July 25, 2021
Sermon title: Surpasses knowledge.
Scripture Text: Ephesians 3:14-21
Ephesians 3:14-21, NLT
Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth
14When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
18And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
The Word of God for the people of God
Thanks be to God.
Today we are looking at things that surpass knowledge. There’s plenty of earthly things that do that for a lot of people.
-Is the Universe Truly Infinite?
-Is there really Black Holes in space?
-Is Time Travel Possible?
-How did Life Begin?
-Is Reality Real?
-Where Does Consciousness Come From?
-Are We Alone in the Universe?
-What Happens When We Die?
-How Can We Eliminate Cancer?
-Why Do We Dream?
– etc.
But as Christians we have some questions that seem to surpass our knowledge.
-How can we understand the Trinity?
-Why does God allow bad things to happen to Christians?
-Why does God have many different names in the Bible?
-Does God hear the prayers of unbelievers?
-Is Jesus God?
-How can we prove Christ’s resurrection?
-Where was Jesus for the 3 days between His death and resurrection?
-Why is the virgin birth so important?
-What is Blasphemy of the Spirit?
-Is the gift of tongues for real?
-How can I know what my spiritual gift is?
-What about people who never hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
-etc.
All of these can disturb our peace and cause us to be anxious. We can lose sleep, smart off to people that we love and then sometimes we just want a hug.
What should we do when that happens. Some will say I need a Xanax. I’m not a medical doctor so I cant give a medical answer. Always check with your doctor before starting or stopping any medication. Frankly, in this world we live in, that may be a good answer. But maybe Scripture has an option that can help as much or more.
Jesus died on the cross to make peace between us and God. He promised his disciples that he gives his peace—not the peace that the world gives, but peace from his Holy Spirit (John 14:27). Here, Paul encourages the Philippians to receive that peace through prayer.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Prayer focuses our minds back on the one who controls the universe.
Whenever we are anxious we are out of our new spiritual state. Our old state before being reborn was anxiety and fear. As new creations, no longer slaves to sin or anxiety, we can walk by the Holy Spirit in perfect peace.
---(Peace through prayer.)
---(Perfect peace if our minds are steadfast and trusting in God.)
---(Pray with Thanksgiving for what God has done for us.)
---(Pray about everything)
---(Prayer gives God a change to answer and be glorified)
---(Prayer gives your mind a chance to be steadfastly locked on to God.)
God’s peace is not like the peace of the world. The world’s peace is based on the world’s thinking, which is the thinking of Satan. The world’s peace is circumstantial and depends on comparisons. The world’s peace is fleeting. Here one moment, gone the next. One of Satan's tricks towards humankind is to whisper foreboding forecasts and to lie about the meaning of the present situation in order to get you to forget the truth that you know and believe. God’s peace, when it comes, overshadows and drives away the anxiety of the world.
Sometimes God will reveal why you should have peace in your situation, but he loves it when we don’t need to know. He loves it when we trust in him and our hearts are settled on his grace, goodness, willingness, and ability to save us and help us. This peace may look ludicrous to the watching world because it “transcends understanding.”
A heart or mind that is unguarded will wallow in fear and anxiety, having attempted to carry the burden of the Lord. Theologians and philosophers struggle to know where the mind ends and the heart begins, but they will both be at peace when one trusts in God and casts his or her cares on him.
Being in Christ in practice for the believer is to have a mind that is set on Christ.
It is to be present with God in the moment, not busy doubting and fearing, but praying and obeying.
Where is your mind? Is it on the Creator of the Universe and the Salvation of our souls?
