Home

The Chosen One's: Realization

Sermon Title: The Chosen One’s: Realization
Sermon Text: Ephesians 3:14-21
Sermon Purpose: To call the hearer to realize the fullness of God in their life, resulting in Spiritual maturity.
Sermon Proposition: There are 3 truths Paul prays for the believers to realize.
 
I.          Pray that believers realize the power provided by God for Spiritual maturity. V.14-16
 
“The implication of the prayer is that the more the Spirit empowers the inner man, the greater will be their transformation into the likeness of Christ.”
 
John 8:39 They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 "But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 "You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father -- God." 42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. . . . 44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
           
1 John 3:10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
 
Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
 
Colossians 1:11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
 
II.        Pray that believers realize the love provided by God for Spiritual maturity. V.17-19
 
“Though the strengthening of the inner man by God’s Spirit and Christ’s indwelling in the inner man, the believers are to be established and routed in love, so that they will comprehend the greatness of God’s love.”
 
Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
2 Samuel 22:2 And he said: "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; 3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.
 
Job 26:2 "How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength? 3 How have you counseled one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many? . . . 7 He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing. 8 He binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it. . . . 11 The pillars of heaven tremble, And are astonished at His rebuke. . . . 13 By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. 14 Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?"
 
III.       Pray that believers realize the enablement provided by God for Spiritual maturity. V.20-21
 
            A.        The power of God is able to produce Spiritual maturity. (Acts 1:8)
 
1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
 
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
 
            B.        The presence of God is able to produce Spiritual maturity.
 
2 Corinthians 6:3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
 
            C.        The praise of God is able to produce Spiritual maturity.
Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
Job 23:12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.
 
Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
 
Psalm 119:167 My soul keeps Your testimonies, And I love them exceedingly.
 
 
“The implications is, in light of the following text is that we cannot be as Spiritually mature as we should be unless we are enabled by God to ‘grasp the limitless dimensions of the love of Christ.’”
 
-          D.A. Carson, “A Call to Spiritual Reformation:
Priorities from Paul and His Prayers”
Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992