Class Notes, Eph 3:14-21

Eph 3:14-16 (NIV)  For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole 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,

• This is Paul's second prayer, the first being 1:15-23.  How is this one different than the first?
• Wiersbe: In the first, the emphasis is on enlightenment, and the second, the emphasis is on enablement.  More of an emphasis on being as opposed to knowing
• My thought: the first focused on our position and our status, i.e., what we have in Christ.  The second focuses on experiencing, growing, and being

• Paul says "for this reason," what is the reason?
• Verse 1 also says "for this reason," but then discusses the mystery and his part in it.  So, the reason, must go back still to chapter two
• The reason is summed up in 2:19, 20
• Gentiles are not foreigners and aliens but fellow citizens with God's people
• Gentiles are members of God's family
• This new relationship, called the church, is built upon new testament teaching with Jesus as the cornerstone (OT law is nailed to the cross, abolished (but brought to fulfillment, terminus by Jesus)
• The church, composed of Gentiles and Jews, is a new temple
• Individually, we are also temples of God
• This reason causes Paul to talk about his special part as a messenger of this mystery
• This reason causes Paul to fall to his knees in prayer

• Some verses on kneeling.  There is no required way to pray, but I think at times, it is good to break out of our habits.  Here are some verses to consider
• Ps 95:6 Come, let us bow down in worship, // let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
• Luke 22:41 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,
• Acts 7:60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
• Acts 9:40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.
• Acts 20:36 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
• Acts 21:5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.

• What does it mean to you, the phrase, "the whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name"
• Goes back to chapter 2: citizens of one nation; members of one family
• We do care for our names and how we represent it, and how others represent it
• Do we really think about the fact, that we have a new last name?
• Do we live as if we are representing God's family?
• Do we realize that the last name includes those in heaven?  I wondered if that referred to angels

• One other thing from this passage.  How is Paul's prayer different from the typical public prayer you might hear?
• It is focused on spiritual things and not material things
• It is not about changing our circumstance but about us growing in Christ

• How would you explain this first prayer or put in your words?
• Eph 3:16 (NLT) I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
• (mine) God, who has unlimited resources, would give me power through the Holy Spirit, which already resides within me
• A couple of implications come out of this verse
• One, just having the HS, doesn't mean you have power
• Two, power to live the Christian life does come from the HS
• Three, we need to pray for power, but I think we also need to feed the spiritual soul
• Eph 5:18-20 (NIV) Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Col 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
• Do you see the similarity in these two verses?  The difference is that one says to be filled with the Spirit, and the other says to let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.  I think that the way we fill ourselves with the spirit is to dig deep into the word of God

Eph 3:17-19 (NIV) 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 saints, 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.

• The reason we need the Holy Spirit's strength is what, and what does that mean to a believer who already has the HS as a deposit and guarantee of their salvation (Eph 1:13,14)?
• Greek word for dwell, katoikeo, means to house permanently, to reside.
• I think there is a difference between Christ, in your house, and Christ living in your house.  While Christ's presence is permanent, we can treat him as a guest, or as the owner of the house
• MYCH: Letting him clean up each room; giving him access to our secret places; giving him the title (Lordship)

• Now, Paul uses a double metaphor, an agriculture and architectural word (rooted and grounded -- Clarke).  Why the two terms and how does it give meaning to thought?
• Rooted in love: our source of nourishment for our souls in the love of God for us
• Grounded in love: our foundation of our Christian life is built upon the love of God for us

• And so with this foundation in love, Paul prays for power to grasp the depth of God's love for us
• The architectural metaphor continues with the description (breadth, height, …).  An immediate reference may have been the huge temple to Diana (?) at Ephesus.  Paul is saying that God's love for us exceeds the largest structure we can imagine
• The love is not understood how?  Not through knowledge, but through experience and revelation from God
• Slight contradiction, but it actually makes sense.  Paul is asking that we might the know the what can't be known, understand what cannot be understood

• Why does Paul so desire for us to understand the love of God for us?
• It would affect our lives
• It would make us thankful
• …

• Christianity is not a Religion, it is a Relationship.  And it is only truly understood as a relationship.  As long as we view it as a lifestyle (things to do/not to do), or a belief system (what to believe), we miss out on the reality of what it truly is -- it is a personal relationship with the God of the universe.  All else is idols and false teaching

Eph 3:20-21 (NIV) 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.

• The doxology here is also a summary.  What is Paul's finishing points?
• God is exceedingly powerful
• God is able to do beyond what we ask
• God is able to do beyond what we imagine
• God's immeasurable power is within us
• God is working within us
• God is to be glorified