Ephesians 1:18-23 says...
Today's verses are Ephesians 1:18-23, which read,
v.18-19a - I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
Paul is continuing his prayer for the Christians in the church in Ephesus. He started with the prayer asking for their wisdom, that is knowledge applied, and revelation, that is spoken witness, to increase through the knowledge of God.
Now Paul prays that they would know the hope of God's calling, the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power toward those who believe. He is praying that they will know in their hearts the assurance of God's call on their lives; he is praying that they will know in their hearts the assurance of a heavenly home prepared and sealed by God; and he is praying that they will know in their hearts the assurance of God's power revealed through their lives as God's children. Again, this is probably something that we should be praying for each other more than we probably are.
v.19b-21 - These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about 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 every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Paul is letting the Christians know that the reason we can know of God's calling, receive eternal life and see the power of God in our lives is because God sent His Son to die on the cross as the sacrifice for our sin; God raised His Son from the dead and now Jesus is seated at His right hand (the place of authority) in the heavenly places; and Jesus has authority over all not only in this age but also the one to come so another age is coming. What Paul is praying about for the Christians is prayed for because of what has been provided by God and through the cross of Christ. They are meaningless words without God's prior action, an action prior to our response, of love to us through the just sacrifice of His Son.
v.22, 23 - And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Paul continues to speak of the authority of Christ Jesus as he brings the church into the equation. Jesus' authority is over the church. What Jesus' says goes in the church because the church is His body fulfilled through our obedience to the call of God and being in subjection to love God and love others. There is not another head of the church because the head of God's church is the One who fills all in all. It is Jesus' sacrifice alone that was required for our salvation and no other sacrifice will do.
Is Jesus prominent in your life? Is Jesus prominent in your church? Is Jesus prominent in your words and actions? Are you under the supreme authority of Jesus Christ and being subject to His Word? All these questions flow out of this prayer that Paul has for the Christians in Ephesus. What we receive is because of what Christ has done and who He is.
Lastly, I am very thankful for those who read this e-mail and blog. I know that I am not alone as I type these words while walking through the books of the Bible. I want you to know that I am learning along with you and God's Word is springing forth in life anew as I am studying and typing along. Thanks for being a faithful reader or listener to this exercise of spiritual discipline to know God more.
"Lord, again we are convicted to pray prayers for ourselves and others that are more spiritual in nature. Help us to focus on the spiritual lives of those around us. Help us to include in our prayers to pray for things of eternal consequences. Those things are directly hinged and possible only because of You and Your love for us demonstrated through Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for such a precious gift. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.18-19a - I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
Paul is continuing his prayer for the Christians in the church in Ephesus. He started with the prayer asking for their wisdom, that is knowledge applied, and revelation, that is spoken witness, to increase through the knowledge of God.
Now Paul prays that they would know the hope of God's calling, the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power toward those who believe. He is praying that they will know in their hearts the assurance of God's call on their lives; he is praying that they will know in their hearts the assurance of a heavenly home prepared and sealed by God; and he is praying that they will know in their hearts the assurance of God's power revealed through their lives as God's children. Again, this is probably something that we should be praying for each other more than we probably are.
v.19b-21 - These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about 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 every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Paul is letting the Christians know that the reason we can know of God's calling, receive eternal life and see the power of God in our lives is because God sent His Son to die on the cross as the sacrifice for our sin; God raised His Son from the dead and now Jesus is seated at His right hand (the place of authority) in the heavenly places; and Jesus has authority over all not only in this age but also the one to come so another age is coming. What Paul is praying about for the Christians is prayed for because of what has been provided by God and through the cross of Christ. They are meaningless words without God's prior action, an action prior to our response, of love to us through the just sacrifice of His Son.
v.22, 23 - And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Paul continues to speak of the authority of Christ Jesus as he brings the church into the equation. Jesus' authority is over the church. What Jesus' says goes in the church because the church is His body fulfilled through our obedience to the call of God and being in subjection to love God and love others. There is not another head of the church because the head of God's church is the One who fills all in all. It is Jesus' sacrifice alone that was required for our salvation and no other sacrifice will do.
Is Jesus prominent in your life? Is Jesus prominent in your church? Is Jesus prominent in your words and actions? Are you under the supreme authority of Jesus Christ and being subject to His Word? All these questions flow out of this prayer that Paul has for the Christians in Ephesus. What we receive is because of what Christ has done and who He is.
Lastly, I am very thankful for those who read this e-mail and blog. I know that I am not alone as I type these words while walking through the books of the Bible. I want you to know that I am learning along with you and God's Word is springing forth in life anew as I am studying and typing along. Thanks for being a faithful reader or listener to this exercise of spiritual discipline to know God more.
"Lord, again we are convicted to pray prayers for ourselves and others that are more spiritual in nature. Help us to focus on the spiritual lives of those around us. Help us to include in our prayers to pray for things of eternal consequences. Those things are directly hinged and possible only because of You and Your love for us demonstrated through Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for such a precious gift. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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