Join us in this episode of Expository Truths as Dr. John Kyle takes us on an enlightening journey through a passage in Ephesians. We dive deeply into Paul’s prayer, exploring the profound mysteries unveiled and the spiritual riches that are accessible to believers. Dr. Kyle meticulously explains the powerful presence of God within us and the implications it has for our spiritual walk and growth.
Welcome to Expository Truths, where we exalt Christ by bringing clarity of truth through the scriptures with Dr. John Kyle, pastor of Faith Community Church in Vacaville. As Christians, we’re called to know the truth and be able to proclaim it. We can know truth when we know the Word of God, which is precise, without error, and powerful and effective for both salvation and spiritual growth. Enjoy digging deeply with Dr. Kyle as he takes us verse by verse through the powerful book of Ephesians, giving us a marvelous summary of the good news of Christ and its implications for our daily lives.
SPEAKER 02 :
Please turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 3, verses 14 through 17. Ephesians 3, 14-17. The letter of Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul to the Christians living in the city of Ephesus. Paul wrote this while he was under house arrest in Rome. He wrote it to lay a proper doctrinal foundation for these believers, chapters 1-3, so they could then live out those doctrines for the glory of God, chapters 4-6. If you remember, Paul began by giving praise to God. He then gave a great prayer for the Ephesians. And then he went on and reminded the readers more than once of what they once were before Christ rescued them, so they would then be captivated by Christ and what He’s done for them in saving them for the eternal wages of their sin. The call now is to respond accordingly. How? By loving God and loving others. By doing good and godly works that glorify His name. And by being good stones in the temple that God is building. As he began chapter 3, Paul wanted to give another wonderful prayer for these Ephesian Christians. But before he got to that prayer, he got sidetracked for 13 verses. Remember that? What sidetracked him? This. The amazing mystery that’s now been revealed that both Jewish believers and Gentile believers, people who once hated one another, they would be the ones who would make up the church, the people of God. That’s something that amazed the angels. It’s something that should amaze us as well. What an awesome, incredible God we have. Paul finally gets to his prayer for the Ephesian Christians in verse 14. Let’s look at that. Look what it says. For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love. And we’re going to stop there. Here in the first part of this prayer, we first see the wonderful fact that Paul bows a knee to God. Look what he says about the God that he’s praying to. First, look, He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You say, no, John, it just says that He’s the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s true. But in chapter 2, verse 17, it says that He’s the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. And there’s many times where it says that God is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, including chapter 1, verse 3. So I wanted to look at both of those things because they really go together. It’s very interesting, isn’t it? I mean, how is God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, the God of God the Son, the second person of the Trinity? Right? I mean, each person of the Godhead is equal, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So how is God, the God and Father of Jesus, God the Son? Here’s the biblical truth. The God of the Bible is one God who eternally exists in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Spirit. Each is God fully and completely, and each is worthy of our love and worship, for each member of the Godhead is working… A great work to choose us, to save us, and to bring us safely home to glory. And Paul’s praying to that one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The only God, the all-powerful God, who cares so very much for us. But look, not only is He the… good father for you as a Christian, but He’s also the good father of every true believer, and we in Christ are part of a vast and glorious family. See, God is the Father from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. What does that mean? I think it’s clear that this is talking about believers only, or specifically. How God is the Father… The spiritual father to his believing children. And his believing children are his sons and daughters and are a part of his eternal family. See, he is the Abba father only to Christians, only to those that he has redeemed, only to those that he died for to save. And so every family in heaven and earth refers specifically to the saints of every age. To those now in heaven and those saints who are still remaining on earth. As one said, every family of believers is a part of the one spiritual family of God in which there are many members, but only one father and one brotherhood. That’s right. How good is that? Think about this. As the redeemed of the Lord, the saved, despite our past sins and despite our personal differences, we are family, whether you like it or not. We are family. Brothers and sisters in Christ and members of the household of God. When once our father was the devil. When once we were by nature objects of wrath. When once we had no hope. When once we were doomed forever. And this reality should cause all of us to be in a perpetual state of amazement and awe. Look what God has done for us. Note how all true believers in heaven and earth are named after him. What does that mean? Well, when you were born, your parents gave you a name. It was a custom in Paul’s day that the family name was to continue through the father to his child. Well, spiritually speaking, every true believer in history derives its name from God. We are his children. We belong to him. And that reality blows Paul away. And it’s to this sovereign and good God that Paul, and very personal God, that Paul prays the following prayer. Let’s look at the first three things that Paul prays for in verses 16 through 17. That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man. So first, look at this. Paul prays that they would be strengthened with might. That He, God, would grant you, give to you, bestow upon you, according to the riches of His glory, which is a lot, right? The riches of God’s glory? Right? That’s a lot, right? What’s that? Only the sum total of His attributes. Look, because God Himself is infinite and eternal, His glory then is inexhaustible. And good news, God shares His inexhaustible gifts to His beloved children with great generosity. He gives to us generously. Like what? Like His love. Anybody? Anybody? We’re going to talk about that more a little bit later today, in a couple minutes, and then next week. And His peace, and His grace, and His mercy, and His kindness, and His goodness, and also, look, His power. And here Paul prays that the Ephesians would understand this power, and utilize it in their lives. What’s a prayer? That you would be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man. See, He gives us that strength and power, and now the prayer is that they would use it. Now perhaps we are convinced that we are indeed heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ. That’s good. We believe this, but okay, how do we live this out? How do we utilize these glorious riches from God so that it reveals itself in a consistent spiritual walk that progresses? Well, good news, because God provides all this power and might for us in Christ, as one said, through the inworking of a resident power. Who’s that? God the Spirit who indwells in every true believer. Remember? Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to give them, the believers, power. And since the day of Pentecost, the divine person of God the Spirit has indwelled every member of Christ, every true believer. And look, He has given us His power for glorifying God more and more in our fading lives. The word for might here is the Greek word dunamis, from which we get our English words dynamite and dynamic from. The word refers not so much to explosive one-time power and might, but to intrinsic power and might. Might to carry out a function. Might to endure until a task is fulfilled. Might and energy to do what needs to be done successfully and to the very end. Know that Paul didn’t pray for might to be given to these believers. No, but instead he prayed that they would be given a divine awareness of the might and power that they already had in Christ. See, the power and might was already there inside of them as Christians because God the Spirit indwells every Christian. And so Paul prays that they understand the greatness of the might that they already have. This is what Paul prayed in Ephesians chapter 1. And here he prays for this power and might yet again. Why? Because it’s needed and we forget. One said, Paul prayed that they might be enlightened so that experientially they might truly possess their possessions. See, they have the power, but they aren’t really living like they have the power. And Paul wants them to understand that power more and more so that they will then utilize it in their faith. Thus the prayer. Power. We need to pray this for each other, don’t we? Power. Power to what? Power to lift heavy things? Power to do miracles like the apostles did? Power to walk on water like Jesus did to command nature and to command demons? Power to do that? No, this, power to honor and glorify God more and more until we arrive safely home in glory. Power to live the victorious Christian life to the end. Overcoming sin and honoring Christ more and more and more. See, the Spirit of God who lives in us as believers is very practical. And while He can do whatever He wants to do and whenever He wants to do it, look… We aren’t Samson, and we aren’t the apostles, and we aren’t Jesus. However, we are Christians who have God the Spirit indwelling us, and our great aim in life is to glorify God, to honor God, to please God. And good news, He enables us by His mighty power to do that successfully as Christians throughout our lives. How good is that? God saves us by His mighty power and He sustains us by His mighty power. So He first experiences mighty power in the fact that He saved us and raised us up from the spiritually dead. And then second, God’s power comes to us as sanctifying power. In other words, power to help us live godly lives more and more. See, for every true believer, we have His Spirit in us to help us. And look, He promises to see us through to the very end. And so we in Christ have every reason to live in victory more and more and more. Yes, we’re always going to battle until glory. We will never arrive at this side of heaven until we die and are glorified. But we can walk in the Spirit day by day. We can’t overcome through His power and might that’s at work in us more and more. And we should. And if we’re not, that’s not God’s fault. That’s on us. Because He’s given us everything we need. We’re commanded to grow. Are you growing? We’re commanded to fight. We’re commanded to battle well and to overcome and to be strong. And to endure suffering and to evangelize and to stand firm and… The wage of good warfare. And again, God has given us everything we need to move forward. Like what? Like His Word. Which is living and active and powerful. Like prayer, which is powerful. Like one another, right? Where we can encourage each other and help each other and make each other stronger and pray for each other and so on. Utilize it. One said, the problem is many never hook up. The system is in place, but it is dysfunctional because of ignorance, sin, or disbelief. And that’s right. So we need to hook up by using his means for growth and power. And then we need to believe what he says to us, that this prayer for power might be realized and utilized in us. Do we really believe this? I mean, do we really? believe this because many christians live like they don’t believe god can change people many christians live like they don’t really believe that god can forgive people or me from the things that i’ve done that god can help them overcome their sin that god can work a mighty work in them and through them but god’s word is clear what god’s power delivered millions of people out of egypt and he saved them by walking through the middle of the red sea on dry ground while at the same time destroying the entire army of Egypt, the greatest army in the world at the time. God’s power delivered Daniel from the den of lions. God’s power delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from being burned in a fiery furnace. God’s power allowed His people to win ridiculous battles because He was the one fighting for them. God’s power can do anything. And again, look, you have the same power at work in you if you’re a Christian because you have the same God living in you. Paul prays that the Ephesians understand this truth more and more, and us today. Sin hinders this power, so use the means God gives. Prayer, the Word, each other, battle sin, repent when you sin, submit to the Lord, and watch what God does. Look, the power of the Spirit that brought Jesus from death to life has also made us alive when we were dead in our transgressions and sins. To possess such powers to acquire the hope that sin can be conquered more and more in our lives and real change for the glory of God is indeed possible. And it is. And God has given us everything we need for that power and that might to be displayed in our lives. And our call is to utilize it. Are you? How about this? Utilize it more. Again, stay in the Word. Pray much. Be around other Christians. Battle sin. Repent often. Never quit. Keep going. Lord, help us. It’s a great thing to pray for. Second, Paul prays that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith, verse 17. So what does Paul want here? Here’s a sense of this prayer. That the… more the Spirit empowers their lives, the greater will be their transformation into the likeness of Christ. And then also, the greater will be their sense of His being at home in their hearts. Paul’s prayer here is that Christ should be in permanent residence and not at the periphery, but at the very center of the believer’s life. That’s a great prayer, one that we should all be praying for ourselves and for each other. See, Paul’s already made it clear that all believers are in Christ, right? All believers are indeed in Christ. So Paul’s prayer here doesn’t relate to the fact of Jesus’ presence in the heart of believers, but to the quality of that presence. And that comes through faith. It comes as we continually trust in Him in every aspect of our lives. Talking about a heart that has stayed on Christ. A heart that’s fixed on Christ. A heart that’s centered on Christ. A heart that’s continually gazing at Christ through the hills and valleys of this fading life. What’s the thought? This. Christ doesn’t just visit here. No. He lives here. He’s a permanent resident here in me. So again, this isn’t a question of Christ being in the believer, but rather of his feeling at home there. He is indeed a permanent resident in every saved Christian. Again, I want to make that clear. But this is a request that he might have full access to every room in the closet. That he might not be grieved. by sinful words, thoughts, motives, and deeds, that he might enjoy unbroken fellowship with the believer, and sin hinders that. One said, in effect, the apostle prays that the lordship of Christ might extend to the books we read, the work we do, the food we eat, the money we spend, the words we speak, in short, the minutest details of our lives. That’s right. And we enter into this kind of indwelling relationship through faith. And that involves constant dependence on Him, constant surrender to Him, a constant recognition of His at-homeness. Right? He owns us, so surrender to His ownership and stop fighting it. This results in greater joy for the Christian and a greater fellowship with the God whom we love. It’s a great thing for us to pray for. O Jesus Christ, grow thou in me, and all things else recede. My heart be daily nearer thee. From sin be daily freed. That’s the idea. What hinders Him from dwelling in your heart and being at home there? Sin, right? Mediocrity. Complacency. A heart that doesn’t ingest the Word of God. A heart that lacks prayer. A heart that stays away from God’s people. A heart that loves the world and its ways. A heart that’s wooed by a bunch of lesser loves. On the other hand, Christ is at home in the life of the person who loves Him. who loves His Word, and who is surrendered to His will. Christ is at home in that person, and that person’s going to experience the joy that comes from the dwelling of Jesus within him, and also the Spirit’s power in and through him. It’s a great prayer. May this be true of all of us, and may we pray this prayer for ourselves and for each other. Paul prays that they would be rooted and grounded in love, the end of verse 17. And we’re going to hit this a little more next week. Rooted and grounded are both terms relating to growth. Rooted refers to the growth of a plant. Grounded refers to the growth of a building. So here Paul may be thinking of God’s people as a tree. And he also may be thinking of God’s people as a glorious temple of living stones that’s made of believers from all nations and all races. Here’s the key. The best rise heavenward from good ground. And look, the ground that’s the foundation of a great tree, the ground that’s the foundation of a great building that rises heavenward is love. Rooted and grounded in love. It’s interesting that Paul doesn’t specify whether this is God’s love for us or our love for him and for others. But either way, Paul is clearly talking about love as a main principle of the Christian life. First is God’s great love for us as children. The word for love here is the Greek word agape. Agape. This kind of love is specific to Christians. This speaks of God’s unconditional, sacrificial, covenant love. As one said, agape love speaks of a love called out of one’s heart by the preciousness of the one loved. A love that impels one to sacrifice oneself for the benefit of the object love. It’s a love shown at Calvary. And again, this kind of love is specific for Christians only. Agape covenant love. Because for the beloved of God, for his children that he purposefully, specifically died for to save. God loves you. How good is that? Come on. How good is that? God loves you. God loves you, His precious child, that He died for to save. And look, as a child of God, His agape love for you is a perfect love, and it’s a perfect love right now. He will never love you any more or any less than He does right now, because He loves you fully and perfectly right now. Your actions as a Christian don’t affect God’s love for you. Did you hear me? Your actions as a Christian don’t affect God’s love for you. Your actions can glorify Him, honor Him, be well-pleasing to Him. Yes, they can also grieve Him and sadden Him, but they won’t affect His agape love for you. No, see, God didn’t love us because we loved Him first, but He loved us before we had a particle of love for Him. Biblically, God loved His people before heaven and earth were called into existence. And since God’s love toward me had no beginning, it can therefore have no ending. His love is sovereign. His love is infinite. His love is without limit. His love is beyond a measure. It doesn’t change. It’s giving. It’s gracious. And get this, nothing can separate us from the love of God that He has for us as children, Romans 8.39. What can separate us as Christians from the love of God? Nothing, see? Try to think about the love of God. The infinite loving the finite. The Creator loving His creature. The Most High loving a worm like me. The Holy One loving the unholy. The Sovereign One loving His rebellious subject. And it’s real. And it’s intense. And He says, I’ve loved you with an everlasting love. God’s love was fixed on us and it flowed out to us, His people, freely. Why? He alone knows, but it’s great beyond expression or conception. Why? One said, how wonderful that God should love one like me and love me with such love. That’s right. How much does he love you? Well, he gave his son for you. He died for you. He poured out his divine wrath against your sin onto the son so that he could be with you. Talk about love. How could love like that not win us over? How could love like that not flow out of us back to Him in tangible and passionate ways? So because of God’s great love for me as child, I’m now filled with that love. And my calling is to let that great agape love flow out of me back to Him and then to others. And that’s what the Christian life is all about, loving God and loving others because we love God. Thus, a Christian life is rooted and grounded in love, right? And thus, we need to pray that we are rooted and grounded in this love, and that this love shows clearly in us and through us. Question, do you love Him? Anybody? Do you love Him, right? God’s children love Him passionately, and it should show clearly. In Mark 12, Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, and He said, “…the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” Heart represents a location of one’s mental activity and moral choices. Soul represents every facet of man’s being, including his deepest desires and emotions. Mind stresses the fact that this isn’t just an emotional thing alone. No, but rather, this is a well thought out thing. And look, we’re all in. Strength stresses emphasis. And may be understood as a command to love God with excessive and unrestrained devotion. And why not? In light of who He is and what He’s done for undeserving sinners like us. This speaks of true love, of intense love, of a love that has captured your heart and that affects your life in a profound and dramatic way. And that’s how we’re called to love God. And again, how could we not? God wants the heart and soul of the person. He wants every part of you. Every part. He doesn’t want empty religion. He wants you to love Him with all your affections and all your adoration because He certainly deserves it and He’s certainly worthy. What else? Jesus says the second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. That makes sense, right? Because if you love God, it’s going to show in loving others. Who’s my neighbor? Everyone’s your neighbor, right? That’s right. That’s what Christians do. We love God and others because of His great love for us. They will know we are Christians by our love. Our love, right? Many times, that’s not the case. Thus, the need for this prayer. Lord, help us to be rooted and grounded in love, agape love, because love is a mark of a true believer. Does love mark your life? Does love mark this church? Lord, help us to pray much. Lord, help us to pray these same things for ourselves and for one another.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thanks for joining us for today’s exposition from the book of Ephesians on expository truths with Dr. John Kyle. Continue on with us next week at this same time. And to find this sermon in its entirety, as well as other sermons, visit vacavillefaith.org. Faith Community Church seeks to exalt Christ by bringing clarity of truth through the scriptures with a commitment to glorifying God through the pure, deep, and reaching message of the gospel through faithful exposition. Pastor John is the preaching pastor at Faith Community Church of Vacaville, a seminary professor and a trainer of preaching pastors overseas. Join Faith Community Church for worship Sundays at 9 and 1045 a.m. Located at 192 Bella Vista Road, Suite A in Vacaville. To learn more, visit vacavillefaith.org or call 707-451-2026. That’s vacavillefaith.org.
