This week we are focusing on Ephesians 3:14-21, the text that Pastor Rob will teach from on Sunday, November 21.

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 ²⁰Now 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, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

The first three chapters of Ephesians offer two of the most profound and exhilarating prayers in the entire Bible. The first is found in chapter 1, verses 15-23, and the second is the text above that we will read and study throughout this week.

In each case, the prayer is preceded by a passage packed with powerful truth which moves Paul to pray.

Look again at the first three words of today's text and the three that begin his prayer in chapter 1. In each instance, just before he prays for the Ephesian believers, Paul has explained to his readers what God has done for them in Christ. In chapter 1 he spelled out the Father's amazing plan of redemption, the riches of God's grace, and all that is ours in Christ.

In the verses preceding the prayer we're studying this week, we've read of the creation-in Christ-of an entirely new society, the church, where ethnic and religious divisions are wiped away, where unity and peace reign, and where Christ's followers are now being built together into a dwelling in which God Himself lives!

 "For this reason," Paul writes--because in Christ the walking dead are now alive, those who were far away have been brought near, the separated are now united, and the isolated and alone are now included in God's very own family. "For this reason, I kneel before the Father."

What do we do with new truth we learn about God, His character, His provision on our behalf, His promises to us? We need to make it personal, letting our reading and studying of God's Word lead to praising, asking, and open-hearted listening to God in prayer.

Father,

The profound truths of Ephesians are just words to me until Your Spirit opens the eyes of my heart, focusing my wandering attention, strengthening my wavering will, transforming my good intentions into Spirit-led actions. Today and throughout this week, I ask that Your Spirit will translate the truths of these verses, working through me and in me, to accomplish Your purpose for me and for Your Church.

Amen

Pastor Rob will teach from Ephesians 3:14-21 on Sunday, November 21. Please read and meditate on these verses, today in the New Living Translation.

 ¹⁴When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, ¹⁵the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. ¹⁶I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. ¹⁸And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 ²⁰Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ²¹Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

What we pray for says a lot about what's important to us. Our prayers show what we care about so deeply that we seek God's intervention in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

It is interesting to note that Paul's prayer as recorded in these verses mentions nothing of the physical or material needs of his readers. How sharply that contrasts to the things that most often drive us to our knees. In this prayer, Paul is focused with laser-like precision on the spiritual condition of the Christians at Ephesus. He prays that they would:

•  be strengthened by God's Spirit within them.
•  truly know and experience the love of Christ.
•  experience the fullness of God.
  

As you pray this week for family members, friends, and others-yes, pray about their life challenges, their health issues, their financial needs-but let God's Spirit lead you to pray, as Paul did, with equal or even greater intensity for the condition of their "inner man," for the spiritual battles they face, for their role in God's plan of redemption, and for His power to be at work in the circumstances of their lives, to accomplish His purpose and for His glory.

Father,

Give me a heart like Paul's for the people You've brought into my life-a passion to see my friends, my family, my coworkers, and all the people for whom I pray come to know You better and love You more. Refocus my prayer, for myself and for others, on the things that matter most to You.

Amen

This is the text that Pastor Rob will teach from on Sunday, November 21.

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 ²⁰Now 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, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Paul was acutely aware of his own need, and the need of his readers, for supernatural power. Reread the text to find how many times Paul asks God for "power" for these believers. Why? Because it is only by the power of His Spirit within us that we experience Christ at work in our lives (v. 16-17).

In our own human strength and mental capacity, Paul says, we can't even get a handle on what it means to have God so love us that He sent His Son to die for us, or that He loved us even when we were repulsively dead in our sins. Outside of the power of His Spirit, we can't even begin to grasp the dimension of His love for us, and certainly can't translate that love into a God-like love for others.

We can read all about Christ's love that took Him to the cross in our place. We can even feel some emotion about it if we allow our thoughts to linger on how much He must have suffered for us. But to really take hold of the reality of how much He loves us, we need to get beyond our human limitations. To grasp the size and dimensions of His love-and be transformed by that understanding-we need the power of God's Spirit within us.

Without His power and the work of His Spirit in us, we can't even begin to comprehend "how wide and long and high and deep" the love of Christ is-to say nothing of being able to extend His love to others-particularly those who may be different from us, hard to love, difficult to relate to, or even hateful toward us.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened," Jesus invites us in Matthew 11:28, "and I will give you rest." Not "try harder or carry more," but, "ask and receive-and let your imagination run wild, because I can do more working through you than what you could imagine and much, much more!"

Father,

Most of the time, my life is too much about trying and too little about depending. Right now I admit my need for Your power. Lead me today to Your "glorious riches" and make me strong with Your power. In Your power, I want to know the intensity of Your love and to communicate that love to the people You bring into my life today.

Amen

Please read Ephesians 3:14-21. This is the text that Pastor Rob will teach from on Sunday, November 21.

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 ²⁰Now 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, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

"Rooted and established." You don't need to know much about gardening or about plants to appreciate these words in verse 17. They describe what happens in our lives as we grow in Christ.

What does it mean to be "rooted"? Paul's words here evoke an image of a well-rooted tree-stabilized by a root system that is both broad and deep. Because of those deep roots that tree stands strong against storms. That tree also benefits from a deep resource of nourishment and sustenance.

The second part of this phrase, established, goes even further in creating an image of stability. Like a building with a strong foundation and solid construction, in Christ you are established, or as some translations say, grounded.

Sooner or later, Paul knew, these believers would experience painful and frightening circumstances. But in Christ's unfailing and limitless love there is stability, resilience, strength, nourishment-all that we need no matter what our circumstances today or what the future brings.

Father,

Thank you for Your love that brings stability to my life and is a source of strength whatever circumstances You allow into my life. In the calm times and in the storms, keep my thoughts fixed on who I am in Christ and all the resources that You have so graciously provided because You love me.

Amen

Please read Ephesians 3:14-21. This is the text that Pastor Rob will teach from on Sunday, November 21.

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 ²⁰Now 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, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

In verses 20 and 21 Paul concludes his prayer with the kind of blessing that a pastor might use at the end of a worship service. Perhaps you have even been in a service where Paul's powerful benediction-his doxology of praise-was repeated.

As he ends his prayer, he is also wrapping up the first half of his letter to the Ephesians, returning again to the grand picture of God's new society-the Church. It is in and through the Church, the body, and Jesus Christ, its Head, that God's plan of redemption is carried out.

"It is God's plan," writes Scottish Bible teacher William Barclay, "that all men and all nations should become one in Christ. To achieve this end Christ needs the Church to go out and tell men of His love and of His mercy. And the Church cannot do that, until its members, joined together in fellowship, experience the limitless love of Christ."

With all our flaws and failures, it is the church-God's flesh and blood family-which is called to express His glory. It is not because of who we are, but, "according to his power that is at work within us," that we are able to reflect His glory "throughout all generations," and on into eternity.

Father,

Thank you for choosing me to be a part of Your incredible plan. Help me to trust the truth of Your Word that tells me of Your love and that You are "able to do more than I could even ask or think." I believe that-even though I can't really understand it. Help me to experience Your love and learn to love You more.

Amen