God Can Do Immeasurely More Series

"GOD IS ABLE TO DO IMMEASURABLY MORE!"

TEXT: EPHESIANS 3:14-21

INTRODUCTION

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO PICK UP OUR STUDY IN EPHESIANS (WE LEFT OFF LAST WEEK TO TALK ABOUT THE COMING OF CHRIST). SO FAR WE HAVE STUDIED THE FIRST 2 CHAPTERS. IN OUR STUDY OF CHAPTER ONE WE UNCOVERED THE VAST RICHES THAT ARE OURS "IN CHRIST" AND WE TALKED ABOUT SOME ACTION STEPS WE CAN TAKE THAT WILL ENABLE US TO REALIZE THESE RICHES. AND IN CHAPTER 2 WE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT GOD’S INCREDIBLE ABILITY TO BRING ABOUT GREAT CHANGE IN THE LIFE’S OF HIS PEOPLE. WE SAW 2 BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES THAT PAUL PAINTED. BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES THAT ARE ACTUALLY PICTURES OF OURSELVES... THE FIRST PICTURE WAS BEFORE; DEAD IN SIN --- AFTER; ALIVE IN CHRIST >> THE SECOND PICTURE WAS BEFORE; ALIENS AND FOREIGNERS -- AFTER; FELLOW CITIZENS WITH CHRIST.

WE TALKED ABOUT HOW GOD HAS TAKEN US FROM THE GRAVE TO GLORY -- FROM BEING A DWELLING PLACE OF A CONDEMNED DEAD SPIRIT TO A DWELLING PLACE OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD.... FROM BEING A CITIZEN ON A DYING PLANET TO A CITIZEN OF AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM.

THIS LETTER THAT PAUL WROTE FROM A ROMAN PRISON TO HIS FELLOW CHRISTIANS IN EPHESUS IS AN AWESOME LETTER!!! I HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THE STUDY THUS FAR

AND I ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO CAN TO JOIN US ON WEDNESDAY’S TO DIG IN EVEN DEEPER INTO THIS LETTER FROM GOD.. OUR MISSION TODAY IS TO STUDY A PASSAGE IN CHAPTER 3 OF EPHESIANS, EPHESIANS 3:14-21; AND TOWARDS THE END OF THIS PASSAGE THERE IS A POWERFUL VERSE THAT MOST OF YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH.

THIS VERSE LITERALLY BURSTS FORTH FROM THE PAGE AND GLOWS WITH GREAT INTENSITY. IT IS A VERSE THAT IS AT THE SAME TIME EXCITING AND INTRIGUING...

PAUL WRITES IN EPHESIANS 3:20;

"NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO IMMEASURABLY MORE `THAN ALL’ WE ASK OR IMAGINE, ACCORDING TO HIS POWER THAT IS AT WORK WITHIN US.."

MANY TIMES IN LIFE PEOPLE LET US DOWN -- THEY OFTEN DO LESS THAN WE EXPECTED....MUCH LESS THANA WHAT WE ASKED. AND THAT CAN BE DISCOURAGING

BUT GOD ACCORDING TO THIS VERSE, IS NOT ONLY ABLE BUT HE IS WILLING AND OFTEN EXCEEDS OUR EXPECTATIONS... GOD GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE ASK... HE IS ABLE TO SURPASS EVEN OUR IMAGINATIONS...

AND THE WORD OF GOD IS FULL OF EXAMPLES OF GOD DOING JUST THAT.

HE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO WE KNOW FOR WEARING A COAT OF MANY COLORS, JOSEPH THE SON OF JACOB. WE READ HIS STORY IN GENESIS 37-50. TOSSED INTO A PIT AND SOLD INTO SLAVERY BY JEALOUS BROTHERS. THROWN INTO JAIL FOR REFUSING THE ADVANCES OF HIS MASTER POTIPHAR’S WIFE. JOSEPH SPENT OVER 2 YEARS IN THAT PRISON CELL IN EGYPT. TRUSTING GOD AND PRAYING FOR HIS RELEASE. BUT NOT EVEN JOSEPH "THE DREAMER" COULD HAVE IMAGINED WHAT GOD HAD IN STORE FOR HIM. NOT ONLY WAS HE RELEASED FROM PRISON BUT PHARAOH HAD HIM RIDE IN CHARIOT, AS HIS SECOND IN COMMAND, AND MEN SHOUTED BEFORE HIM "MAKE WAY!" AS PHARAOH PLACED HIM IN CHARGE OF THE WHOLE LAND OF EGYPT.

GOD DID IMMEASURABLY MORE THAN JOSEPH ASKED OR COULD HAVE IMAGINED..

THEY WERE JUST A NORMAL MAN AND WOMAN, THEY GOT MARRIED, SETTLED DOWN AND BEGAN TO RAISE A FAMILY. THEIR NAMES WERE JOCEBED AND AMRAM. THERE FIRST CHILD WAS A BOY THEY NAMED AARON, THEIR SECOND WAS A GIRL NAMED MIRIAM. AND THEN THEY HAD A THIRD CHILD A SON, AND THEY CALLED HIM MOSES. NOW MOSES WAS BORN DURING A VERY TROUBLING TIME. HIS PARENTS WERE SLAVES IN EGYPT AND AS IF THAT WASN’T BAD ENOUGH PHARAOH WHO FEARED THE GRETA INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HEBREWS PASSED A LAW THAT ALL MALE BABIES WERE TO BE THROWN INTO THE NILE RIVER AND DROWNED... AND BY FAITH MOSES PARENTS HID HIM FOR 3 MONTHS AFTER HE WAS BORN, BECAUSE THEY LOVED THEIR SON AND THEY WERE NOT AFRAID OF THE KINGS EDICT. BUT WHEN MOSES WAS 3 MONTHS OLD THEY COULD HIDE HIM NO LONGER.. AFRAID HIS CRIES WOULD BE HEARD, AND WOULD BRING THE EGYPTIANS, ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF AARON AND MIRIAM, MOSES PARENTS MADE A DIFFICULT DECISION THEY MADE A BASKET OUT OF PAPYRUS AND COATED IT WITH TAR AND PITCH AND PLACED THEIR 3 MONTH OLD SON IN THE BASKET AND FLOATED HIM DOWN THE NILE RIVER. WHAT DO YOU THINK THOSE 2 PARENTS WITH TERAS FLOWING DOWN THEIR CHEEKS STANDING ON THE GRASSY BANKS OF THE NILE PRAYED AS THEY WATCHED THAT BASKET FLOAT AWAY....? NO DOUBT PRAYING, "PLEASE GOD LET OUR SON BE SAFE.."

BUT NOT EVEN JOCHBED AND AARAM WHO BOTH HAD TREMENDOUS FAITH COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED WHAT GOD WOULD DO. MOSES WOULD BE FOUND A PAHAROAH’S DAUGHTER, RAISED IN PHARAOH’S HOUSEHOLD, HE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE PRIVILEGES OF ROYALTY... AND THE REAL KICKER WAS THAT JOCHEBED MOSES MOTHER WOULD BE HIRED BY PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER THAT VERY SAME DAY TO TAKE CARE OF MOSES... GOD DID IMMEASURABLY MORE THAN MOSES PARENTS COULD HAVE ASKED OR IMAGINE...