February 26, 2023
Morning Service

Today we complete our spiritual inventory with the help of Paul.  It has been a time for us to reflect and bring to our remembrance the many blessings God has given to those who have accepted His gift of salvation and now follow Him.  We were each chosen by God, had our salvation given to us freely, are given a hope and knowledge that our future is bright and we are even indwelled by the Holy Spirit which not only seals us as belonging to God but also guides and empowers us in our journey.  All of this was done not because we deserve it but through God’s grace, His unmerited favor towards us.  Last week we reviewed that we are not alone on our journey to God but walk alongside our brothers and sisters from all over the world having been reconciled through Christ.  We are each being “fitted together growing into a holy temple.”  We are given the same Spirit, follow the same Savior and serve the same God.  Paul closes our inventory building upon that point as we begin chapter 3 today by giving a part of his testimony.

Eph. 3:1-6 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—  (2)  if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,  (3)  how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,  (4)  by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),  (5)  which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:  (6)  that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

            Paul was imprisoned at this time awaiting trial on charges brought against him by the religious leaders accusing him of leading a rebellion among the Jews.  He did not use this time to worry about his future, but used it to write several letters like this to churches he had visited (taking something ugly and making it beautiful).  He also was confident he was exactly where God wanted him.  He used this unique opportunity to minister to those around him and any suffering that he had to endure was simply part of his journey to fulfill his calling.  He was sharing “the mystery” of God’s plan that was now being revealed to all.  The gospel message was being proclaimed to everyone, even the Gentiles were now included as it was designed from the very beginning of time.  Paul now explains that he was the chosen apostle to share the good news with them.

 

Eph. 3:7-13 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.  (8)  To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,  (9)  and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;  (10)  to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,  (11)  according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,  (12)  in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.  (13)  Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

            Paul was humbled by the calling he had been given through the “effective working of God’s power.”  God had called him, a strict Pharisee who despised Gentiles, to become the one who reached out to them reconciling them through Christ.  Think of this the next time the Spirit asks you to do something you feel is outside your comfort zone.  He was given the task to “make all see” the reality that God’s plan of salvation which had been hidden was now being made know to the church.  Everyone was given the opportunity to come to God with “boldness and access with confidence through faith in Jesus.”  As part of our spiritual inventory we can add that we have been blessed with a “confident boldness that we have access to Jesus through our faith in Him.”  We are to know Him and walk confidently with Him not with doubt wavering in fear, but we have a KNOW SO SALVATION!  Paul now prays for us to have that confidence in our relationship with Jesus.

 

Eph. 3:14-17 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15) from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (16) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, (17) that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

            Paul prays that we would be “strengthened in the inner man.” How?  Through the Spirit!  We grow spiritually from the inside out through the working of the Holy Spirit within us.  He prays that the Spirit strengthens us spiritually to grow allowing Christ to “dwell in our heart through faith” digging our roots deeply in Him knowing above all the He loves us.  Paul’s prayer continues as he prays that we be able to comprehend the love God has for us.

 

 Eph. 3:18-19 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— (19) to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  

            Paul prays that we be given the ability to wrap our minds around the size of God’s love for us.  That is a tall task that I am assured that until we see His face we will not fully understand how great His love truly is.  As Paul told the Corinthians “we now see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face we shall know as we are known.” (I Cor. 13:12) The width, length, depth and height of His love cannot be measured.  (Read Rom 8) We are to seek God to be able to “know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.”   The comprehension of God’s love for us at a greater level brings us to a point of being “filled with the fullness of God.”  That is what we strive for perfection.  To have every action, word and breath of ours to be dominated by our love for God.  It is a lofty goal to seek, but one we must set.  I’m not there yet.  I am far closer than I was, but I still have a way to go.  God is still working on me.  How about you this morning?  Is there room for you to grow to attain being filled with the fullness of God?  I have found that He does His best work when things are tough when life around me is more than I can handle.  It is in those moments that I cry out to Him for strength, guidance, and reassurance that I am on the right path.  He hears me and reminds me that He is always with me and is able to do far more than I am asking of Him.  There are depths and heights that I have not yet experienced and through the pain life brings me He is taking me there.  Listen how Paul closes this chapter with a word of praise on that thought and a directive for us.

 

Eph. 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (21) to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

            We often limit God by dwelling on our own shortcomings.  There is a limit to what I am able to do.  God has no such limits as He is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.”  His power exceeds abundantly what I ask Him to do.  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” (Phil. 4:13) This promise has me to only be willing and believe that Christ can do it.  We are a winning combination, but it is Him that carries me through.  Don’t apply your limitations to God, He has none.

 Notice how Paul directs us as the church to bring Jesus glory to all generations to come in verse 21.  When we comprehend the love God has for us it allows us to open our heart for the Spirit to work in us and through us; filling us with His fullness.  It is then that we can do what we were created to be as a part of His church and that is to bring Him glory in this moment and for the time yet to come.  We are to walk in such a way, led by the Spirit, that we invest in and influence those around us to join us in this journey to see Jesus.  Do people see Jesus in you?  Are you striving to be filled with the fullness of God?  Don’t just dabble in your faith wading in the water up to your ankles.  Dive in!  Give Him your everything and hold nothing back.  Don’t go to God and settle for ¼ of a tank, ask Him to fill you up even to overflowing.  You will not regret it, but you will only wish you had done it sooner.

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us in such an exceedingly abundant way!  Open our spiritual eyes and our hearts to grasp at least a portion of that magnitude of that love.  Let that comprehension then lead us to cry as the song says “Fill my cup Lord!”