WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:20.400 Just by way of introduction, I want you to think with me just for a moment about some of the 00:00:20.400 --> 00:00:21.400 ! 00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:28.500 Let's look at indications in Scripture about the love of God for us. 00:00:30.140 --> 00:00:37.079 This series that we've been dealing with in the book of Ephesians, beginning actually there in Ephesians 00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:44.719 chapter 3 verse 14, where Paul starts out by saying, for this cause I bow my knees before the Father. 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:50.119 I want you to think with me just for a moment, just in your own mind, I want you to think to yourself, 00:00:50.119 --> 00:00:59.579 what are some of the explicit statements in Scripture that tell you God loves you? 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:05.659 I'm not going to ask you to respond to them, but I will tell you this. 00:01:06.459 --> 00:01:13.239 Were you a Muslim, the idea of God caring about you personally, loving you, would be like over top. 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:16.599 If you were a Hindu, you'd miss that one. 00:01:17.500 --> 00:01:20.339 If you're a Buddhist, nowhere in the picture. 00:01:22.219 --> 00:01:32.140 And the Scriptures are filled with reminders of the undeniable certainty that God loves us. 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:37.879 One of the ones I thought about is actually in the book of Deuteronomy where it says this. 00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:41.379 It says, yea, he loved the people, he gave them his law. 00:01:49.379 --> 00:01:51.140 This book tells me he loves me. 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:55.480 It's good. 00:01:55.480 --> 00:02:11.599 Ephesians chapter 3 verse 20 and 21 is the conclusion to this absolutely spectacular, unbelievable prayer. 00:02:14.939 --> 00:02:22.020 Actually, it's a prayer that we don't pray very often, and we should. 00:02:22.020 --> 00:02:28.780 And it's a prayer that evidently, as Paul was bringing it to a close, 00:02:28.900 --> 00:02:34.320 he recognized under the prompting of the Spirit of God that the people there in Ephesus, 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:40.180 and by extension those of you who are here today and me, need to be reminded, 00:02:41.200 --> 00:02:42.960 go ahead, pray it. 00:02:44.760 --> 00:02:45.320 Ask. 00:02:48.320 --> 00:02:50.240 How many of you remember dating in junior high? 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:56.620 Now, there's some of you that haven't gotten there yet, and your parents are, I saw that one, yeah. 00:02:56.879 --> 00:02:59.320 Some of you are just like, yeah, I remember that. 00:02:59.540 --> 00:02:59.980 Dumb. 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:06.080 One of the things about dating in junior high is that it's always done through emissaries and advocates. 00:03:06.200 --> 00:03:06.980 Do you know what I'm saying? 00:03:08.020 --> 00:03:09.080 How many of you understand that? 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:14.120 When you like so-and-so, you don't have the guts to go ask her yourself, 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:21.039 so you kind of beat around the bush with one of your close friends in hopes that they will do what? 00:03:23.200 --> 00:03:23.879 Yeah, yeah. 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:24.580 It's all right. 00:03:24.900 --> 00:03:25.719 Go ahead and ask her. 00:03:25.780 --> 00:03:26.780 She won't turn you down. 00:03:27.460 --> 00:03:32.319 Your psyche, your pride can't bear rejection, so there you are. 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:38.060 Now, in my day, we did very mundane things, like we went to skating parties, you know, 00:03:38.500 --> 00:03:41.259 and the girls would be on one side and the boys on the other side, 00:03:41.299 --> 00:03:46.019 and you'd sit over there with this high degree of anxiety wondering, will she, won't she? 00:03:46.359 --> 00:03:53.299 And so you'd kind of nudge your friend, and he would zing over there and talk to one of the friends that he knew, 00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:55.599 and that friend would ask her. 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:59.479 It was a long and arduous process, but eventually you'd get the news. 00:03:59.579 --> 00:04:00.479 Go ahead, ask. 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:04.139 You needed help. 00:04:06.139 --> 00:04:18.860 And Paul, here in verse 20, after having really opened up this subject of a profoundly significant prayer, 00:04:19.939 --> 00:04:21.920 wants to give us some encouragement. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:25.420 So I want us to look at that encouragement that we find here to trust. 00:04:26.520 --> 00:04:27.060 Verse 20 says, 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:33.120 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, 00:04:34.080 --> 00:04:36.560 according to the power that is at work within us, 00:04:37.640 --> 00:04:44.720 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. 00:04:45.400 --> 00:04:45.780 Amen. 00:04:46.960 --> 00:04:50.520 I want you to think with me and recognize that actually the things that we pray about 00:04:50.520 --> 00:04:54.040 are really revealing spiritually. 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:54.860 They tell people. 00:04:55.220 --> 00:04:55.960 They tell us. 00:04:56.700 --> 00:05:01.740 They tell God where our thinking is, the things that we care about, we bring forward. 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:05.200 They indicate what we are really focused in on. 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:07.700 And we pick up there in verse 14. 00:05:07.699 --> 00:05:14.019 We find that Paul, instead of praying for all the different kinds of things that a lot of times you hear people praying for, 00:05:14.279 --> 00:05:16.339 here was his singular interest. 00:05:16.479 --> 00:05:23.060 He says, listen, here's the one thing that I want you to have the power of the Spirit of God work in your life 00:05:23.060 --> 00:05:32.060 that you would be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and the height, the width and the depth of the love of Christ. 00:05:33.240 --> 00:05:36.740 And then he goes on and says that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:39.439 Now that's a pretty audacious prayer, isn't it? 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:41.180 You're asking for a lot. 00:05:41.860 --> 00:05:42.519 You really are. 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:49.719 I want you to stop with me just for a moment and think back to the book of Genesis in the garden 00:05:49.719 --> 00:05:53.699 when Adam and Eve were together there and they'd been given that prohibition, 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:56.980 do not eat of the tree of the fruit there in the center. 00:05:57.100 --> 00:05:57.819 Don't eat that. 00:05:57.819 --> 00:06:05.439 And Satan comes along and he says, hey, listen, if you eat that tree, you're going to be like God. 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:11.240 Paul's prayer is not on the same page. 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:12.620 I do want you to understand that. 00:06:12.620 --> 00:06:19.379 But nevertheless, Paul's prayer is this, that having understood and comprehended the love of Christ, 00:06:19.500 --> 00:06:24.199 that you would then enjoy the fullness of God. 00:06:24.420 --> 00:06:25.579 That's significant. 00:06:27.819 --> 00:06:39.139 And in the face of that, I think it's important for us to understand that this encouragement to pray this way is fitting. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:44.519 We say that Paul asks that we would have this fullness in God. 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:49.659 And you can understand that we'd probably be tempted to say, well, Paul, that's a little much. 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:51.800 That's a stretch. 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:57.300 But I do want you to understand that behind this prayer is an understanding. 00:06:58.439 --> 00:07:02.800 And we recognize that all prayer that God hears is rooted in God's character. 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:05.439 It's rooted in God's work. 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:10.719 And I can't help but think about the passage in Hebrews chapter 11, verse 6. 00:07:11.259 --> 00:07:15.639 And some of you may want to turn to that passage, Hebrews 11, 6, where it says, 00:07:15.819 --> 00:07:17.939 they that come to God, can anybody finish it for me? 00:07:18.300 --> 00:07:24.379 Must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that do diligently seek him. 00:07:24.379 --> 00:07:35.759 Whoever wants to draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards them who seek him. 00:07:36.600 --> 00:07:40.120 And so as we think about this subject of Paul encouraging our prayer, 00:07:41.699 --> 00:07:46.040 we have to recognize that we can trust God to answer because nothing is beyond his ability. 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:57.180 You look at that passage, it says, now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we could ask or think. 00:07:58.460 --> 00:08:05.280 And so as Paul reminds us and encourages us to pray, he says, listen, one of the reasons you go ahead and pray this way, 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:10.180 Lord, I want to comprehend with all the saints the love of Christ. 00:08:10.300 --> 00:08:11.700 That's what I want to understand. 00:08:11.900 --> 00:08:13.860 I really want that. 00:08:14.700 --> 00:08:16.020 He says, go ahead and ask it. 00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:21.080 Because God's able to answer all the questions and heartaches and issues that you have. 00:08:22.080 --> 00:08:29.060 And as I think about this, I'm reminded of how often Jesus kind of challenged his own disciples while he was with them 00:08:29.060 --> 00:08:34.480 to stretch their minds that they would understand a little bit more about who he was and what he could do. 00:08:34.700 --> 00:08:36.860 Let me have you think of one of the illustrations of that. 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:39.960 Turn over, turn back actually to John chapter 6. 00:08:40.800 --> 00:08:45.580 And John chapter 6, verse 9, or John chapter 6, verse 5. 00:08:45.580 --> 00:08:48.540 Through 9, we find a situation developing here. 00:08:49.920 --> 00:08:56.580 Peter, or Philip, is standing there near Jesus and there is a large crowd gathered. 00:08:56.580 --> 00:09:04.700 And so Jesus turns to Philip and says, hey, where are we going to buy bread so that these people may eat? 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:08.060 Now it's like, why are you asking me? 00:09:08.059 --> 00:09:11.119 I just happen to be one of the flunkies. 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:12.579 I've come along for the party. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:14.899 Don't be bothering me with that kind of detail. 00:09:15.319 --> 00:09:17.159 And he is kind of blown away by that. 00:09:17.199 --> 00:09:18.000 And look at his answer. 00:09:19.079 --> 00:09:19.839 Philip answered him. 00:09:20.179 --> 00:09:21.899 Now Philip must have been a little bit of an accountant. 00:09:22.419 --> 00:09:23.859 You know, I would have said, I don't know. 00:09:23.860 --> 00:09:26.300 But Philip had to get a number to this thing. 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:26.860 You notice that? 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:32.139 He says, yeah, 200 denarii would not buy enough for each one of these to have a little. 00:09:32.740 --> 00:09:39.240 I mean, that 200 days wages would not have 5,000 men. 00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:40.840 That didn't include the women and children. 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:42.800 And that is a large crowd. 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:49.719 We've had a number of open houses in the last several days. 00:09:49.899 --> 00:09:51.419 And there are several more going on. 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:54.899 And one of the things that comes with graduations is everybody puts on a feed. 00:09:55.579 --> 00:10:00.279 And I was talking with someone who said, yeah, we cooked 43 pounds of chicken. 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:06.479 I don't know how many people walked through that yard, but nothing like 5,000. 00:10:06.579 --> 00:10:07.059 Do you follow me? 00:10:07.059 --> 00:10:13.019 And when Philip is asked this question, he says, I have no idea. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:19.439 It's interesting, though, that after they're getting everybody seated, Andrew, who was kind of a detail person, 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:22.339 he comes up and you can kind of hear him there in the verse. 00:10:22.819 --> 00:10:26.679 He says, well, we got a little boy here. 00:10:27.259 --> 00:10:27.879 Verse 9. 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:31.539 There's a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. 00:10:31.819 --> 00:10:34.619 But what are they for so many? 00:10:34.620 --> 00:10:38.399 Five barley loaves and two fish. 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:43.159 Now, by the way, that represented lunch for how many boys? 00:10:44.419 --> 00:10:45.200 One boy. 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:48.840 His mother had packed it thoughtfully. 00:10:49.659 --> 00:10:55.860 And he was the only person in the entire crowd that was duly equipped for the challenge of that day. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:58.360 And when Andrew comes, oh, there is. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:00.200 What do you have in that bag? 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:03.500 Well, I've got five fish or five loaves and two fish. 00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:07.100 And Andrew says, well, okay, that kid's taken care of him. 00:11:07.139 --> 00:11:08.820 Goes back to Jesus and said, well, here's the deal. 00:11:10.059 --> 00:11:10.419 Listen. 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:16.500 As it was, the challenge was very easy to overcome for Jesus, wasn't it? 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:22.200 And by the way, do you think he actually needed to have barley loaves and fish in order to pull the miracle off? 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:22.779 What's the answer? 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:25.919 He could have produced it out of nothing. 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:34.219 You see, Paul makes it clear, and I go back to that passage in Ephesians chapter 3. 00:11:34.740 --> 00:11:39.719 Paul makes it clear that God can do more than we can ask. 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:43.840 I do like the order in which Paul puts things here. 00:11:43.920 --> 00:11:50.540 You'll notice that, first of all, there in verse 20, he speaks about God can do far more abundantly than we can ask. 00:11:52.180 --> 00:11:59.980 And generally when we ask, our asking flows out of our imagination of the probability of getting an answer to that request. 00:12:00.040 --> 00:12:00.560 Isn't that right? 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:04.739 We ask what we think can possibly be done. 00:12:06.099 --> 00:12:10.559 A number of years ago when Judith and I lived over on Angaro Drive, we had a very interesting phone number. 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:12.619 It was 279-2800. 00:12:12.939 --> 00:12:15.339 Now, it sounds business-y, doesn't it? 00:12:16.539 --> 00:12:23.099 And for some strange reason, Judith and I got periodic calls for people asking if we would do an oil change. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:29.359 I never got into oil changes, and I would never respond. 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:30.620 I said, you got the wrong number. 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:31.980 I said, this is a private residence. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:32.980 We don't do oil changes. 00:12:33.180 --> 00:12:37.759 The other thing that we got calls on periodically was pizza delivery. 00:12:39.860 --> 00:12:44.759 And in my perverse nature, when people would say, I'd like to order a pizza, guess what I would do? 00:12:45.800 --> 00:12:46.800 I'd say, go right ahead. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:49.240 And I'd take the details down. 00:12:50.060 --> 00:12:55.360 You want pepperoni on one half, and you want mushroom on the other, and you want, you know, blah, blah, blah. 00:12:55.460 --> 00:12:57.539 I said, okay, well, that'll be a while. 00:12:57.539 --> 00:13:00.279 And I'd say, well, how long is it going to take, and how much is it going to cost? 00:13:00.459 --> 00:13:02.879 I would usually come out with something like about $89. 00:13:04.319 --> 00:13:05.659 And it'll be a couple hours. 00:13:07.099 --> 00:13:09.879 And then I would get these explosions on the phone. 00:13:09.939 --> 00:13:10.339 It's like, what? 00:13:10.500 --> 00:13:11.480 I can't believe that. 00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:12.360 How do you stay in business? 00:13:12.439 --> 00:13:13.799 I said, well, I'm really not in business. 00:13:14.059 --> 00:13:15.379 We're a private residence. 00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:20.059 But I would be glad to do a pizza for you. 00:13:22.899 --> 00:13:27.439 The pizza was within my skill set, and I let them know I'd help them. 00:13:29.539 --> 00:13:31.799 I never got return calls from those people. 00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:38.259 I don't tell you the story to entertain you, but here's the deal. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:43.699 When we ask God, we ask Him for the things we think He can do. 00:13:44.620 --> 00:13:47.219 And Paul says, you can ask for more than that. 00:13:48.539 --> 00:13:50.319 You can ask for more than that. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:55.320 And what Paul is saying is, go ahead. 00:13:56.500 --> 00:13:59.320 Go beyond what you would normally ask for. 00:13:59.520 --> 00:14:04.340 And let me challenge you to think with me here a little bit about how we should ask. 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:10.540 One of the things that it says over in James 1, it says, let him ask in what? 00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:14.140 In faith, nothing doubting. 00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:21.399 Remember the substance or the context of the prayer here is Paul is saying to the believers there in Ephesus, 00:14:21.799 --> 00:14:27.580 I want you to pray that you would comprehend the love that Christ has for you, 00:14:27.720 --> 00:14:29.879 that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. 00:14:31.379 --> 00:14:32.679 Paul says, go ahead and ask. 00:14:34.580 --> 00:14:37.679 I would appeal to you as you ask, you go ahead and say this. 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:40.740 And I think it's an indicator of the sincerity of your heart. 00:14:40.740 --> 00:14:48.460 Lord, I want you to do whatever it takes to help me grow to understand who you are and your love. 00:14:50.419 --> 00:15:02.759 You see, a lot of times we're asking for things without an earnestness and without a desire to go through the process that God has ordained to get us there. 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:09.299 Oh, I would like to be a rocket scientist and I want to be able to play Angry Birds at the same time. 00:15:09.299 --> 00:15:11.139 You know, it doesn't work that way. 00:15:11.719 --> 00:15:13.199 You want to be a rocket scientist? 00:15:13.359 --> 00:15:16.659 God will take you the rocket science journey and he'll get you there. 00:15:17.099 --> 00:15:21.639 Lord, whatever it takes, work in me to give me a heart for you. 00:15:23.319 --> 00:15:24.759 Now look at what else he says there. 00:15:24.819 --> 00:15:27.839 He says, God can also do more than we can think about. 00:15:29.319 --> 00:15:32.620 We may be hesitant on occasion to ask. 00:15:32.620 --> 00:15:39.980 But we probably all dreamed on other moments where, well, I wonder if he could do that. 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:42.039 And here is Paul saying, go ahead. 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:45.840 He can answer needs that you have. 00:15:45.960 --> 00:15:48.320 He can do beyond what you can imagine. 00:15:49.480 --> 00:15:56.580 And I want you to look at the remainder of the verse because it really gives us some practical, down-to-earth encouragement to ask. 00:15:56.659 --> 00:15:57.419 Look at what it says there. 00:15:57.419 --> 00:16:02.659 It says, according to the power at work within us. 00:16:03.439 --> 00:16:07.299 He says, you can ask more than you can imagine. 00:16:07.719 --> 00:16:11.959 But he says, and you can ask on the basis of the power that is at work in you. 00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:14.959 And so let me help you think about this in practical terms. 00:16:15.419 --> 00:16:19.759 God can answer in the same way that he has been working in us. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:28.379 God can do for you according as he has already been doing in you who are children of God. 00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:30.340 Now let me say this. 00:16:30.439 --> 00:16:40.179 If we are uncertain that he can help us grasp the wonder of his love, we should stop and remind ourselves of all that he has already done. 00:16:40.179 --> 00:16:57.139 Every believer should on occasion refresh their thinking about the unbelievable blessings that they have received in salvation and the undeniable proof of his work in their lives with his transforming power. 00:16:57.539 --> 00:17:00.559 Are you different because of the cross? 00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:06.440 That's a question to which every believer can say absolutely. 00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:17.660 And along with, yes, I am different, there should also be clear indicators of the changes that he has brought and is bringing in your life. 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:20.740 Genuine conversion brings change. 00:17:20.779 --> 00:17:21.600 Wouldn't you agree with that? 00:17:22.420 --> 00:17:24.600 Genuine conversion brings change. 00:17:25.340 --> 00:17:33.660 I remember talking a couple weeks ago with a young lady that actually called in here and she was doing what is often done in the springtime. 00:17:33.660 --> 00:17:37.019 It's the time that people call in and say, I would like a church wedding. 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:39.380 And my answer is, I am so glad you called. 00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:43.940 I am all about helping young couples develop a Christian home. 00:17:45.500 --> 00:17:53.980 And as I then went from there, I said, so tell me about your fiancé and his love for Christ. 00:17:54.320 --> 00:17:56.140 Well, he doesn't really want a church wedding. 00:17:56.140 --> 00:18:05.360 Well, oh, I thought we were talking about a church wedding where two people who love Jesus want to make Jesus the center of the event. 00:18:06.600 --> 00:18:12.440 I came to find out that this dear young lady had three children by, I think, three different men. 00:18:12.800 --> 00:18:16.040 And the one that she was living with now, she decided it was appropriate to marry. 00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:17.079 And I thought, hmm. 00:18:17.659 --> 00:18:18.799 I said, you know what? 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.980 Jesus wants you to walk like a believer. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:31.240 And I would encourage you to do that before you decide you want to do a church wedding that says publicly, I'm all about Jesus. 00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:33.039 Does that make sense to you? 00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.539 Sound practical? 00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:36.420 Understandable? 00:18:36.420 --> 00:18:42.240 You see, here is Paul in Ephesians chapter 3 saying, listen. 00:18:42.560 --> 00:18:44.180 He says, go ahead and ask. 00:18:44.700 --> 00:18:48.000 But here is the foundation upon which you're asking rests. 00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:55.560 You're asking rests upon the certainty of what you have seen him already do in your life. 00:18:55.559 --> 00:19:05.700 And if you're sitting out here this morning and you don't see the evidence of the transforming power of the gospel at work in your life, 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:12.679 I would encourage you to ask yourself the question, do I really have the work of God playing out in my life? 00:19:12.819 --> 00:19:16.299 If you're a child of God, you are different than you used to be. 00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:24.159 And that difference is one of those things that the Spirit of God leverages to encourage you to keep on asking. 00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:30.139 Now we come to something else that I think is very, very important to recognize. 00:19:31.559 --> 00:19:38.559 In verse 21, Paul brings us to the grand conclusion to the book of Ephesians, the first three chapters. 00:19:39.299 --> 00:19:44.179 And this is the statement that in essence we find here, our triune God is supremely important and worthy. 00:19:45.379 --> 00:19:51.799 This verse is the final note in a three-chapter discourse on the glory of God and salvation. 00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:59.480 God reveals to us in Ephesians chapter 1 that he has called us according to his purpose in the election. 00:19:59.960 --> 00:20:05.240 And in his grand purposes, he has called us for his own glory and his good. 00:20:05.639 --> 00:20:09.839 And as it comes to a conclusion in chapter 3, it ends with this note. 00:20:09.919 --> 00:20:10.200 It says, 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:17.240 And there are a number of important things for us to recognize in this passage. 00:20:17.340 --> 00:20:19.380 For one, it's really all about him. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:23.640 When you think about what the church is, it's really all about him. 00:20:24.580 --> 00:20:27.259 When we gather together, it's about Christ. 00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:30.220 When we leave, it's about Christ. 00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:32.680 When we wake up in the morning, it's about Christ. 00:20:32.840 --> 00:20:35.620 When we go to sleep at night, it's about Christ. 00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:45.779 And Paul's statement here is one that declares an undeniable fact at the heart of Christian existence is the glory and the purposes of Christ. 00:20:46.779 --> 00:20:48.559 Because God is who he is. 00:20:49.699 --> 00:20:51.000 And because of what he has done. 00:20:51.979 --> 00:20:59.000 It's understandable that all that is worthy of praise rises out of him and redounds to him. 00:20:59.019 --> 00:20:59.939 It comes back to him. 00:21:00.739 --> 00:21:02.279 The nations may rage. 00:21:02.439 --> 00:21:04.119 The atheist may shake his fist. 00:21:04.119 --> 00:21:06.599 The tyrant may torture believers. 00:21:07.239 --> 00:21:10.379 Moslems may slaughter thousands of Christians around the world. 00:21:10.719 --> 00:21:11.759 But understand this. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:17.279 At the end of the day, Christ is going to be glorified and his reign will be forever. 00:21:17.699 --> 00:21:19.839 And we are reminded of that in this passage. 00:21:19.979 --> 00:21:20.239 It says, 00:21:20.619 --> 00:21:23.399 To him be glory in the church. 00:21:26.479 --> 00:21:30.659 I want to take that central thought and expand on it and have you think with me of it just for a moment. 00:21:30.660 --> 00:21:36.000 Number one, God is the central ambition and affection of his church. 00:21:36.820 --> 00:21:39.120 I got to tell you something as I think about the church. 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:48.400 The church is something that is far more significant in the economy of God than many, many professing believers today recognize. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:52.780 What is more important? 00:21:52.780 --> 00:21:57.000 Your job or the church of the living God? 00:21:57.700 --> 00:22:00.900 In the scriptures, it is the church. 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:03.320 What is more important? 00:22:04.320 --> 00:22:11.880 Your child's baseball or soccer or basketball games or the church? 00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:15.960 In the economy of God and in scripture, it is the church. 00:22:16.840 --> 00:22:18.220 What is more important? 00:22:19.040 --> 00:22:24.540 Your luxury and entertainment or indulgent or opportunity to relax. 00:22:24.600 --> 00:22:27.760 Is that of more importance or is the church more important? 00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:34.880 And I got to tell you, in the scriptures, undeniably, it is the church of the living God that is of supreme importance. 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:46.620 And if your view of the church is something that marginalizes it to fit in only when it fits your other agenda issues, you are off base. 00:22:47.960 --> 00:22:53.060 And someday, that will be corrected. 00:22:54.480 --> 00:23:00.260 It is the church that is supremely important in the plan of God. 00:23:00.320 --> 00:23:03.060 Now, does that say that it's wrong to go to work? 00:23:03.060 --> 00:23:03.460 No. 00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:06.140 Is it wrong for your kids to play sports? 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:06.559 No. 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:08.840 Is it wrong for you to have vacations? 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:09.279 No. 00:23:09.620 --> 00:23:17.740 But when those things crowd out the supremacy of the bride of Christ, there is something wrong in your thinking. 00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:25.360 God is to be the central ambition and the affection of the church. 00:23:25.940 --> 00:23:27.039 That's what it says there. 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:29.620 Unto him be glory in the church. 00:23:29.619 --> 00:23:35.979 Secondly, God is the center of Christ's affection and interest. 00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:37.459 Look at what it says there in verse 21. 00:23:37.899 --> 00:23:41.059 Unto him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus. 00:23:42.239 --> 00:23:43.539 Do you recognize what it's saying? 00:23:44.479 --> 00:23:52.019 That in the person and work of Christ, it is the glory of the Father that was predominant, front and center, and Christ's interest. 00:23:52.019 --> 00:23:55.599 Remember when Jesus said, I am all about, this is a summary. 00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:58.019 He says, I'm all about the glory of the Father. 00:23:58.079 --> 00:23:59.119 That's what I'm here to do. 00:23:59.900 --> 00:24:07.019 He says, all that I've ever done, all that I have done has flowed out of my desire to see that my Father is glorified. 00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:11.539 The work that I do is all about making him look good. 00:24:12.539 --> 00:24:18.099 And I've got to tell you, if that's the way the Lord Jesus was, how should we be in our relationships and responsibilities? 00:24:19.059 --> 00:24:20.500 As you go off to work. 00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:22.980 As you deal with people. 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:25.400 As you interact with your neighbors. 00:24:25.400 --> 00:24:34.920 You are doing the same kind of activities that Jesus or the disciples could have been engaging in. 00:24:35.160 --> 00:24:38.080 The question is, is really what's your motive and what's at the heart of it? 00:24:38.360 --> 00:24:45.519 Are you going through those things with an intention of seeing the Father as the one who is exalted and lifted up? 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:50.960 Third, I want you to recognize that God will be the center of the glory for eternity. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:55.519 Throughout all generations forever and ever. 00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:56.200 Amen. 00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:59.539 As he brings it to a close, he says, let me tell you something. 00:24:59.940 --> 00:25:07.079 This business of the glory of God the Father is something that is not just a momentary thing in this present life. 00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:12.860 But it will be the absolute glory and ambition and affection of eternity. 00:25:12.859 --> 00:25:23.819 What is it going to be like to be in heaven and have God the absolute center of every one of my ambitions and your ambitions, of every one of my thoughts and your thoughts? 00:25:23.939 --> 00:25:26.740 It is going to be unbelievably delightful. 00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:30.539 Now stop and think with me. 00:25:30.539 --> 00:25:41.480 If that's how it will be in the future, it will be that way because it is right and it is true and it is noble and it is good. 00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:51.819 And if it is that way in the future because of the character and worth of God, it is right for us to bend our hearts towards that now. 00:25:51.899 --> 00:25:52.759 Does that make sense? 00:25:52.759 --> 00:25:58.279 I don't want people having culture shock when they arrive in heaven. 00:25:59.460 --> 00:26:00.700 Oh, what am I doing here? 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:04.099 I don't know about this God thing. 00:26:05.059 --> 00:26:12.140 I was all about T-ball and jet skis and Angry Birds. 00:26:12.299 --> 00:26:13.559 You know, I mean, that's where I was. 00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:17.200 God, I'm not sure this is going to work. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:22.420 So let me ask you this question as you come to a close with me. 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:32.420 I just recognize here, how often do you find yourself asking whether your behavior and your affections reflect favorably on the God that you profess to worship and adore? 00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:34.740 I think that's a fair question. 00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:38.860 And, you know, I have to deal with attitudes. 00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:40.080 How many of you have to deal with attitudes? 00:26:40.180 --> 00:26:41.299 Anybody else here besides me? 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:42.120 Attitudes? 00:26:43.559 --> 00:26:46.500 And I have to deal with the private thoughts that I have. 00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:51.079 One of the nice things about my private thoughts is most of the time anybody but my wife doesn't know what's going on. 00:26:51.819 --> 00:26:53.380 And she looks at me and says, what are you thinking? 00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:56.000 And I normally say, well, nothing. 00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:57.079 She says, that's not true. 00:26:57.880 --> 00:26:59.420 That's always uncomfortable for me. 00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:01.359 You know, but here's my question. 00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:12.680 How often do you find yourself caught up in thinking about the glory and the supremacy of Christ, the glory of the Father, and saying, 00:27:12.680 --> 00:27:23.000 man, the thing I want is for him to look good and for him to be the one that receives the pleasure and prize from my thoughts and behaviors? 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:27.799 I found myself thinking the other day about one of the old songs that occasionally we've sung. 00:27:28.900 --> 00:27:30.620 When morning gilds the skies. 00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:31.820 How many of you know the rest of it? 00:27:32.140 --> 00:27:34.080 My heart awakening cries. 00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:34.480 What? 00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:37.420 May Jesus Christ be praised. 00:27:37.420 --> 00:27:49.740 When I wake up in the morning, if this verse 21 is affecting the way I think, my thought is, all right, Lord, today's your day. 00:27:51.840 --> 00:27:55.820 Today is the day that I want you to be the one who receives glory. 00:27:55.819 --> 00:28:05.939 If you awake in the morning and things from the very get-go don't go your way, guess who really is in control of the details? 00:28:06.039 --> 00:28:09.279 How many of you realize it's not you, it's Christ? 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:20.339 And the way we respond when things don't go our way really indicates who we think, follow me here, should be in control. 00:28:20.339 --> 00:28:31.000 And so I want you to think with me this morning of how this prayer comes to a close. 00:28:31.199 --> 00:28:34.359 Paul says, listen, I want you to love Christ. 00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:37.379 No, I want you to understand the love of Christ. 00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:42.619 And I want you to have the boldness to ask him to help you. 00:28:43.339 --> 00:28:43.759 Why? 00:28:44.679 --> 00:28:46.059 Because he deserves glory. 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:48.539 He deserves glory. 00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:56.440 And so when you're sitting here this morning, let me encourage you to recognize that you are here in one of two conditions. 00:28:59.079 --> 00:29:01.440 You're here as a person who knows Christ. 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:06.980 And you have, through the power of the Spirit of God, had your sins forgiven. 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:10.420 And you have been given an eternal destiny that does not change. 00:29:10.460 --> 00:29:10.940 Isn't that great? 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:13.960 And you are loved unconditionally by the Father. 00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:22.980 My question to you is this, is are you growing in your affection for Christ through your understanding of his love? 00:29:23.180 --> 00:29:27.720 And is that driving you towards a desire to obey him or please him? 00:29:27.720 --> 00:29:32.160 It might be that you're here today and you do not know Christ. 00:29:33.799 --> 00:29:37.660 And beloved, I would appeal to you this morning, if you are here and you do not know Christ, 00:29:37.799 --> 00:29:41.880 and you do not see the evidence of the work of the Spirit of God in your life, 00:29:42.019 --> 00:29:43.440 I would plead with you now. 00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:44.799 Now is the time of repentance. 00:29:46.140 --> 00:29:47.980 Now is the time of crying out to God and saying, 00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:50.120 God, there's something amiss. 00:29:50.119 --> 00:29:54.679 I desperately need your work to change my heart. 00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:56.819 I can't do it myself. 00:29:57.919 --> 00:30:03.779 I want to be a person who moves from being all about me to being a person who's all about you. 00:30:04.519 --> 00:30:05.259 I need your help. 00:30:06.479 --> 00:30:09.639 Let's close in prayer as we come to a close. 00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:15.319 And I want you to bow your heads with me and just ask God to apply the word practically to your life 00:30:15.319 --> 00:30:17.439 as John comes to lead us in our singing. 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:24.820 Father God, this morning we are thankful for the encouragement that we can pray and ask. 00:30:26.120 --> 00:30:28.960 And our desire is that we would understand the love of Christ, 00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:30.860 that we would be filled with the fullness of God. 00:30:32.340 --> 00:30:34.799 I pray for those who are here today that are believers, 00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:40.880 whose lives have been drawn away to discontentment and discouragement and brokenness, 00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:45.039 that this morning your spirit and your spirit alone will be the one who will refresh 00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:47.500 and lift them up and draw them back. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:51.139 I pray for those who are here today that do not know Christ, 00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:55.819 that this morning your spirit would convict them of the hopelessness of their sin 00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:59.019 and they would find complete forgiveness in the Lord Jesus. 00:30:59.180 --> 00:31:01.399 We ask this in your precious name. 00:31:01.460 --> 00:31:01.659 Amen. 00:31:01.659 --> 00:31:01.759 Amen. 00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:03.659 Let's pray. 00:31:03.659 --> 00:31:04.159 Amen. 00:31:04.159 --> 00:31:04.159 00:31:04.159 --> 00:31:04.159 00:31:04.159 --> 00:31:04.159 00:31:04.159 --> 00:31:04.159 00:31:04.159 --> 00:31:04.159 00:31:04.159 --> 00:31:04.159 00:31:04.159 --> 00:31:04.159