Ephesians 1:4 (NKJV) 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

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1 Paul s Prayer, Our Prayer Ephesians 1:15-22 Sunday, November 29, 2015 Ephesians 1:15 16 (NKJV) 15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: Therefore: Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 1:4 (NKJV) 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV) 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace Ephesians 1:14 (NKJV) 14 Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. This is the Thanksgiving Weekend ~ yet we see that the Apostle Paul had a Thanksgiving Lifestyle. Romans 1:9 (NKJV) 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 1 Thessalonians 1:2 (NKJV) 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, Philemon 4 (NKJV) 4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, Paul was thankful to the Lord for True Christians and continually prayed for them. What would that look like in our lives? Well, we might remember guys like Pastor Saeed, who has been detained in Iran since September of 2012 and on January 27, 2013, he was sentenced to eight years in prison, reportedly on charges of undermining national security through private religious gatherings in Christian homes in Iran in the early 2000 s. We might make mention of the Coptic Christians in our prayers. Particularly those who are in danger of losing their lives due to the ISIS threat in Syria and Iraq. The Coptic Orthodox Christian Church was established in the great city of Alexandria, Egypt in the first century of the Church Era and is the largest Christian church in the Middle East today. But even more than these that are so worthy of our making mention in our prayers, is that we would find ourselves constantly being thankful for those brothers and sisters in the body of

2 believers of our own church. That we would give thanks to God for each other and that we would continually keep one another in our prayers. So, do you have a Pauline attitude toward members of your own church? If not, why not? They may not be facing prison time for their faith, or risk being beheaded or crucified because they are not Muslims. But they may be being ridiculed at their workplace, in their neighborhood or even by their own family members. Certainly our young members are being assaulted for their faith in the classrooms today by their teachers and professors. Here are just 5 things that American Christians are facing today #1 Home Bible studies are now banned in the city of San Juan Capistrano, California. According to city officials, regular gatherings of more than three people in private homes are simply not allowed. #2 In Wichita, Kansas recently, a Christian minister was handcuffed and hauled off to jail by police for sharing the gospel and handing out tracts to Muslims on a public sidewalk. #3 Last year, a high school student in Southern California was suspended for two days because he had private conversations with his classmates during which he discussed Christianity. He was also banned from bringing his Bible to school ever again. #4 Down in Texas, the Department of Veteran Affairs actually tried to ban prayers that include the words God or Jesus during funeral services for veterans. #5 A while back, a federal judge actually ruled that the University of California can deny course credit to applicants from Christian high schools that use textbooks that teach that it was God who created the earth. Lord, give us a Pauline attitude toward members of our own church! We just simply do not know what they are facing on a regular basis. There are two things that Paul took note of Two things that make some stand out more than others Two hallmarks of a True Christian #1 ~ Faith in the Lord Jesus #2 ~ Love for all the saints Faith complete and utter confidence in the Lord, Jesus, Christ. You can hear that from, and see that in Naghmeh Abedini, Pastor Saeed s wife.

3 While most church goers will gladly profess their love for Jesus, few discuss their love for the saints Paul said All the Saints. When we read this we must admit that there is something wrong with us if we do not have love for every member of our church. Years ago I heard Charles Swindoll say something like To live above with the saints we love, now that will be the glory. But to live below with the saints we know, now that s a different story! As funny and true as that might be, it is also damaging and dangerous. 1 John 4:20 (NKJV) 20 If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? Let s look at those two verses again before we move on ~ 15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: Often it s the bad things in life that move us to prayer. Here s J. Vernon McGee Paul was often motivated by the good things. When you hear something good about a child of God, are you motivated to say, Oh God, I thank You for this brother and the way You are using him? When you hear of a wonderful Bible church where God is blessing the preacher, and the Word of God is going out, do you get down on your knees and thank God for it? My friend, isn t it true that too often we turn in a kind of grocery list to God? I want this, I want that, I want the other thing. Lord, will You do this, will You do that? God is not a messenger boy. Why don t we thank Him sometimes? We need more thanksgiving services. I think He would appreciate all of us having a time of thanksgiving regularly not just once a year. Let s move ahead for some of the contents of that prayer of Paul s for the church. Ephesians 1:17 (NKJV) 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation Paul prayed that the Father would grant the Ephesians the spirit of wisdom and that He would give them revelation. But these are not so they may see into the lives of others, have the ability to predict events, or do what we commonly think of as prophet stuff. He wanted them to have the spirit of wisdom and revelation simply so that they would have a better knowledge of Him (God). In the knowledge of Him: Our Christian life must be centered around this purpose to know God as He is in truth, as revealed by His Word, and to correct our false, idolatrous ideas of who God is. The knowledge of Him: It is important for us to have an accurate knowledge and understanding of who we are. Yet it is far more important (and beneficial) for us to know and understand who God is.

4 Ephesians 1:18 (NKJV) 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, Actually it s the eyes of your heart, being enlightened. We see spiritual matter with our heart not our head. Let me point out how Paul is praying by contrasting our prayer against his: We would pray something like ~ Lord cause my brother to stop living with that woman who is not his wife and start coming to church. Paul would pray ~ Lord, open the understanding of my brother s heart about Your plan for his life, Your calling and the hope that You wish to impart to him. What s the difference? Well the difference is that we pray for change and Paul prays for the spiritual insight that will bring about change. We want people to shape up and get saved, Paul wanted people to get saved and let the Lord shape them up. v.19 really explains that point Ephesians 1:19 (NKJV) 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power (Keep going a little further) 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead This power is what we call resurrection power the power that raised Jesus from the dead. Spurgeon once said Many Christians do not know this power or they only know it from a distance. God wants resurrection life to be real in the life of the believer. The very same power which raised Christ is waiting to raise the drunkard from his drunkenness, to raise the thief from his dishonesty, to raise the Pharisee from his self-righteousness, to raise the Sadducee from his unbelief. Ephesians 1:20 23 (NKJV) 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Not only is Jesus above every name, every living thing upon earth and in heaven He is the HEAD of the church. Not the pastor, not the elders or deacons, it is Jesus and Him alone. Church is all about the head, Jesus. The church is His body. The fullness of Christ in the world today.

5 As we see Jesus traveling through the gospel passages in His physical body, impacting the world for the Kingdom of God, He wishes to travel through the world today via His body the Church, impacting our world for His kingdom. That s why we must have unity. That s why we must have love for all the members. That s why we must be praying for each other. Ok, so what have we learned this morning? 1) True Christians have faith, complete trust and reliance upon Jesus Christ in their life. 2) True Christians have love for all the saints; they love each other. We must pray for our church and for one another v.17 That we would know God better and better with each passing day v.18 That we would know the Hope of His calling and understand that we are His inheritance. v.19 That we would experience resurrection power in our own lives and finally, that we would understand that though Christ is the Head of the church, we are the feet and that we need to take the church into the world for the glory of God.