KNOWING GOD BETTER

Rev Peter Smit

 

Sermon 2 of a series on Ephesians (Series title – “Ephesians: Portraits of the living church”)

 

Text – Ephesians 1:15-23

 

The title of this series on Ephesians is “Portraits of the living church.” The first portrait we looked at from the first half of Chapter 1 was of God’s amazing blessings poured out on us.

 

Today’s portrait is a picture on prayer.

 

When you pray for friends, family, parents, children, your church family what do you pray?

Common prayers that we often pray are for protection, guidance in decision making, blessing and provision of needs.

 

We have a lot to learn today from Paul’s prayer. It’s a great model for us.

 

Paul says…

Ephesians 1:15-16

¹⁵ For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶ I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

 

PAUL WAS MOTIVATED TO PRAY FOR TWO REASONS.

 

a) What God had done. ¹⁵ For this reason… refers back to verses 3 -14: God blessed you so richly when he chose, forgave and sealed you…

 

b) Because he heard reports of their sincere faith and love for God’s people.

 

If you feel a lack of motivation to pray, start meditating on what God has done for you. Develop an attitude of gratitude. This was Paul’s pattern.

 

In many of his letters, Romans, Corinthians, Philippians, Thessalonians, Philemon, Paul begins his letters with words like this.

 

1 Corinthians 1:4

⁴ I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

 

1 Thessalonians 1:2

² We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.

 

Paul had an attitude of gratitude. Every time prayed he thanked God for his work in the church.

 

When you lack motivation to pray, start thanking God for his work in the lives of your family, your friends, your church. Thank God for choosing them, forgiving them, sealing them with the Spirit.

Rejoice that God is pouring out his love into people’s hearts. Thank God for the love of Christ that is being displayed in his church.

 

At our church – Thank God for the love and hospitality extended in friendships and service. Thank God for the people he has saved in this community.

 

Pause to pray now for someone you know who has been a model of Christ to you.

A mentor, a parent, a friend, someone close to you whom God has saved. Thank God for them.

 

Thank God too for the practical love shown among God’s people here. For the care, concern, and grace that God is growing among us.

 

Pray…

 

Paul begins his prayer with thanks. Seek to begin your prayers with thanks for what God has done and what he is doing.

 

The second part of his prayer is what Paul asks of God.

 

Ephesians 1:17

¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,

 

Paul prays to God, our glorious Father. Our Father is glorious because he loves to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. He is glorious for his majesty but also his mercy.

 

Paul prays that God would send the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom. “Wisdom” is the Greek word Sophia, and it means knowledge and understanding to make good decisions and to act wisely.

 

The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of revelation; revealing the truth about God.

 

Why does Paul ask for revelation? Because God transformed Paul’s life with a revelation.

He wrote to the Galatians 1:11-12

 

¹¹ I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. ¹² I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

 

Without the Spirit giving wisdom and revealing truth to us we can’t understand the gospel.

 

1 Cor 2:14

¹⁴ The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

Paul’s prayer is vital for us to pray. That God would give us, our children, our families, our church family, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.

 

He also gives us the reason to pray this… so that you may know him better. So that we might have a clear perception of God, that we may come to understand him more and more.

 

There is so much to know about God. We will need eternity to just to begin to plumb the depths of who he is; his knowledge, his power, his wisdom, his love, his mercy.

But God is knowable. He has revealed himself to us.

 

In creation: what we call general revelation. In his word: special revelation. But it is possible, unfortunately, to read the word but not get to know God. You can read it but not hear Him.

 

This was exactly Jesus’ complaint against the Pharisees. John 5:39-40 ³⁹ You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, ⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

 

This is real danger, isn’t it? Young people go to Catechism or bible classes but are never truly converted, and live worldly lives. Adults can easily have heads full of Bible knowledge but no spiritual fruit. Churches can go through motions and religious rituals but no have life of the Spirit.

 

Why? We need to fervently pray for the Spirit to give wisdom and revelation so we might know God better. By the Spirit’s work we need to come to word not just to read it as a task, but to listen and hear Christ’s voice. Hear the Spirit speak into your heart through the word. We need God to reveal himself to us.

 

Come like Mary before Jesus ’ feet to listen and learn and grow.

 

Luke 10:41-42

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but only one thing is needed . Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

 

So Paul prays for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to come to us. But he goes on…

 

Ephesians 1:18-23

¹⁸ I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

 

Paul prays for heart revelation in order that you may know three things about God.

 

A) THE HOPE TO WHICH GOD CALLED YOU.

 

The hope of knowing that God called us, chose us and predestined us to be saved from before the foundation of the world. You are loved cherished and blessed by God.

 

The hope of knowing that you are now part of God’s eternal kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:12. The hope of knowing that we are called to be free. Galatians 5:13

 

Hope is so important.

It’s the one thing that enables us to endure – to persevere under the most difficult trials.

 

In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl, argued that the “loss of hope and courage can have a deadly effect on man.” As a result of his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp, Frankl contended that when a man no longer possesses a motive for living, no future to look toward, he curls up in a corner and dies. “Any attempt to restore a man’s inner strength in camp,” he wrote, “had first to succeed in showing him some future goal.” Hope: It’s so crucial!

 

Why could the early Christians face their martyrdom with peace? – hope.

Why can Christians who suffer debilitating illness still radiate joy? – hope.

 

I remember hearing the story of Dianna Thomas, the Christian missionary captured by the Taliban and in fear of execution saying that they prayed and sang and worshipped during their capture and had deep and abiding joy. Why? Hope.

 

Hope in God, Hope in Christ. Hope that God had called them and would never leave them.

Paul prays for revelation that you might have this hope.

 

The next thing Paul prays that they would see with their heart is

 

B) THE INHERITANCE WHICH GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.

the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

 

Have you thought about the inheritance God has for you lately?

Paul describes it as rich and glorious.

 

1 Peter 1:4 says by faith in Christ you have…

“an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you”

 

You’ll receive it in full, when Jesus comes again.

And this rich inheritance is God’s gift to you. You didn’t qualify for it.

God in his grace qualified you by choosing you.

 

Colossians 1:12

…the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

 

This inheritance is far more than material blessings like gold or silver.

The rich and glorious inheritance is: that we will see God!

We shall be like Jesus, with an eternal body and a holy character.

We shall enjoy perfect fellowship with God and each other.

Every moment of every day will be filled with God’s love.

 

The sense of emotional connectedness, of tranquility, and fulfillment that is tasted in the deep and intimate love of a husband and wife is a picture of the complete unity and joy that you will experience in relationship with God. Church life is just a glimpse of the wonder of your inheritance in Christ.

 

Paul prays that God would help you see it in your heart by faith. That it would captivate you and encourage you.

 

The last thing Paul prays you will see with the eyes of their heart is…

 

C) THE POWER WHICH GOD EXERTS FOR YOU.

and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

 

Know and receive the power of God. Paul describes the greatness of God’s power in three ways:

 

That power is like the working of his mighty strength, ²⁰ which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead

• This is Resurrection power. Power over death – over sin. Power of eternal life.

 

… and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms

• Enthronement power. Authority and power over all things: demons, angels, all human institutions, governments, kings, rulers. Not just now but in the age to come. There is no higher authority than Jesus.

• ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

 

²² And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

• Headship power over his church. Jesus has been appointed head of his church. We are connected to him as a body is to its head. The fullness of God’s love, provision, care spiritual blessings, spiritual life – it all overflows from Jesus and fills his church in every way.

 

These are reminders of the incomparably great power of God for us who believe.

If God had the power to raise Jesus, enthrone him, make him head over the church. If there is no higher authority, no greater king who has complete power and rule, then isn’t God able to deal with all your struggles? Doesn’t he have the power to supply all you need in every situation?

 

Paul’s praying that you will know these truths in your heart. That God would reveal them to you in your mind. He prays that the Spirit of Christ will uncover and pour out Christ’s wisdom and understanding.

So that in your heart you can be confident of God’s love, promise and power.

 

What would this church look like if every member was deeply thankful to God daily for his saving them?

 

What would the spiritual atmosphere of this fellowship be like if:

 

• We were continually overflowing with hope because of God’s calling on our lives.

• Our minds focused regularly on the glorious inheritance that awaits us.

• We faced every obstacle relying on the incomparably great power God. Confident that his resurrection, enthronement and headship over the church means he has great power for us as we serve Him in this kingdom work.

 

This church would be full of the glory and power of God.

Anxiety would reduce, fears recede, anger retreat, and God’s light would shine brighter in his bride the church.

 

Mission, discipleship, fellowship, worship and service would flow like a mighty river.

But all this blessing comes from knowing God.

And knowing God comes by revelation.

And revelation comes when the church prays and God sends his Spirit.

 

Today, God is calling us to do two things.

1. Continually give thanks. Attitude of gratitude.

2. And keep on asking God to help us get to know him better.

 

Pause now to think of a few people you want to pray for the spirit of wisdom and revelation to help them get to know God better.

Name them in your heart,

Ask Jesus to send his Spirit to reveal God’s power and love to them.

 

Pray…