SPECIAL DAY: Fifth Sunday of Lent

March 29, 1998 - LESSON: Ephesians 1:15-19

SERMON TITLE: PRAYER

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INTRODUCTION:

  1. In the sermon on the mount Jesus said.
    1. 7 "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
    2. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
      1. We ask and it is not given.
        1. We are not worthy
          1. We have sin in our life
        2. We do not use the proper language
          1. The language of humility and respect.
        3. We ask for the wrong things
      2. We search and do not find.
        1. We are looking in the wrong place
        2. We do not know where to look
        3. No one has shown us where to look
      3. We knock and the door remains shut.
        1. It is the wrong door
        2. It is the wrong time
        3. We are using the wrong code

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    3. There are other possible reasons why these words are not fulfilled for us.
      1. Perhaps we're not shouting loud enough
      2. Perhaps we need to offer significant sacrifices to get God's favor.
        1. Grain or an animal,
        2. or even a human being,
        3. people have done that in the past.
      3. Perhaps we need a bargain with a significant promise.
  2. We want our prayers to be answered.
    1. Is there any way to redress this situation so that it may turn out better for us?
    2. There is if we are willing to learn about prayer from this prayer of Paul for the believers in Ephesus.
    3. What is not said here is as important as what is said.
      1. Ephesus was not a bed of roses.
        1. There are many adversaries, (1 Corinthians 16:8-9, NRSV).
        2. Affliction experienced including sentence of death, (2 Corinthians 1:8-9, cf., 4:11, NRSV).
        3. I fought with wild beasts, (1 Corinthians 15:32, NRSV).
          1. Legend that he was cast into the arena with a lion.
          2. The lion refused to attack Paul
          3. Wild beasts could describe the human adversaries with whom he had to contend.

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      2. Paul is part of what is being recognized as a sect of Judaism.
        1. The Way is not yet on its own.
        2. So it is accepted.
        3. It is different enough to cause violent reactions.
    4. He knows intimately the extent of this violence having personally experienced it.
      1. (2 Corinthians 6:5-10 NRSV) beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; [6] by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, [7] truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; [8] in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; [9] as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see--we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; [10] as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
  3. Paul's prayers are important models for us.
    1. We have the Lord's prayer as a model.
    2. Paul's model is the practical working out of what Jesus taught.
  4. What does Paul pray for and what does he encourage to be the purpose of prayer.
    1. He does not pray prayers to be free from affliction.
      1. He prayed for relief from a physical problem.
        1. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NRSV) even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. [8] Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, [9] but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. [10] Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

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      2. Prayer for deliverance
        1. (Philippians 1:19-24 NRSV) for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance. [20] It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. [21] For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. [22] If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. [23] I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; [24] but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.
          1. Deliverance may be release from the circumstances of the present situation.
          2. Deliverance may be the final release from life
    2. Paul's prayer for the Ephesians offers us insight and understanding, wisdom and knowledge about the purposes and provisions of prayer.
      1. 15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason
        1. They are people of faith
        2. They have head the good news of the gospel and believe in it.
        3. They have used it to bring about a transformation of life.
        4. They are people who have used faith to develop love
        5. They exemplify love in their lives and relationships.
    3. So Paul reminds them that 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

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  5. But then he becomes very specific.
    1. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him,
      1. Spirit of wisdom
        1. Wisdom has to do with character and conduct.
        2. It is the ability to make practical use of the facts of knowledge.
        3. In the biblical material wisdom describes the characteristics of the one who is meeting the standards of life and conduct established by God.
        4. Knowledge and understanding are the basis for wisdom.
      2. Spirit of revelation
        1. This is not a new revelation
        2. This refers to the development of the ability to understand what God has revealed.
        3. It is more than an intellectual understanding.
        4. It is understanding that is enhanced by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
        5. Something to which every Christian has access.
    2. 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,
      1. eyes of your heart
        1. The heart is the location of thoughts, will, and emotions.
          1. Too often we look at the world with hard eyes.
            1. Eyes that are faultfinding, fearful, disappointed, doubtful.
          2. God desires us to have soft eyes.
            1. Eyes that are encouraging, confident, content, hopeful

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      2. Eyes of your heart may be enlightened
        1. Enlightened eyes are spiritually aware with a growing moral comprehension.
          1. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NRSV) But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him"-- [10] these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
          2. Again this is support by the Holy Spirit
          3. The Spirit who is available to every person who chooses to invite him into life.
      3. know the hope
        1. Paul desires that his readers will see that the Christian's hope is based on the facts of redemption.
          1. Christ in you the hope of glory, (Colossians 1:27-28).
        2. There is forgiveness of sin.
        3. Adoption as children of God.
        4. There is more.
        5. Hope is a mixture of faith and assurance which supports life in the present, but always looks to the future for its completion.
      4. glorious inheritance
        1. Inheritance encompasses the privileges enjoyed by the children of God
        2. The richness of God's grace
        3. The riches of God's grace
        4. Inheritance also includes all that is going to be made possible by God at the time when all things, in heaven and on earth, will be restored.

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    3. Finally, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.
      1. We have not yet begun to understand the extent and the power of the power of God which is available to us.
      2. We see ourselves as sick.
        1. We blame our illnesses.
        2. We may be ill
        3. We are also sinners in need of change.
        4. The sickness is not so much of the body as it is of the mind, the spirit.
      3. We see ourselves as victims.
        1. We may have been victimized.
        2. We are also sinners in need of transformation.
        3. We can change.
  6. Change is effected by the visualization of what you want to be in prayer to the God who will help you to accomplish your purpose.
    1. I see what it is that God reveals that I can become.
    2. I determine to achieve what is revealed.
    3. I pray that I may become what I see
    4. God strengthens me in the process to achieve his vision of myself.
  7. This is how Paul sees himself and the source of strength to which he appeals.
    1. (Ephesians 3:16 NRSV) I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit,
    2. (Philippians 3:13-14 NRSV) Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
    3. (Philippians 4:13 NRSV) I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
    4. (Colossians 1:11-12 NRSV) May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully [12] giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

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