Experiencing God to the Fullest: Ephesians 3:14-21

It is a calling to preach. It is a privilege to preach. Recently, I began preaching at Redeeming Life Church in Rose Park, UT in addition to my duties at Risen Life Church. Redeeming Life is a church plant of Risen Life Church that is being led by Bryan Catherman. Bryan Catherman and I have been friends now for some time and it is a privilege to walk with him and his church as they are reaching Rose Park and Salt Lake City with the Gospel. My first sermon there was entitled ‘Experiencing God to the Fullest.’ My sermon came from Ephesians 3:14-21 and you can listen to it HERE.

Paul in Ephesians 3:14-21 is really picking back up on the prayer he started way back in Ephesians 1:15-19. In Ephesians 3:14-21 Paul prays for the Ephesians and for us that we would experience God to the fullest. And I think that we see three ways in this text that Paul thinks that happens. They include: 1) understanding what God is doing in the world, 2) living in the power of the Spirit, and 3) experiencing the love of Christ.

Each one of these means of experiencing the fullness of the Christian life in God should lead to a ‘New Normal’ as we have been saying at Redeeming Life Church. Understanding what God is doing in the world should lead us to reaching people around the world for Jesus. Living in the power of the Spirit should teach us to depend on the Spirit for strength and understanding. Experiencing the love of Christ should lead us to loving others as Christ loved us. I believe it is these things Paul is calling us to as we see him pray for the Ephesian believers in Ephesians 3:14-21.

Paul in three places has told us what God is doing in the world. I think these are the mysteries he has mentioned. 1) Ephesians 1:9-10 – God’s plan is to unite the whole world together under the rulership of Christ. 2) Ephesians 3:6 – God’s plan is to make one body, or one family, from every people and race in the world. 3) Ephesians 3:9-10 – God’s plan is to do this through the Church. Once we understand what God is doing in the world we have to make a decision if we will join him in what He is doing through Christ to save the world.

Paul also prays for three results to occur from the indwelling of the Holy Sipirt. 1) Ephesians 3:17 – That Christ might dwell in their hearts through faith. 2) Ephesians 3:18 – That the Ephesians would understand and experience the love of Christ. 3) Ephesians 3:19 – That the believers would be filled with the fullness of God. It is God’s Spirit that makes everything that Paul is talking about possible.

Paul really focuses in on the Love of Christ. And this is an ever-important topic. We all need to here over and over again that God indeed loves us. So much so that he sent his son, Christ, to die for us two-thousand years ago before we ever even committed one sin. God asks for us to confess Jesus as Lord, coming under his rulership, repentant of our sins, agreeing with God and accepting forgiveness in Christ, and to join Him in what He is doing in the world. God loves you, but will you allow Him into your life so that you can experience Him?

Finally, Paul ends his prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 by saying in Ephesians 3:20-21 that God can do far more than we could ever imagine. What have you been praying for lately? Paul has seen in his life how God is far bigger than he ever realized. Paul has understood what God is doing in the world, he is experiencing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and he is experiencing the love of Christ and it is far beyond Paul’s expectations. Paul wants you to experience God to the fullest as well. Will you join him?

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