To Know The Greatness of Christ’s Power<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pastor Don Carpenter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Greater Vision \/ Ephesians 1:20\u201323<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his book, The Family of God, Batsell Barrett Baxter says the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There are some who think of the church as an organization like other organizations. It is true that the church is an organization, but it is not primarily an organization. Rather, it is a new way of life. Those who have the view that being a part of the church is like being a member of a lodge, a luncheon club, a political part, or even a business are seriously mistaken. Such people feel that they should give to the church the same kind of support and loyalty which they give to these other organizations. It becomes my church, as it is ‘my club, or lodge, or party, or team.’ The Christian\u2019s loyalty to Church, however, should be unique, for in reality it is a loyalty to Christ and His way of life. The church is like no other institution on earth and a person\u2019s membership in the church is like no other membership which he may sustain. The church is more like a vibrant, living organism, than it is like a cold, structured organization…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some make the mistake of thinking that the church…exists for the entertainment and enjoyment of its members. On the contrary, the church exists in order that its members may have an intimate relationship with Christ and God, as well as a close relationship with mankind.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we come to the last sermon in the series \u201cGreater Vision\u201d let us review what we have learned from Paul\u2019s prison prayer for the Ephesian believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of all the things he could have prayed for, it was for the believers to have a more intimate relationship with Jesus. For their eyes to be opened to His love for them and their standing with Him. Last week we saw praying that believers may know more fully the hope of their calling, and their rich value to Christ and the greatness of Christ\u2019s power toward believers. It is that great power that is expounded upon here in our passage. Paul takes the time to put mind blowing details to that power of Christ that works toward us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Great Power of Christ Works in Us<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 1:19<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 2:1\u20132<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Corinthians 12:6<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Great Power of Christ Was Displayed In Jesus.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When He Was Raised From The Dead<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/em>Ephesians 1:20<\/em> (KJV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n raising him from the dead Jesus\u2019 resurrection displayed God\u2019s power over death and His approval of His Son (compare Isa 53:10 and note; Isa 53:12 and note)1<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Eph 1:20). Lexham Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When He Was Exalted to His Father\u2019s Right Hand<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/em>Ephesians 1:20<\/em> (KJV)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n … and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Acts 2:34\u201335<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Until I make thy foes thy footstool.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It was the power mentioned in Verse 19 that raised Jesus from the dead. His resurrection was only the firstfruits of the saved who have passed from this sphere. The same power that raised the firstfruits will also bring forth all of His brethren in their order and place them at God\u2019s right hand in heaven. The expression \u201cright hand\u201d is a borrowed phrase. In the Sanhedrin\u2014house of judgment\u2014there were ever two scribes who were before the judges, one upon the right, the other upon the left side of the judge. It was the business of the scribe upon the right to write the approval or acquittal. The scribe upon the left wrote the sentence of condemnation. Jesus came not to condemn, John 3:17, hence His place is always at the right hand, where He may write pardons for men who are captives to the Devil. Just such power is manifest in all true believers as was wrought in the raising Christ from the grave. There must be the same Divine power in the members that there is in the Head, or there can be no unity. There can be no natural body at all unless the members are the same nature with the head. Any other kind of body is unnatural; it is a monstrosity. The power that moves in the tree moves in the branches also.1<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Haynes, W. A. (1911). The Beautiful Word Pictures of the Epistle to the Ephesians: Or, the Busy Man\u2019s Commentary upon the Bible (p. 36). Busy Man\u2019s Bible Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When He Was Raised Far Above Every Principality and Power.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 1:21<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 6:12<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Exorcists and magicians tried to manipulate powerful spirits by invoking their names (see comment on Acts 19:13); the supremacy of Jesus\u2019 name above all other names means that he is higher than all the spirit-powers being invoked and could not be exploited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul uses standard terms of his day for the demonic and angelic powers at work behind the political structures of the world, powers that were thought to direct the earthly rulers and peoples (v. 21). Most people in Paul\u2019s day believed that the world was run by Fate, which was usually expressed by the stars (which were viewed as heavenly beings), and most of these people did not believe one had any hope of escape from Fate. Some of the mystery cults, however, like the cult of Isis, gained popularity by claiming power to free initiates from Fate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jewish people commonly believed that the heavenly powers ruled all the nations except Israel; some later teachers explained that Israel had been lifted above those heavenly powers in Abraham their ancestor. Paul says that those united with Christ had also been raised above those powers. His words would be a great encouragement to Christians who had been converted from an occult background (cf. Acts 19:18\u201320).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jewish people especially viewed these heavenly powers as \u201cangels of the nations,\u201d spiritual beings who stood behind earthly rulers and guided their rule (cf. Dan 4:35; 10:13). (Although the details are developed more in later Jewish texts, the roots of the idea are as early as Daniel and the LXX of Deuteronomy.)1<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Eph 1:21\u201323). InterVarsity Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When The Father Put all Things Under His Feet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 1:22<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Psalm 8:6<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Psalm 110:1<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul finishes by speaking of the conquest of Christ in a sphere which does not mean so much to us today. As the Authorized Version has it, God has raised Jesus Christ \u2018far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named\u2019. In Paul\u2019s day, people strongly believed both in demons and in angels; and these words which Paul uses are the titles of different grades of angels. He is saying that there is not a being in heaven or on earth to whom Jesus Christ is not superior. In essence, Paul\u2019s prayer is that we should realize the greatness of the Saviour God has given to us.1<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians (p. 105). Westminster John Knox Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Great Power of Christ Works Through the Church.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 1:22\u201323<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 3:21<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 4:15<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Matthew 28:18<\/em> KJV<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Christ was given all this power and prestige, and given as Head of all things to be the Head of the Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Christ is the head; the Church is the body. The head must have a body through which it can work. The Church is quite literally hands to do Christ\u2019s work, feet to run his errands, a voice to speak his words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the very last phrase of the chapter, Paul has two tremendous thoughts. The Church, he says, is the essential element in the work of Christ. Just as the ideas of the mind cannot become effective without the work of the body, the tremendous glory which Christ brought to this world cannot be made effective without the work of the Church. Paul goes on to say that Jesus is bit by bit filling all things in all places; and that act of filling is being worked out by the Church. This is one of the most tremendous thoughts in all Christianity. It means nothing less than that God\u2019s plan for one world is in the hands of the Church.1<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians (p. 107). Westminster John Knox Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ___<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is a legend which tells how Jesus went back to heaven after his time on earth. Even in heaven, he bore upon him the marks of the cross. The angels were talking to him, and Gabriel said: \u2018Master, you must have suffered terribly for men and women down there.\u2019 \u2018I did,\u2019 said Jesus. \u2018And,\u2019 said Gabriel, \u2018do they all know about how you loved them and what you did for them?\u2019 \u2018Oh no,\u2019 said Jesus, \u2018not yet. Just now, only a few people in Palestine know.\u2019 \u2018What have you done,\u2019 said Gabriel, \u2018to let everyone know about it?\u2019 Jesus said: \u2018I have asked Peter and James and John and a few others to make it the business of their lives to tell others about me, and the others still others, and yet others, until the furthest person on the widest circle knows what I have done.\u2019 Gabriel looked very doubtful, for he knew well what poor stuff human beings were made of. \u2018Yes,\u2019 he said, \u2018but what if Peter and James and John grow tired? What if the people who come after them forget? What if, way down in the twenty-first century, people just don\u2019t tell others about you? Haven\u2019t you made any other plans?\u2019 And Jesus answered: \u2018I haven\u2019t made any other plans. I\u2019m counting on them.\u2019 To say that the Church is the body means that Jesus is counting on us.1<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians (pp. 107\u2013108). Westminster John Knox Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:27 PM March 9, 2022.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" To Know The Greatness of Christ’s Power Pastor Don Carpenter Greater Vision \/ Ephesians 1:20\u201323 In his book, The Family of God, Batsell Barrett Baxter says the following: “There are some who think of the church as an organization like other organizations. It is true that the church is an organization, but it is not … Continue reading To Know The Greatness of Christ’s Power<\/span>