SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). He is able.
(2). He is able to do.
(3). He is able to do immeasurably more.
(4). He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask.
(5). He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.
(6). He is able to do this…according to his power that is at work within us.
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• A woman approached the famous preacher, G. Campbell Morgan,
• (British evangelist, preacher, Bible teacher, and author.)
• After he spoke and asked,
“Do you think we should pray for even the little things in our lives, or just for the big things?”
• In his dignified British manner he replied,
• “Madam, can you think of anything in your life that is big to God?”
• TRANSITION: This little benediction,
• Reminds us of that truth,
• “Can you think of anything in your life that is big to God?”
• Answer: Of course not!
• Our mountains are not even molehills to him!
Question: What is a benediction?
Answer:
• Our word ‘Benediction’ comes from two Latin words:
• ‘Bene’ which means ‘well’.
• And ‘Dicere’ which means ‘to speak.’
• A ‘benediction’ is simply ‘a short request to speak well’.
• As Christians, we often use them in the form of a prayer, a blessing;
• Usually at the conclusion of a service.
• Now a blessing is more than just a good wish,
• It is a request, a desire to God,
• To show favour and grace to an individual or group of people.
Ill:
• Trivia question.
• Question: Does anyone know what is the first blessing is in the Bible?
• Answer: Genesis chapter 1 verse 22.
“God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.’”
We have a God who enjoys blessing his creation.
• e.g. God blessed the sea creatures and birds,
• Telling them to be fruitful and multiply in the earth.
• e.g. Then likewise, in verse 28,
• God gave the similar blessing to Adam and Eve,
Note: Keep in mind the context of this ‘Ephesian’ blessing.
• The apostle Paul’s prayer,
• Is for God to do abundantly beyond what we ask or think,
• Is not a prayer for physical miracles & even more possessions.
• i.e. You might want a new car or a bigger house,
• But this benediction will not guarantee you one!
Rather notice the context that the blessing is set in makes it a spiritual blessing.
• Verse 16:
• “I pray…he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”
• Verse 17:
• “…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
• Verse 19:
• “…that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
• This blessing comes with a specific purpose…
• That we may understand, appreciate, grasp, God’s great love for us,
• And that understanding,
• Will help us to grow up in our faith instead of just growing older.
Ill:
• Pablo Casals was considered the greatest cellist of the 20th century.
• Some say the greatest cellist who ever lived.
• When he was 95 years old,
• He was asked why he continued to practice 6 hours a day.
• He answered, “Because I think I’m making progress.”
• TRANSITION:
• Progress and improvement are never automatic in the Christian life.
• In the Bible there is no short cut to maturity and growth,
• To make progress in the Christian life,
• You have to work at it!
Quote:
• As a young Christian,
• I can remember hearing the preacher Alan Redpath.
• (British pastor, author, and evangelist - 1907 - 1989)
• Say these words,
“"The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment;
the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime."
• TRANSITION:
• The point he was emphasising was simple,
• We are always ongoing if we want spiritual growth & maturity.
• No Christian ever arrives in this life,
• We must be always pressing on, moving forward.
• Desiring to grow more like Christ day by day.
This prayer of the apostle Paul for God,
• “to do abundantly more beyond what we ask or think,”
• Is not a prayer for physical miracles & for more possessions.
• But rather for spiritual growth and maturity.
Now, don’t get disappointed by that!
• We tend to want the material over the spiritual,
• We won’t admit it publicly but if we are honest!
• We look at what other people have and think,
• I wouldn’t mind a bit of that!
• But wise is the Christian who craves the spiritual blessings,
• Over the material!
(1). HE IS ABLE.
Ill:
• The Greek word translated as, “able,” is a great word,
• We get our English word, ‘dynamite’ from it ‘dunatei’).
• And it means explosive power.
• TRANSITION: That informs me,
• That God has the ability to do extraordinary things in my life.
• Something explosive and powerful.
Note:
• That word theologians use to describe God’s power is ‘Omnipotent,’
• Meaning: ‘All-powerful, invincible, unstoppable, supreme’.
• It refers to the fact that God’s power is infinite and unlimited.
• e.g. He never grows tired,
• (i.e. doesn’t need an afternoon nap).
• e.g. He never deteriorates with age,
• (i.e. no hearing aid, no specs, no Zimmer frame etc).
• e.g. His batteries never run down – He never needs recharging.
• e.g. He never runs out of fuel – He is always runs on a full tank.
• God’s power is infinite and unlimited.
• He is Omnipotent!’
But no matter how hard you look - you will not find that word ‘Omnipotent’ in the Bible:
• Because it is a theological term and not a biblical one.
• Now there is nothing wrong with the word,
• Because it describes accurately a biblical truth.
• But the Bible itself defines God by another word,
• The word, “Almighty,”
• Which occurs 345 times in the Bible,
• It is a word that is never used of anyone but God.
• God alone is the only one described as ‘Almighty.’
• e.g. as Psalm 89:8 says,
“O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord,
and your faithfulness surrounds you.”
Quote: I love how preacher and author A.W. Tozer puts it:
“God possesses what no creature can:
an incomprehensible plenitude of power,
a potency that is absolute.”
• If you want an easier definition to remember, try this:
• “Nothing is too difficult for God.”
• He is almighty, omnipotent.
• And he is able to do everything he needs to do or wants to do.
• And these two verses in Ephesians chapter 3.
• Remind us of this great truth!
Ill:
• When I was a kid – I used to read Comic Books.
• Comic Book heroes - Spiderman; Superman; Batman etc.
• One of the best parts of a Comic Book,
• Was the Advertisements in the Back of the Book.
• They had the coolest stuff
• e.g. full of practical jokes & gadgets.
• e.g. You could buy Chewing Gum,
• That would turn your victims’ teeth black.
• e.g. Sugar cubes that also contained fart powder.
• e.g. Ice-cubes that contained a trick fly frozen inside.
• They had all sorts of practical jokes,
• Everything that a kid needed.
• They also sold gadgets and gizmos:
• e.g. The one I remember was X-ray Vision Glasses.
• In the advertisement,
• There was a cartoon of a guy looking at his hand.
• And not only could you see the outline of his hand,
• But you could also see all of the bones of his hand.
• His hand as a skeleton!
• Well muggings here,
• Like so many other kids saved and saved and saved.
• Filled out the Postal Order (do you remember them?),
• Sent it off in the mail, and then waited.
• In those days,
• It would take between 2 and…1,000 weeks for delivery.
• By the time they arrived, you had been waiting so long.
• That you actually forgot that you had ordered the jolly things.
• Finally, there was the package on the table in front of you.
• You carefully opened up the package and there it was.
• Your own pair of The X-ray Vision Glasses.
• It didn’t matter that the frame was made of flimsy plastic.
• Or that the lenses were thin, coloured plastic,
• These were going to be so cool.
• You knew that in seconds,
• You were going to have X-ray Vision.
• Just like it said in the advertisement,
• After all Comic Books don’t lie.
• Then you put the glasses on – they just about fitted.
• Then you looked through this magical device.
• You stared at your hand…blinked…and nothing.
• You expected the power to have X-ray Vision.
• All you got was a useless bit of carboard and plastic.
• TRANSITION:
• And that was the first of many experiences.
• Of discovering the disappointment,
• Of getting less than what you expect.
• It happens all the time now…we get less than what we expect.
• e.g. Tin of Christmas Quality Street chocolates,
• Was yet again smaller this year!
Note: With God “He is able”
• Anyone remembers this advert? (Ronseal varnish)
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/HJlCK2A9bAY?si=27xj9DpH49jyNHqS
• TRANSITION:
• God does exactly what he says on the tin,
• Or in this case the Bible!
Ill:
• Sticking with adverts, in the supermarkets,
• A phrase you often see on everything,
• From washing powder to cornflakes is.
• ‘New improved…’ or ‘Now better than ever’.
• With God – He can’t be improved “He is able”.
• He does exactly what he says in the Bible!
• Quote: The word "power" is defined in the dictionary as.
• "The ability or capacity to perform or act effectively."
• God has the explosive power "to perform or act effectively."
• And he is able to do everything he needs to do or wants to do.
(2). He is able to do.
• All that I have said so far maybe good theory.
• But what about practice?
• Does that information affect my life?
• These two little words ‘To do’ remind us that it does!
• “He is able TO DO something”.
Ill:
• Dr Adoniram Judson was one of the first missionaries,
• Sent abroad by nonconformist churches.
• He arrived in India in 1813,
• And settled in Rangoon, Burma (today, Myanmar).
• Later when war broke out,
• Between Burma and the English Government of India.
• He was arrested and put in prison and accused of being a spy.
• As he was lying in a filthy jail,
• The chains on his ankles weighed 32 lbs.
• And his feet were also bound to a bamboo pole.
• A fellow prisoner decided to mock him and said,
“Dr. Judson,
what about the prospect of the conversion of the heathen?”
• In other words,
“How is your great big God going to save these people while you are in prison?”
• Judson’s reply was instant.
• “The prospects are just as bright as the promises of God.”
• In other words, “You don’t know my God!”
• No matter how dark and stormy our situation may be,
• God does not change and neither does his word!
• Men may seem to win the battle,
• But God will always win the war!
Ill:
• If you know the story,
• (Great read: To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson by Courtney Anderson).
• When Dr Judson was finally released from prison.
• He went on to achieve an incredible amount in his life.
• e.g. He translated the Bible in Burmese,
• e.g. He produced the very first Burmese dictionary.
• e.g. And…he also left a Christian community,
• …of about… half a million people.
• “Dr. Judson, what about the prospect of the conversion of the heather?”
• “The prospects are just as bright as the promises of God.”
• TRANSITION: When the apostle Paul,
• Writes this letter to these Ephesian Christians:
• Remember that like Judson,
• He too is also writing from a prison cell,
• And his message is simple and clear,
• God is always bigger than our circumstances and our problems.
• And as we start another New Year (2026),
• We need to remember and hold on to that!
• And this year (if God spare use),
• We may face what might appear to be a dead-end situation,
• But God has the resources to bring forth new life.
• i.e. Just ask Lazarus (John chapter 11).
(3). He is able to do immeasurably more:
Ill:
• I went into Iceland on New Years Day,
• (The supermarket, not the country!)
• Only to be greeted by a shelf full of Easter Eggs!
• (I guess they are getting in early!)
• Now, when it comes to supermarkets,
• There are a couple of phrases that we all like to see!
• i.e. “50% extra free!” or, “Buy 1 get one free!”
• TRANSITION:
• With God you always get more than you expect.
• Just listen to this verse again:
• Quote: The N.I.V.:
• “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more”.
• Quote: The King James Version:
• “Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask!”
• Quote: The Amplified Version says:
• "God is able to do superabundantly, far over and above, all that we dare ask or think."
Note:
• Did you notice that the apostle Paul,
• Uses a double compound word to make his point.
• In fact, he seems to be making up his own word phrasing.
• He is so caught up,
• Witrh the BIGNESS and AWESOMENESS of God,
• That it seems he creates some wordplay to make his point.
• He stacks word upon word,
• In order to communicate to his readers God’s greatness.
• The apostle Paul declares to us, that God is –
• e.g. Incredibly incredible.
• e.g. Extravagantly extravagant.
• e.g. Awesomely awesome
• e.g. Outrageously outrageous.
• e.g. Fantastically fantastical.
• e.g. Amazingly amazing.
• e.g. Infinitely infinite
• And God is like that all the time!
Ill:
• Just as there is not enough words,
• To describe a beautiful sunset or a mountain range,
• So, there is not enough words to describe our great God!
• He is ‘indescribably indescribable’.
(4).He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask:
• Our God is .Able to do MORE!
• And we all like more, don’t we?
Ill:
• I love travelling abroad,
• I think I could easily be a permanent tourist.
• But my biggest gripe on Holiday is always the coffee.
• The coffee may taste very nice,
• But…you never ever get a full cup in European countries.
• Even a big cup is still only every half full.
• TRANSITION: I want more!
• I think of the words of David in Psalm 23 verse 5,
• Who said, “my cup overflows.”
• Our God is .Able to do MORE:
• To me that speaks of his generosity and his creativity.
ill:
• Alexander the Great,
• Was a famous king and brilliant military leader,
• He died at the age of 33,
• Without having been defeated in a single battle.
• A story is told that one day a beggar by the roadside.
• Saw a group of soldiers passing by,
• And asked for some money.
• One of those soldiers was Alexander the Great,
• He threw the beggar several gold coins.
• One of his men was astonished at his generosity and commented,
“Sir, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar’s need.
Why give him gold?”
Alexander responded with insightful words,
“Copper coins would suit the beggar’s need,
but gold coins suit Alexander’s giving.”
• TRANSITION:
• Our God is .Able to do MORE than we ask:
• To me that speaks of his generosity and his creativity.
Ill:
• He exceeds our expectation,
• Just think of creation to grasp his generosity & creativity.
• e.g. God didn’t create just 1 star,
• God made Galaxies.
• e.g. God didn’t just make a single kind of bird,
• God created 1,000s kinds of birds.
• e.g. God didn’t just make a single kind of fish,
• God created 1,000s kinds of fish.
• e.g. God didn’t just make a single plant,
• God created 1,000s kinds of plants.
• e.g. God didn’t just make a single kind of fruit,
• God created 1,000s kinds of fruits.
• e.g. No two blades of grass the same,
• e.g. No two snowflakes the same,
• What imagination, how creative.
• TRANSITION:
• Our God is .Able to do MORE than we ask:
• To me that speaks of his generosity and his creativity.
(4). He is able to do immeasurably more than
all we ask or imagine:
• Doesn’t the inclusion of that word imagine” brilliant.
• Imagination is boundless.
• You can imagine whatever you want.
• ill: I can imagine that I preach as good as Billy Graham.
• ill: Or I can imagine you are really interested in what I am saying!
Ill:
• Kids have the best imagination:
• i.e. By putting a costume suddenly become a superhero!
• i.e. Or by picking up a doll a girl suddenly is a mother.
• i.e. When I was a kid, I played football for Manchester United.
• You might not know this,
• But more than once,
• I scored the winner for them in the FA Cup final!
• TRANSITION: The point is this:
• Everything is possible in our own imagination!
Ill:
• This is the great advantage that books and audio/radio,
• Have over TV and films.
• “The best pictures are always in your mind!”
• Hollywood can never reproduce them.
Ill:
• The health experts & lifestyle gurus tell us:
• That if you want a successful life,
• The first thing you must do is to change the way you think.
• The bible says in Proverbs chapter 4 verse 23,
• Something similar:
• “Be careful how you think, your life is shaped by your thoughts”.
• We have a big God.
• So, think big!
Ill:
• In 1936, two young single women packed their bags,
• And headed to a remote mountain village in Mexico,
• At this time in history,
• Sending women alone into such regions was unheard of.
• Florrie Hansen and Eunice Pike went,
• They were linked to the Wycliffe Bible Translators,
• And for forty years,
• Eunice Pike worked with the Mazatec Indians.
• During this time,
• She has discovered some interesting things about this people group.
• e.g. For instance, the people seldom wish someone well.
• e.g. Not only that, but they are also hesitant to teach one another.
• Or to share the gospel with each other.
• e.g. If asked, “Who taught you to bake bread?”
• The village baker answers, “I just know,”
• Meaning they had acquired the knowledge without anyone’s help.
One day Eunice discovered why they behaved in this odd way!
• These Indian’s had a concept of “limited good.”
• They believe there is only so much good,
• So much knowledge, so much love to go around.
• i.e. Every time you used some up, it was gone,
• And one day you might even run out,
• So, you used your knowledge and sparingly.
• In case you drain yourself of knowledge.
• i.e. They believe to love a second child,
• Meant you have to love the first child less.
• i.e. They believe to wish someone well, “Have a good day” –
• Means you have just given away some of your own happiness,
• Which cannot be reacquired – how tragic!
• TRANSITION: This verse tells us,
• That every Christian should have the very opposite attitude,
• To the Mazatec Indians.
• There is no limit when God is involved!
Quote:
“By the way – I am Glad that God is not limited to what I ask or think.
because there are times when my askin’ is lackin’ and my thinkin’ is stinkin’.
(5). He is able to do this according to His
power that is at work within us:
• I mentioned earlier that if the Greek word translated as power,
• Was transliterated into English,
• It would be our word for dynamite.
• Now, look where the apostle Paul says that this Power is.
• It can be experienced in each and every Christian!
• “The power that works within US!”
Ill:
• To my shame, I love a sarcastic remark.
• I hope I say them in fun rather than in malice.
• My favourite put down is still:
• “If he had a brain cell it would die of loneliness!”
• But I guess we all know the saying:
• “If his brains were dynamite,
• He would not have enough to blow his hat off!”
• Sadly, that is a description of too many Christians.
• Not enough power “to blow their hats off!”
Question: How can I consistently experience this power?
Answer: Verse 16-17:
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
(1). Filling (vs 16):
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”
• At conversion the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our lives.
• ill: Not a lodger – he becomes the owner of the house.
• The idea in this expression;
• “Through his Spirit in your inner being,”
• Is that he does just dwell in the house,
• But has free access to every part of the house.
• i.e. Visit my house and you have limited access.
• i.e. Penny my wife has complete access,
• It is the relationship makes all the difference!
• TRANSITION: If your relationship with God is stale or poor,
• His power in your life will be limited and poor!
• We all need to keep that relationship fresh,
• Just as you have too in any relationship!
(2). Living (vs 17-19):
• Two relationships are mentioned in these verses,
• Both are important – essential.
• FIRST: Our relationship to Christ:
• “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
• This speaks of the Christian’s continuing trust in Christ,
• We are saved by faith, and we walk in faith.
• Allowing him day by day to be Lord of our lives.
• SECOND: Our relationship with other believers:
• “Together with all the saints”
• Paul carries this idea on in chapter 4,
• Unity in the body of Christ.
• That tells me that if I am not involved,
• Enjoying fellowship with the other members of this Church,
• That may well be why the power or the freshness,
• In my life is not flowing!
Punch line:
• Remember ‘Our God is Able!’
• Maybe you need to take time out to once again get reconnected.
• To Ask God to fill you!
• Your part is to ‘by faith’ let Christ once again be Lord!
• Is there something you need to confess or surrender.
• And God’s power is evidenced in his Church among his people.
• No such thing a lone-ranger Christian – not a powerful one anyway!
• The normal Christian life,
• Is to be lived out in fellowship with the people of God!
Quote: J.B. Phillips paraphrases Ephesians l:19-20,
"How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God." When we make firm our connection with God, his life and power flow through us.”
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/YEVpV1cLdxk?si=cf7yUTwPwOHlW3tc
