Unity – Week 3
Pastor Davis Moore
Passage:
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in all of my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Eph. 1:15-21)
The three things Paul prays for are:
- The HOPE of your calling
- The INHERITANCE of Christ
- The POWER He works within you.
HOPE:
He says I pray “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,
- The first thing that Paul prays that God gives them and us revelation on – is that we may know the hope that he has called us to –
- When Paul says hope in this context – he is not talking about that – he is not saying “the hope that things will maybe turn out ok”
- No the hope that he is talking about is confident – in fact the greek word for hope in this context means
- “a joyful expectation and confidence of eternal salvation.”
- No the hope that he is talking about is confident – in fact the greek word for hope in this context means
Paul explains this hope more in Romans 8 – if you would turn with me – keep a finger in Ephesians – I will skip around a little because this a long section
- “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. for the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God…and not just creation but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. (medley of 8:18-25)
- He says here – all of us – every person – even creation itself longs for that day of glory to come when everything will be made right –
- “Likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep or words…
- He says this isn’t a far off hope – but a present one – he says remember how I said you were sealed for the day of redemption in Ephesians 1 and that you were given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of the inheritance – That spirit is not silent – when you look at the mess that is your life and you look up at heaven and it feels like God is silent – when you have no idea what to do – what to say – what to pray – that spirit intercedes for you in ways so deep words couldn’t describe it.
- And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who loved God and who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (medley of 26-30)
- Paul in this passage what is he talking about in Ephesians about the “hope” that we are called to. That our trials and heartbreaks and disappointments – no matter how big of a hole the cannonball left – no matter how much blood there is on the floor – It doesn’t get the last word.
- HOPE is confidence rooted in God’s promises.
INHERITANCE:
I pray that you see “what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”
- What’s interesting here is Paul pivots away from the believers – to Christ – notice it doesn’t say – the riches of our inheritance- it says the riches of his inheritance
- A redeemed people – who are united – not around a flag of denominations – or race – or language – but a redeemed people of God united around Himself and the Gospel.
POWER:
I pray that you may see “what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”
- the last thing that Paul prays for us to know and to understand and walk in – is the power that he works within right now. Earlier we talked about the hope of the future is a present hope – this is part of that.
And to give you a clue of the power that he is working in you right now – if you are a believer – is the same power that rose Jesus from the dead – and seated him up in the heavens. Yeah that power – that limitless, unending, raw, resurrecting power – is the same power that he is working in you and me this morning.
- And Paul’s prayer for us – and my for us – is that we see it – and walk in it.
Church – your identity as a Christian has so much to it than you get to go to heaven when you die. You have access to a living hope that is tangible and accessible every moment of the day – you are a part of Christ’s inheritance in this world – and you have access to God’s power as you become more like him – And Calls us to embrace these things and walk in them. Church will you walk in them today?