Ephesians 3:14-21 Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth = August 15

Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth
Ephesians 3:14-21

Intro Questions

Text Graphic

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
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• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
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• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

https://youtu.be/dyEK7cmuLFE

Prison Epistles

Prayer — Privilege and Power

Ephesians 3:12-21

 A 60-year-old couple was celebrating their 40th year of marriage.   During the celebration, a genie appeared and said, "Because you have been such a loving couple all those years, I would like to give you each one wish."

The wife quickly chimed in, "I want to travel around the world."  The genie waved his arms and, POOF!,  she had the tickets in her hand.

Next, it was the husband's turn.  He paused for a moment, then said shyly, "Well, I'd like to have a wife 30 years younger than me."   The genie waved his arms and, POOF!, he was 90.

We seem to be fascinated by stories of magic genies granting wishes (why is it usually three wishes?).  Which of us hasn't sat and wondered at some point in time, "If a genie granted me three wishes, what would I wish for?"

God is not, as some imagine Him, a magic genie waiting at our beck and call to give us everything we ask for (see James 4:3).  But there is certainly that level of power and ability at His disposal.  Listen to these words of Paul:

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV).

God is able to do more than I ask of Him.  That's pretty amazing, considering that I have some pretty difficult requests.  Furthermore (and this is really mind-boggling), God is able to do more than I can even imagine!  I don't know about you, but I can imagine quite a bit.  Yet, Paul assures us that God is not only able to do all that we ask or imagine -- he is able to do more, immeasurably more!

When things in life are beyond my control, I find comfort in knowing that God has such power -- not the power of an imaginary genie but the power of a living awesome Father.  Sometimes we offer to pray for others saying, "It's the least I can do."  How wrong we are.  Considering the power of God, it's the most we can do!

Opening Questions — Get Us Thinking:

· What do you really and truly want deep inside your soul?

Paul’s Prayer for Church’s Spiritual Growth— Ephesians 3:12-21

12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

 Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Will

1. Paul’s prayer for strength and insight resumes from his thought broken off in v. 1 and reports his prayer for the readers to understand God’s power. Do you find it difficult to pray without giving your thoughts of perspective? Why?

2. What frame of mind should we have when we pray? Vv. 12-13

3. What is Paul asking God to do? Why does he use the terms “Father” and “family”?

4. How does the Holy Spirit strengthen the inner man with power? v. 16

5. In this passage, who is the lover? Who is being loved? How would you describe this love?

6. Although God’s love for us cannot be measured by any comprehensible standard, God wants us to know this ocean of love. John 3:16 When have you felt overwhelmed by the love of God?

7. Looking at verse 18, when does this happen? What will this “Strength” enable us to do?

8. How much of God is in you? How can we be completely “filled” if we feel we are on empty?

9. What are some observations you make about prayer from this passage? What are some things you have learned about prayer in your lifetime?

10. What does the promise in verse 20 mean? How have you seen it to be true?

 Reflective Questions — Live it today.

1. If a person knew only rejection and pain in their relationships, how can this person come to understand the love of God in a personal way?

2. What is our “power source”? 2 Timothy 1:7

3. Reflect on Christ's love is WIDE enough to include every person, LONG enough to last through all eternity, DEEP enough to reach the worst sinner, and HIGH enough to take us to heaven. Can we fully explain the love of Christ to a sinner? 1 John 4:8

4. How is it that in prayer we usually receive more than we ask? Psalm 55:17 Someone said, “what if you only had today what you thank God for yesterday.”

5. How does this equip us be a better disciple and help empower us to “make disciples”?

 For the church to function effectively, God’s dynamic and unlimited love must be its driving force. Paul talked about it, so as we learn how much God loves us, we will realize anything is possible with God. He is able to do far more  than we can ask...then we will discover His restoration and healing in our lives and relationships.

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100 Year Celebration
To Him Be Glory – Celebrating His Church

"…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:21

Celebrating one hundred years of God's working through the Church of Christ in Tecumseh is a great thing. September 16, 2007 is the day the elders have chosen to be the time we celebrate. It will be our "Home Coming," the day we have called our roundup Sunday in previous years. Churches of Christ in this area of Oklahoma are celebrating 100 years as well. It is by the grace of God that we can know Him and serve Him.

The focus must be on giving God the glory. Secular organizations primarily give honor and glory to themselves. Christ's church is different. We want to embrace God's working through people in the past, educate the present people as we reflect upon it, and enrich the future by putting our hope in Christ so that future generations will see Jesus.

We will be doing what the early church did; they reflected and gave reports about what God had done. (Acts 14:27; 15:4; 21:19) The Book of Acts is a celebration of the works of God. The glory went to God as he gave the increase.

Home Coming Sunday we will be using the day to report on the people God has used to His glory. We will use the Bible class time, and worship to praise God for His mighty works. We will share a meal together and use a multimedia presentation and share stories that educated our present generation.

Together we will invite former members. Please spread the word to former members, church leaders, elders, deacons, preachers, etc. that you know.

If you have special pictures, videos, newspaper articles, bulletins etc., please bring those to the church office. We will try to work in the best items to tell the story that God is writing through His church in Tecumseh to His glory.

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Working Document for DBS

Title: Power & Purpose in 2023: More Than We Imagine

Opening Thoughts: When it seems things are stacked against the Church, God reminds us of the purpose, peach and power we have in Him, rooting in an everlasting love and fueled by an ever-present power that can do even more than we imagine.

v  Ephesians 3:20

o   Interplanetary Tour Reservations

o   2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

o   We find ourselves getting discouraged.

 

Text: Ephesians 3:13-21

¹³ I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

A Prayer for the Ephesians

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

 

Summarize the main theme/story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.

·          Review and retell the story.

Reflections for applications:

v  We have access to God’s immeasurable love & infinite power.

o   Love

§  Ephesians 2:4-5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

§  Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

o   Power (pray big and believe big)

§  God can do more than we ask or imagine!

§  Ephesians 1:12 …in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

·         Why am I here?

o   Summarize

§  You are loved beyond reason.

§  You have a purpose beyond self.

§  You have power beyond belief.

 

Digging Questions:

·         How is your faith?

·         What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?

·         What is God calling us to do?

Take Away Challenges

·         What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?

·         Whom do you know who needs to hear this?

·         What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?

Hashtags #Power #Love #Purpose

Sunday sermon link    https://youtu.be/dyEK7cmuLFE

Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources:              Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes

Comments about some details:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A13-21&version=NIV

Living for Jesus in Ephesians 3:14-4:3

https://youtu.be/1uB3xJOpvg0

Today we get to see why Paul prays for the people of God and then the attitudes we need to have to be one united body of believers (Ephesians 3:14-4:3).

Don't Ask Jesus Into Your Heart
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QUBEqZ6BbCQ