C5 Thanksgiving for Preaching Gospel to Gentiles Chapter 3:1-13
D1 Paul was given this ministry of God’s grace for their sakes: Acts 9:15 GNB The Lord said to him, "Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.
D2 Paul is a prophet, for God gave him revelation of the message he is to preach. He also heard the Gospel directly on the Damascus Road. Galatians 1:11-12 NRSV For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; 12 for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
D3 For a proud Jew to come to this knowledge would be very difficult, but Paul became a new creation. Plus, the information came directly from God. Ephesians 3:5-6 GNB In past times human beings were not told this secret, but God has revealed it now by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 The secret is that by means of the gospel the Gentiles have a part with the Jews in God's blessings; they are members of the same body and share in the promise that God made through Christ Jesus.
D4 Ephesians 3:8 WEL...the unsearchable riches of Christ…
E1 A few of these are:
F1 Wisdom and knowledge. Do we need an answer? We have the greatest source: Colossians 2:3 NASB in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
F2 Memorizing and deeply thinking about the words of Scripture are very rich: Colossians 3:16 WEL Let Christ’s word live in you abundantly in all wisdom. Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
F3 Kindness, forbearance, and patience: Romans 2:4 NRSV Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
F4 Grace: Ephesians 1:7 NASB In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
F4 God’s glory: Ephesians 3:16 WEL That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner being,
E2 For both Jews and Gentiles, that is, Christians: Romans 10:12 NASB For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
D5 God has a purpose and plan in Ephesians 3:11
D6 We have boldness to pray directly to Him. All brothers and sisters in Christ can pray directly. We do not need any mediator, priest, holy person, etc. other than Jesus.
C6 Prayer for the Ephesians Chapter 3:14-21
D1 God’s glory:
E1 Christians will share: Romans 5:2 NLT Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.
E2 The Temple seen by the Apostle John was full of God’s glory, thus light, power, strength, holiness, etc.: Revelation 15:8 NLT The Temple was filled with smoke from God's glory and power. No one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had completed pouring out the seven plagues.
E3 As he was dying, Stephen saw God’s glory: Acts 7:55 NLT But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand.
E4 Jesus’s glory is God’s glory:
F1 Hebrews 1:3 NLT The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
F2 Luke 9:28-29, 32 CSB About eight days after this conversation, he took along Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. ... 32 Peter and those with him were in a deep sleep, and when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who were standing with him.
F3 God’s glory is the beauty of His character, His attributes, expressed through His thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.
D2 Paul prays that the believers
E1 May understand God’s
F1 Ephesians 3:18...the breadth, length, depth, and height which refers to the unlimitedness, boundless, and vastness of His love
F2 Ephesians 3:19 …to know (experience first hand) the love of Christ…
G1 Which is beyond our understanding. We receive this from studying the Scriptures: Psalm 119:104 NIV I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
G2 Which endures forever: See Psalm 136.
F3 Starts when we believe and place our trust into Christ: Proverbs 9:10 NIV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
F4 Understanding comes from God: 1 John 5:20 NIV We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
E2 Ephesians 3:20-21 WEL Now to him who is able to do way more than all we ask or think according to the power that works in us. 21 The glory be to him in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever and forever. Amen
F1 The power that works in us is the Holy Spirit:
G1 Romans 15:13 NIV May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
G2 The Holy Spirit does not make us timid, He gives the power, love, and self-discipline we need to accomplish His will: 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
F2 It is not just can do all things that He wants us to do but way beyond all things: ὑπὲρ πάντα.
F3 We are to give God credit (glory) for all these things.
The prayer closes with a soul-inspiring doxology. The preceding requests have been vast, bold, and seemingly impossible. But God is able to do more in this connection than we can ask or think. The extent of His ability is seen in the manner in which Paul pyramids words to describe superabundant blessings:
Able
Able to do
Able to do what we ask
Able to do what we think
Able to do what we ask or think
Able to do all that we ask or think
Able to do above all that we ask or think
Able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think
Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think
The means by which God answers prayer is given in the expression, according to the power that works in us. This refers to the Holy Spirit, who is constantly at work in our lives, seeking to produce the fruit of a Christlike character, rebuking us because of sin, guiding us in prayer, inspiring us in worship, directing us in service. The more we are yielded to Him, the greater will be His effectiveness in conforming us to Christ.
(Source:Believer’s Bible Commentary by William MacDonald 1995
