The Love of Christ for You
The whole emphasis of Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14 – 21 is on your understanding the love of Christ for you. If you want to be the Lord’s disciple, the understanding of this truth is critical. Listen to Paul’s prayer:
“14. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15. from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16. that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17. so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19. and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20.Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21. to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
Paul prayer is not only for the Christians at Ephesus and in Asia Minor but also for you today. He speaks from a position of experience for he knows first hand what it means to be a disciple: “Are they servants of Christ? -- I speak as if insane-- I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11: 23- 28)
Paul is also speaking to you from a position of authority as an Apostle: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received…” (1 Corinthians 15:3) He knows that “…all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12) So why is it so important you be rooted and grounded in love? (vs. 17) Paul is praying FOR YOU because he knows Satan hates everything associated with Jesus Christ -- let alone those who bear his name. The Bible says in John 1:12: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,” (John 1:12). If you have received Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you are a child of God. Therefore, Satan hates you and the name you bear. He will attack your every attempt to serve the Master. No holds are barred in his efforts against you – this is spiritual warfare with the highest stakes – warfare for souls and your service for the Lord. Your response to it determines your love for God and whether you set on the bench for God or become active in service for the King.
This need for you to be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ is best illustrated by Jesus in Matthew 7:24-29. Listen to his parable of the two foundations: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall." When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:24-29).
Do you want to be a disciple for Jesus Christ? Realize that every storm the enemy can muster will be blown your way. He will attack your love for Christ and Christ’s love for you. If you haven’t nailed down the truth of Christ’s love for you and realize it is unchanging and unceasing, you are going to fall as a disciple. You, as a servant of Christ, will be under constant attack. The enemy will speak to your mind questioning whether Christ really loves you and accepts you. He will twist circumstances and people you encounter to cause you to question and doubt Christ’s love for you. If you haven’t been rooted and grounded upon the Rock, your faith is going the waver. The enemy will have you where he wants you to be. You will be like the house Jesus describes which is build upon the sand when the storms come.
Paul know this reality and is praying for you as our Advocate and High Priest, Jesus Christ prays for you even now. Therefore, Jesus says, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them…” is the one who will be rooted and grounded in Christ. I plead with you. Don’t feed upon the enemy’s lies. He is the Father of lies. Instead, have the mind in you that is in Christ Jesus. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:15-17)
In verse 19, Paul again emphasizes the love of Christ when he says, “and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” This is such an important statement and truth for the disciple of Jesus Christ to experience joy in service. The word “to know” means “to apprehend, to lay hold of, to firmly believe, to understand, to comprehend.” Paul says, I must not simply “know about” the love of Christ for me, I must “know it”; I must operate daily upon this truth and intimately experience the love of Christ in my life. It is essential if I am to succeed as the Lord’s disciple and experience the love of Christ abounding in my life.
The issue is not whether Jesus loves me: HE DOES. The issue is: “Do I believe Jesus loves me?” Using the story of the Prodigal Son let me illustrate two common misunderstandings of this love among God’s children that rob them of contentment and joy. Two different perspectives of love toward the Father are seen in the story of the Prodigal. They both become apparent and serve equally to undermine the love relationship the Father wants with you and I as his disciples.
First, the younger brother or the “younger prodigal” thought the Father was holding back on Him and depriving him of living and enjoying life to the fullest. Therefore, he took license with his liberty and claimed his inheritance. Ignoring the grief he caused his father, he traveled to the far country and squandered his fortune on riotous living. It wasn’t until the younger prodigal was in want that he came to his senses and turned to His Father. Feeling completely unworthy, he hoped only to be accepted as the lowest servant in His Father’s house. He could never envision himself again as a son. But when he returned to the Father with a repentant heart, he experienced the Father’s love for him although unmerited had been there all along. The Father withheld no good thing from his son because of who he was – his son.
Likewise, the older brother or “older prodigal” in the Prodigal misunderstood the love of Christ as well. His example is perhaps more common of those in the church today who have no joy. The older son religiously served the Father but with the wrong motive of heart. He thought you win the Father’s approval from what you do not because of who you are. He served in the Father’s house to be accepted not because he was already accepted. That is why his heart became indignant when the younger brother returned and was accepted by his father. After all, the younger prodigal brought harm to the family name and squandering the Father’s inheritance. The “older prodigal” tried to justify himself to the Father through his good works rather than his faith. How sad, when all the Father wanted from both sons were their affection and trust. He loved them for who they were not for what they did or did not do.
Unfortunately, the “older prodigal” would be the person today who never misses a church service, serves on every committee and, yet, makes comments about others he views less holy or not as faithful to the cause of Christ. He feels his works earn him favor with God and the church leadership he serves. However, when the truth is known, he lives in fear of not being accepted by the Father and rarely if ever slows down enough to enjoy the relationship. How sad many religious people live this way. They are standing on a foundation of works rather than a sure foundation of faith. That is why understanding the love of Christ is so vitally important to your eternal destiny, success as a disciple and experience of joy.
Paul says in verse 19, the love of Christ surpasses knowledge. He is saying you should strive to know more and more but you can’t fully know it all – it surpasses knowledge. The purpose of intimately knowing the love of Christ is so you and I may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Fullness means to experience the life of Christ in us (see John 1:16). It means to be filled or overflowing with the signs of His Presence. Fullness means you are continually submitting to the control of the Holy Spirit in everything. In fact, God created us to be vessels that would be filled and flooded with Himself. That is why the Scriptures say we have this treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4;7).
Jesus points out in John chapter 15, life in its fullness comes from the main vine and flows to all the branches. Some branches are small, others large, some narrow while others are thick. However, all the branches regardless of size or thickness must feed off the main vine if they are to be productive. As each branch grows and lengthens, their capacity for what fills them increases. Their source of life does not change but their capacity does. The purpose of the branches is to draw life from the vine so fruit can be produced on its branches. The branch doesn’t manufacture the fruit; it is produced by the life from the vine flowing into the branches. If this life source stops flowing into the branches, fruit production will cease and the branch will become barren. Thus, you are dependent upon being rooted and grounded in the love of Christ and knowing this love if you are to succeed as a disciple.
Paul says, “Now to Him who is able…” It means “He who is powerful.” The Greek word in this verse implies resurrection power or God’s power at work. For example, “Who else has the power to change a heart? Who else has the power to turn a Christ hater into a Christ lover and follower? Only God has this power. Therefore, the issue is not whether God is able – HE IS ABLE. Paul says He “is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.” THE ISSUE IS WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT. God invites you to ask with bold expectation knowing you can never ask beyond His ability to answer. And on a personal note, God wants you to ask Him to change you on the inside so you can accomplish the work He has for you on the outside. You must want His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Paul goes on to encourage you and I by saying that this power “works within us.” This is a profound statement because it answers the questions that bring doubts and fears to a disciples heart. If you ask, “How strong can you be to resist temptation? Or can you love your enemies? Or can you serve?” The answer is: There is no limit to resist temptation, to love your enemies or to serve, for your strength comes from One who is omnipotent. Therefore, Paul concludes, “…to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” The church, “his call out ones”, is the chosen vessel God wants to fill to all the fullness to accomplish His work on earth. He wants you and I to be His voice, His hands and His feet in this troubled world. The result is that you and I will forever praise Him!
