Ephesians 3:14-21

Dear TVCC Students,
The fall school year is certainly upon us and it seems like so many of us are scrambling to get into our routine and get settled into this new season. With all of the craziness that comes with figuring out a new school year, it is always so wonderful to worship with you guys on Wednesday. We have not started our new book series yet but are just pausing to meditate on some truths from God's Word about us and our relationship to Him. Last night Sonny taught on Ephesians 3:14-21 about Paul's hope for the believers in Ephesus and how that applies to us. Here is a recap...

Ephesians 3:14-21

~3:14-15: Paul starts off this little section by again giving glory and preference to the Father. He understood and wanted the Ephesian church to understand that He was asking God for things on their behalf. Paul was continually submitting his life to the Lord, whatever the cost may be. He is the One that sustains every breath we take and as believers we do well to follow in Paul's footsteps and continually praise Him through lives of devotion.

Q: In what ways has your life shown that either you do or do not recognize the Lord's authority in your life?

~3:16: Paul prays and asks that the Lord would grant them spiritual strength. Paul is teaching here a very powerful truth: the Lord grants us spiritual strength and knowledge of His power. Romans 9:16 and many others teach us that God is not only the Author but He is the Perfecter of our faith. He saved us and He sanctifies us. Paul also prays that they would be strengthened with power. This word power is the same Greek word that we get the word dynamite from. Just as dynamite can completely destroy things, so too the Spirit (through Christ) is the power that overcomes and changes the darkness and sin within us. We do not have the ability to change ourselves permanently by our own power.

Q: Are you coming to the Spirit consistently to be continually molded into Christ's image or are you relying on yourself to change your "ungodly" behaviors?

~3:1-17-18: Paul reminds the believers that being strengthened by the Spirit has a purpose... that Christ would dwell in our hearts. This is the goal- not that we would be morally acceptable to the world around us- but that Christ may dwell within our hearts. Dwelling is different than just visiting. Christ wants to "dwell" or make His home in our hearts and "loves." God is the giver of every good thing and His hope is that we would recognize that and walk in thankfulness and awe of His sweet mercies as we see His grace in the things that we love.

Q: Is Christ residing with you? Do you see the great things in your life and worship Him for those things?

~3:19: Paul hopes that they would know the love of Christ that surpasses understanding. The word used for know here is one that involves not just "head knowledge" but "experiential knowledge." He is hoping for the Ephesian believers that they would not just have head knowledge about the love of Christ but experiential knowledge. The more we press into Him through the power of the Spirit and let Him dwell within us, the more we will have experiential knowledge of Christ's love which surpasses understanding.

Q: Do you have experiential knowledge of the love of Christ or just head knowledge? Explain...

~3:19: Paul also prays that they would be filled up with the fullness of God. Colossians 3:12-17 expands on this truth. Paul's hope for believers is that the Word of Christ would so saturate us and our lives that Jesus overflows from us into the lives of others.

Q: Are you saturated in the Word of Christ or in something else? What from you "overflows" into the lives of others?

~3:20-21: All of this is to praise His goodness and for His glory. It brings the Lord much glory when our lives are transformed by the power of His Spirit.

Dear students,
We pray that this week you will spend time letting the Word of Christ dwell in your hearts. Meditate on His Word and ask the Lord to continually be changing your through the power of the Spirit. We are praying for you this week. We love you and are so thankful to worship with you.

With hope,
~Sonny and Casi