Immeasurable power
Praying for wealth II
The letter of Ephesians starts with praise to God for the wealth He has given us through the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This wealth is spiritual and eternal, but like any wealth we need to use it, what good is horded wealth which lies unused. Paul prays that the Church will know the hope, riches and power that God gives. Every member of His Church needs this knowledge, and needs to cry out to God, asking for Him to work His immeasurable power to build up the Church to His glory.
Scripture
Ephesians 1:17-20 ESV 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, 18 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, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
Bible Study Questions
The value of a knowledge of God
Moses asked to see God’s glory, didn’t get to see His face with his own eyes, instead God revealed His character. He saw God with the eyes of His heart, seeing God this way means knowing Him. We can only know God when we have been reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ, why did Jesus say that eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent?
Ephesians 1:17-20 ESV 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, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,
Exodus 33:18-20 ESV Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”
Exodus 34:6-7 ESV The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
John 17:3 ESV And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
What is our hope?
Hope isn’t wishing it’s waiting, it is trust in the word, character and power of God. God has promised, His promises never fail because He is good and all powerful. John sums up our hope by defining it as the belief that we will be made like Jesus. Why is this the perfect summary of our hope?
that you may know what is the hope
1 John 3:2-3 ESV Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Romans 8:29-30 ESV 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. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
The value of His calling
The Greek word for Church is made up of two words meaning called out. What are we as the Church called out to be?
to which he has called you,
Colossians 3:15 ESV And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
The value of His inheritance (who’s inheritance?)
We are promised an inherited Kingdom as adopted children of God through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are also “His inheritance”, how are we the body of Christ the inheritance of Jesus Christ?
what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
John 17:1-3 ESV When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
The immeasurable power towards us
Immeasurable power is difficult to define since by definition, it can’t be measured. Why does God empower with this great strength?
19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,
Acts 1:8 ESV But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Colossians 1:9-12 ESV And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
The power to raise the dead
Two clear applications of the power that God worked in Jesus Christ are give. What is the first outworking of His great power, and how does this relate to that same power working in us?
according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead
Mark 5:39-42 ESV And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.
Colossians 2:13-15 ESV And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
The power of the King at His right hand
The second outworking of power in Jesus is to have seated Him at His right hand. How does this outworking of power in Jesus apply to us as the Church?
and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
Matthew 19:28 ESV Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Revelation 3:20-21 ESV Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.