Alba 3-19-2023
GOD IS BIGGER THAN OUR BOX
Ephesians 3:20-21
Here is a box. Its a small one. For some people, what they think of God could fit in this box. They have few expectations and limited knowledge of who God is.
Here is another box. It is a little larger. Many people would be comfortable with having a God who could fit in this box. Of course there are many things that would have to be left out. But that is satisfactory with people whose God is no bigger than this.
In this box there may be room for love and grace and mercy, but not much room for any rules or commands that interfere with the way one wants to live their life.
Here is another box. It is bigger still. In this box there is room for some love and grace and mercy as well as some of the commands that are given in scripture. Of course the only commands that fit are those the person accepts in his or her lifestyle choices.
And here is still another box. It is the biggest of all. It can hold God's love, mercy and grace as well as the commands of scripture. One can live a pretty good life with this box. But there is still something missing.
That's because our God is bigger than any box we might put Him in. He is bigger than this room, this building, this town, this state, this country, this world. By His power He created the universe.
And by that power we can live our lives in ways that otherwise would be impossible. He tells us that whatever we face, He is able!
God wants out of the box, out of any box we try to put Him in. He doesn't fit there. He will not conveniently confine Himself to our limits, our boundaries. God is bigger than our box.
Ephesians 3:20-21 give us an idea how big our God is. Let's read.
“20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
A God who can do “exceedingly abundantly above” anything we may ask or think won't fit into any box, no matter how big the box may be.
Day 3 of The Easy Bible gives this version of verse twenty:
“What can you imagine? How big can you think? God thinks bigger. He plans better. He accomplishes more. Already He’s at work inside you and me—all of us. Do you want to ask Him for something? Ask big because you’re dealing with a big God.”
We serve a God who is able to do things beyond what we would think possible. The word, “able” in the Greek is the word, “Dunamis” from which we get the word, “Dynamite.” “All forms of this word have the basic meaning of “being able,” or speak of “power”.
This same word is used in Romans 16:25 where Paul said, “Now to Him who is able to establish (to strengthen, NIV) you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.” The way it is worded reminds us that God is continuously able. God's power is still at work today. When we face what seem to be insurmountable troubles or problems, He has what it takes to take them on. The capability, the power, the strength are His.
When Jesus came to this world and died on that cross, was buried and rose again, our God took care of the world's biggest problems: death, estrangement, alienation, big cosmic size things that governments with all their power can’t do – as well as the biggest problem we have – sin.
If God can do that, we can know that He is able to help us with whatever issues life gives to us at any time. When we are in Christ, God does not work against us. God makes His power available to us through His Spirit who lives in us.
So when we ask God for help, He can do more. When we think that there is no hope, God has reserves of power not yet seen. If we imagine that there is no way out, we haven't even begun to fully trust that as we cast our cares on Him, He will care for us.
The wonderful thing is, God is not some impersonal powerful force. Yes, He has power… Yet He is not so big and powerful that He won't get personal. He will do His work in each of us, and do more than we can ask, think or imagine.
When facing life's issues we need to remember how big our God is. And we need to think big! We need to remove all the self imposed limits that we have placed on ourselves… and trust a big God.
There is a chorus from a few years back that said, “God can do anything, anything, anything. God can do anything but fail.”
Our text in the New King James Version says that God, “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” With God you always get more than you expect.
Other versions translate this section in ways that increase our understanding of the bigness of the power of God.
The New International Version says God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”. God is able to do so much more you can’t even measure what God is able to do.
The New Living Translation says that God is able to “accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”
The New Century Version says, “God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.”
This phrase, “exceedingly abundantly above” is a fun phrase in the original text. The apostle Paul uses a double compound word. He actually makes up his own word phrase. It is a sort of like the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious from Mary Poppins.
Paul is so caught up in the bigness and awesomeness of God, that he creates a new word phrase to make his point. He stacks words upon each other in an attempt to say God is not just big, but really big.
It is like saying that God is – Big-humundo-huge-a-riffic. To explain the ability of God to do amazing things is beyond words. So Paul in morphing words together to make his point is saying that God is --
Incredibly Incredible. Extravagantly Extravagant.
Awesomely Awesome in His Awesomeness.
Outrageously Outrageous. Fantastically Fantastical.
Amazingly Amazing. Infinitely Infinite – all the time.
What this means is that there is no box big enough to hold our God. He exceeds all expectations.
The Lord not only forgives A sin, He can forgive ALL your sin.
God not only loves you when you’re good. He still loves you when you are bad. God not only gives you the hope of heaven today. He is preparing heaven for you for all eternity.
But if God is so powerful and able to do wonderful things for those who trust Him, you may ask, “Why does it seem that I still struggle with so many things in my life?”
First of all, we must understand that God works in us to accomplish His purposes, but we must allow Him to do it. God wants to use us but we must be willing. We must yield our will to His, and allow His power to be working in us to accomplish what He calls us to do.
But there may be another reason. James 4:2 reminds us, “You do not have, because you do not ask.” Even though God is able to do more than we ask or think, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't ask.
Or perhaps our problem is that when we do pray we often put limits on what God can do. Too often we may think our problem or circumstance or situation is beyond the scope of God’s ability.
If we think that our problems are bigger than God is able or willing to handle, then we show a lack of faith in the God who loves us and cares for us and says He is able.
Sometimes we actually get answers to prayers we haven't asked. We're reluctant to pray for things we can't imagine getting because we doubt God would do it. So when God makes the impossible a reality, we should thank Him for giving more than we dared to ask.
Truthfully it is a lack of faith that makes us expect far less than God is willing to do. But the Word of God is clear when it tells us to expect God to answer when we pray in faith.
Haven't you had times when you took something to God in prayer and He gave an amazing answer. Maybe it wasn't the answer you expected, but it was an amazing answer nevertheless.
Maybe in your own life you have experienced God doing the impossible. When you thought there was no hope.
When you thought the odds were against you. When you thought it was impossible for circumstances to change. When you expected the worst. God stepped in and everything changed.
God stepped in and did infinitely more, exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ask or think or imagine.
But one thing we all need to learn is patience. God keeps teaching us that His timing is perfect in every situation. He will act at the right time, and He is willing to do far more than we ever ask. But it will be in His time.
When pray we must be humble enough to admit our helplessness. Why does scripture point out that God is able? Because you and I are not!
Our problem is--we're broken. We look at our powerless lives and need to be reminded of a verse in Genesis 18:14: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”.
It is when we admit we are powerless that we become open to God's might. Being helpless is good news! As soon as we admit this, God has us right where He wants us. He reaches out to the powerless.
God does help those who can’t help themselves! We’re disabled by sin, yet God still loves us too much to leave us in the mess we’re in. Admitting our powerlessness is the first step on the road to victory.
We often feel we do not have the ability to live the Christian life the way God intended. But even then, God does. And He has made that available to every single believer in Christ. Remember, He is able!
As believers we need to get rid of the phrase, “I can’t” from our vocabulary. If you say, “I can’t love that person, I can’t forgive him or her, I can’t change,” you are right you can’t. But God can help you do things you can't imagine.
Now, I will admit that there are some things which God cannot do. Now wait before you call me a heretic. There are some things that God will not do, therefore they are things He cannot do.
I'm talking about such things as those which are contrary to His nature, inconsistent with His will, His decrees and purposes, which would imply a contradiction, and be foreign to truth.
For example Hebrews 6:18 tells us that it is impossible for God to lie. So, for Him to do such things would be the same as denying Himself. God will not do that.
But God does have absolute power over all things that have been, are, or shall be. And though there are things that are impossible for people, Jesus said, “with God all things are possible”. (Matthew 19:26)
For that reason, God is worthy to be glorified. What does verse 21 say? It says, “To him be glory…” The way this is worded does not just mean, “To Him be Some glory” but “To Him be The GLORY!”
It means to give God all the glory He deserves. There is no one higher who is worthy of honor, glory, and praise but God Almighty.
And where is the primary place God wants His glory to be seen? It is in the church! “To him be glory in the church.” Think about that.
Why should being a part of a local church be important to believers? It is important because this is where God has chosen to bring glory and honor to Himself.
This is when and where believers can learn to allow God to be working in them so that He can produce godly lives through the power of the Spirit and be glorified.
And what else? It says, “To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus…” God's glory is in Christ. We need to choose to live in a way that pleases the Lord. The way we live our lives reflects back on Him.
And one more thing. This glory will last forever. It says, “To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” We have a big God.
It’s time to take God out of our box, and let His great glory be known. Let God be God. And let God's power be at work in our lives.
Do that and He will exceed our expectations.
CLOSE:
Martin Luther, the great reformer of the church, had a good friend and assistant, Friedrich Myconius. In 1540, Myconius became sick and was expected to die shortly. On his deathbed he wrote a farewell letter to Luther in tender terms.
Luther read the message and immediately sent a reply:
“I command you in the name of God to live because I still have need of you in the work of reforming the church . . . . the Lord will never let me hear that you are dead, but will permit you to survive me. For this I am praying, this is my will, and may my will be done, because I seek only to glorify the name of God.”
While those words may seem more than a little brash, perhaps even arrogant, Myconius, who had already lost the ability to speak when Luther's reply came, soon recovered.
Myconius lived six more years and finally died two months after Luther.
There may be things in your life that seem impossible right now. But these verses in Ephesians chapter three make it clear that God will hear your prayer, and He is exceedingly abundantly able to meet your need, now and in the future.
