Prayers in the Bible- Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians

June 3, 2012

Review: We are continuing our series on prayer, specifically prayers in the New Testament.  Our Scripture passage we have been studying includes a prayer of the Apostle Paul for the Ephesian Church.  His greatest concern for them was that they would know God better through the knowledge of Christ.  His deep concern for them is demonstrated by his prayer where he continually asks God to give the Ephesians the spirit of wisdom and revelation so they may know Him better.  Paul has also prayed that the Ephesians would come to know the hope to which God had called them. 

Introduction: Today we will re-read our passage in Eph.1:15-23 and discuss the last two aspects of Paul’s petitions.  A) that the Ephesian believers would come to know the riches of His (Christ) glorious inheritance in the saints, and B) that they would come to know His incomparably great power for us who believe.

The Inheritance:  CBS news recently reported on the story of Max Melitzer, a 65 year old man who has been homeless for decades in Salt Lake City.  Max and his brother lost touch with one another many years ago, but in 2010 his brother died and left him $100,000.  The family hired a private investigator to look for Max and a year after his brother’s death, following a two month search, found him in a Salt Lake City park.  The investigator told Max the good news and then took him out for a seafood dinner.  As inheritance stories go this is an interesting one but you may be asking yourself how this applies to me.  Let’s see what we can learn from this story. 

Points to ponder: Max wandered around Salt Lake City for a year as a homeless rich man.  His needs were met, but he did not know it.  The investigator who found him did not make him rich.  He already was, but didn’t know it.  The PI gave him the good news; spoke the truth, truth he needed to be reconciled to his inheritance.  Due to nothing more than, “not knowing” what belonged to him, Max missed approximately 365 good night sleeps, over 1000 good meals, and perhaps 365 hot showers.

A Homeless Rich Man: Max was a homeless rich man, he was rich but he didn’t know it.  As a believer you too have an inheritance; a glorious inheritance, do you know what it is and when you will receive it? Scripture describes your inheritance with phrases like, guaranteed, rich, eternal, kept in heaven and something you will receive at a later date.  In part this is true; these Scriptures speak of one aspect of the inheritance but, the inheritance really has two parts.

 As believers we are like children not yet old enough to become heirs of the full inheritance due us.  We are currently enjoying a small part of the total inheritance but when we get to heaven, we will receive our full inheritance. So we have an inheritance in part right now and the second part is coming later.  Most of us may be tempted to think that an inheritance is something we receive after the fact; and in part, this is true.

Stop for just a moment and ask yourself, “What is my inheritance?  What part of this inheritance is available right now for me?”  Maybe the question we should be asking ourselves is not what my inheritance is but who my inheritance is.

Jesus Christ is Our Inheritance 

As I was reflecting on all of this I realized that what our   inheritance is can be summed up in two words, Jesus Christ, He is our inheritance. Next I had to ask myself what benefit that is to me today, right here, right now.  How does this fact affect my day to day living? Or another way to say this is, “What is mine in Christ?”  Let’s examine Scripture and see.

Saviour: Jesus is my Saviour; I have salvation in Him alone.  Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”If you are here today and have any doubt about whether or not you are saved (born again, have given your life to Christ) you can settle that issue today.  Admit your need to God, confess to Him that you are a sinner and ask Him to save you in Christ and He will. 

Hope:  Jesus is my living hope.  1 Pet. 1:3 says that God in His mercy has “given us new birth into a living hope.” At times some of the difficulties in our lives drain us of all hope and we despair.  There is a way out of this hopelessness, we need to refocus on Christ our living hope, and His unfailing love and care for us.  We need to reflect on the many times He has met our needs and answered our prayers.  This reflection builds faith and increases our hope.

Joy:  As believers our joy is based on our relationship with Christ and Scriptural facts.  Unlike happiness, which is based on happenings, real joy comes from relationship.  John 15:9-11 says, “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love.  If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love.  I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

Are you experiencing joy in your walk with Jesus; is that joy based on scriptural facts.  Facts like God loves you more than you can know, regardless of what you think of yourself or what others say about you or what may have happened to you in the past.  If you are a believer you are a child of the King, the very life of God, eternal life is in you.  Nothing Satan can throw at you can defeat you because you are In Christ, kept by the power of God.

Wisdom: In Christ we have all the wisdom we will ever need, for every situation in life.  Col. 2:1-3 says, (Paul talking to the Colossian church) “I want you to know how much I am struggling for you…my purpose is…be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  In James 1:5, the author says “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously and without finding fault, and it will be given him.”  Are you currently struggling through a difficult situation, confused and unsure of even what to do? Will you pray and trust God to give you His wisdom through Christ.  Are you willing to wait for His Holy Spirit to lead you?  Are you willing to trust God to meet this need just like He has met so many of your other needs? 

Conclusion: Remember our story of Max, the homeless rich man.  How many believers (some of us included) walk around seemingly unfamiliar with all they possess in Christ?  Instead of rest and peace they live anxiously.  Instead of joy and meaning they live with emptiness.  Instead of assurance of love they live in shame. 

The world is full of people like Max; people wealthy in Christ beyond imagination, but walking around in spiritual poverty.  Do you know all of what is yours in Christ?  Are you interested in finding out more?  I have prepared a handout for you which will help you learn more.