JUNE 1, 2014
PAUL’S DEVOUT AND AFFECTIONATE PRAYER
INTRODUCTION:
1. Coming now to the second part of this chapter, we have Paul’s devout and affectionate prayer to God for his beloved Ephesians. “For this cause…” This may refer either to what goes immediately before, “that ye faint not,” or rather, the Apostle is here resuming what he began at the first verse, from which he digressed briefly in order to speak of his special calling and ministry.
2. It was very much the practice of the Apostle Paul to mix in with his teaching and counsel his earnest intercessions and prayers to God for those to whom he wrote. He was aware that his instructions and teachings would be effectual only as God rendered them so. He herein provides a good example for every gospel minister to follow, for God alone can make the word effectual.
3. In considering this prayer, let us observe:
a) The particular Christian designation by which the Apostle addresses God the Father, and the posture which he assumes in doing so. (Verses 14, 15)
b) The prayer itself: its one main petition, and the many consequent blessings that would result. (Verses 16-19)
c) The doxology with which the prayer concludes. (Verses 20, 21)
I. NOTICE THE MANNER IN WHICH THE APOSTLE APPROACHED GOD IN PRAYER. (VERSES 14, 15)
A. HE ADDRESSED GOD USING A SPECIAL DESIGNATION WHICH EXPRESSES HIS COVENANT RELATIONSHIP TO BELIEVERS. (VERSE 14b) “…the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1. As he did in his opening eulogy, Paul in this prayer styles Him the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. All blessings come from God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. It is because God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (our Mediator) that He is accessible to us as our Father.
3. As God is Christ’s Father, it is through our union with Christ that He is also our Father.
4. As Creator, God is the Father of all men, for all are His offspring, (Acts 17:28) but only such as are in Christ can and may approach Him as their Heavenly Father.
B. HE VERY REVERENTLY AND HUMBLY MADE HIS APPROACH. (VERSE 14b) “For this cause, I bow the knee.”
1. The posture used in prayer here represents prayer itself. “I bow the knee to…” i.e. “I pray to…”
2. God is to be approached with reverence and humility. (Psa. 95:6; 96:8, 9)
C. HE IDENTIFIES GOD AS BEING THE FATHER OF THE WHOLE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. (VERSE 15) “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”
1. This understanding suits the context. He had just been showing how that both Jews and Gentiles now have access by one Spirit unto the Father, (Ch. 2:18) and that together they make up the household of God. (Ch. 2:19)
2. We know also that the household of faith includes the saints in heaven and in earth. (Ch. 1:10; Heb. 12:22, 23, 28) Those who die in the Lord are members of the family of God along with living saints here below. One glad day the whole family will be together in the New Jerusalem. (I Thess. 4:16, 17)
II. NOTICE NEXT THE PRAYER WHICH WAS OFFERED. (VERSES 16-19) What the Apostle asked of God for his beloved Ephesian believers consisted entirely of spiritual blessings. These are the best blessings, and the most earnestly to be sought and prayed for by every one of us, both for ourselves and for our brethren.
A. HE ASKED FOR SPIRITUAL STRENGTH FOR THE WORK AND DUTY TO WHICH THEY WERE CALLED. (VERSE 16)
1. Such spiritual strength is a gift that God must graciously grant. “That He would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened…”
2. It was for added strength that he prayed. “Strengthened with might” is to be mightily strengthened; much more that they were at present. Our desire should be to be endued with a high degree of grace and spiritual abilities for discharging our Christian duties.
3. The granting of this request is “according to the riches of His glory,” or “His glorious riches.”
4. This “strength in the inner man” is the work of the Holy Spirit in the soul, and in the best and most desirable strength to possess – the strength of faith and other graces to serve God and to perform our Christian duties with vigor and cheerfulness.
B. HE ASKED FOR THE INDWELLING OF CHRIST IN THEIR HEARTS. (VERSE 17a) “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.”
1. Christ does dwell in the hearts of His people. To have Christ dwell in us by His Spirit is the most desirable of all blessings. It is essential to life itself. (Rom. 8:9) It is essential to all other spiritual blessings.
a) This is an appropriate prayer, for where Christ’s Spirit dwells, He may more fully dwell.
b) Where the Law of Christ is written, and where the love of Christ is shed abroad, there Christ dwells.
2. Christ dwells in the heart by faith, by means of the continual exercise of faith upon Him. Thus, Paul’s petition should be constantly our own, both for ourselves and for our Christian friends.
3. It is not contradictory or inconsistent to pray in this manner for ourselves, and for other believers, and for the church generally.
a) First, those who believe must continue to believe. (I John 5:13)
b) Second, those who manifest grace in the soul must not become complacent, but rather seek to grow in grace and faith.
c) Third, we must not presume that all who profess faith truly have faith.
d) Fourth, there are always unbelievers that we would see brought to faith in Christ.
C. HE PRAYS FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT IN THE PURSUIT AND EXERCISE OF HOLY LOVE. (VERSE 17b) “That ye being rooted and grounded in love, may…”
1. “Rooted” and “grounded” are both passive voice. Thus, Paul prayed that the Lord would establish them in divine love.
2. That Christ should dwell in their hearts by faith was in order that they might be established in Christ’s love, so as to be able to comprehend something of the greatness and vastness of His love.
D. THUS, HE PRAYED FOR THEIR FULLER ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE LOVE OF CHRIST. (VSE. 18)
1. Christians should aspire to explore with all saints however much the saints are allowed to know of the vast dominions of Christ’s love.
2. That which is to be surveyed, though of immeasurable dimensions is something real. Thank God, the love of Christ is not some theory or some fiction but a substantial reality.
a) There is something to be measured or sized up, if you will.
b) Those who know Christ’s love know by experience its sweetness (Song of Sol. 1:2; 5:16); they feel its constraints. (II Cor. 5:14)
3. Note the enormous geometrical equation the searching of which required the spiritual preparation for which the Apostle had prayed. “…what is the breadth and length and depth and height.”
a) How broad is Christ’s love?
(1) In saving sinners it sweeps across the whole wide world. So broad is its brush that it paints all races of men. It spans the distance between kings and beggars. It overflows all banks and levees to flood the whole earth. (Rom. 5:20)
(2) In Providence His love extends to all things that pertain to His people in any way, whether physical, spiritual, temporal, eternal, great, or small.
b) How long is Christ’s love?
(1) It extends to eternity past. (Jer. 31:3)
(2) It is without pause. (Heb. 13:8; Rom. 8:29, 30)
(3) It extends to eternity forward. (Rom. 8:35-39)
(c) How deep is Christ’s love?
(1) “It reaches from the highest star and goes below the lowest hell.”
(2) It goes deeper than the stain of our sin.
(d) How high is Christ’s love?
(1) See how far it has lifted us already. (Psa. 40:24; I John 3:2; Eph. 2:6; Rom. 8:16)
(2) The heights of His love will be better perceived hereafter, when we are brought up to heaven itself.
E. HE PRAYED FOR A FULLER COMPREHENSION OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST. (VERSE 19)
1. There is a practical and blessed result to searching and measuring. “And to know the love of Christ…”
2. The effort itself is rewarding, in that thereby we come to see for ourselves the infinite nature of Christ’s love. “…which passeth knowledge.”
a) Our survey is sure to reveal that we are attempting to measure the immeasurable, and to comprehend the incomprehensible.
b) We shall never, either here or in the hereafter be able to record a final answer. The delightful research will continue forever.
3. There is a progressive filling with God’s Spirit that comes as a result of our growing comprehension of Christ’s love.
III. PAUL CONCLUDES HIS PRAYER WITH A DOXOLOGY. (VERSE 20, 21) Paul often became so awe-stricken as he proclaimed God’s greatness and the wonders of His grace that he would spontaneously break forth into a hymn of praise. (See Rom. 11:33-36; I Tim. 1:17) Certainly, our prayers should conclude with words of praise to God, however in this case, the subject of his prayer moved the Apostle even more than usual to offer up this doxology of praise. His prayer that they be given the spiritual capacity to measure and comprehend the greatness of Christ’s love was a “tall order,” but God’s ability to do for us far exceeds our ability to ask in faith.
A. HE EXTOLS GOD FOR HIS UNLIMITED ABILITY. “Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask of think.”
1. No prayer of ours goes unanswered for want of ability on God’s part.
2. We can easily overestimate and overstate our abilities, but it is not possible to over-ask or overthink what God is able to do.
3. There is an inexhaustible fullness of grace and mercy and power in God, which the prayers of the saints can never draw dry.
B. HE CITES THE PROOF AND PROSPECT OF GOD’S MIGHTY POWER BY ACKNOWLEDGING WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN US. “According to the power that worketh in us.”
1. All the proof we need for God’s limitless ability is that He has quickened us to life by His grace and Spirit.
2. The power that still works for us is the same power that is now working in us. One day He shall also quicken these bodies according to this same unlimited power. (Phil. 3:21)
C. HE ASCRIBES TO GOD ALL GLORY. (VERSE 21)
1. In ascribing all glory to God, we ascribe all excellence and perfection to Him.
2. Notice, the seat of God’s praise is in the church.
3. The church will exist forever, “world without end,” as a sacred society constituted for the glory of God.
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