Ephesians 1:15-23
In this passage of scripture Paul is letting the church in
Ephesus know that they are in his heart and under his apostolic covering. I have had people tell me their faith is
private and many do not believe you need to attend a local church where your
presence is acknowledged by a pastor.
This is one of the most foolish ideas to filter through the church. In the first place we are the BODY of Christ
and as His body we must function with some measure of unity and cohesion to be
effective.
You can’t really say, “Hey, there’s a church in Botswana
that is doing good things,” unless you know of the church and they are a
unified entity. You can’t have heard of
them unless they fellowship with other ministries that eventually connect to
yours. A disconnected church is a
dysfunctional church whether it is a church of one or ten thousand, and will
never flow into the work of God. It’s
bad enough that so many churches these days fight against one another and
blaspheme God’s good name by their anti-Christian words and deeds. A church is empowered by faith and faith
works by love. Without God’s anointing
we are nothing more than a club who bears some resemblance to a church. Without His love and grace we are wolves in
sheep’s clothing driven by our own desires whether good or evil.
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers;
Paul had originally brought the word to Ephesus and had sent
his spiritual son Timothy to watch over it and care for the flock. Notice it says Paul heard of their faith in
the Lord Jesus. Faith without works is
dead (James 2:20-26) so what Paul heard is how the church went forth in faith,
ignoring the danger of preaching the Gospel in a pagan society and winning
converts. They must have prayed for the
sick and seen them healed, fed the hungry, helped the poor and given purpose
and hope to the dispossessed.
Paul wasn’t referring to some utopian society but was
talking about their actions and faith in the face of adversity and grief. Revelation 2:2 speaks about their labors and
good deeds, but Jesus had some strong words against them for leaving their
first love. Faith requires works to show
it is vibrant and alive but never mistake works for the love which is to
motivate them. If you lost that love and
struggle to care, motivated only by habit or the good feeling you get by the
recognition of your acts, you are in danger of God’s judgment. Faith requires works but MUST be motivated by
love.
The beauty of their FIRST LOVE was their love for Jesus
which motivated the good works Paul was mentioning. It was their love for our Savior that
motivated him to give glory to God on their behalf and to pray for their
continued progress in that love and deeds.
Ask yourself; do your acts and the motivation behind them shine for the
world to see? God is willing to put you
on a pedestal as long as it is to lift HIM higher.
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge
of him:
Of all the motivations behind his prayer Paul desired they
receive the wisdom of God. Following a
close second he desired they receive God’s revelation and prophetic
leading. I’ve heard lying prophets,
wishful prophets and confused prophets.
I guess you could say that the last two haven’t arrived and the first
one never will. People lie to make
themselves look better and some read 1 Corinthians 14:1 and just KNOW that God
has made them a prophet. I suspect God
would be more willing to give the prophetic and revelatory gifts to those who
are not so quick to pad their utterances with some personal hurt feelings here
and there.
If your motivation is not to raise up God while maintaining
your humility (difficult in the best of times for powerful prophets), then God
has no use for you. He will not share
His glory with us. He honors us enough
to allow us to walk along side Him in this life. There is a certain glory we are given as you
can read in the following verse.
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that
ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory
of his inheritance in the saints,
Ask yourself a question.
Would you say that the body of Christ in its entirety is
enlightened? I sometimes wonder what
percentage of ‘Christians’ have never asked Jesus into their hearts to forgive
their sins. How many believe in speaking
in tongues or the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit as given in 1 Corinthians
12:8-. Why have so many churches raised
the office of bishop to the highest office and denied the present apostolic
movement of the Spirit of God.
We’re supposed to be healthy, not by a visit to your local
doctor, but by Jesus’ stripes. I have
been reading a WONDERFUL book on forgiveness by T.D. Jakes entitled, “Let It
Go.” In this book he explains how we
drain ourselves emotionally and physically by holding onto unforgiveness while
expecting to receive all the blessings of our Lord’s forgiveness. In another book written by Joel Osteen’s
father John Osteen he speaks of our constantly growing faith as it says in
Romans 1:17. Your faith isn’t just there
all at once. You get a small measure
with salvation but it is up to you to make it grow.
Faith is a process and not a destination. The great preacher and friend of orphans,
George Mueller once said that you must first learn to believe for toothpaste before
you can believe for Steak dinners. One
of his orphan children said, “Pastor Mueller, I’m hungry.” He asked the child, “Have you prayed?” When the child said he didn’t know how to
pray George led him in prayer. A short
time later one of the local women realized she had purchased too many groceries
for her household and asked if the orphanage could use the extra food. Faith is a process like body building. Exercise it.
You may spend a lot of time in Gold’s Gym, but how much time
do you spend in God’s Gym? (Gold’s Gym
is a well known gymnasium in America)
I have frequently heard of wealthy parents who disowned
their undisciplined and lazy children, preferring to give their wealth to an
organization that will help people in need.
All the blessings and wealth of God is available for our use but He will
not release it to you unless He knows where it will go and what it will
accomplish. Sitting on the sidelines
comes from failing to develop and faithfully operate your gifts. God needs YOU to know that YOU will do what HE
WANTS with what He gives you.
It’s not a surprise to HIM but often is to each individual
He tests. Peter stepped out on the water
and stumbled afterwards; but it did build his faith. He denied Jesus again and again, but it continued
to build his faith. At the end people
were healed by the touch of his shadow alone.
Failures need not drive you out of the promise if they move you to
greater steps of faith. I’ve heard
people say, “Do not attempt…do.” I say,
“Continue to attempt until you do.”
Growth is a process. Sometimes
you stumble. Don’t let someone bury you
after a failure. Get it right and get on
with it. Do better next time.
F.B. Meyer said: “Fit
yourself for God’s service; be faithful.
He will presently appoint thee…
In some unlikely corner, in a shepherd’s hut, or in an artisan’s
cottage, God has His prepared and appointed instrument. As yet the shaft is hidden in His quiver, in
the shadow of His hand; but at the precise moment at which it will tell with
the greatest effect, it will be produced and launched on the air.”
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to
us- ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he
wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own
right hand in the heavenly places,
Look at verse 19.
What is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us? It isn’t good enough to say the greatness of
His power toward us but the EXCEEDING greatness; surpassing and going beyond
any expectation we had any right to hope for.
I am reminded of king Joash during a time when Elisha was sick and about
to die (2 Kings 13:14). In this case he
told Joash to shoot an arrow out the window Eastward toward Syria who had been
plaguing Israel. He gave the king
direction and made sure the shot went true so the strength of Israel would not
be misdirected.
That first part was guided and directed by God Himself
through the prophet. In the second part
God tested the king to see where his heart was.
Was Joash passionate in his hatred of this enemy of God’s people? Did a fire burn that would consume their
enemies? In verse 18 Elisha told the
king to take several arrows and strike the ground. Notice God did not give an explanation for
this act. He did not tell Joash through
Elisha that this was both a test and a promise.
Joash took hold of the arrows and struck the ground three times.
The purpose was not to seek the help of our triune God or
past, present or future or any other cute analogy a preacher might come up with. The purpose was to determine the FIRE in
Joash’s heart. His hatred and fury
toward God’s ancient enemy should have caused him to take the arrows in both
hands and strike the ground until his breath came in ragged gasps. Elisha was furious. His final prophecy for his people, God’s
people and this king wasted it. He
failed to show a passion and zeal for God’s service. Israel would not destroy Syria; they would
only defeat them three times. Today,
thousands of years later, Syria is still a thorn poking Israel in the side; all
because of a weak king.
In John 2:15, Jesus drove the bankers out of the house of
God in fury. This caused his disciples
to remember that in Psalms 69:9 it was written, “The zeal of thine house hath
eaten me up.” Has the zeal for God’s
work eaten you up yet? How can you
expect to receive the EXCEEDING GREATNESS of God’s power if you do not
passionately desire it and FIGHT FOR IT?
It is rarely SAFE to receive the ‘exceeding greatness’ of
God’s power. The danger does not come
from God Himself, but from all the principalities and powers of wickedness that
strive to prevent your success. YOU have
a part in this great work. Your part is
not to merely be a vessel for the power of God to flow, but to be driven and
motivated by your love of God to accomplish great works using His power. Do you have the heart for it?
You may die or be hated for using this power in its
fullness. Jesus did. You may be tortured and abused. Peter, Isaiah and Paul were. I have always found it amusing to hear that a
preacher retired. How can you be a man
or woman of God and retire. If we are in
Christ, our rest comes after we are dead.
It is not safe to walk in Christ but it is rewarding.
In the verse above we see that God has seated Christ at his
right hand. The right hand is a place of
power and authority. Where are we while
our Lord sits in this exalted position?
We are seated at God’s right hand of course. We are the body of Christ. He is the head. The head sits upon the body so the body is in
the seat. If we are seated the victory
is won. God is fighting. Matthew 22:44 says, “The Lord said unto my
Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in
that which is to come:
The amplified version says it this way, “21 Far above all rule and authority and
power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be
conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the
world which are to come.”
We stand above presidents and potentates; above situations
and financial status. We are not
beneath. If you live in a mud shack in
the middle of a field of dirt you are greater than the wealthiest sinner on
Earth. The question I suppose is whether
or not you are ready for this honor or will you fall short like Joash? Only God knows but you have a great deal to
say about it. Scripture says we will
rule and reign over cities in the world to come.
Mankind largely misses the fact that this planet we live on
is temporary. God never intended it to
hold us forever. Most would rather call
faith in God foolishness and reduce the benefits of life in joy in Christ so
they can preserve this fallen globe in the politically correct name of
Greenpeace or the Sierra Club. I was
raised to respect this home God has given us and to treat it with respect as a
gift from God but I NEVER forget that WE are created in the image and likeness
of God and it is an important planet only because WE live here and not some
gorilla in Africa or rodent in South America.
We are the reason for God’s notice, not this ball of dirt.
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him
to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness
of him that filleth all in all.
All things are under Christ’s feet and therefore under the
church’s feet. We carry the head. We are the body, the fullness of HIM that
fills all in all. We are the fullness of
Christ and send His power out to others.
We bring the saving Word of God to the lost and unsaved. We smite the sin of the Earth with arrows of
faith until we utterly defeat our enemies.
Beloved, do not allow your fears to steal what God has
promised. Always remember that it is not
dependent upon God alone. You too must
do your part and fulfill your purpose.
The very first commandment of God says that you must love the Lord with
all your heart; your soul; your mind AND your strength (Mark 12:30). You must POUR yourself into this life so God
can use every bit of you to accomplish His purpose.
YOU MATTER BELOVED.
Bishop J
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