April 1, 2002
LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for April 14
Keys to moving from the good life to a great life
___Ephesians 3:14-21
___By Roy Cotton
___BGCT DFW/Metroplex Church Starting Center Consultant
___God desires his people to experience the fullness of his blessings in Jesus Christ. Today's lesson completes the doctrinal portion of Ephesians.
___"Good is the enemy of great," according to Jim Collins, author of "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't." The same can be stated for most Christians. We are meant for greatness in relation to the fullness of the blessings available in Christ, but some believers never experience what these blessings are beyond salvation itself. Why? Perhaps it is because they have never grown in their relationship with Christ.
___The lesson outline, according to the LifeWay commentator, has four parts: The Father who blesses; the steps to God's blessings; the limitlessness of God's blessings; and the assurance of God's blessings. Let the journey begin.
___The Father who blesses
___"For this reason" (v. 14), is the continuation of what Paul began in verse 1. Paul did not finish the statement initially, because of the need to expound on his calling as "the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles" (v. 1). The phrase "for this reason" is based on all that has been expounded in verses 2-13. Having established what this means to the Gentiles, he now shares the second prayer he has for the church.
___Notice Paul's posture for prayer (v. 14). "I kneel before the Father" (NIV), and in the New American Standard, "I bow my knees before the Father." The Bible does not give specific instructions on the posture of prayer. Abraham stood before the Lord (Genesis 18:22); Moses "hid his face" (Exodus 3:6). God is not moved by the posture of our physical body in prayer, but that we bow our hearts and wills to the Lord.
___For the Gentiles to have the right along with Jews to call God "Father" is further evidence of the fact that in Christ "Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (v. 6).
___Paul, in Romans 8:15, states we have received adoption as sons of God and with that the privilege to cry, "Abba, Father." The meaning of "Abba," describes an intimate relationship of love and fellowship with God the Father, through his Son and in the Holy Spirit.
___I was blessed to have had a kind and loving earthly father. Much of my understanding of the heavenly father was shaped in my dad.
___Steps to God's blessings
___Paul's prayer (vv. 16-19) is not for himself but for the church. Debbie Chisolm, minister of youth and adult education at Royal Lane Baptist in Dallas, states, "Praying for others is a joyful privilege." Many Christians do not experience this joy because of prayers of supplication on their own behalf.
___Prayer is not about us. As was stated previously, Paul mentioned the Ephesians by name in his prayers (1:16). Intercessory prayer is one of the evidences of a maturing, growing Christian. How much of your prayers do you spend in petition for other persons outside your immediate circle of family and friends? Take a few minutes to pray for others (by name) right now.
___The prayer of Paul for the church was for their inner strength "with power through His Spirit" (v. 16). The petition is based on God's "glorious riches" for the church. Paul's concern is that the Ephesians will make Christ welcome in their hearts to take up permanent residence (v. 17). That is the first step to the blessings in Christ.
___The second prayer is that the church (Christians) will be "rooted and grounded in love" (v. 17). "Rooted" is an agricultural term. In order for a plant to grow to its fullest potential its roots must be deep in good soil to receive proper nourishment. "Grounded" has an architectural implication. It implies a building's foundations--the most important part of a building. For the Christian, our rooting and grounding in the love of Christ, will help us be able "to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (v. 18).
___The limitlessness of God's blessings
___Verse 19 is the key to experiencing God's blessings. There is a God-sized vacuum in every person. God can fill that vacuum only as a result of faith in Jesus Christ. It is an amazing thought that we can be "filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." The church is called "the fullness of Christ who fills all in all" (1:23). The verse indicates that Christ has filled the church with all kinds of gifts; he dwells in it and completes it.
___The assurance of God's blessings
___The chapter ends with a beautiful doxology, "Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly" (vv. 20-21). The literal meaning is, "God is able to do exceedingly, above the greatest abundance, superabundantly over and above." In this benediction, Paul gives the Ephesians "an ascription of praise." William Barclay suggests "God can do for us more than we can dream of, and he does it for us in the church and in Christ."
___Questions for discussion
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