Deepening Our Relationship with Christ Through Faith

 

Summary

In Ephesians 3:17, Paul prays that Christ may dwell in the hearts of believers by faith. This prayer is not for conversion but for a deeper, more intimate relationship with Christ. Paul emphasizes that this is a prayer for all Christians, not just the apostles or church leaders. The passage challenges believers to move beyond a superficial understanding of faith and to seek a profound, personal experience with Christ. This is akin to climbing a mountain; the higher you go, the more challenging it becomes, yet the view is more exhilarating and rewarding.

Paul's prayer is for believers to be strengthened by the Spirit in their inner being, preparing them for Christ to settle down and make His home in their hearts. This is not about Christ being a mere visitor but about Him taking permanent residence, influencing every aspect of their lives. The analogy of Christ standing at the door and knocking, as seen in Revelation 3:20, is often misinterpreted as an evangelistic call. However, it is a message to believers, urging them to open their hearts to a deeper fellowship with Christ.

The sermon highlights that many Christians settle for a basic understanding of faith, missing out on the richness of a personal relationship with Christ. This deeper relationship is characterized by Christ being the center of one's life, influencing thoughts, decisions, and actions. It is about knowing Christ as a living, personal reality, not just as a distant figure. This experience is available to all believers through faith, which reveals the possibility and reality of Christ dwelling in their hearts.

Faith is the key to unlocking this deeper relationship. It allows believers to see the possibility of Christ's indwelling and to pray earnestly for it. As believers grow in faith, they begin to experience Christ's presence more fully, leading to a life transformed by His love and power. This is the ultimate goal of the Christian journey: to know Christ intimately and to have Him dwell in our hearts, guiding and empowering us in all things.

Key Takeaways:

- The Depth of Christian Experience: Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:17 is for believers to experience a deeper relationship with Christ, moving beyond mere intellectual belief to a personal, intimate knowledge of Him. This is a call to climb higher in our spiritual journey, where the challenges increase but so do the rewards. [02:36]

- Christ’s Indwelling Presence: The concept of Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith is about Him taking permanent residence, influencing every aspect of our lives. It’s not about a temporary visit but a settled, ongoing presence that transforms us from within. [13:50]

- Misinterpretation of Revelation 3:20: The often-quoted verse about Christ standing at the door and knocking is not an evangelistic call to unbelievers but a message to believers, urging them to open their hearts to a deeper fellowship with Christ. This highlights the need for a more profound relationship with Him. [16:02]

- Faith as the Key to Deeper Relationship: Faith reveals the possibility of Christ’s indwelling and enables believers to believe in and pray for this reality. It is through faith that we can experience Christ as a living, personal reality, transforming our lives. [40:11]

- The Transformative Power of Christ’s Presence: When Christ dwells in our hearts, He becomes the center of our lives, influencing our thoughts, decisions, and actions. This leads to a life transformed by His love and power, fulfilling the ultimate goal of the Christian journey. [35:56]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Ephesians 3:17
- [00:29] - Context of Paul's Prayer
- [01:03] - The Riches of God's Glory
- [02:02] - The Sublime Heights of Christian Life
- [03:09] - A Prayer for All Christians
- [04:44] - Strengthened by the Spirit
- [06:40] - Christ Dwelling in Our Hearts
- [08:02] - Misunderstandings in Evangelism
- [10:31] - The True Meaning of Christ's Indwelling
- [12:54] - The Significance of "Dwell"
- [14:40] - Revelation 3:20 Explained
- [17:34] - The Condition of the Laodicean Church
- [19:36] - Paul's Personal Experience
- [22:21] - Manifestation of Christ
- [25:25] - The Heart as the Center of Personality
- [28:22] - Knowing Christ Personally
- [31:36] - Hudson Taylor's Prayer
- [35:56] - The Transformative Power of Christ
- [39:20] - The Reality of Christ's Presence
- [42:09] - Faith Reveals Possibility
- [44:08] - Conclusion and Benediction

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 3:17
- Revelation 3:20
- Galatians 2:20

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Paul pray for in Ephesians 3:17, and how does this prayer differ from a prayer for conversion? [00:10]

2. How does the sermon describe the analogy of climbing a mountain in relation to the Christian journey? [02:36]

3. According to the sermon, what is the common misinterpretation of Revelation 3:20, and who is the intended audience of this message? [16:02]

4. What does the sermon suggest is the role of faith in experiencing Christ's indwelling presence? [40:11]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon explain the difference between Christ being a visitor in our hearts versus taking permanent residence? What implications does this have for a believer's life? [13:50]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that many Christians settle for a basic understanding of faith? How does this affect their relationship with Christ? [29:24]

3. How does the sermon interpret Paul's statement in Galatians 2:20, "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me," in the context of Christ dwelling in our hearts? [19:36]

4. What does the sermon imply about the transformative power of Christ's presence in a believer's life? How does this relate to the ultimate goal of the Christian journey? [35:56]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current relationship with Christ. Do you feel that He is a visitor or has taken permanent residence in your heart? What steps can you take to deepen this relationship? [13:50]

2. The sermon compares the Christian journey to climbing a mountain. What challenges have you faced in your spiritual journey, and how have they led to growth or a deeper understanding of your faith? [02:36]

3. Revelation 3:20 is often misinterpreted as an evangelistic call. How can you ensure that your understanding of scripture is accurate and not based on common misconceptions? [16:02]

4. Faith is described as the key to experiencing Christ's indwelling presence. How can you actively cultivate and strengthen your faith to unlock a deeper relationship with Christ? [40:11]

5. Consider the areas of your life where Christ's presence is not yet the center. What practical changes can you make to allow Christ to influence your thoughts, decisions, and actions more fully? [35:56]

6. The sermon emphasizes the importance of moving beyond a basic understanding of faith. What specific actions can you take to grow in your knowledge and experience of Christ as a living, personal reality? [29:24]

7. Reflect on a time when you felt Christ's transformative power in your life. How can you share this experience with others to encourage them in their own spiritual journey? [35:56]

Devotional

Day 1: Climbing Higher in Faith
In Ephesians 3:17, Paul prays for believers to experience a deeper relationship with Christ, urging them to move beyond a superficial understanding of faith. This is a call to climb higher in our spiritual journey, where the challenges increase but so do the rewards. Just as climbing a mountain requires effort and perseverance, so does seeking a profound, personal experience with Christ. The higher we go, the more exhilarating and rewarding the view becomes. This deeper relationship is available to all believers, not just church leaders or apostles, and it is characterized by an intimate knowledge of Christ. [02:36]

Ephesians 1:17-18 (ESV): "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

Reflection: What is one area of your spiritual life where you feel stagnant? How can you take a step today to climb higher in your relationship with Christ?


Day 2: Christ's Permanent Residence
The concept of Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith is about Him taking permanent residence, influencing every aspect of our lives. It’s not about a temporary visit but a settled, ongoing presence that transforms us from within. This indwelling presence of Christ is meant to be a constant source of strength and guidance, shaping our thoughts, decisions, and actions. When Christ makes His home in our hearts, He becomes the center of our lives, leading us to a life transformed by His love and power. [13:50]

Colossians 3:16 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Reflection: In what ways can you invite Christ to take a more permanent residence in your daily routine? What changes might you need to make to allow His influence to permeate every aspect of your life?


Day 3: Opening the Door to Deeper Fellowship
The often-quoted verse about Christ standing at the door and knocking is not an evangelistic call to unbelievers but a message to believers, urging them to open their hearts to a deeper fellowship with Christ. This highlights the need for a more profound relationship with Him, where He is not just a distant figure but a living, personal reality. By opening the door to Christ, believers can experience a richer, more intimate connection with Him, allowing His presence to transform their lives. [16:02]

James 4:8 (ESV): "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to open the door of your heart wider to Christ? How can you draw nearer to Him in your daily life?


Day 4: Faith Unlocks Christ's Indwelling
Faith reveals the possibility of Christ’s indwelling and enables believers to believe in and pray for this reality. It is through faith that we can experience Christ as a living, personal reality, transforming our lives. As believers grow in faith, they begin to experience Christ's presence more fully, leading to a life transformed by His love and power. This is the ultimate goal of the Christian journey: to know Christ intimately and to have Him dwell in our hearts, guiding and empowering us in all things. [40:11]

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV): "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."

Reflection: How can you actively cultivate your faith today to unlock a deeper experience of Christ's presence in your life? What specific prayers can you offer to invite His indwelling more fully?


Day 5: The Transformative Power of Christ's Presence
When Christ dwells in our hearts, He becomes the center of our lives, influencing our thoughts, decisions, and actions. This leads to a life transformed by His love and power, fulfilling the ultimate goal of the Christian journey. By allowing Christ to take His rightful place in our hearts, we can experience the fullness of His transformative power, leading to a life that reflects His love and grace to the world around us. [35:56]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Reflection: In what ways have you seen Christ's transformative power at work in your life? How can you continue to allow His presence to shape and guide you in the days ahead?

Quotes


Let us remind ourselves again that here we are dealing perhaps with one of the sublimest, the most glorious, and most moving statements that is to be found anywhere in the entire range of the scriptures. Certainly, we are here face to face with the highest heights of the Christian Life and what is possible for Christian people. [00:02:11]

The Apostle here was not praying for his fellow Apostles only, neither was he merely praying for the elders or the leaders of the church at Ephesus. It is a prayer that he offers for all the members of the church at Ephesus, and as he writes it to them, he obviously meant them to understand it. [00:03:18]

The gospel of Salvation, thank God, is so simple that a child can be saved by it, but you know that isn’t true of the whole gospel. We are meant to grow in Grace, as this Apostle says in his next chapter. We’re not to be children, not to remain children, and to be carried about with every wind of Doctrine. [00:03:58]

The Apostle puts them in this order: the strengthening and then that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. Well now then, what does this mean? What exactly does this tremendous statement represent? The first way to approach it, the key to the understanding, and we must walk, as I’ve said, wearily, carefully, circumspectly. [00:07:43]

The Apostle is offering this prayer for people who are already Believers. Now, he is reminded of them of that abundantly. He tells them that when they first heard the gospel, in whom also he says, after that, after he heard the word of Truth, The Gospel of your salvation, in whom ye also trusted. [00:09:13]

The Apostle in other words is not praying that these people may become Christians, and that is where you see that phrase about receiving Christ into your heart to cover the term conversion is so misleading. He is praying that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith in whom Christ is already present. [00:10:33]

The word which is translated here as dwell is a most interesting and the most important word. It’s a compound word. It’s a word which basically means to live in as a house. That’s the fundamental word, to live in as a house, but the Apostle put a word, a prefix to that word, and the meaning of the prefix is down. [00:13:01]

There is a sense in which they know the Lord Jesus Christ, but there is another sense in which they don’t know him. They’re in relationship to him, yes, but they’re not controlled by him. They are certainly in a position in which they’re having dealings with him, but what is not true of them is this: he is not in the center of their lives. [00:17:45]

He knows what it is to experience this. You see, this is a man who is able to say, as he says in writing to the Galatians in the 2 chapter in the 20th verse, and listen to it: I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God. [00:19:29]

When Christ manifests himself to us, he becomes real to us as a person, and it therefore means to know him in a personal sense. It is in other words, you see, the Fulfillment of all that he promises there in the 14th chapter of The Gospel According to St John. [00:30:16]

Faith reveals the possibility to us. Now let me put it in the form of a question: had you realized that this was a possibility for you until this morning? You see, you can read the scriptures with a great intellect, but if you haven’t got faith, you’ll read over a thing like this without understanding what it means. [00:40:15]

Faith lays hold upon the promise personally and individually. It is faith alone that enables a man to believe God’s word and to accept it fully and to rely upon it, and then of course, believing it, he then begins to pray for it. You see, the apostle was praying without ceasing for these Ephesians. [00:42:34]

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Transcript
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