Getting Committed to God’s Vision for Us

Getting Committed to God’s Vision for Us

Ephesians 3                   July 17, 2005

RECAP:

          God’s vision for us

          Keeping the vision alive

          Living the vision

          United in vision

          Committed to the vision

                   What will it take to get us committed to God’s vision for us?

                             (perhaps it will take a crisis experience of love and grace)

                   How can we become really committed to God’s vision for us?

                             (by not forgetting his visionary acts of love and grace)

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you the Gentiles   If indeed you hear-of the stewardship of the grace of God having been given           to me for you – that by way of revelation

                   The mystery was made-known to me

                             Just as I wrote-before in brief, with reference to which you are                                     able, while reading, to perceive my understanding in the                                               mystery of Christ

Which in other generations was not made-known to the sons of humans as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit

                   That the Gentiles are fellow-heirs and fellow-body-members and                        fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the good-news

                             Of which I was made a minister according-to the gift of the                                 grace of God having been given to me by-way-of the working                                      of His power

                   This grace was given to me, the less-than-least of all saints, that I                       might

                             Announce-as-good-news to the Gentiles the untraceable riches                                     of Christ

                             And enlighten everyone to see what is the stewardship of the                                       mystery having been hidden from the past ages in God, the One                         having created al things

                             So that now, the multifaceted wisdom of God might be made-                                     known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places

                                      Through the church

                                      According-to the purpose of the ages, which He                                                  accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord

                                                In Whom we have boldness and access in                                                            confidence, through faith in Him

          Therefore I ask that you not lose-heart in connection with my afflictions for-     your-sake – which is your glory!

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from Whom the whole family in the heavens and on earth is named

          Asking that He might grant to you in accordance with the riches of His glory

                   That you be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner                         person

                   So-that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith

                   In-order-that you – having been rooted and founded in love – might be              strong-enough

                             To grasp together-with all the saints what is the width and                                 length and height and depth

                             And to know the love of Christ surpassing knowledge

                   In order-that you might be filled to all the fullness of God

          Now to the One being able to do super-abundantly beyond all of the things       which we ask or think according to the power being at-work in us – to him    be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations forever and        ever, amen

What will it take to get us committed to God’s vision for us?

          (perhaps it will take a crisis experience of love and grace)

How can we become really committed to God’s vision for us?

          (by not forgetting his visionary acts of love and grace)

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES:

          Isaiah – Isa. 6:1-8

          Daniel – Dan. 10:1-12

          Peter – Acts 10:9-23, 34-35

          Paul – initial vision Acts 9:1-9, 17-19

                    the vision interpreted and confirmed Acts 26:12-20; Gal. 1:11-12

                    the vision expanded 2Cor. 12:1-10

You must see the vision for yourself, and Paul prays for this in Eph. 3:17b-19

Paul was and is an eyewitness of the glorious vision of God – “If you saw what I saw, you would be committed too in giving your all.”

If you are committed to God’s vision for yourself and all who call upon his Name, you would endure all things also to achieve it.

THE PRAYER – (D. A. Carson)

In vv. 14-21, Paul prays that we will indeed get committed to God’s vision for us – that God is able, that God has power, that God will glorify himself in all generations that believe.

This is a petition for power to make God’s vision our own.

Paul wants God’s resurrection power to dominate us in our inner being.

He wants Christ to touch every part of our house, fix it up, update it, get rid of the bats (dog poop).

Not just live there but inhabit us – make us his own.

Petition for power to be holy/transformed.

Now then also for power to grasp the limitless love of God – not to love Jesus better, but to know his love for us.

(If you grow up in a bad home you will have a strong tendency to commit the same sins. God can break through anywhere, but God visits the sins of fathers on children. Sin is social. Can’t sin with impunity.)

As Christians we an slip to the point that the love of God in only a creedal point that is not truly felt.

If we can’t grow in basking in God’s love and goodness we stunt in maturity.

And this is to be corporate. It, the love of God, is corporate in effect when it is real in one.

For omnipotence, there are no degrees of difficulty.