Sermon Starter for Sunday, April 3^rd, 2016

Ephesians 3:14 – 21
¹⁴  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
¹⁵  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
¹⁶  that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
¹⁷  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
¹⁸  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
¹⁹  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
²⁰  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,
²¹  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Paul’s Prayer that the Ephesians would both Know and Glorify God

One of the great insights we obtain from the writings of the Apostle Paul is his ministry as a Church Planting Pastor. His letters clearly reflect his love for the members of the Churches he planted.

As does any good Pastor, Paul often prays for these people and he lets them know that he is praying for them and he often shares his actual prayers with them.

This is the situation we find in our passage for this coming Sunday. Paul prays that they will know God and glorify HIM in their life.

He mentions two specific things about their knowledge of God. First, he prays that they will know HIM intellectually; and, second, he prays that they will “know” HIM experientially.

This is what many call “head” knowledge and “heart” knowledge. Often we hear how one is superior to the other, but Paul prays that the Ephesians may have both head and heart knowledge of God.

He also prays that they will glorify God. He prays this first of all for the good of God, but he also prays this because it is also good for them.

Paul gives them – and us – the picture of bowing his knees before a King, yes; but this King is also their Heavenly Father.

Both aspects of God are important to our prayer life. We do come to HIM as King of Kings, the almighty God Who can do anything… but, we also come to HIM as a child comes to his loving Father.

Paul reminds them – and us – that the HOLY SPIRIT indwells every believer and the HOLY SPIRIT is God in us and with us. HE is the source of our spiritual life and our spiritual strength.

Paul prays that God will be glorified in HIS Church. Do we pray that way? Is God glorified in our Church?

This coming LORD’s Day we will be ONE WEEK away from the beginning of our Spring Revival meetings. My prayer for all of us is that God will be glorified in this Church today and every day.

I hope to see you Sunday with a smile on your face, your Bible in your hand, and your family and friends by your side…

“Ecclesia Reformata, Et Semper Reformata…”

To the glory of God.