Introduction
I. Our foundational verse this morning is Ephesians 3, verse 16 - 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;
II. The letter to the Ephesians, and in particular Chapter 3 is speaking of the ministry of the church of Jesus Christ.
A. Some commentators have said that Ephesians 3, verse 10 is the hinge pin, or the reason that Paul wrote this particular letter.
1. Ephesians 3, verse 10 reads - “...in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”
a. In other words, it is the work of the church is to make the glory of God evident, even as high as heaven itself.
b. The glory of salvation, made known to the angels, through the church.
c. The glory of the power of Christ to work in the lives of people, people that had once even despised each other, made known through the brother-hood of the church.
d. The glory of the power of Christ to give life, where once there was only death.
III. Verse 16 is part of a longer prayer, in which Paul is informing the Ephesian church of his prayer for them.
A. “...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man;”
B. The work of the church can only go forth as it’s members fully embrace the reality of Galatians 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me”
1. I no longer live for myself.
2. I live to see Christ glorified.
3. That is Paul’s prayer in Ephesians chapter 3.
IV. Let’s look together at Ephesians chapter 3, verses 14-21.
A. 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 fulness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding 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.
B. In verses 14 and 15 Paul gives a reason for his prayers, which is still a valid “Reason To Pray” for each of us. A Reason To Pray
14 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
I. For this reason; for what reason
A. The answer actually lies in verse 10.
B. Paul prays for the Ephesian church, in order that the “manifold wisdom of God” may be made known.
1. When he writes “every family in heaven and on earth” he is referring possibly to the angelic host, but certainly he is speaking of the Christian families.
II. Most of us have probably heard, and maybe even said something along the lines of, “Prayer is the greatest power that the church possesses.”
A. And I would imagine that at least some of us even believe that to be true.
B. But two questions?
1. Question one - “Do you actually make use of that power?”
2. Question two - “When you do make use of the power of prayer, what do you pray for?”
III. I did a quick count of how many times in the New Testament we are instructed to pray for the sick.
A. In my New American Standard, the words “pray for” occurs 9 times.
1. Matthew 5:44 - Christ says, “pray for your enemies.”
2. Luke 6:28 - Christ says, “pray for those that mistreat you”
3. 2 Cor. 13:9 - Paul prays “that you may be made complete”
4. Col. 1:9 - Paul prays “that you may be filled with knowledge of His will”
5. 1 Thess. 1:5 - Paul simply says, “Pray for us”
6. 2 Thess. 1:11 - the prayer is that “you may be worthy of your calling.”
7. 2 Thess. 3:1 - pray that the word of the Lord may spread
8. Heb. 13:18 - pray for our conduct
9. James 5:16 - pray for one another, that you may be healed, but even that is in the context of spiritual healing.
B. Am I saying that we should not pray for the physical needs of one another? NO, of course not.
C. I am simply saying that there is a need greater than physical healing; which we seldom pray for, and that is the prayer that Paul is talking about in this passage of scripture.
IV. Pray for the physical well being of others, but realize there is something of vastly more importance to pray about, that is lost in much of today’s church prayer gatherings.
A. We don’t even confess our sins to one another, let alone ask for prayer for our sins.
B. We certainly don’t want to embarrass someone by praying that they would more fully come to know Christ, when they may be struggling with spiritual things.
C. And if we get honest for a moment, we all struggle from time to time.
1. I will confess to you that last Saturday evening, I was struggling.
a. I had prayed that my son would be healed.
b. It looked like God was working,
c. And then the doctors said, “He may need a pretty invasive surgery.”
d. I was struggling with
(1) “God, where are you.”
(2) “God, this is one more thing that I don’t know if I can handle right now.”
2. We all have those struggles, and in those times, I tell you we are not filled with the knowledge of Christ, at least we are not acting on what we know to be true.
3. In those times, it is valid to ask, “Is God being glorified in this?”
V. Paul’s prayer was and ours should be, that the church of Christ would glorify God at all times..
A. But how does that become possible?
B. It is possible as God works to answer a prayer that we all to seldom pray.
Strength For the Inner Man (vs. 16)
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;
I. When you go to a prayer meeting, and someone asks for “prayer requests” or when you sit to pray alone, what do you most often hear asked of God?
A. God heal this person or that person physically.
B. God change this situation or that circumstance.
C. God bring new people into our church.
D. Most often our prayer requests and petitions to God are for change in a physical circumstance; can we call that the “outer man.”
E. It’s as if we believe that when we see God work in the “outer man” we will have a better understanding of who God is, but if I read this correctly, there is something much more important than the “outer man.”
II. I have no doubt that the Ephesian church has just as many, perhaps even more, physical circumstances and situations to deal with.
A. But look read again Paul’s prayer in verse sixteen.
1. I pray that you will be strengthened “in the inner man.”
2. I pray that you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit in the “inner man.”
B. That word power is the Greek word “dunamis”
1. Most often you will hear that it is from this word that we get our word for “dynamite.”
2. These are some of the meanings that my Greek dictionary gives for dunamis.
a. Power for performing miracles
b. Moral power and excellence of soul
c. Power and resources arising from numbers
d. Power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts
III. I am convinced that most of us do not really comprehend the love of God for us.
A. We still to often believe that we are going it alone, as if God may have started this thing called life, but now He is sitting back observing.
B. Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian believers was that they realize the depth of love that God has for his children.
1. The power that is available to those He loves.
IV. Being a follower of Christ is about more than mere head knowledge that Christ died for your sins and mine.
V. Being a child of God is about being a part of what God is doing in the lives of people, and in this world.
A. It’s about having the dynamite
1. To see miracles effected in lives,
2. Of being empowered for moral excellence.
3. Of being unified with an army that lives above the squalor of this world, and yet loves those that are still mired in it.
VI. When was the last time you bowed on your knees and asked God to strengthen you from the inner man?
VII. I ask myself, when was the last time, I bowed on my knees and asked God to strengthen YOU from your inner man?
VIII. “God, make us less concerned for the outer man, and more concerned for the inner, because it is as we receive strength, we will see You clearly.” Depth In Relationship With Christ (vs. 17)
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
I. I have heard that the root system of a tree is something like twice as large as what you see above ground.
II. Now I am not much of an arborist, but I have observed some things about tree roots over time.
A. A tree root to close to your septic system can cause great havoc by growing right through it.
B. A tree root to close to a sidewalk will often cause the concrete to break apart, and if it is too close to the foundation of your house, well you know.
C. Sometimes, but only rarely will you see a tree break free in a strong wind and be uprooted; sometimes but rarely.
III. But how often do we as Christians waver in our faith, and even divide over the inconsequential?
A. Paul’s example of prayer is that as followers of God, our root system would be so vast as to keep us grounded, no matter how strong the winds may be.
B. Rooted and stable; the word grounded means to “lay a foundation”
C. God wants us to be immovable in our faith in Him, and His love.
D. That kind of stability only comes when we rely on the strength of the inner man.
IV. Do you see how this prayer is beginning to work together.
A. Yes, you are sick, maybe even very sick, but trust in the love of God.
B. Yes, your son is sick, maybe even very sick, but trust in God.
C. Yes the ground may seem to be shifting, BUT I am strengthened from the inner man, and I am immovable in my trust in the living God.
V. Is that you this morning?
Comprehension of God’s Love (vs. 18-19)
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 fulness of God.
I. Listen to what the writer said in Psalm 139 - 7 Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, Thou are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Thy hand will lead me, and Thy right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to Thee, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to Thee.
II. The word “comprehend” means “to take hold of with the mind.”
A. Paul is praying that Christians would be able to “take hold” of awesomeness of God.
1. The writer of Psalm 139 states that there is no place we can go and not be in the presence of God.
2. Paul prays that we would be able to really understand the limitlessness of God’s love, concern, protection and salvation.
III. I don’t know how true this is, but a commentator I looked at this week said that the early Christians spoke of the love of Christ as demonstrated on the cross in this way.
A. “The Cross touched the earth, pointed to the heaven, and is stretched in both directions. How much does He love you? Look at the Cross and you’ll know.”
1. How high is God’s love? It’s high enough to take those who are saved to heaven.
2. How deep is God’s love? It’s deep enough to rescue the worst sinner.
3. How wide is God’s love? Is stretches as far as the north is from the south.
IV. How can we possibly comprehend the love of Christ which surpasses all understanding?
A. When we are strengthened from the inner man,
B. When our relationship with God is as strong as the roots of the mightiest tree,
C. When we allow ourselves to be filled with the fullness of God.
There Is Power In The Church of Christ
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding 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.
I. “God, how do you want to make yourself known, through this church, to this community, at this time?”
A. What would we do if God were to audibly answer that prayer and say, “I want you to take Langhorne for Christ, and this is how I want you to do it?”
B. I have a feeling that if we truly heard what was in God’s mind for us as a church, we would be scared to death.
1. How can we possibly do that?
2. Where will the money come from to do that?
3. God, we are only this and you say you see us as that!!!
II. There is power in the church of Jesus Christ.
A. And Paul states that God is able to do more in and through us, than we can even imagine to ask.
B. I believe that God wants to do some mighty miracles through you and I.
C. I believe God wants you and I to be filled up with the power that He has to offer.
D. And I believe there is only one thing that can keep us from fully knowing what is available through the power of God.
1. We must stop focusing on the outer man.
2. We must at least add some prayer time to the strengthening of the inner man.
III. 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 fulness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding 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.
