The Weekend Word
“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
(Ephesians 3:7–21 ESV)
So much of my ministry has been to people who have been crushed by the church and because the church represents Christ, they believe they were crushed by Him.
They doubt His heart toward them, they doubt whether they are in the love of God.
Sometimes, they believe that God is against them.
I bow my knee to the Father and join in Paul’s prayer for them…for you.
After telling us that God has made one family in Christ Jesus and telling us of all the riches to be found in Him for those who are in that family, Paul wants one more thing for you.
He wants you to believe it.
Sometimes, the only way you have the ability to believe it is if God himself gives you the ability…and that is what Paul is asking the Father to do.
He wants you to believe it with everything you have, just as he does, despite your circumstances.
He wants you be be strengthened in your soul, strengthened by being deeply immersed, “rooted and grounded” in His love.
Once strengthened by that knowledge of His love, he prays that you will be able to comprehend the incomprehensible…the love of God for you and towards you.
More than that, he prays that you be filled with all that God has for you, filled with the “fullness” of the God who loves you.
The foundation of it all is love…it is His love that gives you the power, the strength, the knowledge, and the life that comes from being truly and fully loved.
Paul wants you to believe all this because it’s true.
It’s true about you, for you, and it will always be the truth of God’s heart about you and for you.
It’s true right now and forever.
For you.
Amen.
Michael,
Another great sermon that ministered powerfully to me.
Was wondering if you received the book I sent to you? Was it something that you can use in your library?
I love to comb those few old book stores that have survived Amazon.
Every now and then I come across a gem or two in them.
I have a very large library in my home. We have had to build bookcases in two rooms of the house and my man~cave has three large book cases.
Like most people from my generation, I am an avid reader. Every since those Tom and Jerry readers and my introduction to Dr. Suess as a young child I have an unquenchable appetite for books.
Unfortunately my 35 year old son is not much of a reader.
I will ask him, “Son did you read the article I sent you?”
And he replies,”No dad, it was just a wall of text to me.”
On my blog I have since learned to make every sentence a new paragraph, because studies have shown that this generation will not read anything on the net unless it is formatted in separated sentences.
Alex has mentioned this as if it were unusual, which it is, but if you want readers of anything on the net to continue to read studies have shown you have to separate each sentence.
As I have done here…LOL
David,
I did receive it and I thank you for it…I think it will be helpful, and interesting as well.
Thank you!