Ephesians chapter 1, Ephesians chapter 1. Before our
lesson this morning I will I'm not going to actually read the
verses to begin with, because I will read most of them as we
go along. But my actual lesson this morning will be from Ephesians
1, verses 15 through 23. And I guess if you want to give
it a title, the title would be this, Hallmarks and Particulars
of Paul's Prayer. And of course, that's what we
have in verses 15 through 23 is Paul's prayer for these brothers
and sisters in Christ at Ephesus. Now, in light of God's grand
sovereign purpose of salvation in Christ, and of course, that's
in chapter 1 verses 1 through 14, In light of that, and upon
Paul's hearing of God's work of grace manifested in these
people, and manifested particularly in two ways, in faith and in
love, Paul then breaks forth into this prayer. And this is
what he begins when he says in verse 15, wherefore, I also,
after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto
all the saints. Cease not to give thanks for
you making mention of you in my prayers. So first of all,
let's look at these three hallmarks. There's three things that stand
out in Paul's prayer here. Number one is this. Prayer is
always Godward in Christ. And of course, that's what he
says in verse 17, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
father of glory may given to you. He's praying to God. Now, when I thought about that
first hallmark, if you will, I thought, well, that's awful
simple. You know, it's, that's a give
me. And yet it's not that simple. You remember our Lord gave the
account of a Pharisee and a publican. And the publican cried out to
God for mercy. But the Pharisee, our Lord put
it this way, the Pharisee prayed thus with himself. So it's not that simple, is it?
The problem is, I know that that legalism is down here in that
old man as well. that propensity to pray to myself. But I'm also reminded of this. Remember what James says, you
don't receive because you don't ask. But then when you do ask,
you don't receive because you ask amiss, that you might consume
it of your own lust. And that doesn't mean that we
would necessarily be asking for something immoral But it means
our prayers are centered around me. And all too often, I feel
like I'm asking God for what I want. Ever been there? What I want. And remember, our
Lord gave instruction concerning prayer. It is what some call
the model prayer. Not the Lord's prayer, it's the
model prayer. And he started it off with this.
After this manner, therefore pray ye. And then he goes through,
our father, which art in heaven. Now, he's not teaching us simply
to quote that, but he's given us the foundation of what all
prayers should be. And it starts out, as I said,
after this manner, therefore pray ye, our father, which art
in heaven, hallowed be thy name. God's holiness is supreme, and
our prayers should always acknowledge him in that. But then he said,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done. So it's not that simple
and clear cut, is it? Because I generally always want
my will. Even, I'm afraid, even sometimes
when I pray for the salvation of the souls of others, I pray
it for my own relief concerning them rather than for the glory
of God. You ever done that? Realize you're
asking God to show mercy to someone for your sake rather than for
Christ's sake. So that's the first thing. Prayer,
that's the first hallmark. Prayer is always Godward in Christ. But here's the second hallmark.
Prayer always acknowledges this truth. Lesser is always blessed
of the better. And that we see when he says
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, so he's specifically
speaking of a certain one, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, may give unto you. This is something my
mind has a hard time grasping a hold of, but God does not answer
prayer because we pray. He's the one, if we pray correctly,
He's the one who's actually moved us to pray for the very thing
that He's already determined to give us in the first place.
But He merely forces us to rely upon Him as we pray. So again, prayer acknowledges
that the lesser is always blessed to the better. And according
to God's book, all blessings, Any blessings must come from
God. Hebrews 7 and 7, if you wish
to turn there, it's fine, but I'm gonna try to get to it quick
and read it. Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 7, the book of Hebrews
puts it this way. Hebrews 7 and 7, and without
all contradiction, that is, there is no debate concerning this.
And without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better. We add nothing to God by our
prayers. Even when we honor and glorify
and bless his name, we add nothing to him. We are simply to acknowledge
that he is already all things to all men. Of course, John chapter
three, let me read that one. John chapter three, it's stated
this way. John, let me find my spot, John
chapter three and verse 27, it's put this way. John answered and
said, a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. So that's the second thing, the
second hallmark. Now here's the third hallmark.
Prayer always confesses Christ's exaltation. Now that's exactly
what Our Lord Jesus Christ was saying when he said this, thy
kingdom come. Think about it, thy kingdom come.
He's not talking about a reign, but he's talking about someone
who reigns. A kingdom without a king is no
kingdom at all. And that's exactly what our Lord
was instructing us to pray. Our Father, which art in heaven,
holy, holy is your name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done right here,
just like it is up there. Now, remember, prayer is always
Godward in Christ. Prayer acknowledges that the
lesser is always blessed of the better. Prayer confesses Christ's
exaltation, and let's read those. Verses 20 to the end of the chapter,
which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and
set Set, not he sit, not sit, it's not S-I-T, it is set. God the Father willingly, lovingly
acknowledged the exaltation of the Son by setting Him at His
own right hand, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him
from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly
places 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, and hath put all things under his
feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all."
If our prayers do not honor and extol the exaltation of Jesus
Christ, they are an affront to God. No matter how humble and
sincere they may be, God can only be approached. God the Father can only be approached
in the person of his son. So that's the three hallmarks.
Prayer's always Godward in Christ. Prayer always acknowledges that
God is the blesser. Blessings flow from Him. And
prayer always confesses Christ's exaltation. But here's what I
want to get in particular with. I want to look at these particulars
of Paul's prayer. First of all, think about this. Prayer confesses that knowing
God is essential. And this is exactly what Paul
said, again, in verse 17, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, may give unto you, what's his chief desire? Good health? No. Though we desire
and pray for that, but that's not the chief concern. That we
have a modicum of wealth and ease? That's not it. May the
Father of Glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation. Is that that I might understand
the things of this world better? That I might begin to know trigonometry,
maybe quantum physics, and all of these. It has nothing to do
with the things of this world. that He give unto you the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him." If we by God's grace know Him,
We know him whom to know is all things. Think of this. Now, here is our Lord's Prayer,
John 17. And I know you're aware of that. I'm sure that John and
others have said that often. John 17 is our Lord's Prayer.
And here's the way it starts out. These words speak Jesus. and lifted up his eyes to heaven
and said, now here's what Christ himself, the son, prayed to God
the father. Father, the hour is come. glorify thy son, that thy son
also may glorify thee. As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given him. Now look at this next verse,
listen to it. This is the mind and heart and
spirit of God the Son. Listen, and this is life eternal. Here's what life eternal is.
My mind always says life eternal is to live forever. Well, that's
certainly true, but that's not the essence of eternal life. The essence of eternal life is
this, and this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have far more riches than the
most wealthy individual upon the face of this earth because
God has been pleased to give me an eye to see and an ear to
hear and a heart to perceive who God really is and love it. When I first began to see, hear,
and comprehend, I didn't love it. I heard it. I began to know of it. But something
else happened as well. I found myself beginning to love
him as he is. I was born and raised in religion
and thought I knew God from just yay high. And yet I was one of
the most God-ignorant people that walked the face of the earth. So first of all, prayer confesses
that knowing God is essential, but here's the second particular.
Prayer confesses our constant need, verse 18, the eyes of your
understanding being enlightened that ye may know. You see, knowing
God is not a one-time act. Knowing God is not a one-time
state of being. I was always taught that in religion. You came forward, you believed
in Jesus, you received him into your heart, and then basically
you were left to go on and live your life as you pleased. But
when God opens your understanding, he teaches you day after day
after day. And you know the marvelous thing
about that? He's not teaching me this, then
teaching me that, then teaching me these things. It's almost
like he keeps teaching me this, this, this over and over and
over and over. It's like almost every day I
have to learn the same lesson over and over and over and over. You see, God doesn't take us
from babe to theologian. He takes us as babes and then
begins to feed us with the milk of the word. And as we grow on
that milk, then he in his good time begins to give to us meat,
a little meat and a little meat. Being enlightened that she may
know two things, Paul prayed that these Ephesians and us as
well are to know. One, the hope of his calling.
Now, I'm not gonna take time to read all these because time's
slipping away from me. The hope there, do you see it?
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may,
here's the two things, that you may know what is the hope of
his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints. So first of all, the hope of
his calling. There is present hope. God, by his grace, has
called us by his gospel. Second Thessalonians chapter
two, verses 13 through 17, and God has given us what? A good
hope. And that good hope is always
and only through his grace, but we also have inner hope. Colossians
1.27, Christ in you, the hope of glory. And when I think of
that, It gives me joy. But it also makes me ashamed.
Because everything I do, he's right there in me as I do it. You ever think about that? He's
not just with me. He's in me. Every thought I think,
everything I do, Every place I go, he goes not just with me,
he goes in me. There's present hope, there's
inner hope, and I do want to read this one, Ephesians chapter
three, or not Ephesians, that's where I'm at, Hebrews chapter
three, and listen to how the writer of Hebrews puts it. Hebrews
chapter three, verse six. But Christ, as a son over his
own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence
and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end? O God, I pray. I pray that you continue to work
in me both to will and to do of your good pleasure. So that's at least three things.
That's all I want to mention because I want us to consider
this second thing. The riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints. The wording is not that she may
know what our inheritance in him is. This is amazing. The wording is that we may know
what his inheritance in us is. Now is that not a profound thought?
Listen again to Hebrews chapter two. Let me turn there because
I can't quote these. I want you to think about his
inheritance in the saints. Hebrews 2, verse 17, wherefore,
this is speaking of Christ, wherefore in all things it behooved him. It behooved him to be made like
unto his brethren. His inheritance in his saints
is to become us. to eternally be flesh and bone
as we are. As my late pastor Earl Cochran
used to say, the God of all glory confined himself for about nine
months in the womb of a virgin. The God whom the heavens cannot
contain. The God whom the holy angels
fly about his throne praying day and night over and over,
holy, holy, holy, confined himself in that little seat, in that
womb of that virgin, and has confined himself to a human body
forever. And it behooved him to do so.
That's beyond my comprehension, brother. But think about this,
Hebrews chapter four, listen to verse 15. Some amazing language. For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
but was in all points put to the test, tempted like as we
are, yet without sin. Have you ever felt in the inner
man the vexation of having to live in this world? Just reach over. I started to
do this. You don't do this with the TV anymore. Reach over, just
cut the TV on. And you begin to watch not even
the, you begin to watch just commercials. And your soul becomes
vexed. Vexed. That you're subjected
to this in your own home in a commercial. He put up with that for us. That's his inheritance
in the saints. Think of another one, chapter
five of Hebrews. And Hebrews is full of these things of his
inheritance in the saints. Hebrews chapter five, verse eight
and nine. And I can't explain all of this
right here. All that I could do is state it. Though, Hebrews
5 verse 8, though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the
things which he suffered. God himself experienced what
it was like to be a man and to be obedient. Christ the Son submitted
himself wholly and fully to the Father. Look, and being made
perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey him. And the marvelous thing is that
he did this with full joy. in us. Now look at, again, Hebrews
2, and let me read these verses and move on. Hebrews 2, verses
10 through 13. Excuse me. For it became him,
that's similar to the word, behooved him. For it became him, for whom
are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many
sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect,
that is full, complete, through sufferings. For both he that
sanctified and they who are sanctified all are all of one. But now here's the amazing statement,
look at it. For which cause? He is not ashamed to call them
brethren. Isn't that marvelous? That the
God of all glory confined himself to a womb. was born in pain and
blood and sweat, endured the trials and temptations, the tribulations,
the pressures of living in this God-cursed world. And he did it all for fallen,
corrupt creatures. And he's not ashamed to call
me his brother. He's not ashamed. I'm ashamed, and rightfully so. But he's not ashamed. That boggles
my mind. But look, more than that, he's
not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name
unto my brethren. In the midst of the church will
I sing praise unto thee. He's singing praises to God on
our behalf for us. and people think you go to glory
and just floating around in a crowd, on a cloud. Can you imagine one
day when we finally are seated with him in glory and he begins
to sing concerning us? It just bottles my mind. Gotta
move on. Here's the second thing, the second particular. Prayer
confesses the power essential to believing. Now look, the eyes
of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the
hope of his calling, and what is the riches of the glory of
his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness
of his power to usward who believe, how do we believe? According
to the working of his mighty power. Believing is not an act,
now listen to me. Believing is not an act of the
human will, A man or a woman believing God is a resurrection
act of God Almighty. It takes the power of resurrection
for me to believe. It takes the power of resurrection
for you to believe. You see it? And what is the exceeding
greatness of his power to usward who believe according to the
working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he
raised him from the dead? What does that automatically,
by default, acknowledge? That we were dead in trespasses
and sins. And isn't that exactly what he
says, Paul says, in chapter two, verse one? You see, prayer confesses
the power of God. Salvation is an act of God. Salvation is the work of God. Men and women are active, but
they are only active because they are acted upon. And when God finally puts you through
that, it won't be hard for you to believe that. Believe that. So by default, this acknowledges
our spiritual deadness. Secondly, this puts silent freewillism,
decisionism, reformationism, aisle-walking, prayer-praying
activism, and all other man-centered error. It takes an act of God
and resurrection power for anyone to believe. Thirdly, it takes
an act of God and resurrection power for not only anyone to
believe, but our master himself confirmed this. Now listen to
his words in John chapter five, and I know you're familiar with
these as well, no doubt. John five, there's three verses.
John 5, verse 25, truly, truly, or barely, barely, I say unto
you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead, you see
that? When the dead shall hear the
voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. Our prayer, our prayer, oh God,
And I'm just quoting this now. I'm not trying to pray this because
I feel I'd be praying it to myself. Oh God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, constantly work in us to have this prayer on
our hearts, that we always realize that God is the blesser. We have
nothing except he give it to us from above. And may we have
this heartfelt prayer for others. God is not going to save a loved
one of yours because you want him to. If he saves anyone, it's
because he wants to. God's not gonna heal one of your
loved ones if they're sick because you want him to. God will heal
them because he wants to. And again, I remember what our
Lord taught us. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Heavenly Father, We need, we're
so faulty, so forgetful. We need to be constantly reminded
of your truth. These things would seem so simple
to hear in words, but how impossible they are for us to put in practice.
God move upon us, lead us, guide us and direct us in Christ. Amen.