Ephesians 3:20 & 21

Pastor finishes the 3rd chapter of Ephesians on 06/06/2021

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On the night that He was betrayed, our God gathered with His Church.

He didn't meet them on Zoom // He didn't do Church alone at home, watching it from far away where He was safe

He didn't socially distance, despite the danger of being close

He didn't weigh the pros and cons of meeting with a large group of believers

He, along with the members of the same Church that you and I all belong to, gathered together, knowing that they're very life would be in danger if they did so.

They risked their life to gather with other Saints, and Jesus was the one who gathered them together.

He arranged the meeting

1st Corinthians 11:23 says this:

on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Let us partake together of the body of our God

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Let us partake together of the blood of our God.

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We have just a few announcements before we dismiss the kids to go and learn and ask questions and grow their brains and grow their hearts.

THIS SATURDAY

Is our Chicken BBQ

We still have some presale tickets for $10

Price goes up to $12 at the door.

If you want to volunteer and help out, that would be great

We’ll need runners

Scoopers

Money takers

If you want to help, come and see me after service

Our Basketball Court is now open on Saturdays

THIS SATURDAY

Chicken BBQ

And the kids are dismissed.

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Today we will be finishing up Chapter 3 of Ephesians.

Weve been looking at entire paragraphs at a time for Chapters 2 and 3

Chapter 1 we looked at 1 verse at a time, and stretched it out over 2 or 3 months

Then we switched it up and looked at whole sections.

And today were going to wrap up Chapter 3.

Ephesians 3:20–21

[20] Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)

Opening Prayer

Last week we talked about the prayer that Paul is praying for his fellow Christians.

To have strength // Not outwardly, but inner strength

When the events of our life stack up higher and higher and they get so far above our horizon that it is hard for us to see the Sun, we can take comfort in the fact that God still has us.

That no matter what may come our way, God will always be there for his children

Directing us

Strengthening us

Sanctifying us

God will never let us go.

We talked about how only God can hear prayers

And the only prayers that He hears, are those of the repentant

We talked about how God has named every family, and who your parents and grandparents are, wasn't a fluke mistake that slipped passed Him.

We talked about how He planted us into a local Church

How gathering with other Christians, is good for our soul

It is where the rough edges of our soul get rounded down

Where we get invigorated to attack the darkness in our life

How we need one another ---- there is no such thing as a “lone wolf Christian”

And then Paul concludes his prayer with our verses this morning.

Were going to look at 3 main points that can be drawn from them.

#1) Comes from verse [21]

“..to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations..”

All generations.

Not most generations

Not just Western world, 21st century…. Generations.

Not just generations of Parents who try really really hard and pass their beliefs on to their grandkids and great grandkids, and if they themselves don't do the necessary work, then Christianity will die off…..

All generations.

This means ….. Every…. Single….. Generation …… until Christ returns.

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This, can be hard to accept.

That the glory of Christ in His Church will reign supreme in all generations ….. Is something that may even be in contrast to the way we have been taught about Christianity.

We may have been taught that the Church is going to fail and falter and the world is going to overcome it ------- and then Jesus is going to come back

But our verses here this morning show us that ALL generations will glorify Jesus Christ

-----How many Generations?

Psalm 100 ---- its just 5 verses but it says this

[1] Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

[2] Serve the LORD with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

[3] Know that the LORD, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

[4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

[5] For the LORD is good;

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations. (ESV)

How many Generations will God’s faithfulness endure?

All of them.

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So last week when we talked about the previous verse, where Paul says that every family in heaven and on Earth is named------

This is why

God isn't going to leave it up to chance, that His children will glorify Him.

So look backwards at your family

Look at your parents, grandparents, and great grandparents

Maybe some of them were horrible, awful, no good lousy parents who don't deserve the title of Father or Mother---- Maybe

But somewhere in the lineage of your family, God moved

Did your father or mother

Grandparent or great grandparent

Take a stand for the things of God? Did they teach you how to pray?

Did they teach you how to read the Bible?

Did they pray with you?

Admit their own faults?

Did they ask for your forgiveness when they messed up?

Was God active in the lives of your ancestors, so that a remnant of who He is, was lodged somewhere in the back of your mind?

Who planted that seed there?

Who watered it?

Why was their knowledge of who God is, in your heart and in your brain?

Maybe ---- your parents failed you ---- and never taught you about God

It may be tough to hear, but if a parent doesn't teach their children about God and His ways ------- then they are a failure

Maybe that is you, maybe there was no seed for you to look at.

No matter how deep or dark that place in your heart was where the seed was planted, maybe when you looked in that dark corner of your heart for something ---- anything ---- that the people who said they loved you may have placed there ------ and you found nothing

Maybe, you are the first one in whom God is working

Your parents may have failed

Your grandparents may have failed

But you will be damned if you don't teach your children the ways of God

Every generation will glorify Jesus Christ in His Church, because God moves in the lives of His Children

This can be hard to accept:

Not only because of how some of our family members and parents have treated us----

Not only because some Churches have neglected to teach that The Church wont be some frail, weak and scattered Bride when Jesus returns---

And because -------- when we look out at the world…..its a scary and rough place.

We see war and death, constantly

We see politicians lying and stealing, constantly

We see government overreach

We see Schools teaching our Children that it is ok to mutilate their genitals if they feel like it

We see riots and violence and corruption

We see sin celebrated

We see racism and hatred - stoked and kindled

Every day we turn the news on and are confronted by the forces of evil squeezing their grip tighter and tighter upon our society, and we ….. Lose ….. Hope….

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Well I want to tell you this morning ----- that they are not in control

The only progress that the sinful forces of this world are allowed to enact, is that which is allowed by God.

He isn't in heaven, saying “oh no, what is my Church going to do against these odds.”

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus Himself says:

“... I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The Bible doesn't teach us that God is going to let His Church flounder and fail

He didn't set us up for failure

He didn't build the Church, and then walk away

It says the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Which means……. That hell is going to attack us.

They wills send their forces

They will send their legions

They will influence kings and rulers

They will amass dark forces in places of power, and intentionally and malicious work against the Church of the only God

But they will fail

The glory of Christ in His Church will exist and reign and be unprevailed against ----- for all generations.

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This brings up a question though, doesn't it.

We know that Job 42:2 teaches us that nothing can stop the will of God---

And we know that evil forces will come against us ----

So why fight? // Why pray? // Why go to Church? // Why take Communion?

Why stand up for what is right and true and just...when God’s will will be accomplished regardless?

-----because God’s will will be accomplished, through His Church, despite our failures.

And we are called to fight.

Do you want to see the next generation praise God?

Then raise your Children how you should

Do you want to see the Church grow and thrive and overthrow the wicked strongholds in this world?

Then teach your children how to pray // How to read their Bibles

How to defend the faith when they are confronted by evil for 40hrs a week in the public system

We cant honestly think that 40hrs a week of godless indoctrination will not manifest in the lives of our Children----- if we assume that 40min of Sunday School once a week will keep them strong.

All generations will see the glory of God, because Godly men and women will raise their Children contrary to what the world teaches them.

When the world tells them that sports are more important than Church attendance

We stand against them

When they say that its acceptable to murder a child

We stand against them

When they say that Jesus was just a nice teacher

We stand against them and boldly proclaim that Jesus Christ is God, and he lived a perfect life and died for the sins of all who repent and believe in Him

When they say that we can treat someone differently based on their skin color

We tell them that all humans are image bearers of God

When they say that homosexuality is something to take pride in

We stand against them

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This is big---

Huge---

I hope your blood is pumping and your heart rate is rising---

Because it should be.

The only way that evil will gain ground in our society----- is if God allows His children to be lazy in their faith.

But regardless of our failures----- or the power of this world ---

The glory of Christ in His Church will reign through every generation

#2) How and Why can this be?

The glory of Christ in His Church will remain through every generation

Because of what our verses say this morning:

[20] Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Everything that God does ------- and I’m probably sounding like a broken record ------ is according to his power and for His glory.

He builds nations and mountains-----

He breaks nations and mountains-----

He judges sinners-----

He saves sinners------

There is but one God of all creation, and His name is Jesus Christ

Repent of your sins and be saved.

Romans 11:33-36 speaks about this when it says:

[33] Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

[34] “For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor?”

[35] “Or who has given a gift to him

that he might be repaid?”

[36] For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

We don't help him keep His Church alive

We don't help him spread the Gospel

He empowers us to do those things ----- and if He didn't, we would fail.

In this verse, Paul is referencing back to chapter 1 verses 19-20

Ephesians 1:19–20

[19] the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might [20] that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, (ESV)

God works through His children, according to the power He used to Christ from the dead.

Period.

Yes we study

Yes we pray

Yes we attend Church

Yes we proclaim with our mouths the truth of who Jesus Christ is

Yes we teach our children

But we rely on Him to produce the fruit.

We plant seeds

Other Christians water them

But it is Christ that gives the increase ----- all according to His power and for His glory

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When we see the level of wickedness that our Country celebrates---

When we see the depths to which they are willing to stoop---

When we see the evil forces at work in this world, influencing every area of our world

We read the words of Isaiah 40

[1] Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

[2] Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and cry to her

that her warfare is ended,

that her iniquity is pardoned,

that she has received from the LORD’s hand

double for all her sins.

[3] A voice cries:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

[4] Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

[5] And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,

and all flesh shall see it together,

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

[6] A voice says, “Cry!”

And I said, “What shall I cry?”

All flesh is grass,

and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

[7] The grass withers, the flower fades

when the breath of the LORD blows on it;

surely the people are grass.

[8] The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever.

[9] Go on up to a high mountain,

O Zion, herald of good news;

lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good news;

lift it up, fear not;

say to the cities of Judah,

“Behold your God!”

[10] Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might,

and his arm rules for him;

behold, his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

[11] He will tend his flock like a shepherd;

he will gather the lambs in his arms;

he will carry them in his bosom,

and gently lead those that are with young.

[12] Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand

and marked off the heavens with a span,

enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure

and weighed the mountains in scales

and the hills in a balance?

[13] Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD,

or what man shows him his counsel?

[14] Whom did he consult,

and who made him understand?

Who taught him the path of justice,

and taught him knowledge,

and showed him the way of understanding?

[15] Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,

and are accounted as the dust on the scales;

behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.

[16] Lebanon would not suffice for fuel,

nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.

[17] All the nations are as nothing before him,

they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

[18] To whom then will you liken God,

or what likeness compare with him?

[19] An idol! A craftsman casts it,

and a goldsmith overlays it with gold

and casts for it silver chains.

[20] He who is too impoverished for an offering

chooses wood that will not rot;

he seeks out a skillful craftsman

to set up an idol that will not move.

[21] Do you not know? Do you not hear?

Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

[22] It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,

and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;

who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,

and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;

[23] who brings princes to nothing,

and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

[24] Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,

scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,

when he blows on them, and they wither,

and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

[25] To whom then will you compare me,

that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

[26] Lift up your eyes on high and see:

who created these?

He who brings out their host by number,

calling them all by name;

by the greatness of his might

and because he is strong in power,

not one is missing.

[27] Why do you say, O Jacob,

and speak, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the LORD,

and my right is disregarded by my God”?

[28] Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

[29] He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might he increases strength.

[30] Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

[31] but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint. (ESV)

Our God is unstoppable - and His glory will endure in His Church through all generations.

Doxology