Ephesians 1:15-23
God’s Glorious Plan
Paul’s Prayer: After talking to the people about God – He talks to
God about the people
A) INSPIRED
PRAYER : God’s Heart /
Example for us
of how to Pray !!!
B)
In our last study we saw some particulars about this prayer – How often Paul
prayed – v.16 – Without ceasing
1)
The attitude of Paul’s Prayer – heart of
Thanks
2)
The General theme of Paul’s Prayer – Prayer for revelation –
C)
He prayed that the believers in Ephesus would grow in their wisdom &
Knowledge of God !!!
D)
Tonight we pick it up in v.18 where Paul prays that the
eyes of their understanding would be enlightened
Now
this is an interesting phrase: In the Greek it literally reads – eyes of your
Heart
A)Isn’t that interesting that you have eyes in your
heart? Did you know that? We can see with our eyes physically.
B) And We can
see with the eyes of our mind. But
the deepest sort of seeing, the deepest revelation comes in the realm of the
heart.
1) And when the Bible speaks of the heart, it’s speaking of
the innermost depths of the human soul.
C) So Paul is praying that in the innermost depth of
our human soul we might have enlightenment,
1) that we might have that illumination come upon
us.
Now if you want to
know how to pray for me / what Paul prays for here is perfect
A)And I’ll be happy to pray this prayer for you as
well. This is a great prayer. And this is the
kind of stuff we need.
B) I need the eyes of my
heart to be enlightened. So that
when I come to the Word of God, it’s not
merely words on a page,
1) but it’s an encounter with the Lord Himself.
C) Many times as we come to the Word, unfortunately,
, it is like words on a page. We read a chapter
or two. And we finish up, and we walk
away.
1) And sometimes we then think to ourselves, “What
did I read?”
D) Often that happens because we are distracted or
because we’re dull of our heart.
It’s just part of our condition as human beings. { Struggle
1) It’s not
anything that we can necessarily change ourselves. But it can be changed through prayer. And that’s what Paul’s asking for here.
E) He is praying that they would experience
illumination in the very depths of their souls { TONIGHT LORD
So that when we approach the things of God, and the things
of the Spirit, rather than that dullness,
sort of blocking the glory of God,
there’s an illumination, an enlightenment that takes place,
and we break through that veil. And we enter in and have that encounter with the
Lord.
A) That is what we all long for, isn’t it? I want to have that. And Paul encourages that we pray.
B) Paul prays for this enlightenment so that they
might see 3 things – I want us to consider these tonight - #1 v.18 – Know the
Hope of His Calling
Now the word Hope in the Bible is interesting : Speaks of an
Absolute Expectation of Coming Good { So Sure – Bank on it – base life on it
A) There are
not many things in this life that can offer that type of assurance
B) I once filled out publishers clearing House thing
for 10 million dollars
Test the theory - don't have to buy anything
C) Plus if I won – use the
money for the Lord / the Kingdom
Now my Wife - "never
happen"
D) But I sent it in every
month for about 6mts : Came back Grand finalist:
Sign accept if won on Superbowl Sunday…..able to accept
1.) Then Rob Salvato
has won - if winning entry - then payments are ready to begin - How
broken up?
E) The last one -
"unless you buy - you will be dropped"
Now I'm thinking - whole time - I hope this is true - no
joke - but - wish - Denise - nuts - fool - prayed!
A)What's 29 cents - no
assurance - hope was shattered as I placed my
drop stamp on envelope
B) Listen, when Paul says
I want you to Know the Hope of His calling
1) That word hope speaks
of an assurance - for
sure thing an absolute expectation of coming good
C) Well what has he called
us to? Well,
Paul has already talked about it. He’s called us to
stand blamelessly before Him.
1) He’s called us to enter fully into the
inheritance that He’s stored up for us.
D) He’s called us into a
parent/child relationship with Him presently that’s going to go on
eternally.
1) He’s called us to be His heirs and joint heirs with
Christ.
Turn to Romans 8
The hope of a believer is described for us very plainly in
Romans 8, Verses 18-25,
18-For I consider that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us.
A)That is the hope -- a glory which is coming, a glory
toward which we are moving day by day.
v. 19-22 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits
for the revealing of the sons of God.20 For the creation was subjected to
futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;21 because
the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into
the glorious liberty of the children of God.
B) That phrase, "the
bondage of corruption ," is a very accurate description of what
scientists call the Second Law of Thermodynamics,
1) the law of entropy, the law which states that
everything in the universe is running down,
C) that it was wound up once but that now everything
is declining, deteriorating.
1) Paul includes not only the natural world, with
its constant decay, but the human body as well. He says,
V..22 For we know that the whole creation groans
and labors with birth pangs together until now.23 Not only that, but we also
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.24 For
we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one
still hope for what he sees?25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we
eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
D) That was the hope which these believers
entertained in their minds. They knew it academically.
1) The central factor of this hope is the certainty of a new humanity.
They knew that there was coming a day when their bodies
would be redeemed,
A)that God was working out that transformation, and
that a whole new day was ahead. This mortal would put on Immortality { Corruption..
Perfection
B) This hope of future glorification with Christ God
wants us to know is an absolute certainty for the believer in Christ
C) When a believer leaves this world . . . we say they died.
1) Pastor Chuck says Don’t say they’ve died.
D) The Scripture never uses that term. The Scripture says that they’ve fallen
sleep. We say
that they’ve passed away.
1) We have a lot of ways to describe what’s
happened.
E) But you know what we should really be saying: “They’ve entered into glory,” because
that’s exactly what they’ve done.
1) They’ve been glorified. And if we saw it for what it was, it would be really hard to be
sad about it.
“O that poor brother. He went to glory. He’s glorified. Let’s
just sit down and weep together about His glorification. He’s out of this sin-ridden body, out of
this sick, perverse world. Poor
fellow. He’s right there in heaven with
all the saints.”
The Hope that Paul wants us to realize is that God who has
saved us also promises to glorify us
A) Well," you say, "that's fine. I
understand that. But how does that help me now? Now, I'm bored, I'm caught up
in a meaningless routine.
B) Day by day goes by, and life is not very
exciting.
1) Sanders calls it the daily
round of life – You are
on the potters wheel
C) Hope of Glorification is something that is
presently taking place
We call it SANCTIFICATION –
God making us like JESUS
1) Every trial we go thru is a part of that Process
Learn to look at life that way! That is the hope of our
calling.
A)There is no circumstance we go through which
cannot, in the hands of God, be turned to our advantage.
B) And even when we don’t realize that at first and
we give into the fears or frustrations of the flesh – we can come back &
say
"Lord,
I see now that I didn't need to give way to the flesh, to its despair or its
reaction of anger or impatience. Forgive
me and help next time to see why you allowed this situation in my life –
C) That is what Paul is praying that these
Christians will capture -- the sense that God is at work in their daily circumstances,
1) and although there is suffering that occurs in
the midst of the old creation, the new one is gradually taking shape.
D) You can't see it, although perhaps as you look
back you can see some of the results of it in your spirit and in your soul.
1) But these very trials and pressures and problems
and afflictions are preparing us for that future time.
2 Cor 4:16-17
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward
man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.17 For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
Paul also told the Corinthians: 1 Cor 2:9 “Eye
has not seen, ears has not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of a
man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
E) We have a taste of that through the ministry of the
Holy Spirit.
So that is Paul’s first request – Know the Hope of His Calling – We
would know the Absolute expectation of coming Good we are called to!
Back to
Ephesians 1
2nd
He Prays that their hearts would be enlightened to Know –v.18 what are the riches of the Glory of His inheritance in the
saints
A) Now look
at that again - at first glance we would think – Paul got this wrong – what he
meant to says was – He wants us to know the richness of our inheritance in the
Lord
B) But that is not what Paul says or means - This phrase doesn't refer to
our inheritance in Christ but His inheritance in us!
1) What Paul is really getting at is – he wants us to
understand how precious we are to God
C)
that we might
know how much God loves us, how much God cherishes us, how much God cares about
us. We’re His
inheritance.
1) We’re His pride and joy. We’re His prized possession. As is said of Israel of old, “We are the apple of His eye.”
D)
Paul is saying we are God’s treasure !!!!
Jesus illustrated
this in Matt 13 - Man was walking through a field and stumbled on a treasure:
A.) Those
days - no banks / savings loans/ bury treasure: apparently - died
This other man comes along stumbles -finds
it - buys field
B) He does
what he needs to - to get the treasure.
Did he want the field - no. He wanted the treasure!
What does this mean?
Simply this - Jesus told us in Matt 13 that the field represents the
world
A.)The Father chose to buy the world - world given to man - gave it to Satan
1.)The
Father sent the Son to buy it back! To
purchase it with His
blood! Why?
B.) Because
He wanted the treasure - Treasure is You
1)I'm the
treasure and the Father would say "in all the
universe the thing I really want is Rob
Salvato He is a gem to me!
C.) Now that
is the last thing I feel like / Feel more like a worthless - grain of sand in
the mass of humanity - universe!
Jesus said in the next verse - Matt 13:45 ,46 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like
a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,"who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold
all that he had and bought it.
A.) What is a pearl made of? Comes about when a tiny grain of sand somehow gets into oyster
B) Becomes an irritant - to deal with the irritation
the oyster secretes a fluid / liquid to cover the sand
1) Bigger irritation - more
liquid - hardens and becomes a pearl
C.) A pearl
is an irritating speck of sand - guys that is what we are from our perspective
1) But God says let
me robe you in my righteousness - cover you in my Son! Make you a precious
pearl
Here is what is interesting! You know what will ruin an oyster? Human perspiration!
Sweat!
A.) Pearls
are virtually indestructible except for human perspiration
B.)What will ruin you and me? Our trying to sweat and prove we are worthy!
Prove we are righteous!
1.)Our
trying to prove we our worthy of God's love, trying to
be somebody - something in His sight!
C) Paul is saying - I pray you will see who you are in
His sight! a treasure to Him He
bought the world to get you because in His son
1) you are a pearl of great price A trophy of His grace! His work
#3 Rd V.19-21
Just before the
World War II in the town of Itasca, Texas, a school fire took the lives of 263
children. There was scarcely a family in town which was not touched by this
horrifying tragedy.
During the war Itasca remained without school
facilities. But when the war ended, the town, like many others, began to expand
and in fact built a new school which featured what was called "the finest sprinkler system in the world."
Civic pride ran high. Honor students were selected to guide
citizens and visitors on tours of the new facility to show them the finest, most advanced sprinkler system
technology could supply and money could buy.
Never again would Itasca be visited by such a tragedy.
With the postwar boom the town continued to grow,
and seven years later it was necessary to enlarge the school - and in adding
the new wing it was discovered that the sprinkler system had never been
connected!
What an incredible story - hard to believe - unfortunately
it is the story of many Christians today.
A) There is untold power
available for every believer in Christ, but so
many never hook up - lives impotent - useless!
B) The 3rd
thing that Paul wants our hearts to be enlightened about is the Power of God
that is available to us in Christ !!!
C) Now this is interesting
to me – that the illustration that Paul uses to describe the Power of God
1) What was God’s greatest
display of Power ? CREATION ?
FLOOD ? SODOM ?
THE REZ & ACSENSION
Notice a few things about the description of this power
A)1st The word
power is Dunamis – words like Dynamite from it / Dynamic power – Power that
makes an impact explosive power (Pentecost)
B)Power that transformed
the life of Peter who denied the Lord 3 times to this bold and fiery preacher
who preached on the day of Pentecost !
C) Same Power that was
working thru the early church which enabled them to turn
their world upside down for Jesus !
2nd
Exceedingly Great: It exceeds a fixed amount – it is greater
than we could ever imagine
Lloyd Jones - "God's
power not only surpasses our power of expression, it surpasses our power of
comprehension! Take all the dictionaries of the world, exhaust all the
vocabularies and when you have added them all together you have still not begun
to describe the greatness of God's power"
3rd It is
working – active power / not stagnant – Power that is at
work in our lives – not Dormant
A)I picture a river that
is flowing – Jesus said that those who came to Him – out of their lives would
flow torrents of living water – spoke of spirit
B)Power that transforms
gives victory / active power we just need to tap into
Power is manifested in the Church V.22
-23 { Under his feet }