Christ’s presence in his church! – Ephesians 3:14-21
Christ’s presence in his church! – Ephesians 3:14-21
By Pastor Lee Hemen
March 1, 2020
There are things in this world that are hard to comprehend completely. The love we have for our children, the joy of seeing something beautiful in God’s creation, or the smells that linger in our minds that bring back memories: Aftershave, baking bread, the fresh smell of spring rain. We could explain them scientifically but that kind of lessens their impact. Their presence is enough to make us wonder.
As believers we can become so comfortable with the presence of Jesus we begin to neglect what this means. It is easy to do. We no longer think about how our smart phones, TVs, computers, microwaves or other devices we enjoy work. So not giving a second thought to a loving savior who died for us seems to be almost normal. Paul did not suffer from such familiarity. He wrote the Ephesians about the wonder of Christ’s presence in his church, let’s see how…
READ: Ephesians 3:14-21
Paul knew that because of Jesus “and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:12 NIV)” As a church therefore…
I. We enjoy Christ’s presence through our faith! (Vv. 14-17a)
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
1. For Paul what we enjoy in Jesus was totally amazing. Paul had grown up in a religion that required doing things in order for God to love you. It was full of ritual, it had become stale and much of it was manmade. This is why Paul told the Ephesians that it was “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” He knew he could go directly to God because God had reconciled both the Jews and non-Jews alike through Jesus and for Paul it was completely amazing! They were now part of God’s “family in heaven and on earth” because of Jesus’ sacrifice! Paul therefore desired that they might genuinely know and experience Christ’s love and then exhibit it toward one another. His presence in the church, his body, did this wonderful thing! For Paul it meant that all of God’s creation was now united in him! Paul was not teaching that God was a physical father but that he was now our Father because of our faith in Jesus we became his children. John would write that “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12 NIV). All of what God promised is now enjoyed, inherited, by his children. So Paul now prayed “that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” This is how we became part of his family through our faith! As his church we enjoy Christ’s presence through our faith!
EXAMPLE: What Noah could not fathom, what Moses stood in bare feet before, what David could only sing about, and the Prophets only predict we now fully enjoy! Knowing God through faith and having it certain and sealed in us is amazing! We enjoy Christ’s presence through our faith!
I just read another wishy-washy sermon concerning the love of God and it proved just how theologically corrupt many pastors are. Love, when it is used in the Scriptures, especially the New Testament, is sacrificial love; therefore as a church…
II. We enjoy Christ’s presence through his love! (Vv. 17b-18)
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
1. Paul would write the Galatians that “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision (being Jewish and following a bunch of religious laws) nor uncircumcision (being non-Jewish and not following any religious laws) has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6 NIV)” That expressed love is Jesus. Jesus would teach: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (John 15:9 NIV)” And because of that love we are to love God completely and our neighbors as we do ourselves. Do not ever forget that this is a sacrificial love. It costs us just as it cost Jesus. We cannot do it on our own so this is why Paul would write the Ephesians “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love”. Paul knew that believers had to be “rooted”, that is firmly planted, and “established” or grounded in Jesus’ sacrificial “love”! It is only then that we can know and enjoy what comes with this knowledge. Paul wanted believers to have the ability to comprehend or the “power” to understand “together with all the saints” what they indeed enjoyed in Jesus! Paul desired his readers “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ”! This loving sacrifice is beyond our imagination or comprehension! Whatever Paul had gained in this world he now considered worthless! Paul would tell the Philippians, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8 NIV)! Paul wanted the Ephesians “to know this love” that “surpasses knowledge--that [they] may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”! As his church we enjoy Christ’s presence through his love!
EXAMPLE: I will never forget the words a mother uttered concerning her soldier son when he was killed in action. She related, “I now understand what sacrifice means.” She went on to relate that her love for her son became very real when she learned of his death. We cannot fully understand the love of God until we are willing to sacrifice what we hold dear. We are to give everything to the Lord. We are to hold nothing back. It is only then that we can truly understand the love of God for us in Jesus! As his church we enjoy Christ’s presence through his love!
Paul was confident that Jewish and Gentile believers could function and love one another in the church. This is astounding and though it is not naturally possible, God is able to accomplish it. Paul knew it was possible because as a church…
III. We enjoy Christ’s presence through his power! (Vv. 20-21)
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
1. When Paul wrote about Jesus he often got excited. Right in the middle of his letter Paul gives his readers a doxology! A doxology is a short hymn of praises to God. And Paul just can’t help himself so he extols: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”! As mere human beings we have no real idea as to the ultimate power of God. Many in the world today dismiss him and his power as mere myth but to anyone who has experienced it firsthand knows the incredible dynamic nature of God’s presence in their lives! The problem often is that we are so narrow in our asking or in our conception of how God works. Paul told the Corinthians, who were caught up in themselves, “‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’--but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NIV)” Wow! You see Paul understood that it was not dependent upon what we thought about God, but rather it was “according to his power that is at work within us”! We cannot manufacture it, we cannot quantify what God has in store for us, nor can we perceive it in humanistic terminology! You can try to meditate until you think you levitate but it doesn’t matter to God! The right phraseology, the correct amount of ritual, or the well written hymn cannot come close! This is why Paul would all of sudden stop right in the middle of his letter and sing: “to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” Paul understood that we enjoy Christ’s presence through his power!
EXAMPLE: As a young boy we had planned as a family going camping at the beach. It was my first time. I had never been and I could not imagine how big it was nor how mighty the wind and waves were until I experienced it for myself. Not only did the sand go on for miles but the ocean was huge! For those who have never experienced the presence and power of God for themselves it is unimaginable. We enjoy Christ’s presence through his power!
Conclusion:
We enjoy Christ’s presence through our faith! We enjoy Christ’s presence through his love! We enjoy Christ’s presence through his power!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
March 1, 2020
There are things in this world that are hard to comprehend completely. The love we have for our children, the joy of seeing something beautiful in God’s creation, or the smells that linger in our minds that bring back memories: Aftershave, baking bread, the fresh smell of spring rain. We could explain them scientifically but that kind of lessens their impact. Their presence is enough to make us wonder.
As believers we can become so comfortable with the presence of Jesus we begin to neglect what this means. It is easy to do. We no longer think about how our smart phones, TVs, computers, microwaves or other devices we enjoy work. So not giving a second thought to a loving savior who died for us seems to be almost normal. Paul did not suffer from such familiarity. He wrote the Ephesians about the wonder of Christ’s presence in his church, let’s see how…
READ: Ephesians 3:14-21
Paul knew that because of Jesus “and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:12 NIV)” As a church therefore…
I. We enjoy Christ’s presence through our faith! (Vv. 14-17a)
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
1. For Paul what we enjoy in Jesus was totally amazing. Paul had grown up in a religion that required doing things in order for God to love you. It was full of ritual, it had become stale and much of it was manmade. This is why Paul told the Ephesians that it was “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” He knew he could go directly to God because God had reconciled both the Jews and non-Jews alike through Jesus and for Paul it was completely amazing! They were now part of God’s “family in heaven and on earth” because of Jesus’ sacrifice! Paul therefore desired that they might genuinely know and experience Christ’s love and then exhibit it toward one another. His presence in the church, his body, did this wonderful thing! For Paul it meant that all of God’s creation was now united in him! Paul was not teaching that God was a physical father but that he was now our Father because of our faith in Jesus we became his children. John would write that “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12 NIV). All of what God promised is now enjoyed, inherited, by his children. So Paul now prayed “that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” This is how we became part of his family through our faith! As his church we enjoy Christ’s presence through our faith!
EXAMPLE: What Noah could not fathom, what Moses stood in bare feet before, what David could only sing about, and the Prophets only predict we now fully enjoy! Knowing God through faith and having it certain and sealed in us is amazing! We enjoy Christ’s presence through our faith!
I just read another wishy-washy sermon concerning the love of God and it proved just how theologically corrupt many pastors are. Love, when it is used in the Scriptures, especially the New Testament, is sacrificial love; therefore as a church…
II. We enjoy Christ’s presence through his love! (Vv. 17b-18)
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
1. Paul would write the Galatians that “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision (being Jewish and following a bunch of religious laws) nor uncircumcision (being non-Jewish and not following any religious laws) has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6 NIV)” That expressed love is Jesus. Jesus would teach: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (John 15:9 NIV)” And because of that love we are to love God completely and our neighbors as we do ourselves. Do not ever forget that this is a sacrificial love. It costs us just as it cost Jesus. We cannot do it on our own so this is why Paul would write the Ephesians “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love”. Paul knew that believers had to be “rooted”, that is firmly planted, and “established” or grounded in Jesus’ sacrificial “love”! It is only then that we can know and enjoy what comes with this knowledge. Paul wanted believers to have the ability to comprehend or the “power” to understand “together with all the saints” what they indeed enjoyed in Jesus! Paul desired his readers “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ”! This loving sacrifice is beyond our imagination or comprehension! Whatever Paul had gained in this world he now considered worthless! Paul would tell the Philippians, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8 NIV)! Paul wanted the Ephesians “to know this love” that “surpasses knowledge--that [they] may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”! As his church we enjoy Christ’s presence through his love!
EXAMPLE: I will never forget the words a mother uttered concerning her soldier son when he was killed in action. She related, “I now understand what sacrifice means.” She went on to relate that her love for her son became very real when she learned of his death. We cannot fully understand the love of God until we are willing to sacrifice what we hold dear. We are to give everything to the Lord. We are to hold nothing back. It is only then that we can truly understand the love of God for us in Jesus! As his church we enjoy Christ’s presence through his love!
Paul was confident that Jewish and Gentile believers could function and love one another in the church. This is astounding and though it is not naturally possible, God is able to accomplish it. Paul knew it was possible because as a church…
III. We enjoy Christ’s presence through his power! (Vv. 20-21)
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
1. When Paul wrote about Jesus he often got excited. Right in the middle of his letter Paul gives his readers a doxology! A doxology is a short hymn of praises to God. And Paul just can’t help himself so he extols: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”! As mere human beings we have no real idea as to the ultimate power of God. Many in the world today dismiss him and his power as mere myth but to anyone who has experienced it firsthand knows the incredible dynamic nature of God’s presence in their lives! The problem often is that we are so narrow in our asking or in our conception of how God works. Paul told the Corinthians, who were caught up in themselves, “‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’--but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NIV)” Wow! You see Paul understood that it was not dependent upon what we thought about God, but rather it was “according to his power that is at work within us”! We cannot manufacture it, we cannot quantify what God has in store for us, nor can we perceive it in humanistic terminology! You can try to meditate until you think you levitate but it doesn’t matter to God! The right phraseology, the correct amount of ritual, or the well written hymn cannot come close! This is why Paul would all of sudden stop right in the middle of his letter and sing: “to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” Paul understood that we enjoy Christ’s presence through his power!
EXAMPLE: As a young boy we had planned as a family going camping at the beach. It was my first time. I had never been and I could not imagine how big it was nor how mighty the wind and waves were until I experienced it for myself. Not only did the sand go on for miles but the ocean was huge! For those who have never experienced the presence and power of God for themselves it is unimaginable. We enjoy Christ’s presence through his power!
Conclusion:
We enjoy Christ’s presence through our faith! We enjoy Christ’s presence through his love! We enjoy Christ’s presence through his power!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
Comments