Paul’s Prayer for the Church

The Book of Ephesians Series

Ephesians 1.15-23

Introduction

The last few weeks we have been looking at the first chapter of the book of Ephesians where we find the Apostle Paul composing a doxology of praise to our sovereign God who chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, has forgiven our trespasses, and granted us and inheritance for this life and the life hereafter. This morning we see the Apostle’s doxology of praise leads into a prayer for the Church. Of course, Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write this letter to the church at Ephesus but by God’s grace this letter has been preserved for the benefit of all those in Christ throughout the ages.

As I mentioned this doxology of praise that is recorded in verses three through fourteen of chapter one is one long sentence in the original Greek. And today we see that the Apostle writes another long sentence as he offers his prayer for the church in verses fifteen through twenty-three. Here now the Word of God.

15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and

your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you

in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Eph.1.15-23)

Paul’s Prayer for the Church

Remember the Apostle Paul established the church of Ephesus during his third missionary journey when he spent three years proclaiming the Gospel and the teaching God’s Word publicly and from house to house. Now, four years later the Apostle was a prisoner incarcerated in Rome for preaching the good news of Jesus Christ. The Apostle knew many of the believers in the church of Ephesus and as a concerned spiritual father he was thrilled to hear about the faith in the Lord Jesus which existsamong them and their love for one another. (1.15) This positive report caused the Apostle to give unceasing thanks to God for them and fueled the Apostle’s passion to pray for their continued growth and progress in the faith. (1.16)

One of the things that strikes me about Paul’s prayer is how radically different it is from our normal prayers. Our prayers usually focus on the health and well-being of ourselves or others. And even though I believe God is happy to hear us prayer to Him for health, safety, and open doors of opportunity it seems that the Apostle’s prayer focuses on an entirely different set of petitions.

The Apostle enters the throne room of grace asking the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, to give us a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. (1.17) The Apostle begins his prayer asking that God would reveal to us the knowledge of Him. Basically, the Apostle is praying that we would grow in our knowledge of God. He then prays that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened, so that we would know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. (1.18-19a) Again, the Apostle’s prayer is radically different from our normal pattern of prayer. But it seems to me that these petitions are recorded in the pages of Scripture so that we incorporate these petitions into our daily prayers and move beyond just asking God to heal us, feed us, and protect us. We could certainly devote an entire sermon on each of these petitions, but this morning let’s look at each of these petitions and the entirely of Paul’s prayer.

Petition #1: The Knowledge of God

The Apostle’s first petition is that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. (1.17) Paul is not praying that we would have some “out of body” mystical experience where we gain some special knowledge of God. No, the Apostle is praying that we would grow in our knowledge of God.

God didn’t leave the knowledge of Him up to our vain imaginations but rather He has been faithful to make Himself known throughout history so that we might place our faith in Him. The fact that God has always made Himself know is a demonstration of His love and care for us. Although our knowledge of God is limited (the finite cannot gasp the infinite), God has revealed all we need to know about Him.

As creatures our capacity to know God is limited. God is the Creator, and we are the creatures. (Ps.100.3) God is infinite and we are finite. Therefore, our knowledge of God is partial and limited. For now we see in a mirror dimly, and only know in part but everything we need to know about God He has made abundantly clear. (I Cor.13.12) Even though our knowledge of God has limits, God desires that we continually grow in our knowledge of Him. God desires that we have an unquenchable thirst to know Him more and more. God delights in our knowledge of Him.

From the beginning of world history God has been making Himself known. The first words in the Bible are “in the beginning God.” God has made Himself known so that we would believe that He is. But how has God made Himself know? God has made Himself known through creation, His Word, His Son, and through the plan of redemption through Christ.

God has made Himself known generally to all people through creation. Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made. (Rom.1.20) We see the majestic mountains and think of God’s supreme glory, we see the expanse of the ocean and think of God’s vastness, we feel a gentle breeze and consider God’s goodness and grace, we smell the rain and think of God’s continually provisions. Truly,heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. However, there is no speech, nor are there words but through creation itself God continually reveals Himself as the Almighty Creator, the Maker of heaven and earth, and the One who gives all people life, breath, and all things. (Ps.19.1-3; Acts 17.24-25) For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on therighteous and the unrighteous. (Mt.5.45)

If God only revealed Himself through creation, then we could make God out to be anything we wanted. Even though we might know that there is a God through His work of creation, if God didn’t reveal Himself propositionally through the Scriptures, we could exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for an image of a man, animals, or anything else we could think up. (Rom.1.21-23) But God did not leave our knowledge of Him to our imagination but faithfully revealed Himself in the Scripture to teach us what to believe concerning God. (WSC 3a)

God has also revealed Himself personally through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that no one has seen God at any time; but His Son was sent to explain Him. (Jn.1.18) Jesus is the radiance of the Father’s glory and the exact representation of the Father’s nature. (Heb.1.3) This is why Jesus can say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (Jn.14.9) Jesus is the image of the invisible God. (Col.1.15a) Jesus told us, “If you know Me, you know the Father.” (Jn.8.19; 14.7) So, through the life, actions, behaviors, and teachings of Christ we gain a personal understanding of who God is, His infinite capacity to have relationship, and His deep desire to have relationship with us.

God has also revealed Himself redemptively through the unfolding of His eternal purpose. From all eternity God has had a plan to redeem us through the work of His Son. (2 Tim.1.9) God has shown that He is a God of love and that He loves us with an eternal love. (Jn.3.16) God demonstrated His love for us that while we were still sinners, separated from Him, He sent His own Son to redeem us and reconcile our relationship with Him. (Rom.5.8-11) See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. (I Jn.3.1a) The point is that God has shown that He is a God of love, redemption, and reconciliation by fulfilling His eternal purpose through sending His Son and by His active pursuit of us.

Brothers and sisters, God has made Himself known through creation, His Word, His Son, and through the plan of redemption through Christ. O’ that God would give us a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. (1.17) O’ that we would seek to know God more, and more, and more, and more.

Petition #2: that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened

Paul’s second petition is that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened. Before God’s grace in Christ penetrated our hearts we walked in darkness and we were darkened in our understanding. (Rom.1.21; Eph.4.18) But the people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, Upon them a Light dawned.(Mt.4.16; Is.9.2) This was the initial work of God’s grace when He healed my spiritual blindness and exposed me to the Light of Christ. But we need to know that God desires to continue that work of grace in our lives. That is why the Apostle prays that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened. God desires that our eyes would continually be enlightened in the hope of our calling, the riches of our inheritance, and the greatness of God power toward us who believe. (1.18-19a)

Petition #3: To Know the Hope of His Calling

Paul writes, I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling. (1.18a) Paul desired that the Ephesians might have a deeper knowledge and assurance that they had been supernaturally and personally called out of darkness into God’s light. As I mentioned before Paul had spent three in Ephesus proclaiming the Gospel and teaching God’s Word publicly and from house to house. (Acts 20.20) Paul was there when those twelve disciples of John the Baptist got saved. (Acts 19.5) Paul was there when those who believed kept coming, confessing, and disclosing their former practices. (Acts 19.18) Paul had seen many of those in the church of Ephesus come to Christ and he prays that they would have divine assurance of their salvation. Paul prays that they would be confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil.1.6) And so should we! Brothers and sisters, the calling of God is irrevocable. (Rom.11.29) He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. (2Tim. 1.9) So let us have faith without doubting.

Petition #4: To Know the Riches of His Inheritance

Paul prays that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know . . . what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (1.18) I shared with you last week that the inheritance with have obtained in Christ are the blessings of God believers enjoy here and now and in the hereafter. Blessings like our divine election, our redemption, being forgiven of all our trespasses so that we stand holy and blameless in God eyes. Blessings like knowing that being absent for the body is being home with the Lord. Blessings to know that we will inherit a glorified body and will live for all eternity in the unencumbered presence of the Lord. Paul is praying that we would not allow this world to cloud or to block the brilliance and brightness of our inheritance in Christ.

Petition #5: To Know the Surpassing Greatest of God’s Power

Paul prays that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know . . . what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe in accordance with the working of the strength of His might. (1.19) Paul uses three terms surpassing greatness, His power, and the strength of His mightto describe the fulness and the certainty of the use of God’s power in our lives. Notice the surpassing greatness of His power is toward us who believe and no one else. As God’s people we are striving according to His power, which works mighty within us. (Col.1.29) The surpassing greatness of God’s power transform us out of our fallen and lost condition. His power forgives all our sins. His power keeps us from temptation and delivers us from evil. His power keeps us from discouragement and gives us confidence for the future. His power overcomes death our last enemy. His power will raise my dead body from the grave. Brothers and sisters, the power of God is necessary for the hope of our calling to be realized, and the riches of our inheritance to be obtained.

The Proof of Answered Prayer

And the proof that the hope of our calling will be realized, and the riches of our inheritance will be obtained, the proof of answered prayer, is seen in what the Father brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly

places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (1.20-21) The resurrection and ascension of Christ is proof positive that we who believe will one day inherit all the blessings God. Christ obtained victory over sin and death and so shall we! Christ was raised from the dead and so shall we! Christ was seated in heavenly places and so shall we! Christ put all things in subjection under His feet and so shall we! Yes, by the surpassing greatness of God’s power we have been made alive together with Christ. (2.5b) By the surpassing greatness of God’s power we have been raised up with Him. (2.6a) By the surpassing greatness of God’s power we have been seated with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (2.6b) God has displayed the surpassing greatness of His power in Christ so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (2.7)

Congregational Prayer

Father we pray that You will give us a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of You. We pray that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened, so that we would know what is the hope of Your calling, what are the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of Your power toward us who believe. These things are in accordance with the working of the strength of Your mightwhich You brought about in Christ, when You raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Father, You put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. So we ask that You would answer our petitions in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.1