God's Supreme Power
Notes
Transcript
One of the great joys I have serving at the Global Network of Evangelists is seeing how God gifts different people who have a desire to proclaim the Gospel. Our motto is ONE MESSAGE, MANY EXPRESSIONS.
We have close on 1000 partner evangelists aroud the world… some of them use sports, media, digital avenues, apologetics, creative art, extreme sport, music etc to bring the message of the Gospel to others in a way they may understand. One of my favorite evangelists to work with is Rick. He is a strongman who breaks things, bends things and rips things apart to illustrate the power of God to save and deliver… AND… he is completely blind… Here’s a few clips of him breaking a basebal bat, bending metal rods and tearing up a phone book!
GOD’S POWER! There’s nothing quite like it… no words can sufficiently describe it, it is exceeding, abundant, supreme, authoritative, it is inexplicable and yet also undeniable!
God’s supreme power is sufficient for life, faith and ministry!
Let’s read from Ephesians 1: 18-23 for context.
God’s power is for the saints
God’s power is for the saints
19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.
“TO US WHO BELIEVE”
If we believe in rhe Lord we have are able to claim the promises found in HIs Word. FAITH in Jesus gives us access to the reality of HIs power available and at work in us.
God’s power saves us
God’s power saves us
Ephesians 1:20–21 (HCSB)
20 He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens — 21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
“HE DEMONSTRATED HIS POWER”
Jesus became flesh (Jn 1) and entyered a rescue mission for us!
Salvation is not a joint project, where we teamed up with God to bring it about. Rather, as Paul will go on to say, we were dead in our sins, but God raised us up. Paul wants to encourage us as we realize that our salvation is evidence of God’s surpassingly great power at work in us.
God’s power sustains us
God’s power sustains us
22 And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church,
“FOR THE CHURCH”
In a parelel passage we see the purpose behind receiving God’s power:
11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.
In other words, God’s glorious, mighty power enables us to endure trials steadfastly, patiently, and joyously, with a thankful heart to the Father.
God’s power is ever sufficient
God’s power is ever sufficient
22 And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church,
“EVERYTHING UNDER HIS FEET”
God’s authroity and sovereignty means that HIs power and presence are sufficient for everying in this life!
3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4 By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.
God’s power enables our service
God’s power enables our service
23 which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.
“HIS BODY”
We are God’s hands and feet in a broken world...
Laboring in His power is the antidote to burnout.
29 I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.
The truth is that we do not have the generating capacity (Like Eskom) to sustain all our needs YET the Gospel teaches us that it is ONLY possible because of God’s power at work in and through us!
16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.
That means that the flat tyre you had on your car yesterday and which upset you so -- just as you were in a hurry to go someplace you came out and found it there -- is working for you. It is preparing you for this day. It is teaching you something about how to be patient, how to handle your pressures. It is giving you a chance to exercise some of the power of Christ which is available to you. That spot of makeup you got on your clothes, the weariness you feel at the end of the day, the back pain, Health challenge or even the argument you had with your best friend -- all this, you see, is working together for your good. That is the point. That is what Paul wants these Ephesians to see. They are not lost in a meaningless routine of events, drifting through with some degree of numbness day after day. No, it is all working together. It is preparing them for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.
Learn to look at life that way! That is the hope of our calling