4:20; 7:6; 9:26, 29; 1 Kings 8:51, 53 Ps. How much divine energy is at my disposal? The way to combat these forces is to stand in Gods mighty power (v.10)that is, resurrection power. Scripture: Genesis 2:15-17, Psalms 121:3, Philippians 4:19, James 1:17, Ephesians 1:3, Revelation 21:9, Romans 8:21-26, . Then again, Nick has become his father, killing a man with no consequences, no guilty conscience either. See the blood-mark upon all the chosen, invisible to human eye, but known to Christ, for "the Lord knoweth them that are his"; (2Ti 2:19) he forgetteth none of those whom he has redeemed from among men; he counts the sheep for whom he laid down his life (Jn 10:14-15), and remembers well the Church for which he gave himself. It refers to the inherent strength which displays itself in the rule over others. Hell help us, all Heaven will break loose." He wanted them to rise above self-serving behavior and develop the character and likeness of Christ. But their willingness to persevere assured victory, for Hannibal could never conquer them. Nor do we need to pray for power to do Gods will. Because he wants the field? Hannibal invaded Italy in the second of three Punic Wars that determined the fate of Rome and Carthage. I have riches of value untold. How does this apply? We have it all now, and we will have it throughout eternity." Thus power unto salvation (Ro1:16): the kingdom coming in power (Mk 9:1): God himself called powerthe right hand of the power (Mt. All of which is a parable. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. He wants you to know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power toward you. It goes out to all sinners, but not all who hear it respond in faith. In Ephesians 1:314 Paul proclaims the blessings of our salvation. 8:30), And these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. That sequence is certain! 1:6; Rev. The power which raised Christ from the grave, lifted Him to heaven, put all things under His feet and made Him the Head over all to the Church, is to us-ward who believe. It is a very high honor conferred upon God's servants, that it is said of them, "He shall choose their inheritance." As for the worldling, God gives him anything, but for the Christian, God selects the best portion, and chooses his inheritance for him. All rights reserved), If someone sees the best in me, 3:20). I'm taking this message from this phrase in Ephesians 1:19: "the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe." . It abounded with orators and philosophers, and men of great wisdom and learning {c}; and was formerly a very rich, trading, flourishing city, but now a village, and a poor desolate place; it retains the name of Efeso, though the Turks call it Aia Salik. Thank You, Father, in Jesus' name, AMEN. 6:10; Col. 1:11; 1 Tim. 28:19; Acts 17:3031). He called you to Himself and will hold you there, no matter what circumstances you face. But with God this shall never be. We have to exercise ourselves in order that the Son of God may be manifested in our mortal flesh. The next time you participate in a group prayer session, speak up with a bold heart and give honor to the almighty God. 1.12; Odes Sol. 3:8; 4:13; 5:4; 7:16; Nah. Judges They remain in bondage, depressed, and discouraged because they dont see the big picture of eternity. He will fully gain His inheritance when the saints are removed from this earth and come into his presence. Esther by Theodore Epp - Ephesians 1: 19-23 The Scriptures frequently refer to God's power as it relates to the believer. The riches of His glory refers to the abundant, preeminent glory of God as displayed in His saints. His power delivered over 6 million people save through the Red Sea, while at the same time destroying the entire army of Egypt, the greatest army in the world at that time! Paul previously prays that the Ephesians would understand the hope, or certainty, of their calling and future inheritance (Ephesians 1:18). We have been called by grace, to glory. 5:13): shall not be able (Lk13:24): I can do all things (Phil4:13): availeth much (Jas. But now Rader was fighting for souls, and as he stood to speak he proclaimed his text, Ephesians 1:18. The second dealt with the future when God will gain his inheritance at the coming of Christ. It is simply providing hope and certainty for the believer, who has assurance because of the power that raised Jesus from the dead. I pray that you may know what is the hope of [Gods] calling (Eph. Bible Gateway passage: Ephesians 1:18-23 - The Message On the other hand, in the OT the hope of the righteous is directed toward the eternal God who will protect and ultimately deliver if not now, certainly in the future. In Ephesians 1:14+ (cf Eph 1:11) Paul spoke of our inheritance, but here the request seems to speak of God's inheritance in believers. The American Standard Version reads: "the eyes of your heart," not mind. It is utterly impossible to put the fullness of divine reality in human language, to compress the infinite into what is finite. It refers to a degree which exceeds extraordinary and thus excels. The church is Christs body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. Eph 3:20+ Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us (speaking of the power of the Spirit that continually energizes us - see Php 2:13+, cp the prayer in Eph 3:16+!). She begins to pray for direction. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. (Eph 4:1+). The key to overcoming a troubled, perplexed, stressed heart is to focus on the hope of His calling, on whats ahead, on heaven. which is the true and proper fountain of man's salvation. This is the miraculous power each believer has experienced at the moment of salvation and surely there is no greater manifestation of God's power than this. Every Christian has a calling on his or her life. The former is given by knowledge as well as by madness or rage; but strength comes from nature and a healthy state of the body. James God has given us His Word as the manual for our salvation. To run an organization needs no God. "and to earnestly desire to walk worthy of the calling to which they have been called, motivated by the "hope of His calling". Download Youtube video 4K - Download video from Youtube online | YT5s When this heaven and earth shall have passed away and a new heaven and earth shall have come, God's child, the redeemed sinner made a saint in Christ, shall abide forever. Only when we come to understand how our lives are anchored in eternity (Heb 6:18-19+) can we have the right perspective and motivation for living in time (1Jn 3:2-3+). 15:10-note). 14:13, 17; 24:18; Deut. Lord, where are You? you cry. From a primary elpo; expectation or confidence. What did God require of him (vv. But not content with this, in the following year he pushes his fences back further into the depth of prairie or forest, and again renews his efforts to compel the land to yield him her secret stores. Either way you interpret this phrase, whether we are heirs to a vast fortune in heaven or whether we are Gods special inheritance (both are true), the application is the same. The inner man can see (Ps. (Ephesians Through Revelation). I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:12). 15-19Thats why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldnt stop thanking God for youevery time I prayed, Id think of you and give thanks. The other day, when travelling in Scotland, I was introduced to some farmers whose soil was naturally of the poorest description; and yet, in answer to my inquiries, I found that they were able to raise crops of considerable weight and value. KJV The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. The first phrase of verse 18 is literally, the eyes of your heart having been enlightened. I understand it to be explaining in more specific detail Pauls words in verse 17, that God would give us a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the true knowledge of Him. To know these spiritual truths, God must open our eyes. the more we will be motivated In Ephesians 1:18 the Greek word forheart is singular so that Paul is praying for each individual person's heart! Sometimes the passing enticements of this world seek to blind our eyes to the riches of the glorious inheritance that we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. What is the difference between kleros and kleronomia (in the context of the uses in the Septuagint)? (Lehman Strauss Commentary Devotional Studies on Paul's Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians- online), Mal Couch - While this is Pauls great desire, that believers truly have a deep spiritual understanding about their relationship with the Lord, this is rarely achieved by the average Christian. But in Hebrew and Greek thinking, the heart was considered the seat of knowledge, thinking, and understanding. You have given us freedom, Johnson asks "What is the greatness of the power to us what who believe? In his prayer for the Ephesians, Paul asked God to enlighten their eyes so they could better understand the message encoded in His Word. You. Who by the power of God are guarded through faith. 2:9; 2 Thess. The person who has received Christ is a new creation. Cf. We so selfishly begin in our thinking with ourselves. God's incomparably great power helps us grow, change, love others. In conclusion, is supernatural power that is in actual operation. Ischus is inherent power or force. That's why Calmen was disappointed when her aging teacher responded with a handwritten note that said, "I was aware of the fact that you were intelligent, but I never thought that someday I would be reading articles from your pen in the newspaper." The gospel call is given by men and is a universal call to repent and trust Christ for salvation (see, e.g., Matt. Prolonged from a primary kar; the heart, i.e. Reprinted by permission. The ultimate hope for Christians is to be with their Lord (Rom 5:45; 8:20, 2425; 12:12; 15:13; Gal 5:5; Col 1:5; Titus 1:2) and they eagerly wait for his coming, unlike the heathen who have no hope (Eph 2:12; 1 Thess 4:1318; 5:8; Titus 2:13; 1 John 3:3). Prayer meetings that support only one aspect of prayer are imbalanced and can quickly be awash in negativity. Ephesians 1:18 The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, Read more Share Copy Show footnotes Ephesians 1:18 The New International Version (NIV) On the other hand if I give you a million dollars, I have given to you "according to" or more in proportion to my riches. But then we cant figure out why this stupid product doesnt work right! Our society has been enamored with the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment, especially since the influx of Eastern thought into the West during the 1960s. (Eph 1:3). It cannot come if, instead of hearing His voice, we are content with only an echo! This is what the Lord says: Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight, declares the Lord. What a transformation took place in Peters life between the end of the Gospels and the beginning of Acts. To say it another way, Paul prayed that believers would know the hope, inheritance and power not in their head but in their hearts, the very essence of their being. Sublimal Messages Don't Work - Americans spend $50 million a year on subliminal message tapes designed to help them do everything from improve their self-image to stop smoking. Ischus therefore conveys the sense of endowed power or ability. 46) he admonished them to employ that power in faithful living for their Lord. After Jonah was back on dry land, the word of the Lord came to him again with the same call, giving him another chance to obey. ', Mark 12:33+ and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. Those for whom Paul is praying were once "spiritually blind" darkened in their understanding, (Eph 4:18) walking around in "spiritual darkness" as he reminded them of later writing that "you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (Eph 5:8-note). There is nothing too difficult for him. Our salvation from start to finish is due to the surpassing greatness of His power! There is no mortgage on his estate; no suits can be raised by opposing claimants, the price was paid in open court (1Co 6:20, Rev 5:9), and the Church is the Lord's freehold for ever. Ephesians 1:18-23The Message. In my opinion, you cant separate the two, because when your eyes are enlightened to know objectively all that God has promised to give you in Christ, it fills you with hope subjectively in your heart. I askask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of gloryto make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust himendless energy, boundless strength! Notice that pisteuo is in the present tense which describes those who are continuously believing as for example would be demonstrated by their lifestyle, which is generally (not perfectly) directed God-ward and Heaven-ward (homeward). 1:11; 3:4; Zech. One needs to realize that subjective hope is based on objective hope, a hope that looks back to Gods work of redemption in 1:314, especially in 1:910 where Paul relates that all things are going to be headed up in Christ. This is misapplication of this English derivative in an attempt to try to picture the life saving power of the gospel. Out of nothing, nothing comes, is the usual rule. "Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. " As priests, these sons certainly understood the facts about God, but they did not have a relationship with him. For Further Study: Read 2 Corinthians 1112. And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe - Supernatural power for believers to enable them to live in triumph. Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Ephesians 1:18 Paul piles on words for power to make his point. 1:19). Observe that the power which raised Christ from the dead was glorious. THOUGHT - Why do we doubt God's power to deliver us out of our "little Red Sea" experiences? There is the general call of the gospel that goes out to all people. The verb form, , makes the power obvious, for it means primarily to grasp, seize, or capture (Matt 9:25 = Mark 5:41; Matt 14:3 = Mark 6:17; Matt 26:48, 50, 55 = Mark 14:44, 46, 49; Rev 20:2). He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. It was everlasting power. Freedom, You have given us freedom 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. What made the difference? The salutation is in Eph 1:2, which is common to all his epistles: and in Eph 1:3, is the thanksgiving to God, as the God and Father of Christ, for spiritual blessings in Christ in general; and then he proceeds to particulars, and begins with election, which is represented as an act of God the Father, as of particular persons, as done in Christ, and from the foundation of the world, the end of which is perfect holiness and love, Eph 1:4, and which is further illustrated under the name of predestination; the blessing which that is an appointment to, is the adoption of children; the moving cause of it, is the good pleasure of the divine will; the instrumental cause, or means, is Christ Jesus; the end with God is for himself, Eph 1:5, and which, in the next verse, is explained of the glory of his grace; to which grace, acceptance with him in Christ is owing; and which is another spiritual blessing, or a branch of election and predestination, Eph 1:6. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. It does not correspond to experience, and so you instinctively feel like this sermon is going to be like a piece of fiction. Jon Courson - Throughout Scripture, the word hope always refers to that which is coming, to that which is ahead. And what a blessing he is! They became thine in the Council chamber of eternity, when the Father gave Himself to thee in Jesus. The succession of ideas follows the order of conversion--first, "calling;" then acceptance to "inheritance;" lastly, "inward working of divine power" in the accepted. He trips over something, brushes the dirt from it, and discovers its a treasure. In this chapter are contained the inscription of the epistle, the salutation of the persons to whom it is written, the apostle's thanksgiving for blessings received by him, and them; in which the efficient, moving, procuring, and final causes of salvation are taken notice of, and the several parts and branches of it observed; and the whole is concluded with prayers for the Ephesians; in which mention is made of various things to the comfort of the saints, and to the glory of Christ. The possessive pronoun shows that it is Gods inheritance.Because of His choosing, redeeming, adopting, and sealing us, we are his possession. As an introduction to mentioning the many afflictions he had endured for the Lord, Paul commented, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves (2 Cor. I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, 18 your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for Christians, 2 Chronicles Illustration - In 218 b.c. Blessing upon blessings! Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for the Spirits transforming work within you. So that you will know what is the hope of His calling- The purpose was that might be supernaturally enabled to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that their calling (their salvation that had occurred in the past) gave them ahope sure not a hope so. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Letters: Ephesians 1:18 Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened (Ephes. Here we see a prayer Paul offered with the intention of strengthening Christs church. WithoutGodspower, these things would not be possible (seeLuke 18:2627). (see Ephesians MacArthur New Testament Commentary), Old fashioned Holy Ghost power is the need of the day. Now the eyes of the believers heart must be continually taken up with his Lord in order that his knowledge of spiritual truth might increase.