A Prayer for the Cause
Ephesians: Rooted and Grounded • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Introduction: What is a cause? Is a cause something that we look for when there is a problem or is a cause something that we are willing to die for? A cause is something that we discern from manifest effects-we can see the results of the cause out in the world.
For example, this is one of the ways we look at history. If I were to ask you why some event happened, you would give me the causes that brought about that event. If I asked you why the American Revolution occurred, you would likely tell me that the Patriots did not like taxation without representation.
A cause is something that brings about action. We have a desire to move toward or away from a cause. If there was a terrible smell in the auditorium, we would all be trying to get out of the door and into the hallway. That smell would be the cause.
Here, Paul is continuing his thought from chapter 3:1. He was about to pray there but took the following verses to defend his Gospel and talk about fellowship. Now, he is back to praying for the church at Ephesus. He had a desire that the church would be secure and growing in Christ. In our passage, we see that he is continuing to use the illustration of a building that he has been using throughout the book, see chapter 2:10, 22 etc. The reason for this illustration is we are built on the foundation of Christ.
Declaration: Paul is praying that the Ephesians will have strength through the Holy Spirit in the inner man. This strength is the key to the blessings of the love of God. This is the desire of the preacher of the Word of God for his audience. In this long Greek sentence found in verses 14-19, we see the cause and its three effects.
1. The Cause: Strength in the Inner Man
1. The Cause: Strength in the Inner Man
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Paul begins this sentence with the phrase “for this cause”. The cause is found in verse 16, “to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” Paul wants the Ephesians to be able to withstand anything that might come as we will see in chapter 6:13.
A. God is our Father v.14-15
A. God is our Father v.14-15
Paul is calling on God to take action on behalf of the Ephesians. We see the fact of his prayer in the action of his body to kneel.
The posture of Paul in prayer is significant. Paul uses the imagery of bowing before God.
Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary (Ephesians 3:14)
Among the Jews it was usual to stand to pray (see Matt. 6:5 and Luke 18:11, 13). Kneeling for prayer, though it has become a regular Christian attitude, was formerly an expression of deep emotion or earnestness, and on that basis we must understand Paul’s words here. Solomon knelt at the dedication of the temple (1 Kgs 8:54); Stephen at the time of his martyrdom (Acts 7:60); Peter at the death-bed of Dorcas (Acts 9:40); Paul at the time of his farewells on his last journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20:36; 21:5); our Lord himself in his agony in Gethsemane (Luke 22:41).
How do we see God pictured here? God is pictured as the prototype of Fatherhood in the world
Ps 68:5 “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, Is God in his holy habitation.”
Ps 89:26 “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.”
Paul had been discussing the unity of the Jews and Gentiles in chapter 2 . Now he is pointing out the God is the Father of all that is holy on the earth and in heaven.
B. God works through His riches in glory v.16
B. God works through His riches in glory v.16
This is a purpose of Paul’s prayer
riches of his glory: the overabundance of wealth of the splendor of God. The glory is the same as that of Solomon in Jesus’ statement.
Matt 6:29 “and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”
God always gives out of His perfect abundance. When God gives, He lacks nothing. That is, except when He gave His Son to die for us.
Titus 3:6 “which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”
2 Peter 1:11 “for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
C. God grants strength by His Spirit v. 16
C. God grants strength by His Spirit v. 16
The strength is an experience of the Holy Spirit
strengthened: more than just physical strength, the emphasis is on psychological strength
might: Louw-Nida says this “the potentiality to exert force in performing some function”. The idea of amazing power found in
Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
The idea of the inner man is the idea of what only you see and know. Each of us is known best by God and then by ourselves. We see ourselves at our best and our worst.
Ps 94:19 “In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul.”
It is a positive crime to be weak in God’s strength.
Oswald Chambers
Paul is praying that the people at Ephesus, and us as well, would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in our inner self. This implies that we must have a relationship with the Spirit. Choose to allow the Spirit to work in your heart.
Jn 14:16-17 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
The prayer of Paul for the Ephesians is also found in the letter to the Colossians. This shows us the importance of praying for the Holy Spirit to help other Christians.
Col 1:11 “strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;”
Neglect of private prayer is the locust which devours the strength of the church.
Charles Spurgeon
2. The First Effect: Christ’s Presence
2. The First Effect: Christ’s Presence
that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
The work of the Holy Spirit in strengthening us as well as the presence of Christ in us are both intertwined in the same event - this is an even that we can experience anytime after salvation. We only have to allow God to work
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
The presence of Christ in our hearts by faith is an experience. The word dwell is the idea of residence in a house.
Jn 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
The key to the presence of Christ is faith. This is the idea of real confidence and belief in something reliable.
2 Cor 5:7 “(for we walk by faith, not by sight:)”
Gal 3:26 “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament (Ephesians 3:13–21)
He wants Christ to “feel at home” (dwell, v. 17) in their hearts. Of course, Christ does dwell in the heart of every true believer, but not every heart is a comfortable home for Him. Christ loved to go to Bethany because his friends there loved Him, fed on His Word, and served Him. When Christ came to earth to talk to Abraham (Gen. 18), He sent two angels ahead to visit Lot (Gen. 19) because He did not feel at home in the house of a worldly believer. Does He feel at home in our hearts? Christ feels at home in our hearts when He finds faith and love.
We ought to desire the noticeable presence of Christ in our lives. While He is in all of us that are saved, we often neglect to make Him feel welcome. Christ’ dwelling is the effect of the Spirit’s strengthening.
The best way to prepare for the coming of Christ is never to forget the presence of Christ.
William Barclay
3. The Second Effect: Rooted and Grounded
3. The Second Effect: Rooted and Grounded
that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
A. Love is the foundation v. 17
A. Love is the foundation v. 17
Rooted and grounded is a purpose of Paul’s prayer. Paul has the goal of security for the Ephesians.
Eph 4:14-15 “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”
Rooted is a reference to plants. The word is passive showing that the Spirit is causing the believer to take root.
Jn 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.”
Grounded is a reference to a building. This is the establishment of a foundation.
The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume θεμέλιος, θεμέλιον, θεμελιόω
with the implicit thought that when God confirms us in faith and love he establishes his house or church on its sure foundation in Christ.
We see at least three aspects in the Pauline Epistles for this idea of a foundation. First, that the foundation can only be Christ.
1 Cor 3:11 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Second, that the foundation is made up of the apostles and prophets with Christ as the beginning.
Eph 2:20 “and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;”
Thirdly, identification with Christ is the surety of the foundation.
2 Tim 2:19 “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
Both rooted and grounded “are in the perfect tense, indicating a past action with continuing results.” (BKC) Rooted and Grounded is the state of the Christian that is strengthened by the Spirit. Choose to be rooted and grounded.
Col 2:7 “rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
B. Comprehension is the building v. 18
B. Comprehension is the building v. 18
Nothing but faith can comprehend the truth.
Martin Luther
The comprehension with all the saints in an experience. That means that this is something that happens to us. In addition, the word “comprehend” is a Greek voice (middle voice) that indicates that we are acting upon ourselves.
Ephesians 1:17–19 “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,”
We see this idea of comprehension elsewhere in the NT. Peter understood in Acts.
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
What are we comprehending? The love of Christ found in verse 19!
Rom 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
The four measurements are like a spiritual plumb-line. All are different not identical. The idea is the many dimensions of the love of God. Christ’s love is unable to be measured or fully understood.
1 Tim 1:12-17 “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
A building requires a foundation. A foundation requires a Cornerstone. The building of the Christian life is based on the working of the Spirit as He strengthens us. Choosing to be strengthened by Him will allow you to be settled in your faith.
If you would understand the Word of God in its knotty points, if you would comprehend the mystery of the gospel of Christ, remember, Christ’s scholars must study upon their knees.
Charles Spurgeon
1 Pt 5:10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
4. The Effect of the Fulness of God
4. The Effect of the Fulness of God
and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
A. Knowledge of the Love of Christ is a goal of the Christian v.19
A. Knowledge of the Love of Christ is a goal of the Christian v.19
Knowing the love of Christ is an experience. Comprehending is the work of figuring out the idea. Knowing is the work of learning more of Christ’s love. The Christian life is both.
Human things must be known to be loved: but Divine things must be loved to be known.
Blaise Pascal
Paul is praying that they will know something that is unknowable. The Love of Christ is beyond our ability to learn. But it is something that we can live out to the brethren.
1 Jn 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
A disciple of Christ is always learning more and pursuing harder after the example of Christ
Philippians 3:8-10 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
Knowledge is something that we possess in our inner being. We cannot sell it or buy it, just acquire it. Knowledge of the love of Christ comes through the strengthening of the Spirit.
B. By seeking that knowledge is fulness v. 19
B. By seeking that knowledge is fulness v. 19
Fulness is a purpose of Paul’s prayer. Paul wished (passive subjunctive) that they would be filled with the completeness of God. We receive the fulness of God through our relationship with Christ.
John 1:11–18 (AV 1873)
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
The idea of fulness is only a measure of the completeness of God. We can choose either to have the fulness of the world while here on earth or the fulness of God through His love.
The fullness of the earth can never satisfy the soul.
William Bridge
Fulness carries the idea of not just one aspect of God in us, but of the highest indwelling of God in us. Paul was praying for the Ephesians to experience the reality of Eternity with God while still on earth
Rev 22:3-5 “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
Paul had a habit of praying for other people. In each of his letters, he talks about the requests and people involved in his prayers. He was concerned about the people he had invested his ministry in. This concern was the cause of his prayer. The concern was a result of the strengthening of the Spirit in his own life. Paul was seeking to bring them to the next phase of their walk with Christ. What about you? Are you strengthened with might by the Spirit in your inner man? Or are you weak and tossed to a fro? Are you discouraged and worried? The Holy Spirit is the answer to your situation. He is already living within and is ready to give you what you need.
Declaration: Paul is praying that the Ephesians will have strength through the Holy Spirit in the inner man. This strength is the key to the blessings of the love of God. This is the desire of the preacher of the Word of God for his audience.
Are you able to comprehend the love of Christ and to know it? Are you learning more about the sacrifice of Christ? Seek the working of the Spirit today and find out the reality of these effects.