Experiencing the Fullness of God in Christ

 

Summary

In Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul offers a profound prayer for the Ephesians, which serves as a model for all Christians. This prayer is a call to enter the innermost sanctum of Christian life, urging believers to realize the riches of God's grace and the fullness of Christ's love. The Apostle Paul prays not just for the leaders or the exceptional, but for every believer, emphasizing that all Christians are meant to experience the fullness of God. This prayer addresses the root cause of spiritual poverty and depression among Christians: a failure to grasp what God intends for us and what is available to us through Christ.

Paul's prayer is a reminder that faith is not just about initial belief but about a deep, ongoing relationship with Christ. He prays that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, not as a mere visitor but as a permanent resident, shaping and guiding our lives. This dwelling is not just about acknowledging Christ's presence but experiencing it in a conscious, transformative way. The Apostle also prays for believers to comprehend the vastness of Christ's love, a love that surpasses knowledge and is meant to overwhelm and transform us.

Furthermore, Paul desires that we be filled with all the fullness of God, a concept that may seem daunting but is entirely possible through the strengthening of the Holy Spirit. This fullness is not about human effort but about receiving God's gift, which requires a deep longing and prayerful pursuit. The Apostle encourages believers to seek this fullness with persistence and faith, trusting in God's ability to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think.

Key Takeaways:

- The prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 is a call for all Christians to experience the fullness of God, emphasizing that spiritual poverty often stems from a failure to realize what God intends for us. This prayer is not just for leaders but for every believer, urging us to seek a deeper relationship with Christ. [01:38]

- Faith is about more than initial belief; it involves a conscious, transformative relationship with Christ. Paul prays that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, not as a visitor but as a permanent resident, shaping our lives and guiding us in all things. [13:05]

- Comprehending the vastness of Christ's love is essential for spiritual growth. This love surpasses knowledge and is meant to overwhelm and transform us, leading to a deeper understanding and experience of God's grace. [21:34]

- Being filled with all the fullness of God is possible through the strengthening of the Holy Spirit. This fullness is not about human effort but about receiving God's gift, which requires a deep longing and prayerful pursuit. [26:16]

- Persistence in prayer and faith is crucial for experiencing the fullness of God. Believers are encouraged to seek this fullness with trust in God's ability to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think, knowing that this is a gift from God. [37:46]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:09] - Introduction to Ephesians 3:14-21
[00:42] - The Innermost Sanctum of Christian Life
[01:38] - Paul's Prayer for All Christians
[03:00] - The Root Cause of Spiritual Poverty
[05:00] - Ignorance of Scripture
[06:54] - The Danger of Superficial Knowledge
[09:20] - Faith as Appropriation of Truth
[11:26] - The Call to Conformity
[12:35] - Christ Dwelling in Our Hearts
[16:18] - Knowing Christ's Love
[20:27] - Comprehending the Love of Christ
[26:16] - Filled with the Fullness of God
[28:08] - The Possibility of Fullness
[35:28] - The Gift of God
[37:46] - Persistence in Prayer and Faith

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Ephesians 3:14-21

Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 3:14-21

Observation Questions:
1. What is the primary focus of Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21, and who is it intended for? [01:38]
2. How does the sermon describe the concept of Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith? What does it mean for Christ to be a permanent resident rather than a visitor? [14:38]
3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of comprehending the vastness of Christ's love? How is this love described? [21:34]
4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in enabling believers to be filled with the fullness of God, as discussed in the sermon? [26:16]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon suggest that spiritual poverty and depression among Christians are linked to a failure to grasp what God intends for us? [03:00]
2. In what ways does the sermon emphasize the importance of moving beyond an initial belief in Christ to a deeper, ongoing relationship with Him? [13:05]
3. How does the sermon explain the concept of being filled with all the fullness of God, and why might this seem daunting to believers? [26:16]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the necessity of persistence in prayer and faith for experiencing the fullness of God? [37:46]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current relationship with Christ. Do you feel that He is a permanent resident in your heart, or more of a visitor? What steps can you take to deepen this relationship? [14:38]
2. The sermon highlights the vastness of Christ's love. Can you recall a moment when you felt overwhelmed by His love? How can you seek to experience this more regularly? [21:34]
3. Consider the role of the Holy Spirit in your life. How can you be more open to the Spirit's work in strengthening you to be filled with God's fullness? [26:16]
4. The sermon discusses the importance of persistence in prayer. What specific prayer or spiritual goal have you been persistent about, and how has it impacted your faith journey? [37:46]
5. Identify an area of spiritual poverty in your life. How can you address this through prayer, study, or community support to better grasp what God intends for you? [03:00]
6. How can you cultivate a deeper longing for the fullness of God in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to pursue this fullness with persistence and faith? [26:16]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually stagnant. What changes did you make, or can you make, to move towards a more vibrant and fulfilling relationship with God? [13:05]

Devotional

Day 1: Experiencing the Fullness of God
Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 is a profound invitation for all Christians to experience the fullness of God. This fullness is not reserved for a select few but is available to every believer. Spiritual poverty often arises from a failure to understand and embrace what God has intended for us. Paul emphasizes that this prayer is not just for leaders or the spiritually mature but for every believer, urging them to seek a deeper relationship with Christ. By realizing the riches of God's grace and the fullness of Christ's love, believers can overcome spiritual poverty and depression. [01:38]

Ephesians 1:18-19 (ESV): "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, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your relationship with Christ and experience the fullness of God in your life?


Day 2: Christ as a Permanent Resident in Our Hearts
Faith is more than just an initial belief; it involves a conscious, transformative relationship with Christ. Paul prays that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, not as a mere visitor but as a permanent resident. This dwelling means allowing Christ to shape and guide every aspect of our lives. It is about experiencing His presence in a way that transforms us from the inside out. By inviting Christ to take up permanent residence in our hearts, we open ourselves to His guidance and transformation. [13:05]

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 areas of your life do you need to invite Christ to become a permanent resident, rather than just a visitor?


Day 3: Comprehending the Vastness of Christ's Love
Understanding the vastness of Christ's love is essential for spiritual growth. This love surpasses knowledge and is meant to overwhelm and transform us. Paul prays for believers to comprehend this love, which leads to a deeper understanding and experience of God's grace. By grasping the depth and breadth of Christ's love, we can be transformed and empowered to live out our faith in meaningful ways. This comprehension is not just intellectual but experiential, inviting us to be enveloped by His love. [21:34]

Ephesians 3:18-19 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: How can you intentionally seek to experience and comprehend the vastness of Christ's love in your daily life?


Day 4: Filled with the Fullness of God
Being filled with all the fullness of God is possible through the strengthening of the Holy Spirit. This fullness is not about human effort but about receiving God's gift. It requires a deep longing and prayerful pursuit. Paul encourages believers to seek this fullness with persistence and faith, trusting in God's ability to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think. By relying on the Holy Spirit, we can be filled with God's fullness and empowered to live out our faith. [26:16]

Colossians 2:9-10 (ESV): "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority."

Reflection: What areas of your life need to be filled with the fullness of God, and how can you invite the Holy Spirit to strengthen you in these areas?


Day 5: Persistence in Prayer and Faith
Persistence in prayer and faith is crucial for experiencing the fullness of God. Paul encourages believers to seek this fullness with trust in God's ability to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think. This persistence is not about striving in our own strength but about relying on God's power and grace. By maintaining a posture of prayer and faith, we open ourselves to receive God's gifts and experience His transformative presence in our lives. [37:46]

Luke 18:1 (ESV): "And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a persistent prayer life that trusts in God's ability to do more than you can ask or imagine?

Quotes


The Apostle Paul prayed this prayer for all the members of the church at Ephesus. He wasn't praying only for himself; he wasn't praying for a collection of Apostles or of exceptional church leaders. He was praying for the ordinary Christians, if there is such a thing. [00:01:38]

The trouble is our failure to realize what we are meant to be, our failure to realize and to grasp what is available for us, our failure to realize what God intends us to be. Now the Apostle expands this in a very unusual manner, even for him, in this particular epistle. [00:03:00]

It is possible to be in the Christian life and to be so resting on an initial experience of forgiveness that one never grows, one never gets beyond it. Ignorance and nothing but sheer ignorance is sometimes the explanation. [00:05:00]

Faith is something that appropriates truth. Faith is something that applies truth so that as we read something like this, we stop and we examine ourselves and we say, am I like that? Is that true of me? Am I in that position? [00:09:20]

Christ is certainly in his life, but it doesn't follow of necessity that Christ is dwelling in his heart by faith. He must have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; otherwise, he can't be a Christian at all. [00:12:35]

The Apostle is praying for these Ephesians that Christ may not only be in their consciousness but that Christ may be resident in their lives permanently, that Christ may not be only some honored guest who is visited occasionally, but that he is the Master of the House. [00:16:18]

The second petition is that they may know the love of Christ, that he may be able to comprehend with All Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge. [00:20:27]

When we know the love of Christ, it'll overwhelm us. Isaac Watt says that when we really know it, it'll happen like this to us: my richest gain I count but loss and poor contempt on All My Pride. [00:23:46]

The next petition is that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. If you like, filled unto all the fullness of God. What does this mean? Is it not sh hypoy? No, it isn't. It's a very real petition. [00:26:16]

The Apostle prays for it because it is a possibility. If we feel it's hopeless and say, oh, but that's holding the standard so high, it's damning us, it's making things impossible for us, I say that is to display a lack of faith. [00:28:08]

This is a gift which is given by God. He gives it in his own time; he gives it in his own way. It is entirely a gracious gift of God. Yes, we are saved, but if he wants, ask for it, and he'll give it. [00:35:28]

He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think. You're not asking the impossible when you ask this. It's his work, you see. It's his manifestation of himself. It's his power that does it. [00:37:46]

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Transcript
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