Disciples love God
with all their Mind
Your Biblical Identity in Christ
Ephesians 3:14-21
A Prayer for the Ephesians
For this reason I kneel before the Father…
~ Apostle Paul
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
• In Christ, we derive our name from the Father and celebrate as a family in Christ, looking forward to being strengthened with power through His Spirit.
Pondering Point
The people of God in Ephesus were on the Apostle Paul’s mind – and it drew him into prayer for them to experience God’s love in powerful ways. WHAT pushes you to kneel before God the Father? Is it desperation, need, friendship, love, compassion, thanksgiving, joy, mercy, trouble, hope or even hopelessness? And then -- WHO drives you to your knees in prayer?
Paul acknowledged as Christians, all of us derive our “name” from God our Father (3:14). Think of Him as the head of our huge family. I got my last name from my biological father – and it identifies me as part of his earthly family. In a similar way, we get our name from our heavenly Father and are identified as His children.
Prayer
Pray Ephesians 3:14-21, paraphrased for yourself, for your family and for your congregation:
I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen me (us) with power through his Spirit in my (our) inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my (our) hearts through faith.
And I pray that my congregation, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!
Amen.