"Knowledge is power" they say; the Bible agrees. When Paul prays for the Ephesian Christians he asks God to provide them with several pieces of "knowledge", which will utterly transform them. This same power is available to us as well.
**Correction: I (KJ) mis-attributed J.I. Packer’s Knowing God to John Stott during the sermon – apologies if there was any confusion!
Sermon outline:
- My God (v.17)
- The Confidence of Being Your Child (v.18)
- The Resurrection Power in Me (v.19-20)
- That Jesus is King over Everything, For Us (v.21-23)
Dig Deeper Questions
Read: Ephesians 1:15-23
- What is Paul thankful for (v.15-16)?
- What does it mean for the Holy Spirit to be called “the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation” (v.17)? How is he related to the “knowing” of God?
- Why do our “hearts”, not our minds, need “enlightening” (v.18) when it comes to knowing God?
- What does “inheritance” in verse 18 refer to (see v.11 & v.14)? How does knowing the “hope” of our “inheritance” (v.18) help us to fight off doubt, temptation or sin?
- According to verse 19, who benefits from God’s “immeasurably great power”? What comfort does this give?
- As the exalted Lord over “all rule and authority and power and dominion” (v.21), Jesus is “head” over all things for “the church” (v.23). How does this challenge pessimistic views of God’s church today?
End with prayer.
