’t see the Spirit, but you can see what He does…He will do as He pleases -- “the wind blows where it wishes” -- and you hear it, but you don’t know where it came from or where it is going -- so it is with the Spirit, and as verse 8 says by extension, so it is with believers

But all of these works -- the ministry -- of the Holy Spirit are what strengthen us in our inner being, our spirit, which of course is the domain and indeed the home of the Holy Spirit -- we are where He lives and works, so that’s where we experience His strength, His power, His ability

When you experience a new-found desire for His word, that’s the Holy Spirit

When you find strength you didn’t have before to resist sin, that’s the Holy Spirit

When you are convicted of sin and turn to God in confession and repentance, that’s the Holy Spirit

When you find peace and comfort in the midst of chaos and confusion, that’s the Holy Spirit

When you understand a verse or passage in the Bible that you didn’t before, that’s not Steve or me -- that’s the Holy Spirit. A human teacher’s ability to instruct ends at the human heart -- we don’t have the ability to break through to your inner being -- we prepare and present the Word of God, but the Holy Spirit must be the One Who applies that truth to your spirit

This is such a key part of Paul’s prayer for us -- that we would not grieve the Holy Spirit, but instead know Him, recognize Him, welcome Him, and walk in His power and strength

C. “Jesus, dwell in our hearts through faith”

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—

Wait a minute, I thought it was the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us…? It is -- but in a sense it is Jesus Himself -- in fact, the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Jesus twice

Acts 16.7         7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 

Philippians 1.19        19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

Share a quote I found in my study: (Brian Chapell, Reformed Expository Commentary)

“If we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2.1), and if Christ is alive in us (Ephesians 3.17a), then whose identity do we have? In heaven’s accounting, Christ provides His life in the place of my own. The reason that the riches and power of God are mine is that Christ grants me His identity. I am a joint-heir with Christ of the love and riches of our Father. Christ’s blood redeems me from the debt of sin, and His righteousness provides me with the riches of His holiness and inheritance (Ephesians 1.14, 18; 5.5). His life is mine.”

That’s how it makes sense that Paul can say in Galatians 2.20:

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

That’s why the truth of our spiritual union with Christ that we learned about in chapters one and two is so vitally important -- Christ dwells in me, has imparted His very life to me, and has taken on my sin, becoming sin on my behalf while I become the righteousness of God in Him, as II Corinthians 5 says:

II Corinthians 5.21       21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

That’s why this is so important -- until we realize that apart from Christ we have no power to defeat sin, no ability to resist Satan, no capacity to live in increasing holiness and righteousness -- until we understand that truth, we will still be living from the flesh even as we are indwelled by Christ’s Spirit. When we come to the end of ourselves, then we can turn to our only hope -- Jesus Christ.

III. Loved By God                              3.17b-19

Paul now continues to pray for the Ephesians and for all believers…

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.

Paul’s vision is that all believers in all places at all times would understand that they are “rooted” like a mature tree beside an ever-flowing stream -- and “grounded” like a building with a solid cornerstone and foundation -- but in what? Rooted and grounded in what?

Asked that question, we might have a variety of answers -- God’s peace, His wisdom, His Word, His holiness, His righteousness, His power, His knowledge…

But as important as all those answers are, they aren’t what Paul said…under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul chose a different word…

He chose the word “love” 

It is present tense -- “being” -- and foundational to who we are in Christ. Without a deep and secure understanding that God loves us, our very footing, our standing in Jesus, is weakened and unstable

We must KNOW -- beyond any doubt, beyond all space and time -- that God loves us with an everlasting love, which Paul now describes with nouns: breadth, length, height, depth 

This Temple of God, built of living stones, rightly connected to the Chief Cornerstone, has dimensions…just like the original tabernacle and Temple, just like the Kingdom Temple, just like the New Jerusalem

John Stott:  “The love of Christ is broad enough to encompass all mankind -- all peoples, nations, races, tribes, and languages; long enough to last for eternity; deep enough to reach even the most degraded sinner; and high enough to exalt him to heaven”

Ancient commentators also saw this truth pictured by the cross itself: grounded in the depth of the earth, and lifting high to heaven, and stretching out broadly and widely to encompass the whole world

We need strength to understand this, Paul says…and then he notes, “…with all the saints…”

We can know much about the love of God as individual believers, but we are still limited by our personal experience in space and time…but when we join together as the people of God in this age, and include what believers in other times and places also knew of the love of God, then we begin to understand more completely what it means to be the object of God’s affections; what we experience as we are embraced by His everlasting love

We are to know the love of Christ that, in a surprising turn of a phrase, “surpasses knowledge” 

We can know a lot ABOUT God without knowing the actual Person of God Himself; but if you know His love, then you know Him, you know His heart.

As important as knowledge is, love matters most. As Paul told the Corinthians in I Corinthians 8.1, “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

Chapell again: “The Christians does not measure God’s love on the basis of the circumstances he or she knows, but rather on the character of God that is revealed in the width, length, height, and depth of the love of Jesus. We measure God’s love by a cross. We trust and serve our Savior because of His love that surpasses our ability fully to express or explain it.”

Paul’s last request of God in this passage is that believers would be “filled with the fullness of God”

We may believe and say that we have been “filled” by God…and in one sense, that’s true…but in another sense, He never stops filling us with the power and love of God…and I think that may well continue for all eternity as we abide with Him forever

This is an important point of great hope for us, for as we continually seek after the things and more importantly, the Person of Jesus Christ, as we are continually filled with Him, then there will be less and less desire for the things of the world, less and less space, as it were, allowed to other, worldly pursuits. The love for the things of the world cannot co-exist in a heart filled with the love of Jesus. 

H.A. Ironside said it this way:

The secret of holiness is heart-occupation with Christ. As we gaze upon Him we become like Him…let the loveliness of the risen Lord so fill the vision of your soul that all else is shut out…this is the only way whereby we may be delivered from the power of the flesh and the principles of the world.

An old hymn put that thought to music:

Turn your eyes on Jesus

Look full in His wonderful Face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

May the Lord fill us so completely that there would be no room left for other less worthy pursuits…for the truth is this -- listen carefully -- we will do what we love the most. May we love Jesus more than anything or anyone else.

IV. Doxology                                 3.20-21

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.

As he closes the first half of the book, Paul -- I picture him still on his knees -- writes -- or maybe sings -- a song of praise to God

We wonder sometimes, don’t we…never at church, or while talking with the pastor, or during a sermon, or while you’re worshipping with Charlie and Amy and the worship team -- never in those times, but sometimes, in the dark of night, when we allow the seed of doubt to take root, we wonder -- “is God really able to help? Me? Here? Now?”

Paul must have anticipated those moments -- which I’m sure he had himself, from time to time -- when he composes this short doxology of praise

He addresses this song “to Him who is able…”

So the answer to the question “What can God do?” is…

More. Immeasurably more. Infinitely more. More than we can ask. More than we can imagine.

We’ve already learned that the love of God surpasses our knowledge, so it shouldn’t surprise us that we can’t conceive of all that God is able to do…when you realize how little we understand of the universe, our world, our circumstances, even of our own heart -- we really have no cause to doubt the ability of God to act in ways we don’t recognize or understand…but we can rest assured that whatever His children actually need, He is more than able to supply

Philippians 4.19         19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

ALL your needs -- not just the ones you know, but the ones you don’t yet know about

Of course we know from our own experience that everything that we ask for from God is not immediately provided -- but instead of making us doubt or fear that God isn’t able to act on our behalf, that should actually draw us to greater faith, because we know that not only is He able to act, but He will do so out of a motive of infinite love, and from perfect knowledge of us, everyone else in the situation, our circumstances, the past, the present, the future, and all things related to the request…what a tragedy it would be if God rejected or ignored His eternal wisdom, omniscience, love, grace, mercy, and kindness, and just gave us what we asked for…I think that’s one reason Paul uses the descriptors “more than we can ask or imagine”. Why? Because in our humanity, we don’t know what to ask for -- we don’t know what to imagine, because we can’t imagine the world as God sees and knows it…I can’t ask for that which is incomprehensible to me…

But the word of faith that Paul gives us is this: trust Him -- He knows what He’s about, and He knows what He’s doing. He loves you, He is good, He knows everything -- so you can rest in the knowledge that He will act in your best interest

Romans 8.28 says

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

“According to the power that is at work within us”

He is the sovereign God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth -- all capability, all power, all resources, all knowledge, all wisdom, are His…

Jeremiah 32.26: 26 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? 

And amazingly, God says He’s going to work in you personally -- through His Spirit indwelling you, in your heart and mind, in your spirit, in ways that we don’t understand, to accomplish His good purposes in you

For an example, look at how God worked in Moses to transform a Midianite shepherd into the man of God who would lead a nation out of slavery and bondage

Look at how God worked in the hearts, minds, and spirits of eleven apostles while Jesus was with them, and even more after they were indwelt by the Holy Spirit

Look back at your own life and consider the times that God was at His work when you couldn’t see or feel Him…accomplishing His purposes as carefully and intentionally, but quietly, as a summer breeze

I promise you, as God is at work in your life, He will not quit until He has achieved everything He intends for you

Philippians 1.6     6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.  

Your circumstance, problem, or issue is not going to stump God.

And to extend that thought: God is not only at work IN you, He is at work THROUGH you. As you remain faithful to Him, close to Him, as you show your love for Him through your obedience to His commands, He will accomplish His will in and through you, and in and through the lives of others…because as you know, the longer you walk with Jesus in this world, the more you realize, none of this is about you, and none of this is about me -- it’s about Him and His glory 

So rest in this: there are some things you’ll never heard God say:

“Wow, that’s so hard, I don’t think I can make that happen.”

“Oh my, that’s surprising -- I sure didn’t expect that.”

“You know, I just don’t think I care enough about that to get involved.”

He’s handled a lot of difficult things before -- I think He can handle your problem, and mine.

Besides, would you rather settle for the best thing you can think of, or wait for the best thing God can think of?

Let’s trust Him.

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Now we come to the reason this short passage is called a doxology -- it is a call to give God praise and glory. The English word “glory” renders the Greek word “doxa,” meaning “brilliant light, weightiness” -- think of heavy light, and you’re starting to get the idea

He deserves all the praise, honor, and glory we could possibly give Him, and more…He will be glorified in the church as we worship and praise the Father

As I studied this passage, I noted something -- the NT uses the word “glorified” in two principal ways: people glorifying God for something extraordinary or remarkable happening -- OR -- God the Father and God the Son being glorified, largely associated with the passion of Christ 

That seems to me to be the intent of verse 21 -- glory in the church for what God is doing in these days, His marvelous acts, AND in Jesus Christ for His sacrificial death that atoned for our sins and redeemed us 

How long will we praise the Lord? “Throughout all generations, forever and ever”

So if you struggle now to really enter into worship and praise, keep practicing -- we’ll have a long time to perfect it in Heaven!

Application: Get Truth Into Life And Act On It

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.

Paul is certainly praying for the Ephesians, and the other churches who received this encyclical letter…and in a very real sense, he’s praying for us, for believers down through the ages…

But are we praying for ourselves? For these things? In this way?

I would both confess and report that in my own life and in the prayer lives of others, much of our praying focuses on what we think of as our own needs and the needs of others…and that isn’t entirely wrong, is it…but I will say this: for myself, I want to move from praying for the 

“usual things” -- needs that are often based in the physical -- to also praying for needs that are based in the spiritual -- I want to learn to call upon God for great spiritual blessing -- as Paul writes, that the Father would pour out upon us the riches of His glory, spiritual riches, not physical or material riches; that we would be strengthened with power through the Spirit of God in our inner beings, not just in the physical realm; and that we would deeply know the presence of the indwelling Son of God…to sum it up, that “we would be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Why? Because He is able to do immeasurably more than all I can ask or think -- which tells me I need to start asking Him for what He knows is best, not just for what I can ask or think of…because He can do immeasurably more

And I know that I need to be much more purposeful about loving Jesus…that I need to focus on that the way a builder focuses on the foundation of a house, or a gardener ensures a solid planting for a new tree…

And I know that I need to think large, not small, about my relationship with Christ…I want to know and understand and experience the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of God…because no matter what my conception of Jesus is, He’s greater than that

And I know that whatever I think I know about God, there’s more to know…it will take a lifetime to scratch the surface -- for all of eternity we’ll be learning more and more about our Savior and King

So as we close in prayer, meditate on this passage…see what the Lord says to you about your prayer life, your love for Jesus, your devotion to Him, and your trust in Him.