Paul was encouraged by the faith and faithfulness of the Ephesian church. He wanted them to know that he was praying for them. The greatest gift you can give a person is to hold them in prayer! All of us in this room and those who could not join us this morning, need a mighty movement from God! We are desperate for God’s transforming power in our lives! The question is, how can we be prayed for and how can our loved ones be prayed for? Let this year be the year of seeing God sized stuff happen, and we’ll be ultra-quick to credit it all to God’s glory! Let’s claim Ephesians 3:20 individually and as a church and say, “God you are able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”
****************************************************************
To Know God Personally v.17
*****************************************************************
This is by far the greatest need we have for all of mankind, that they know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! 1 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
This is by far the greatest need we have for all of mankind, that they know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! 1 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
*****************************************************************
To Know God’s Plan for Life v.18
To Know God’s Plan for Life v.18
*****************************************************************
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” His plan is for us to enjoy Him! If we are enjoying Him, we’re going to glorify Him! John Piper says, “God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him!”
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” His plan is for us to enjoy Him! If we are enjoying Him, we’re going to glorify Him! John Piper says, “God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him!”
*****************************************************************
To Know God’s Prize for His Saints v.18
To Know God’s Prize for His Saints v.18
*****************************************************************
Phil 3:12-14 “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Phil 3:12-14 “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
*****************************************************************
To Know God’s Power vv.19-21
To Know God’s Power vv.19-21
*****************************************************************
Colossians 1:16 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
Exodus 14:14 “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
– When someone asked C.H. Spurgeon how to defend God, he said, “how do you defend a lion, you don’t, you let it out of its cage!”
Colossians 1:16 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
Exodus 14:14 “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
– When someone asked C.H. Spurgeon how to defend God, he said, “how do you defend a lion, you don’t, you let it out of its cage!”
*****************************************************************
To Know God’s Purpose for His Church vv.22-23
To Know God’s Purpose for His Church vv.22-23
*****************************************************************
Ephesians 4:1-3 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
***
What’s our purpose? Oak Hill exists to equip the saints to know Jesus Christ, to grow in Jesus Christ, and to go for His glory! Sounds like the Great Commandment and the Great Commission to me!
What’s our purpose? Oak Hill exists to equip the saints to know Jesus Christ, to grow in Jesus Christ, and to go for His glory! Sounds like the Great Commandment and the Great Commission to me!