Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

EPH1.15

Lion King re-imagined...I’ve seen it a thousand times as our children have grown up.

The genius of the folks at Disney is that when they make an animated children’s movie they always have a number of lines in there that only adults are going to get.

This way, parents don’t mind taking their children to see the movie because they’ll probably enjoy it too.

Even folks without children will go to see some of these movies.

In The Lion King, Simba, the heir to the throne, had been tricked by his wicked uncle Scar into thinking that he had caused his father’s death.

So Simba ran far away from the Pride Land as young lion cub.

He runs into this Meerkat and Wart Hog team named Timon and Pumba.

And he grows up with Timon and Pumba, living by the motto, “hakuna matata,” no worries.

But things got so bad in the Pride Land that Simba’s childhood friend Nala comes looking for help.

Guess who she runs into in her search?

You got it, Simba, Timon and Pumbaa.

Here Simba’s buddies had thought that he was just a fun loving lion, with no responsibilities.

And Nala shows up and breaks the news that their buddy is the king.

Of course, they don’t believe her and fall out on the ground in laughter.

Timon says, “Lady, you’ve got your lions crossed.”

But Nala persists and Simba has to admit that was going to be king, but that was a long time ago.

So Timon says, “Let me get this straight.

You’re the king?

And you never told us?” Simba says, “Look, I’m still the same guy.”

Then Timon’s eyes get big and he says, “But with power!”

It was one thing to have a buddy that was a great guy.

But it was quite another if that guy has power.

What’s the underlying message?

We all want to be close to power.

If we know somebody with power, we think, “that’s going to make life better for me.”

You’ve heard this phrase haven’t you? “It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know.”

I remember when I was a senior in college trying to get a job.

I was at the annual conference of the NSBE.

All kinds of companies come out to this conference, and you don’t know if they’re sending out someone with influence, or just someone to fill a spot at the booth.

One of the members of my chapter said, “there’s somebody here from Motorola I want you to meet.”

My first question was, “Is he somebody who can get me a job?” Once I found out that he was someone authorized to offer me a job, I put my game face on and went to work.

We want to know people with power.

And usually it’s not simply because people with power can make things happen for us, it’s because we know that’s the road to obtaining power and influence ourselves.

The problem is our eyesight is often too limited, our desires are often too weak, and our hopes are often too small because our eyesight, desires, and hopes are focused almost exclusively on ourselves.

What our text declares is that two thousand years ago, when Jesus Christ rose from the dead, what was on display was the surpassing greatness of God’s power.

What was on display was the might of his strength.

And what’s amazing is that the apostle Paul says in v. 18 that this surpassing greatness of God’s power is at work in those who believe in Jesus Christ.

The power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is presently at work in those who follow Jesus.

You want to be close to power?

You want power?

Then you have to be close to Jesus.

Let me be clear.

I’m not talking about the power to get a job, or the power to do well in school, or the power to do whatever we desire.

I’m talking about the power to live the life that God calls (demands) that every living person live.

It is impossible to live out God’s call to you and to us apart from resurrection power.

The apostle says so much in his prayer, but I want to focus on three things he says in vv.

18-19, The Hope of God’s Call, The Riches of God’s Glorious Inheritance, and The Greatness of God’s Power.

The Hope of God’s Call

Our text starts in v. 15, but if we were to back up and read the first 14 verses, we would hear the apostle Paul beginning this letter praising God for his glorious grace; the glorious grace of God that is seen in God’s choosing to save rebellious sinners before the foundation of the world; in his choosing to redeem them, to bring them back to himself, by the blood of Jesus Christ; that blood through which the forgiveness of our trespasses comes.

The lavish grace of God is seen in revealing to us the mystery of his will, his purpose set forth in Jesus Christ to unite all things in Christ.

Then Paul says that God has given the Holy Spirit to those he saved as the down payment of their inheritance until they acquire full possession of it.

We don’t have time to do this justice this morning, but don’t miss how much this chapter, indeed how much in this entire letter, Paul grounds the Christian life in the work of the Triune God.

The Father has blessed us in Christ.

He has chosen us in Jesus Christ.

He has predestined us for adoption in Christ.

Because he has done this for us in Christ, we are redeemed by Christ.

We have redemption by his blood.

We have the forgiveness of our trespasses by his blood shed on the cross.

And this blood bought redemption by Jesus Christ, which was predestined by the Father, is sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Far from a confusing doctrine that should be avoided, the work of our Triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit, is a cause for praise and rejoicing.

Because of the firmness of God’s salvation Paul, in vv.

15-16, is led to thankfulness and prayer for the saints in the Ephesian churches.

Saints simply means “holy ones.”

“Saints” isn’t special title given to a few worthy Christians.

It is a reference to those who have repented of their rebellion and their sin and turned to God through faith in Jesus Christ.

If that describes you, then you’re included in this prayer.

What does he pray in v. 17?

Wisdom and revelation is the work of the Holy Spirit.

And the goal of this wisdom and revelation is the knowledge of God.

It is to know God.

Not to know God for the first time, because as Christians they already know God.

But it is to know God better.

It is to continue growing in their knowledge of God.

That their life should not be one of simply drudging through the daily grind hoping for a better tomorrow.

No.

There should be a growing in their knowledge of God.

And resurrection power is necessary if that’s going to happen.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

The ESV has a lower case ‘s’ for spirit, but this is more likely a reference to the Holy Spirit.

Wisdom and revelation is the work of the Holy Spirit.

And the goal of this wisdom and revelation is the knowledge of God.

It is to know God.

Not to know God for the first time, because as Christians they already know God.

But it is to know God better.

It is to continue growing in their knowledge of God.

That their life should not be one of simply drudging through the daily grind hoping for a better tomorrow.

No.

There should be a growing in their knowledge of God.

And resurrection power is necessary if that’s going to happen.

Paul knows that if this wisdom and revelation is continually given to them, then v. 18 will happen.

The eyes of their hearts will be enlightened to understand the hope of God’s calling.

What is the hope of his calling?

Let me say a couple of things first before answering that question directly.

First, please note with me that these are all pronouns.

Every time Paul says “you,” it’s “y’all.”

Every time he says “yours,” it’s “y’all’s.”

Our tendency is to default to an individual, privatized reading of passages like this.

Sure, these things apply to me as an individual, but he’s speaking to the Christian community in Ephesus about his prayer for them collectively.