Title: Prayerfully Pursuing God's Gracious Power and Loving Presence
Meta: Believer, because we are the temple of God, we should ask the Lord for more power from the Holy Spirit.  This power that is received, according to grace and not works, is essential to Christian growth.  The Bible speaks of the Lord filling His temple with His Holy Spirit and with inexpressible glory.  This reality should motivate us to pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our own lives and corporately in our churches.
Tags: Holy Spirit,Power,Christian,Exodus 40:34,1 Kings 8:10-11,Ephesians 3:14-21,prayer

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What an unbelievable privilege

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to get to be with you tonight,

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and to get to open up God's Word to us.

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I want to invite you to open to

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three places in the Scriptures

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this evening,

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and to place your finger if you would

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in each of those places,

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and we'll read them consecutively.

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All three passages have this in common:

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That God wants to fill the temple.

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He wants to fill His temple with His Holy Spirit.

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The first passage would be Exodus 40:34.

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Exodus 40:34

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The next passage you'll want to

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put your finger on after Exodus 40:34

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is 1 Kings 8:10-11.

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1 Kings 8:10-11.

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And then our passage this evening:

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Ephesians 3:14-21

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And in each of these passages

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God fills His temple

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with inexpressible glory.

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Exodus 40

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The second book of the Bible.

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The people of God are delivered

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out of slavery in the first half of the book.

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The second half of the book

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is the people build a temple.

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And we'll actually read from v. 33.

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"Next Moses set up the surrounding courtyard

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for the tabernacle and the altar,

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and hung a screen for the gate

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of the courtyard.

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So Moses finished the work.

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The cloud covered the tent of meeting

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and the glory of the Lord

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filled the tabernacle.

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Moses was unable to enter

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the tent of meeting

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because the cloud rested on it,

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and the glory of the Lord

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filled the tabernacle."

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1 Kings 8

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It may be time to get a little more technical.

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You'll notice what Moses built

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was called the tabernacle.

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It was a tent of meeting.

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Now here in 1 Kings 8,

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a more solid structure:

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the temple has been built

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by King Solomon.

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And when that temple is complete,

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we read this words in 1 Kings 8:10.

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"When the priests came out of the holy place,

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the cloud filled the Lord's temple,

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and because of the cloud,

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the priests were not able to continue ministering,

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for the glory of the Lord

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filled the temple."

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Now, Ephesians 3:14,

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and perhaps if you know the book of Ephesians,

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you remember that in Ephesians 2

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we're told over and over

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that the people of God

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are now the temple of God.

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The Jews and Gentiles.

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Blacks and whites.

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Latinos and Africans.

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People from all over the world

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are now the temple of the Holy Spirit.

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And so it shouldn't surprise us

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that Paul would pray like this

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in Ephesians 3:14-21.

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"For this reason,

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I kneel before the Father,

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from Whom every family in heaven

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and on earth is named.

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I pray that He may grant you

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to be strengthened with power

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in your inner being through His Spirit

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and that Christ may dwell in your hearts

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through faith.

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I pray that you being rooted

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and firmly established in love,

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may be able to comprehend

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with all the saints

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what is the length and width

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height and depth

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of God's love,

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and to know Christ's love

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that surpasses knowledge,

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so that you may be filled

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with the fullness of God.

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Now to Him Who is able

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to do above and beyond

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all that we ask or think

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according to the power that works in us,

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to Him be glory in the church

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and in Christ Jesus

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to all generations

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forever and ever."

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And all God's people said: Amen.

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Let's pray.

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Lord God, when we think of the way

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You have descended upon Your people.

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In the book of Exodus;

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in the days of Solomon;

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in the early days of the church;

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in times of revival...

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Lord God, we tremble

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and are aware that You are capable

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of doing so much more than we've seen yet.

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Lord, we have read on this book table,

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some of us, about what You've done

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through our fathers.

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Lord God, we want to ask You, Lord

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that we too would experience

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what so many have experienced,

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that is, a flooding;

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an outpouring of Your Holy Spirit.

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Not because we're worthy.

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Not because we're ready.

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But because You are gracious.

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Lord, we pray that You would do this;

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and I want to pray Lord God

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that You would use me

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to stir up Your people to pray.

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But Lord, I pray that You would

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rouse Yourself

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to answer our prayers.

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Lord, we plead with You

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that You might give us

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a heart for Your Word,

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and that You might give us

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the fullness of Your Spirit tonight.

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We pray this in Jesus' name,

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Amen.

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This prayer of the Apostle Paul

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in Ephesians 2

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is immediately attractive, isn't it?

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You don't need a sermon

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to be persuaded that you would

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like to know more about

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how deep and how high

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and how wide and how long

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is the love of Christ.

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As the deer pants for the water,

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so the Christian's soul pants

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for God.

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We are a people who long for God.

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And you know there are many Christians

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in our day

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that are very depressed.

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And because of their depression,

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they can get the idea

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that they're not Christians at all.

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When in fact,

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the kind of depression they have

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is uniquely Christian.

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They want more of God.

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They long for more of His presence;

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more of His power.

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They have in their heart

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the words of the psalmist

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when he said, "Seek His power

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and His presence continually."

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This prayer of the Apostle Paul

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teaches us how to pray

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for more of God's power

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and for more of God's presence.

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It comes to us and it speaks to us,

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inviting us into more of the experience

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of the living God.

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Some people are nervous

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about experiential religion.

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I'm nervous of not having experiential religion.

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The New Testament's Christianity

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is a Christianity you experience.

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It's one where your heart is born again.

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A new Spirit is given to you

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where new passions are fueled in your soul

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and new longings are awakened

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in the deepest core of your being

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that will not be satisfied

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until you see the goodness of God

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in the land of the living.

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It's not for no reason

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that the Lord Jesus Christ tells us,

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"Blessed are the pure in heart;

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they shall see God."

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And Christians say, "Oh Lord,

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purify my heart.

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I want to see God."

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Amen?

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This passage walks us through praying

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for a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

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Now, some of us get into a rut

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where we think, you know,

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it was glorious that God

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revived the church in Korea.

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And wasn't it amazing that

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Whitefield and Edwards

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were filled with God's Spirit.

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And wasn't it wonderful

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that God aroused students at Wheaton

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in the middle of the last century!

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Isn't it amazing that God has

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poured out His Spirit continually

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through the history of the church.

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That's so wonderful

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to have on a book in your library.

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I like reading it,

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but I like it reading it too much

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not to want to experience.

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My heart aches to experience more

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of God's Spirit.

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And if you're a person like that

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who thinks that's never going to happen today,

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maybe we should just start with v. 20-21.

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It's interesting to have these

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famous verses put back into context,

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isn't it?

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Right after praying that we would know

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how deep and how high and how wide

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is the love of Christ,

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and to know the love of God

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that surpasses knowledge,

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Paul now commits us to the God

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Who is able to do above and beyond

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all that we ask or think

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according to the power that works in us,

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To Him be the glory in the church

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and in Christ Jesus -

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and now watch these three words:

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to all generations.

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Even this one.

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Oh Lord, would You do

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exceedingly, abundantly more

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than all we ask or imagine

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in this generation?

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My goal tonight -

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I kind of have two goals:

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My first goal is sort of the at-the-least goal.

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At the least, Lord, would You create

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a prayer movement for a greater outpouring

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of Your Holy Spirit?

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My second goal which can only

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be accomplished by the living God Himself -

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so can the first one, but...

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in a special way the second one.

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Would You do it tonight?

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I want to show you three things

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from this passage.

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The reason.

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The strength.

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And the experience.

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The reason.

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The strength.

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And the experience.

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By the reason, I mean

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the reason this prayer was prayed.

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Why did Paul pray this particular prayer?

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What moved him?

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What got his heart;

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inflamed his mind

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so that he prayed this prayer?

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It says in v. 14,

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"For this reason, I kneel

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before the Father..."

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So what's the reason?

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What moved him?

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Because if we know what moved him,

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then we hope that if we have

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the same Spirit, it will move us.

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And Paul tells us there's a reason

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for what he prays.

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So what is it?

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00:12:32,764 --> 00:12:35,462
Well, it's probably not a bad place to start

280
00:12:35,462 --> 00:12:38,456
if you're looking for the reason

281
00:12:38,456 --> 00:12:41,522
to look at v. 13.

282
00:12:41,522 --> 00:12:43,026
And in v. 13, he says,

283
00:12:43,026 --> 00:12:45,648
"So then, I ask you not to be discouraged

284
00:12:45,648 --> 00:12:47,838
over my afflictions on your behalf.

285
00:12:47,838 --> 00:12:49,341
For they are your glory."

286
00:12:49,341 --> 00:12:50,239
So it could be

287
00:12:50,239 --> 00:12:51,799
that the Apostle Paul is saying,

288
00:12:51,799 --> 00:12:53,416
hey, listen, I'm being afflicted.

289
00:12:53,416 --> 00:12:55,227
He tells them earlier he's in jail.

290
00:12:55,227 --> 00:12:56,670
He says I'm being afflicted.

291
00:12:56,670 --> 00:12:57,813
Don't be discouraged.

292
00:12:57,813 --> 00:13:00,044
And since I don't want you to be discouraged,

293
00:13:00,044 --> 00:13:02,036
for this reason, I'm going to pray

294
00:13:02,036 --> 00:13:04,227
that you'd know the love of God.

295
00:13:04,227 --> 00:13:05,558
Well, that would work.

296
00:13:05,558 --> 00:13:07,651
It's not a bad interpretation.

297
00:13:07,651 --> 00:13:09,312
I don't think it's the right one.

298
00:13:09,312 --> 00:13:12,441
But it wouldn't be theologically off.

299
00:13:12,441 --> 00:13:15,585
I think that in order to understand

300
00:13:15,585 --> 00:13:18,627
the reason the Apostle Paul

301
00:13:18,627 --> 00:13:20,377
is giving for this prayer,

302
00:13:20,377 --> 00:13:21,666
you need to understand

303
00:13:21,666 --> 00:13:23,955
that preachers in every generation

304
00:13:23,955 --> 00:13:25,612
have been the same -

305
00:13:25,612 --> 00:13:27,177
even when they are filled

306
00:13:27,177 --> 00:13:29,180
with the Holy Spirit.

307
00:13:29,180 --> 00:13:35,012
They love rabbit trails.

308
00:13:35,012 --> 00:13:39,051
Would you look at Ephesians 3:1?

309
00:13:39,051 --> 00:13:42,908
Where in Ephesians 3:1 it says,

310
00:13:42,908 --> 00:13:44,588
"For this reason..."

311
00:13:44,588 --> 00:13:46,453
And if you have an ESV, I believe,

312
00:13:46,453 --> 00:13:49,555
or an NIV, there's a long dash.

313
00:13:49,555 --> 00:13:52,993
For this reason (long dash)...

314
00:13:52,993 --> 00:13:55,488
Or I believe in the NASB,

315
00:13:55,488 --> 00:13:56,699
it says something like,

316
00:13:56,699 --> 00:14:00,688
For this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles...

317
00:14:00,688 --> 00:14:01,667
(long dash).

318
00:14:01,667 --> 00:14:02,850
Somewhere in there,

319
00:14:02,850 --> 00:14:06,622
the translators have inserted a long dash.

320
00:14:06,622 --> 00:14:07,481
Why?

321
00:14:07,481 --> 00:14:09,746
It's the best the translators could do

322
00:14:09,746 --> 00:14:11,889
to indicate to you that the Apostle Paul

323
00:14:11,889 --> 00:14:15,252
was going on a rabbit trail.

324
00:14:15,252 --> 00:14:17,180
Here's the gist of the rabbit trail.

325
00:14:17,180 --> 00:14:19,009
I'm going to try to make this quick.

326
00:14:19,009 --> 00:14:20,692
He says, "For this reason,

327
00:14:20,692 --> 00:14:22,734
I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus,

328
00:14:22,734 --> 00:14:24,310
on behalf of you Gentiles..."

329
00:14:24,310 --> 00:14:25,926
Then he goes, whoa, whoa, whoa...

330
00:14:25,926 --> 00:14:29,004
I just mentioned that I'm a prisoner.

331
00:14:29,004 --> 00:14:31,474
That's going to discourage them.

332
00:14:31,474 --> 00:14:34,876
And so then he spends v. 2-13 saying

333
00:14:34,876 --> 00:14:36,877
don't worry that I'm a prisoner.

334
00:14:36,877 --> 00:14:38,646
It's just what God called me to do

335
00:14:38,646 --> 00:14:42,017
to get all the Gentiles to saving faith.

336
00:14:42,017 --> 00:14:43,582
So, don't worry, v. 13,

337
00:14:43,582 --> 00:14:45,073
I ask you not to be discouraged

338
00:14:45,073 --> 00:14:46,882
over my afflictions on your behalf,

339
00:14:46,882 --> 00:14:48,314
for they are your glory.

340
00:14:48,314 --> 00:14:50,416
So here's the logic of the passage.

341
00:14:50,416 --> 00:14:53,474
For this reason,

342
00:14:53,474 --> 00:14:54,874
I'm a prisoner.

343
00:14:54,874 --> 00:14:56,601
And then he goes, oh, whoa, whoa,

344
00:14:56,601 --> 00:14:58,435
I better explain why I'm a prisoner.

345
00:14:58,435 --> 00:14:59,446
Then he explains it.

346
00:14:59,446 --> 00:15:00,399
And then in v. 14,

347
00:15:00,399 --> 00:15:02,242
he comes back to his original thought

348
00:15:02,242 --> 00:15:06,636
and he says, "For this reason..."

349
00:15:06,636 --> 00:15:08,057
Ok, I still haven't told you

350
00:15:08,057 --> 00:15:10,605
what the reason is.

351
00:15:10,605 --> 00:15:14,338
The reason is not just above v. 14.

352
00:15:14,338 --> 00:15:19,918
The reason is just above ch 3, v. 1.

353
00:15:19,918 --> 00:15:22,553
And the reason is that Jews and Gentiles

354
00:15:22,553 --> 00:15:25,484
are now together the temple

355
00:15:25,484 --> 00:15:28,807
of the living God.

356
00:15:28,807 --> 00:15:30,615
And so if you pick it up for me

357
00:15:30,615 --> 00:15:33,791
in v. 17 of chapter 2,

358
00:15:33,791 --> 00:15:35,993
"He (that is Jesus) came and proclaimed

359
00:15:35,993 --> 00:15:41,136
good news of peace

360
00:15:41,136 --> 00:15:43,275
to you who are far away

361
00:15:43,275 --> 00:15:44,899
(referring to the Gentiles)

362
00:15:44,899 --> 00:15:46,858
and peace to those of you who were near

363
00:15:46,858 --> 00:15:48,000
(referring to the Jews)

364
00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:49,939
for through Him, we both,

365
00:15:49,939 --> 00:15:51,647
Jew and Gentile have access

366
00:15:51,647 --> 00:15:53,676
in one Spirit to the Father,

367
00:15:53,676 --> 00:15:55,110
so then you are no longer

368
00:15:55,110 --> 00:15:56,491
foreigners and strangers."

369
00:15:56,491 --> 00:15:58,299
He's saying you Gentiles are no longer

370
00:15:58,299 --> 00:15:59,499
foreigners and strangers,

371
00:15:59,499 --> 00:16:01,230
but fellow citizens with the saints

372
00:16:01,230 --> 00:16:02,842
and members of God's household.

373
00:16:02,842 --> 00:16:04,919
Now listen, here comes the temple language.

374
00:16:04,919 --> 00:16:07,690
"...built on the foundation of the apostles

375
00:16:07,690 --> 00:16:09,821
and prophets with Christ Jesus

376
00:16:09,821 --> 00:16:11,012
as the Cornerstone,

377
00:16:11,012 --> 00:16:12,916
in Whom the whole building

378
00:16:12,916 --> 00:16:14,299
being built together

379
00:16:14,299 --> 00:16:16,821
grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

380
00:16:16,821 --> 00:16:19,823
In Him, you also are being built together

381
00:16:19,823 --> 00:16:23,211
for God's dwelling in the Spirit..."

382
00:16:23,211 --> 00:16:25,447
For this reason, I'm going to pray

383
00:16:25,447 --> 00:16:27,051
that you be filled with how deep

384
00:16:27,051 --> 00:16:29,203
and how high and how wide

385
00:16:29,203 --> 00:16:32,369
is the love of Christ.

386
00:16:32,369 --> 00:16:36,380
This book has one author.

387
00:16:36,380 --> 00:16:38,144
And He wrote Exodus,

388
00:16:38,144 --> 00:16:40,657
and He wrote 1 Kings,

389
00:16:40,657 --> 00:16:42,871
and He wrote Ephesians.

390
00:16:42,871 --> 00:16:45,017
And He's able to weave themes

391
00:16:45,017 --> 00:16:47,860
over thousands of years

392
00:16:47,860 --> 00:16:49,693
together perfectly.

393
00:16:49,693 --> 00:16:51,799
It's not an accident that when Paul

394
00:16:51,799 --> 00:16:54,193
tells people they are the temple,

395
00:16:54,193 --> 00:16:55,683
that then He begins to think,

396
00:16:55,683 --> 00:16:59,118
I want you filled with the unbelievable

397
00:16:59,118 --> 00:17:03,106
Holy Spirit of God.

398
00:17:03,106 --> 00:17:06,011
And so this evening,

399
00:17:06,011 --> 00:17:08,989
as I look out over white faces

400
00:17:08,989 --> 00:17:11,086
and brown faces

401
00:17:11,086 --> 00:17:13,005
and yellow faces

402
00:17:13,005 --> 00:17:15,595
and black faces...

403
00:17:15,595 --> 00:17:18,052
can't we say together,

404
00:17:18,052 --> 00:17:22,089
that God has taken Jews and Gentiles,

405
00:17:22,089 --> 00:17:24,726
people from all over the world,

406
00:17:24,726 --> 00:17:27,970
and made them into His temple.

407
00:17:27,970 --> 00:17:30,862
And that we together

408
00:17:30,862 --> 00:17:34,290
are being built up into a spiritual house

409
00:17:34,290 --> 00:17:37,161
where the Holy Spirit will dwell?

410
00:17:37,161 --> 00:17:40,524
That's what moves Paul to pray.

411
00:17:40,524 --> 00:17:46,843
Do you understand who the church is?

412
00:17:46,843 --> 00:17:49,247
The church is where God dwells.

413
00:17:49,247 --> 00:17:50,845
You know, sometimes people will

414
00:17:50,845 --> 00:17:53,218
sell you expensive vacation packages

415
00:17:53,218 --> 00:17:54,695
to Israel,

416
00:17:54,695 --> 00:17:57,603
so you can go to the holy land

417
00:17:57,603 --> 00:17:59,530
and see the temple mount.

418
00:17:59,530 --> 00:18:01,575
And I won't lie, I'd love to go to Israel

419
00:18:01,575 --> 00:18:02,717
and see the holy land

420
00:18:02,717 --> 00:18:04,826
and see the temple mount.

421
00:18:04,826 --> 00:18:06,606
But it wouldn't be more impressive

422
00:18:06,606 --> 00:18:08,616
than the smallest gathering of Christians

423
00:18:08,616 --> 00:18:12,225
in a local church.

424
00:18:12,225 --> 00:18:15,917
Because that is the temple of God.

425
00:18:15,917 --> 00:18:20,516
That is where God's Spirit dwells.

426
00:18:20,516 --> 00:18:23,112
That moves Paul to pray.

427
00:18:23,112 --> 00:18:26,058
And first he prays for the strength.

428
00:18:26,058 --> 00:18:28,046
Notice his first prayer request.

429
00:18:28,046 --> 00:18:29,535
So "for this reason,

430
00:18:29,535 --> 00:18:31,759
I kneel before the Father

431
00:18:31,759 --> 00:18:34,025
Whom every family (Jew and Gentile)

432
00:18:34,025 --> 00:18:36,632
in heaven and on earth is named.

433
00:18:36,632 --> 00:18:39,927
I pray that He may grant you

434
00:18:39,927 --> 00:18:42,114
according to the riches of His glory

435
00:18:42,114 --> 00:18:44,375
to be strengthened with power

436
00:18:44,375 --> 00:18:50,312
in your inner being through His Spirit."

437
00:18:50,312 --> 00:18:55,747
This is the greatest need of the Christian.

438
00:18:55,747 --> 00:18:59,561
Strength on the inside.

439
00:18:59,561 --> 00:19:00,928
We spend so much time

440
00:19:00,928 --> 00:19:03,975
thinking about strength from the outside.

441
00:19:03,975 --> 00:19:06,200
If you can just get all the people around you

442
00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:07,699
to dress perfectly modestly,

443
00:19:07,699 --> 00:19:09,928
then you won't lust.

444
00:19:09,928 --> 00:19:11,601
If you can just get all your kids

445
00:19:11,601 --> 00:19:13,187
in the perfect schooling system,

446
00:19:13,187 --> 00:19:15,560
then they won't fall away.

447
00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:17,525
If you can just get all the externals;

448
00:19:17,525 --> 00:19:19,538
if you can go gluten-free

449
00:19:19,538 --> 00:19:21,102
and everything-free

450
00:19:21,102 --> 00:19:22,747
and free-free,

451
00:19:22,747 --> 00:19:25,492
then you'll finally eat clean.

452
00:19:25,492 --> 00:19:29,226
If you can just get the externals right,

453
00:19:29,226 --> 00:19:32,607
then finally we'll be holy.

454
00:19:32,607 --> 00:19:35,305
But the Bible starts a very different way.

455
00:19:35,305 --> 00:19:36,774
It cares about modesty.

456
00:19:36,774 --> 00:19:38,133
It even cares about food.

457
00:19:38,133 --> 00:19:40,547
Even cares about all the things

458
00:19:40,547 --> 00:19:41,740
that we do externally,

459
00:19:41,740 --> 00:19:45,261
but it never starts there.

460
00:19:45,261 --> 00:19:50,435
It starts with strength of the inner being.

461
00:19:50,435 --> 00:19:52,189
And isn't that the very thing

462
00:19:52,189 --> 00:19:54,470
that every Christian in this room

463
00:19:54,470 --> 00:20:00,386
knows consciously they need more of?

464
00:20:00,386 --> 00:20:04,679
We need a heart attitude change

465
00:20:04,679 --> 00:20:07,040
so that we're not caustic and bitter

466
00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,368
and hateful and mean

467
00:20:09,368 --> 00:20:12,206
and unforgiving.

468
00:20:12,206 --> 00:20:14,193
It's easy to keep your words clean

469
00:20:14,193 --> 00:20:15,583
around the right people.

470
00:20:15,583 --> 00:20:18,237
It's impossible to get your heart

471
00:20:18,237 --> 00:20:19,789
full of sweet thoughts

472
00:20:19,789 --> 00:20:21,896
rather than cussing thoughts,

473
00:20:21,896 --> 00:20:24,986
without God's help.

474
00:20:24,986 --> 00:20:26,907
And so Paul begins to pray

475
00:20:26,907 --> 00:20:28,583
that they would be strengthened

476
00:20:28,583 --> 00:20:31,674
with power in their inner being

477
00:20:31,674 --> 00:20:37,898
through His Spirit.

478
00:20:37,898 --> 00:20:39,772
Now beloved,

479
00:20:39,772 --> 00:20:41,978
we often forget what we're dealing with

480
00:20:41,978 --> 00:20:44,769
in the Christian life.

481
00:20:44,769 --> 00:20:46,053
We are not dealing with

482
00:20:46,053 --> 00:20:48,551
the power of your resolve.

483
00:20:48,551 --> 00:20:49,733
We are not dealing with:

484
00:20:49,733 --> 00:20:51,706
if you read enough missionary biographies

485
00:20:51,706 --> 00:20:53,316
maybe then you'll really, really

486
00:20:53,316 --> 00:20:54,231
want to be like one

487
00:20:54,231 --> 00:20:55,602
and you'll manage to wake up

488
00:20:55,602 --> 00:20:56,992
and not hit your snooze alarm

489
00:20:56,992 --> 00:20:58,203
17 times.

490
00:20:58,203 --> 00:21:00,043
And read your Bible for three hours.

491
00:21:00,043 --> 00:21:02,185
No, that's not what we're dealing with.

492
00:21:02,185 --> 00:21:05,962
We're not dealing with resolve.

493
00:21:05,962 --> 00:21:07,251
Resolve is vital,

494
00:21:07,251 --> 00:21:08,979
but only when it is empowered

495
00:21:08,979 --> 00:21:11,513
by the all powerful...

496
00:21:11,513 --> 00:21:34,008
(technical difficulties)

497
00:21:34,008 --> 00:21:36,416
We're dealing with the all powerful

498
00:21:36,416 --> 00:21:40,477
Holy Spirit of God.

499
00:21:40,477 --> 00:21:43,575
The One Who made the world.

500
00:21:43,575 --> 00:21:46,673
The One Who empowered all of Jesus' miracles.

501
00:21:46,673 --> 00:21:49,441
The One Who empowered His perfect life

502
00:21:49,441 --> 00:21:51,071
is the same Spirit that can help

503
00:21:51,071 --> 00:21:54,316
mothers not yell at their children;

504
00:21:54,316 --> 00:21:56,646
singles not pursue marriage

505
00:21:56,646 --> 00:22:00,299
out of a craven desire not to be lonely.

506
00:22:00,299 --> 00:22:02,074
It's the same Holy Spirit that

507
00:22:02,074 --> 00:22:03,918
can empower us to walk in purity

508
00:22:03,918 --> 00:22:05,810
even though every billboard in America

509
00:22:05,810 --> 00:22:08,817
were covered in pornography.

510
00:22:08,817 --> 00:22:11,507
The Spirit has power

511
00:22:11,507 --> 00:22:15,762
to make us holy.

512
00:22:15,762 --> 00:22:17,756
But some of you will be here saying,

513
00:22:17,756 --> 00:22:21,778
but Ryan, you do not understand

514
00:22:21,778 --> 00:22:25,313
how sinful I've been.

515
00:22:25,313 --> 00:22:27,023
And not just how sinful I've been

516
00:22:27,023 --> 00:22:28,225
before I was a Christian,

517
00:22:28,225 --> 00:22:29,467
but you don't understand

518
00:22:29,467 --> 00:22:30,843
how sinful I've been

519
00:22:30,843 --> 00:22:33,925
since I've been a Christian.

520
00:22:33,925 --> 00:22:36,381
I have a hard time reading my Bible.

521
00:22:36,381 --> 00:22:38,402
I have a hard time praying.

522
00:22:38,402 --> 00:22:40,428
I get angry.

523
00:22:40,428 --> 00:22:41,793
I get irritable.

524
00:22:41,793 --> 00:22:43,430
When I'm serving ice cream,

525
00:22:43,430 --> 00:22:45,270
I make sure I get the biggest portion

526
00:22:45,270 --> 00:22:49,937
with the people I like the most.

527
00:22:49,937 --> 00:22:51,073
You don't know me.

528
00:22:51,073 --> 00:22:52,571
You don't know the depths

529
00:22:52,571 --> 00:22:54,540
of continual warfare against sin.

530
00:22:54,540 --> 00:22:55,882
And so when you talk about

531
00:22:55,882 --> 00:22:57,826
strength for the inner man,

532
00:22:57,826 --> 00:23:00,371
it's like water off a duck's back for me.

533
00:23:00,371 --> 00:23:01,820
It's not going to apply to me.

534
00:23:01,820 --> 00:23:05,626
I'm not going to get that.

535
00:23:05,626 --> 00:23:09,187
Notice something here in the text:

536
00:23:09,187 --> 00:23:10,617
"I pray that He may grant you

537
00:23:10,617 --> 00:23:12,832
according to riches of His glory..."

538
00:23:12,832 --> 00:23:13,876
Don't rush over that.

539
00:23:13,876 --> 00:23:15,464
That's one of those Bible words:

540
00:23:15,464 --> 00:23:16,732
"riches of His glory..."

541
00:23:16,732 --> 00:23:19,170
You just think Paul slipped into preacher talk.

542
00:23:19,170 --> 00:23:21,137
"According to the riches of His glory..."

543
00:23:21,137 --> 00:23:22,602
You don't think it's anything

544
00:23:22,602 --> 00:23:25,552
really powerful for you.

545
00:23:25,552 --> 00:23:28,020
But riches of His glory is best understood

546
00:23:28,020 --> 00:23:30,581
from back in chapter 1:5-6.

547
00:23:30,581 --> 00:23:35,293
Go back there and look at that.

548
00:23:35,293 --> 00:23:38,657
"He predestined us

549
00:23:38,657 --> 00:23:42,149
to be adopted as sons,

550
00:23:42,149 --> 00:23:46,117
through Jesus Christ for Himself,

551
00:23:46,117 --> 00:23:49,997
according to the good pleasure of His will,

552
00:23:49,997 --> 00:23:54,767
to the praise of His glorious grace

553
00:23:54,767 --> 00:23:56,423
that He lavished on us

554
00:23:56,423 --> 00:23:57,647
in the Beloved One.

555
00:23:57,647 --> 00:23:58,903
In Him we have redemption

556
00:23:58,903 --> 00:23:59,847
through His blood,

557
00:23:59,847 --> 00:24:01,473
the forgiveness of our trespasses,

558
00:24:01,473 --> 00:24:03,594
according to the riches of His grace."

559
00:24:03,594 --> 00:24:04,645
Do you see that here?

560
00:24:04,645 --> 00:24:08,026
In v. 6, we have glorious grace.

561
00:24:08,026 --> 00:24:11,750
In v. 7, we have riches of His grace.

562
00:24:11,750 --> 00:24:14,332
And then over in chapter 3,

563
00:24:14,332 --> 00:24:16,908
Paul talks about how

564
00:24:16,908 --> 00:24:18,197
we have to be strengthened

565
00:24:18,197 --> 00:24:20,004
according to the riches of His glory.

566
00:24:20,004 --> 00:24:21,514
Well, I'm just here to tell you

567
00:24:21,514 --> 00:24:23,385
they all mean the same thing.

568
00:24:23,385 --> 00:24:25,451
Riches of His grace.

569
00:24:25,451 --> 00:24:26,944
Riches of His glory.

570
00:24:26,944 --> 00:24:28,874
Glorious grace.

571
00:24:28,874 --> 00:24:29,987
What he's saying is

572
00:24:29,987 --> 00:24:31,378
I want you to be strengthened

573
00:24:31,378 --> 00:24:32,258
with the Spirit

574
00:24:32,258 --> 00:24:36,040
according to the same grace

575
00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,349
that comes to us in the cross.

576
00:24:38,349 --> 00:24:39,998
According to the same grace

577
00:24:39,998 --> 00:24:41,184
that chapter 1 says

578
00:24:41,184 --> 00:24:42,569
forgives all of our sins.

579
00:24:42,569 --> 00:24:43,995
According to the same grace

580
00:24:43,995 --> 00:24:45,278
that redeems us.

581
00:24:45,278 --> 00:24:46,667
According to the same grace

582
00:24:46,667 --> 00:24:48,061
that we were predestined for

583
00:24:48,061 --> 00:24:49,318
and was lavished on us

584
00:24:49,318 --> 00:24:50,621
not in ourselves,

585
00:24:50,621 --> 00:24:52,317
but in the Beloved One.

586
00:24:52,317 --> 00:24:54,353
So whatever depths of sin struggle

587
00:24:54,353 --> 00:24:55,887
you've had till this point

588
00:24:55,887 --> 00:24:57,324
in your Christian life,

589
00:24:57,324 --> 00:24:59,342
we are not here to say,

590
00:24:59,342 --> 00:25:00,962
"Lord, I've worked really hard.

591
00:25:00,962 --> 00:25:02,400
Now I need the big stuff

592
00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:03,819
from the Holy Spirit."

593
00:25:03,819 --> 00:25:05,677
We're not here to pray that.

594
00:25:05,677 --> 00:25:08,606
We're here to ask for power

595
00:25:08,606 --> 00:25:12,347
according to grace.

596
00:25:12,347 --> 00:25:18,007
According to: you don't deserve it.

597
00:25:18,007 --> 00:25:20,230
Which means that the weakest Christian here -

598
00:25:20,230 --> 00:25:21,919
the one who's just looking around

599
00:25:21,919 --> 00:25:23,878
thinking everybody's holier than me -

600
00:25:23,878 --> 00:25:25,634
should be putting their finger on it

601
00:25:25,634 --> 00:25:27,964
going it's according to grace.

602
00:25:27,964 --> 00:25:30,717
This getting power - it's according to grace.

603
00:25:30,717 --> 00:25:33,009
Then if it's according to grace,

604
00:25:33,009 --> 00:25:35,524
then it's for me.

605
00:25:35,524 --> 00:25:36,952
And if anything's keeping you

606
00:25:36,952 --> 00:25:39,127
from thinking it's for you,

607
00:25:39,127 --> 00:25:42,067
by grace, it's the devil.

608
00:25:42,067 --> 00:25:44,349
Because the Lord is saying to believers,

609
00:25:44,349 --> 00:25:49,455
I have power for those who need grace.

610
00:25:49,455 --> 00:25:51,744
That's incredible.

611
00:25:51,744 --> 00:25:57,311
Now I want you to notice something.

612
00:25:57,311 --> 00:25:59,160
That when Paul prays

613
00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:03,493
for deeper spiritual experience,

614
00:26:03,493 --> 00:26:07,300
he doesn't start with the experience.

615
00:26:07,300 --> 00:26:10,826
He starts with obedience.

616
00:26:10,826 --> 00:26:12,366
Why is Paul praying for you

617
00:26:12,366 --> 00:26:15,233
to have strength in your inner man

618
00:26:15,233 --> 00:26:17,868
by the Spirit?

619
00:26:17,868 --> 00:26:20,534
It's so you'd obey God.

620
00:26:20,534 --> 00:26:23,061
It's so you'd have strength.

621
00:26:23,061 --> 00:26:24,456
A few weeks back,

622
00:26:24,456 --> 00:26:27,380
I preached a sermon that was really born

623
00:26:27,380 --> 00:26:29,174
out of some repentance in my life.

624
00:26:29,174 --> 00:26:31,880
God had been calling me to repent

625
00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:34,594
of some ways I was treating my wife,

626
00:26:34,594 --> 00:26:36,698
and to care for her better.

627
00:26:36,698 --> 00:26:40,864
And he began to bring Hebrews 12 home to me

628
00:26:40,864 --> 00:26:42,712
in a very powerful way:

629
00:26:42,712 --> 00:26:44,826
how God disciplines His children.

630
00:26:44,826 --> 00:26:46,649
And I was getting disciplined,

631
00:26:46,649 --> 00:26:48,322
and my wife was getting encouraged.

632
00:26:48,322 --> 00:26:49,824
Because that's what wives do

633
00:26:49,824 --> 00:26:53,075
when their husbands get disciplined and they're taking it.

634
00:26:53,075 --> 00:26:55,615
Amen, brother.

635
00:26:55,615 --> 00:26:59,196
So, she's getting encouraged.

636
00:26:59,196 --> 00:27:00,903
And I preached on Hebrews 12.

637
00:27:00,903 --> 00:27:04,878
And God took the sermon in a unique way.

638
00:27:04,878 --> 00:27:06,813
And Christy was there to say to me,

639
00:27:06,813 --> 00:27:07,717
you see that -

640
00:27:07,717 --> 00:27:10,360
you were repenting; God was empowering.

641
00:27:10,360 --> 00:27:11,134
You see that?

642
00:27:11,134 --> 00:27:12,037
You were repenting.

643
00:27:12,037 --> 00:27:15,442
God was empowering.

644
00:27:15,442 --> 00:27:18,118
And about a week later,

645
00:27:18,118 --> 00:27:19,007
I'm thinking Lord,

646
00:27:19,007 --> 00:27:21,238
You just used that sermon so much last week.

647
00:27:21,238 --> 00:27:22,382
That's so amazing.

648
00:27:22,382 --> 00:27:23,724
Lord, would You empower me,

649
00:27:23,724 --> 00:27:24,974
empower me, help me,

650
00:27:24,974 --> 00:27:27,823
help me, empower me...

651
00:27:27,823 --> 00:27:30,762
Christy called me while I was studying

652
00:27:30,762 --> 00:27:33,197
and says to me,

653
00:27:33,197 --> 00:27:34,543
"How are you doing?"

654
00:27:34,543 --> 00:27:36,463
I'm ok. I'm praying for power.

655
00:27:36,463 --> 00:27:38,160
She's like, "Oh yeah?"

656
00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:39,567
She said maybe instead of

657
00:27:39,567 --> 00:27:40,924
praying for power -

658
00:27:40,924 --> 00:27:47,587
and I'm saying this as your sister in Christ -

659
00:27:47,587 --> 00:27:51,435
you should keep repenting.

660
00:27:51,435 --> 00:27:54,823
She was exactly right.

661
00:27:54,823 --> 00:27:56,698
When Paul moves towards

662
00:27:56,698 --> 00:27:57,861
praying for the temple

663
00:27:57,861 --> 00:27:59,615
to experience how deep and how high

664
00:27:59,615 --> 00:28:01,397
and how wide is the love of Christ,

665
00:28:01,397 --> 00:28:03,666
he starts with praying that you'd

666
00:28:03,666 --> 00:28:06,940
actually have power to obey.

667
00:28:06,940 --> 00:28:09,330
Because God does not pour out

668
00:28:09,330 --> 00:28:13,189
His Holy Spirit on a disobedient church

669
00:28:13,189 --> 00:28:15,247
so that they can have a sort

670
00:28:15,247 --> 00:28:17,626
of spiritual joy ride in the midst

671
00:28:17,626 --> 00:28:19,385
of their disobedience.

672
00:28:19,385 --> 00:28:20,931
But He pours out His Spirit

673
00:28:20,931 --> 00:28:23,065
to empower the church for obedience,

674
00:28:23,065 --> 00:28:27,585
and then He also increases their experience.

675
00:28:27,585 --> 00:28:28,756
Do you see that?

676
00:28:28,756 --> 00:28:31,556
He prayed, "for this reason..."

677
00:28:31,556 --> 00:28:33,249
"I pray that you'd be strengthened

678
00:28:33,249 --> 00:28:35,830
with power in your inner being..."

679
00:28:35,830 --> 00:28:37,054
According to grace,

680
00:28:37,054 --> 00:28:38,445
strengthened with power,

681
00:28:38,445 --> 00:28:40,556
in your being, so that -

682
00:28:40,556 --> 00:28:42,154
let's look at this: v. 17,

683
00:28:42,154 --> 00:28:45,113
"so that Christ might dwell in your hearts

684
00:28:45,113 --> 00:28:46,055
through faith."

685
00:28:46,055 --> 00:28:47,752
Now, some of you are theologians.

686
00:28:47,752 --> 00:28:49,113
You're going wait a second,

687
00:28:49,113 --> 00:28:53,102
Christ already dwells in the heart of the believer.

688
00:28:53,102 --> 00:28:54,990
What's Paul doing praying

689
00:28:54,990 --> 00:28:56,455
that Christ would dwell

690
00:28:56,455 --> 00:28:58,413
in the heart of a believer

691
00:28:58,413 --> 00:29:00,539
when Christ already dwells in the heart

692
00:29:00,539 --> 00:29:03,328
of every believer?

693
00:29:03,328 --> 00:29:06,346
Well, the word here is katoikēsai.

694
00:29:06,346 --> 00:29:08,096
And it's a word that actually means

695
00:29:08,096 --> 00:29:09,292
"to settle down."

696
00:29:09,292 --> 00:29:13,710
He's not asking Christ to move in for the first time.

697
00:29:13,710 --> 00:29:19,557
He's asking for Christ to settle down.

698
00:29:19,557 --> 00:29:23,115
And one person has illustrated it this way:

699
00:29:23,115 --> 00:29:24,420
How many of you have ever

700
00:29:24,420 --> 00:29:26,262
moved into a fixer-upper?

701
00:29:26,262 --> 00:29:30,696
Anyone ever move into a fixer-upper?

702
00:29:30,696 --> 00:29:33,284
A few people have done that.

703
00:29:33,284 --> 00:29:34,420
So you move in there

704
00:29:34,420 --> 00:29:37,196
and it's just got the layout you want.

705
00:29:37,196 --> 00:29:39,023
And then the lime green shag carpet

706
00:29:39,023 --> 00:29:42,084
in the bathroom?

707
00:29:42,084 --> 00:29:44,221
And someone thought it was a good idea

708
00:29:44,221 --> 00:29:46,380
to put wood paneling in the basement

709
00:29:46,380 --> 00:29:48,829
at one point in time.

710
00:29:48,829 --> 00:29:52,488
So we'd like to change a few things.

711
00:29:52,488 --> 00:29:55,195
And do you begin to renovate

712
00:29:55,195 --> 00:29:58,096
the living room.

713
00:29:58,096 --> 00:30:01,730
And then you begin to renovate the kitchen.

714
00:30:01,730 --> 00:30:05,686
And then you begin to renovate the bathroom,

715
00:30:05,686 --> 00:30:07,994
and pretty soon you're like,

716
00:30:07,994 --> 00:30:10,187
this is home.

717
00:30:10,187 --> 00:30:12,817
This is my place.

718
00:30:12,817 --> 00:30:17,648
I feel comfortable in every room.

719
00:30:17,648 --> 00:30:19,350
That's what Jesus does with us.

720
00:30:19,350 --> 00:30:20,221
He moves in.

721
00:30:20,221 --> 00:30:21,604
He's comes around the wallet.

722
00:30:21,604 --> 00:30:22,814
Circles the wallet.

723
00:30:22,814 --> 00:30:25,271
Deals with the wallet.

724
00:30:25,271 --> 00:30:27,935
Comes around the bedroom.

725
00:30:27,935 --> 00:30:29,543
Says listen, there's one place

726
00:30:29,543 --> 00:30:30,896
you're supposed to be drunk,

727
00:30:30,896 --> 00:30:32,173
and that's your wife.

728
00:30:32,173 --> 00:30:33,556
No one else.

729
00:30:33,556 --> 00:30:34,824
Comes into the living room

730
00:30:34,824 --> 00:30:37,950
and deals with the speech.

731
00:30:37,950 --> 00:30:39,569
He comes in and He renovates

732
00:30:39,569 --> 00:30:41,434
every room of our lives,

733
00:30:41,434 --> 00:30:42,898
giving us strength to obey

734
00:30:42,898 --> 00:30:44,291
in every area of our lives,

735
00:30:44,291 --> 00:30:46,564
and then He's just like,

736
00:30:46,564 --> 00:30:51,429
I feel at home here.

737
00:30:51,429 --> 00:30:53,092
And we experience that, don't we,

738
00:30:53,092 --> 00:30:54,539
as we give Him more and more

739
00:30:54,539 --> 00:30:57,840
of the areas of our life?

740
00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:59,501
He settles down.

741
00:30:59,501 --> 00:31:01,654
And Christ, even though He's immediately

742
00:31:01,654 --> 00:31:03,211
in the heart of every believer,

743
00:31:03,211 --> 00:31:04,704
becomes a very welcome

744
00:31:04,704 --> 00:31:06,715
and a very real

745
00:31:06,715 --> 00:31:09,777
and a very tangible Guest

746
00:31:09,777 --> 00:31:12,412
in the temple of the Holy Spirit

747
00:31:12,412 --> 00:31:16,160
that He's made us.

748
00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:17,571
So because we're being made

749
00:31:17,571 --> 00:31:19,405
into the temple of the Holy Spirit,

750
00:31:19,405 --> 00:31:20,557
and God as our Father,

751
00:31:20,557 --> 00:31:23,592
Paul bows his knee - that's his reason,

752
00:31:23,592 --> 00:31:26,640
and he prays for strength.

753
00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:28,977
But he doesn't just pray for strength, does he?

754
00:31:28,977 --> 00:31:32,053
He prays for experience.

755
00:31:32,053 --> 00:31:35,195
He prays for experience unashamedly.

756
00:31:35,195 --> 00:31:36,706
Paul, you may be aware of this,

757
00:31:36,706 --> 00:31:39,417
was reformed in his theology.

758
00:31:39,417 --> 00:31:42,161
Or should I say reformed people

759
00:31:42,161 --> 00:31:46,475
ought to be Pauline in their theology.

760
00:31:46,475 --> 00:31:48,197
And even though he was reformed

761
00:31:48,197 --> 00:31:49,065
in his theology,

762
00:31:49,065 --> 00:31:52,768
he had a massive category

763
00:31:52,768 --> 00:31:54,557
for Christian experience

764
00:31:54,557 --> 00:31:59,170
of the deepest and the warmest kind.

765
00:31:59,170 --> 00:32:01,701
In fact, now listen to this:

766
00:32:01,701 --> 00:32:06,463
He viewed it as essential for Christian growth.

767
00:32:06,463 --> 00:32:08,734
Let me say that again.

768
00:32:08,734 --> 00:32:17,450
Deep, warm, overflowing experience of God

769
00:32:17,450 --> 00:32:20,939
is viewed by Paul as essential -

770
00:32:20,939 --> 00:32:23,999
not optional

771
00:32:23,999 --> 00:32:25,677
for Christian growth.

772
00:32:25,677 --> 00:32:27,400
And I'll show you that as we go on.

773
00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:29,594
So first thing, he prays for the experience.

774
00:32:29,594 --> 00:32:30,924
He prays for the strength,

775
00:32:30,924 --> 00:32:32,515
now he prays for the experience.

776
00:32:32,515 --> 00:32:34,723
"I pray (v. 17) that you

777
00:32:34,723 --> 00:32:38,547
being rooted and firmly established

778
00:32:38,547 --> 00:32:41,157
in love

779
00:32:41,157 --> 00:32:43,334
may be able to comprehend

780
00:32:43,334 --> 00:32:44,679
with all the saints what is

781
00:32:44,679 --> 00:32:46,827
the length and width and height

782
00:32:46,827 --> 00:32:49,369
and depth of God's love

783
00:32:49,369 --> 00:32:51,672
and to know Christ's love

784
00:32:51,672 --> 00:32:53,042
that surpasses knowledge

785
00:32:53,042 --> 00:32:54,289
so that you may be filled

786
00:32:54,289 --> 00:32:55,753
with all the fullness of God."

787
00:32:55,753 --> 00:32:57,715
Now, it's important to note here

788
00:32:57,715 --> 00:32:59,527
that Paul is not praying -

789
00:32:59,527 --> 00:33:01,208
when he prays that they would have

790
00:33:01,208 --> 00:33:02,703
knowledge and comprehension,

791
00:33:02,703 --> 00:33:04,632
he is not primarily praying

792
00:33:04,632 --> 00:33:06,319
that they would grow in their

793
00:33:06,319 --> 00:33:09,914
intellectual apprehension of the Christian faith.

794
00:33:09,914 --> 00:33:12,330
You have to remember that these Ephesians

795
00:33:12,330 --> 00:33:15,020
were the doctrinal branch of the church

796
00:33:15,020 --> 00:33:16,623
in the early Christian days.

797
00:33:16,623 --> 00:33:18,044
These Ephesians are the ones

798
00:33:18,044 --> 00:33:21,582
that Paul could write Ephesians 1:3-11 to.

799
00:33:21,582 --> 00:33:23,289
That blessed be God Who's given us

800
00:33:23,289 --> 00:33:25,483
redemption and forgiveness and adoption

801
00:33:25,483 --> 00:33:26,550
and predestination.

802
00:33:26,550 --> 00:33:28,510
And he never stops to define his terms.

803
00:33:28,510 --> 00:33:31,245
He just rushes through all of these doctrines.

804
00:33:31,245 --> 00:33:32,149
Why?

805
00:33:32,149 --> 00:33:34,482
Because they knew them.

806
00:33:34,482 --> 00:33:37,145
This was the church that in Revelation 2

807
00:33:37,145 --> 00:33:39,639
tested apostles to make sure

808
00:33:39,639 --> 00:33:42,585
they taught true doctrines.

809
00:33:42,585 --> 00:33:45,491
The Ephesians were a doctrinal church.

810
00:33:45,491 --> 00:33:47,198
They knew the definitions.

811
00:33:47,198 --> 00:33:48,584
If they'd had catechisms,

812
00:33:48,584 --> 00:33:50,377
they'd have memorized catechisms.

813
00:33:50,377 --> 00:33:56,585
These people knew doctrine.

814
00:33:56,585 --> 00:33:58,279
But apparently Paul perceives

815
00:33:58,279 --> 00:34:00,733
that there is still a greater need

816
00:34:00,733 --> 00:34:03,493
for their experience of the sweetness

817
00:34:03,493 --> 00:34:05,956
of these doctrines.

818
00:34:05,956 --> 00:34:07,361
Perhaps he even is aware

819
00:34:07,361 --> 00:34:10,111
of the erosion that will lead

820
00:34:10,111 --> 00:34:11,706
to the Lord Jesus saying to them,

821
00:34:11,706 --> 00:34:15,927
"You have lost your first love."

822
00:34:15,927 --> 00:34:17,976
And so he says, "I pray that you

823
00:34:17,976 --> 00:34:22,587
be rooted and firmly established in love."

824
00:34:22,587 --> 00:34:23,974
He uses two metaphors there.

825
00:34:23,974 --> 00:34:26,811
One's organic. One's from the construction world.

826
00:34:26,811 --> 00:34:29,986
But they sink the roots of their lives

827
00:34:29,986 --> 00:34:32,980
down into Christ's love.

828
00:34:32,980 --> 00:34:35,877
Like when you spread fertilizer in your garden, it makes sure

829
00:34:35,877 --> 00:34:38,693
that wherever those roots go they're going to be bringing up

830
00:34:38,693 --> 00:34:40,256
the very best nutrients to make

831
00:34:40,256 --> 00:34:43,347
those leaves miracle grow.

832
00:34:43,347 --> 00:34:45,455
Paul is wanting you to set the roots

833
00:34:45,455 --> 00:34:49,657
of your life down into love.

834
00:34:49,657 --> 00:34:51,818
And that you'd be built up in love.

835
00:34:51,818 --> 00:34:53,505
That the foundation of your life

836
00:34:53,505 --> 00:34:54,702
would be the love of God.

837
00:34:54,702 --> 00:34:56,870
You know, some people here, I'm sure

838
00:34:56,870 --> 00:34:59,968
the foundation of their life is law.

839
00:34:59,968 --> 00:35:03,139
The foundation of their life is rules.

840
00:35:03,139 --> 00:35:05,292
The foundation of their life is principles

841
00:35:05,292 --> 00:35:08,266
and regulations.

842
00:35:08,266 --> 00:35:10,670
Those have their place.

843
00:35:10,670 --> 00:35:12,311
But Paul wants the starting point

844
00:35:12,311 --> 00:35:14,169
of your Christian life to be

845
00:35:14,169 --> 00:35:16,913
the love of God in Christ Jesus.

846
00:35:16,913 --> 00:35:19,484
That's the only fertilizer

847
00:35:19,484 --> 00:35:21,557
that the Christian soul will grow from.

848
00:35:21,557 --> 00:35:23,278
It is good for the heart

849
00:35:23,278 --> 00:35:25,789
to be established by law, right?

850
00:35:25,789 --> 00:35:28,066
No, wrong. That's not what the verse says.

851
00:35:28,066 --> 00:35:29,696
It is good for the heart to be

852
00:35:29,696 --> 00:35:35,743
established by grace.

853
00:35:35,743 --> 00:35:37,437
I want you to be rooted

854
00:35:37,437 --> 00:35:38,940
and firmly established in love

855
00:35:38,940 --> 00:35:41,079
so that you can comprehend

856
00:35:41,079 --> 00:35:43,412
what is the length and the width

857
00:35:43,412 --> 00:35:45,789
and the height and the depth of God's love

858
00:35:45,789 --> 00:35:50,030
and to know - this personal knowledge -

859
00:35:50,030 --> 00:35:54,795
Christ's love that surpasses knowledge.

860
00:35:54,795 --> 00:35:56,496
Now I want you to notice something.

861
00:35:56,496 --> 00:36:00,195
It doesn't bypass knowledge.

862
00:36:00,195 --> 00:36:01,576
Do you hear me?

863
00:36:01,576 --> 00:36:02,931
It doesn't bypass knowledge.

864
00:36:02,931 --> 00:36:04,566
You do not get to the love of God

865
00:36:04,566 --> 00:36:06,408
by saying, I'm not studying theology.

866
00:36:06,408 --> 00:36:07,395
I'm not studying.

867
00:36:07,395 --> 00:36:09,087
Those Bible studies are just dry.

868
00:36:09,087 --> 00:36:10,976
And there's people who love the Spirit

869
00:36:10,976 --> 00:36:12,364
and people who love the Word.

870
00:36:12,364 --> 00:36:13,527
And I'm a Spirit person.

871
00:36:13,527 --> 00:36:14,823
That is not the way to go.

872
00:36:14,823 --> 00:36:16,172
That is a dead end street.

873
00:36:16,172 --> 00:36:18,422
You do not ever want to bypass

874
00:36:18,422 --> 00:36:21,478
the knowledge of God's Word.

875
00:36:21,478 --> 00:36:26,118
But you do want to surpass it.

876
00:36:26,118 --> 00:36:29,241
The story is told of R.A. Torrey,

877
00:36:29,241 --> 00:36:32,151
a preacher in the last century,

878
00:36:32,151 --> 00:36:33,591
of him desiring more and more

879
00:36:33,591 --> 00:36:34,554
of the Holy Spirit.

880
00:36:34,554 --> 00:36:36,285
And he prayed and prayed and prayed

881
00:36:36,285 --> 00:36:37,626
for more of the Holy Spirit

882
00:36:37,626 --> 00:36:39,653
to experience something along these lines

883
00:36:39,653 --> 00:36:42,431
of how deep and how high and how wide

884
00:36:42,431 --> 00:36:45,390
is God's love.

885
00:36:45,390 --> 00:36:48,371
And one day the Lord came and met with him.

886
00:36:48,371 --> 00:36:50,229
And He poured out His presence on him

887
00:36:50,229 --> 00:36:53,788
so deeply that R.A. Torrey had to say,

888
00:36:53,788 --> 00:36:58,277
"Please stop."

889
00:36:58,277 --> 00:37:01,438
Wouldn't you love that problem in prayer?

890
00:37:01,438 --> 00:37:06,823
Please stop.

891
00:37:06,823 --> 00:37:12,865
Most of us are at: Please start.

892
00:37:12,865 --> 00:37:14,796
And Paul wants to encourage that

893
00:37:14,796 --> 00:37:16,419
you should start.

894
00:37:16,419 --> 00:37:17,440
You should pray,

895
00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:19,389
"Lord, help me know how deep

896
00:37:19,389 --> 00:37:20,704
and how high and how wide

897
00:37:20,704 --> 00:37:21,830
is the love of Christ."

898
00:37:21,830 --> 00:37:23,791
You know we've got this illustration going around that says,

899
00:37:23,791 --> 00:37:25,227
your feelings don't matter.

900
00:37:25,227 --> 00:37:27,796
All that matters is that your faith is in the facts.

901
00:37:27,796 --> 00:37:30,252
You can't let your feelings guide your faith.

902
00:37:30,252 --> 00:37:31,999
You've just got to let facts

903
00:37:31,999 --> 00:37:32,986
guide your faith.

904
00:37:32,986 --> 00:37:36,593
Now, there's a great element of truth to that.

905
00:37:36,593 --> 00:37:38,454
And in dark moments in your soul,

906
00:37:38,454 --> 00:37:40,258
you should just grab on

907
00:37:40,258 --> 00:37:42,510
to the facts of the faith and hold on

908
00:37:42,510 --> 00:37:44,623
and don't let go, even if you die

909
00:37:44,623 --> 00:37:47,520
without feeling a thing.

910
00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:48,523
When you are dark,

911
00:37:48,523 --> 00:37:50,834
you grab a hold of the facts of the Gospel

912
00:37:50,834 --> 00:37:53,917
and you do not let go.

913
00:37:53,917 --> 00:37:55,839
But the problem with that illustration

914
00:37:55,839 --> 00:37:59,349
is it seems to make feelings optional.

915
00:37:59,349 --> 00:38:01,418
Like, hey if you don't have the feelings,

916
00:38:01,418 --> 00:38:03,763
just hold on to the facts.

917
00:38:03,763 --> 00:38:06,632
Beloved, we should want every Christian

918
00:38:06,632 --> 00:38:08,615
to be experiencing the melting love

919
00:38:08,615 --> 00:38:11,181
of the Lord Jesus Christ.

920
00:38:11,181 --> 00:38:12,737
Paul says the love of Christ

921
00:38:12,737 --> 00:38:15,488
constrained him.

922
00:38:15,488 --> 00:38:17,009
The reason so many people

923
00:38:17,009 --> 00:38:18,993
are eager about theology

924
00:38:18,993 --> 00:38:20,896
is because the sharp edges of truth

925
00:38:20,896 --> 00:38:22,813
constrain them.

926
00:38:22,813 --> 00:38:27,305
I've got to win this argument!

927
00:38:27,305 --> 00:38:29,827
Rather than the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ

928
00:38:29,827 --> 00:38:31,959
that said to the rich, young ruler,

929
00:38:31,959 --> 00:38:35,346
looking at him He loved him,

930
00:38:35,346 --> 00:38:38,297
and said, "Go sell all you have."

931
00:38:38,297 --> 00:38:39,896
In order for that to happen,

932
00:38:39,896 --> 00:38:41,289
we have to be moved by love.

933
00:38:41,289 --> 00:38:42,860
We have to have the love of God

934
00:38:42,860 --> 00:38:43,932
poured out on us.

935
00:38:43,932 --> 00:38:45,402
We have to ask that God

936
00:38:45,402 --> 00:38:47,338
would give us more of an experience

937
00:38:47,338 --> 00:38:49,045
of His love than we already have.

938
00:38:49,045 --> 00:38:50,704
We shouldn't take what we have now

939
00:38:50,704 --> 00:38:51,957
as baseline.

940
00:38:51,957 --> 00:38:54,350
The prayer proves that Paul thought

941
00:38:54,350 --> 00:38:55,593
you could have more.

942
00:38:55,593 --> 00:38:57,116
Whatever level of the experience

943
00:38:57,116 --> 00:38:59,636
of the love of God these Ephesians had,

944
00:38:59,636 --> 00:39:01,877
Paul thought he was serving them

945
00:39:01,877 --> 00:39:03,106
to pray for more.

946
00:39:03,106 --> 00:39:03,893
He didn't think,

947
00:39:03,893 --> 00:39:05,293
well, they've had quite a bit

948
00:39:05,293 --> 00:39:07,101
of experience - if they have too much,

949
00:39:07,101 --> 00:39:09,204
then they'll get derailed into experience.

950
00:39:09,204 --> 00:39:11,387
No. He said they've experienced a little,

951
00:39:11,387 --> 00:39:12,268
they need more.

952
00:39:12,268 --> 00:39:14,181
I want them to surpass knowledge.

953
00:39:14,181 --> 00:39:15,987
I want them to be overwhelmed

954
00:39:15,987 --> 00:39:18,654
with the love of God

955
00:39:18,654 --> 00:39:21,098
in their hearts.

956
00:39:21,098 --> 00:39:25,662
Are you?

957
00:39:25,662 --> 00:39:28,466
And if you're not,

958
00:39:28,466 --> 00:39:31,094
won't you be rational

959
00:39:31,094 --> 00:39:35,355
and pray that you would be?

960
00:39:35,355 --> 00:39:38,906
Pray that God would do this again.

961
00:39:38,906 --> 00:39:40,566
And notice a little line here:

962
00:39:40,566 --> 00:39:42,255
He says, "...that Christ may dwell

963
00:39:42,255 --> 00:39:43,709
in your hearts through faith,

964
00:39:43,709 --> 00:39:45,208
I pray that you being rooted

965
00:39:45,208 --> 00:39:46,683
and firmly established in love,

966
00:39:46,683 --> 00:39:48,535
may be able to comprehend

967
00:39:48,535 --> 00:39:50,488
with all the saints..."

968
00:39:50,488 --> 00:39:51,614
Did you catch that?

969
00:39:51,614 --> 00:39:52,798
With all the saints?

970
00:39:52,798 --> 00:39:54,324
This is not just something for

971
00:39:54,324 --> 00:39:56,359
your personal prayer closet.

972
00:39:56,359 --> 00:39:57,406
This is not just like,

973
00:39:57,406 --> 00:39:59,379
Lord, I need to be filled with Your love,

974
00:39:59,379 --> 00:40:02,211
and I don't know where the rest of the church is at.

975
00:40:02,211 --> 00:40:03,433
No, this is something for

976
00:40:03,433 --> 00:40:04,863
our corporate prayer meetings.

977
00:40:04,863 --> 00:40:07,595
Lord, would You fill us

978
00:40:07,595 --> 00:40:08,985
with the love of Christ?

979
00:40:08,985 --> 00:40:11,232
Would the whole church experience

980
00:40:11,232 --> 00:40:13,996
a greater outpouring of the love of Christ

981
00:40:13,996 --> 00:40:16,484
in Christ Jesus so that we together -

982
00:40:16,484 --> 00:40:19,121
the temple of the Holy Spirit -

983
00:40:19,121 --> 00:40:23,542
would experience the love of God.

984
00:40:23,542 --> 00:40:25,387
Now, I want you to notice something

985
00:40:25,387 --> 00:40:32,537
there at the end of v. 19.

986
00:40:32,537 --> 00:40:35,630
It tells us why.

987
00:40:35,630 --> 00:40:38,471
Why do you need to experience

988
00:40:38,471 --> 00:40:41,084
the love of God?

989
00:40:41,084 --> 00:40:44,106
Not just take the love of God by faith,

990
00:40:44,106 --> 00:40:45,729
but believing the love of God,

991
00:40:45,729 --> 00:40:47,445
also feel it in your heart,

992
00:40:47,445 --> 00:40:49,633
because of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

993
00:40:49,633 --> 00:40:53,480
Why do you need that?

994
00:40:53,480 --> 00:40:55,128
So that you may be filled

995
00:40:55,128 --> 00:40:56,617
with all the fullness of God.

996
00:40:56,617 --> 00:40:58,432
Well, again, there's one of those Bible buzz words.

997
00:40:58,432 --> 00:41:00,239
I want to be filled with the fullness of God.

998
00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:03,241
What does that mean?

999
00:41:03,241 --> 00:41:07,123
What does that mean?

1000
00:41:07,123 --> 00:41:08,845
Well, there's a few different places

1001
00:41:08,845 --> 00:41:10,489
in Ephesians that will help us

1002
00:41:10,489 --> 00:41:14,028
to understand what that means.

1003
00:41:14,028 --> 00:41:16,762
The first is in chapter 1.

1004
00:41:16,762 --> 00:41:19,370
In chapter 1,

1005
00:41:19,370 --> 00:41:23,699
it tells us in v. 20

1006
00:41:23,699 --> 00:41:27,605
that God exercised this power in Christ

1007
00:41:27,605 --> 00:41:28,966
by raising Him from the dead

1008
00:41:28,966 --> 00:41:30,611
and seating Him at His right hand

1009
00:41:30,611 --> 00:41:31,404
in the heavens,

1010
00:41:31,404 --> 00:41:33,144
far above every ruler and authority,

1011
00:41:33,144 --> 00:41:34,158
power and dominion,

1012
00:41:34,158 --> 00:41:35,248
and every title given,

1013
00:41:35,248 --> 00:41:36,257
not only in this age,

1014
00:41:36,257 --> 00:41:37,606
but also in the one to come.

1015
00:41:37,606 --> 00:41:40,005
And He subjected everything under His feet

1016
00:41:40,005 --> 00:41:42,089
and appointed Him over everything

1017
00:41:42,089 --> 00:41:43,882
for the church, which is His body,

1018
00:41:43,882 --> 00:41:46,684
the fullness of the One Who fills

1019
00:41:46,684 --> 00:41:48,847
all things in every way.

1020
00:41:48,847 --> 00:41:50,957
Here the Lord Jesus Christ is portrayed

1021
00:41:50,957 --> 00:41:53,323
for us as an exalted ruler;

1022
00:41:53,323 --> 00:41:54,518
an exalted King.

1023
00:41:54,518 --> 00:41:56,115
And we're told that He rules

1024
00:41:56,115 --> 00:41:57,223
over the church,

1025
00:41:57,223 --> 00:41:58,745
which is His fullness.

1026
00:41:58,745 --> 00:42:00,444
Now, what does it mean by fullness?

1027
00:42:00,444 --> 00:42:02,589
Well, I think it means something like this:

1028
00:42:02,589 --> 00:42:04,109
Have you ever heard someone say

1029
00:42:04,109 --> 00:42:06,131
they were filled with anger?

1030
00:42:06,131 --> 00:42:07,980
They don't mean there was a liquid

1031
00:42:07,980 --> 00:42:09,021
in them called anger.

1032
00:42:09,021 --> 00:42:12,453
They meant that anger controlled them.

1033
00:42:12,453 --> 00:42:14,295
When Christ fills something,

1034
00:42:14,295 --> 00:42:16,019
He controls it.

1035
00:42:16,019 --> 00:42:18,066
Where something is full of the fullness

1036
00:42:18,066 --> 00:42:20,721
of Christ, it is under His control,

1037
00:42:20,721 --> 00:42:23,208
and to be filled with the fullness of Christ

1038
00:42:23,208 --> 00:42:24,889
is to be under Christ's control.

1039
00:42:24,889 --> 00:42:26,014
Don't get tired yet.

1040
00:42:26,014 --> 00:42:30,105
Look at Ephesians 4 and see this again.

1041
00:42:30,105 --> 00:42:32,131
Ephesians 4

1042
00:42:32,131 --> 00:42:34,417
tells us that pastors are to teach

1043
00:42:34,417 --> 00:42:35,880
the people of God.

1044
00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:37,404
I'm in v. 12.

1045
00:42:37,404 --> 00:42:38,718
Chapter 4:12

1046
00:42:38,718 --> 00:42:40,090
To teach the people of God

1047
00:42:40,090 --> 00:42:41,918
so the people of God can have

1048
00:42:41,918 --> 00:42:44,750
their ministry of equipping each other

1049
00:42:44,750 --> 00:42:45,619
for ministry.

1050
00:42:45,619 --> 00:42:46,925
And it says, they're to be

1051
00:42:46,925 --> 00:42:48,701
equipping the saints for the work of ministry

1052
00:42:48,701 --> 00:42:50,216
to build up the body of Christ

1053
00:42:50,216 --> 00:42:52,405
until we all reach the unity of the faith,

1054
00:42:52,405 --> 00:42:55,216
the knowledge of God's Son,

1055
00:42:55,216 --> 00:42:58,173
growing into maturity with a stature

1056
00:42:58,173 --> 00:43:01,676
measured by Christ's fullness.

1057
00:43:01,676 --> 00:43:03,069
The church is to grow up into

1058
00:43:03,069 --> 00:43:04,771
the very fullness of Christ,

1059
00:43:04,771 --> 00:43:08,326
where Christ is in control

1060
00:43:08,326 --> 00:43:10,541
of everything.

1061
00:43:10,541 --> 00:43:12,805
One last illustration.

1062
00:43:12,805 --> 00:43:14,549
One that you'll probably know well.

1063
00:43:14,549 --> 00:43:17,272
Ephesians 5: Do not be drunk with wine,

1064
00:43:17,272 --> 00:43:19,811
but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

1065
00:43:19,811 --> 00:43:21,643
Again, the Holy Spirit's not poured

1066
00:43:21,643 --> 00:43:23,149
into us like a drink,

1067
00:43:23,149 --> 00:43:25,319
but rather He takes control

1068
00:43:25,319 --> 00:43:28,564
of every area of our lives.

1069
00:43:28,564 --> 00:43:29,925
Now, go back to Ephesians 3

1070
00:43:29,925 --> 00:43:37,612
and work out the implications for this.

1071
00:43:37,612 --> 00:43:39,863
Paul wants us to know how deep

1072
00:43:39,863 --> 00:43:41,170
and how high and how wide

1073
00:43:41,170 --> 00:43:42,206
is the love of Christ

1074
00:43:42,206 --> 00:43:43,762
and to know Christ's love

1075
00:43:43,762 --> 00:43:45,064
that surpasses knowledge,

1076
00:43:45,064 --> 00:43:46,900
so that you may be filled

1077
00:43:46,900 --> 00:43:49,688
with all the fullness of God.

1078
00:43:49,688 --> 00:43:51,683
I want you to have everything

1079
00:43:51,683 --> 00:43:53,820
in your life under Christ's control.

1080
00:43:53,820 --> 00:43:55,045
In order to get there,

1081
00:43:55,045 --> 00:44:00,317
you'll need to know His love experientially.

1082
00:44:00,317 --> 00:44:01,990
Do you ever just come up against

1083
00:44:01,990 --> 00:44:03,697
a brick wall in your sanctification

1084
00:44:03,697 --> 00:44:06,211
where you're just trying to do all the right things?

1085
00:44:06,211 --> 00:44:08,030
I read it! Husbands love your lives.

1086
00:44:08,030 --> 00:44:09,976
I'm trying to love her.

1087
00:44:09,976 --> 00:44:12,692
I'm mad.

1088
00:44:12,692 --> 00:44:14,988
But, I'm trying to love her.

1089
00:44:14,988 --> 00:44:16,477
Wives submit to your husbands.

1090
00:44:16,477 --> 00:44:20,207
Ok.

1091
00:44:20,207 --> 00:44:21,637
You know that expression:

1092
00:44:21,637 --> 00:44:23,496
God doesn't want you to be happy,

1093
00:44:23,496 --> 00:44:25,665
He wants you to be holy?

1094
00:44:25,665 --> 00:44:28,232
That's such a stupid expression.

1095
00:44:28,232 --> 00:44:32,197
I hate that.

1096
00:44:32,197 --> 00:44:35,722
I used to be happy,

1097
00:44:35,722 --> 00:44:45,050
but now I'm holy.

1098
00:44:45,050 --> 00:44:52,359
Holiness is when we find our happiness in God.

1099
00:44:52,359 --> 00:44:55,097
Holiness is when we learn to love

1100
00:44:55,097 --> 00:44:56,201
what God loves

1101
00:44:56,201 --> 00:44:58,020
and to be devoted to what God loves.

1102
00:44:58,020 --> 00:44:59,058
That is holiness.

1103
00:44:59,058 --> 00:45:00,255
There's no such thing as

1104
00:45:00,255 --> 00:45:03,814
the unhappy holy Christian.

1105
00:45:03,814 --> 00:45:09,650
The holy Christian is the happy Christian.

1106
00:45:09,650 --> 00:45:12,359
And the only way to be happy

1107
00:45:12,359 --> 00:45:15,093
doing the things Jesus' authority requires -

1108
00:45:15,093 --> 00:45:17,677
the only way to be happy,

1109
00:45:17,677 --> 00:45:19,201
moving out into obedience,

1110
00:45:19,201 --> 00:45:25,043
is to be motivated by love.

1111
00:45:25,043 --> 00:45:27,523
D.A. Carson uses a marvelous illustration

1112
00:45:27,523 --> 00:45:30,963
of how important this is.

1113
00:45:30,963 --> 00:45:34,131
He tells a story of a test that was done

1114
00:45:34,131 --> 00:45:38,664
on two baby chimpanzees.

1115
00:45:38,664 --> 00:45:40,719
And they put the one baby chimpanzee

1116
00:45:40,719 --> 00:45:46,289
in a cage with a chicken wire mother.

1117
00:45:46,289 --> 00:45:47,624
Chicken wire mother.

1118
00:45:47,624 --> 00:45:49,153
And they put a bottle

1119
00:45:49,153 --> 00:45:50,524
in this chicken wire mother.

1120
00:45:50,524 --> 00:45:52,147
And basically you had this little

1121
00:45:52,147 --> 00:45:53,953
baby chimpanzee - a real chimpanee -

1122
00:45:53,953 --> 00:45:55,507
and then a chicken wire mother

1123
00:45:55,507 --> 00:45:58,288
with a bottle sticking out of its chest.

1124
00:45:58,288 --> 00:46:00,006
That chimpanzee had everything

1125
00:46:00,006 --> 00:46:01,026
he needed to live.

1126
00:46:01,026 --> 00:46:03,567
There was milk in there - milk in the bottle.

1127
00:46:03,567 --> 00:46:06,177
Chicken wire mother.

1128
00:46:06,177 --> 00:46:07,478
In the other cage,

1129
00:46:07,478 --> 00:46:10,462
they put another chimpanzee.

1130
00:46:10,462 --> 00:46:12,302
Only this time they covered

1131
00:46:12,302 --> 00:46:14,987
the chicken wire with fur

1132
00:46:14,987 --> 00:46:17,579
and put a hot water bottle in it

1133
00:46:17,579 --> 00:46:20,047
and made it warm.

1134
00:46:20,047 --> 00:46:24,000
They made it more like a real mother.

1135
00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:27,843
The first chimpanzee died,

1136
00:46:27,843 --> 00:46:33,633
even though there was milk in the room.

1137
00:46:33,633 --> 00:46:37,181
The second chimpanzee lived,

1138
00:46:37,181 --> 00:46:38,986
because milk is supposed to come

1139
00:46:38,986 --> 00:46:43,062
from the warmth of a mother.

1140
00:46:43,062 --> 00:46:47,086
So too with God's truth.

1141
00:46:47,086 --> 00:46:48,473
Some of you are dying

1142
00:46:48,473 --> 00:46:51,105
because you take in God's truth - you take it in like crazy.

1143
00:46:51,105 --> 00:46:53,133
You buy books about it. You have conversations about it.

1144
00:46:53,133 --> 00:46:54,747
Bible studies - you're there.

1145
00:46:54,747 --> 00:46:56,991
Blogs, Internet, video - you're there.

1146
00:46:56,991 --> 00:47:01,491
You're taking in truth.

1147
00:47:01,491 --> 00:47:02,906
But it's not coming in hot.

1148
00:47:02,906 --> 00:47:05,862
It's not coming in warm.

1149
00:47:05,862 --> 00:47:08,437
And it's killing you.

1150
00:47:08,437 --> 00:47:10,108
And it is not making your character

1151
00:47:10,108 --> 00:47:16,464
the fullness of Christ.

1152
00:47:16,464 --> 00:47:19,307
When I'm talking to you about

1153
00:47:19,307 --> 00:47:21,090
warmth in religion

1154
00:47:21,090 --> 00:47:23,305
and power from the Holy Spirit

1155
00:47:23,305 --> 00:47:25,674
and Him giving you the knowledge

1156
00:47:25,674 --> 00:47:27,557
of His presence,

1157
00:47:27,557 --> 00:47:29,611
Him teaching you that Christ's love

1158
00:47:29,611 --> 00:47:31,322
is not something that you define,

1159
00:47:31,322 --> 00:47:35,002
but something you describe.

1160
00:47:35,002 --> 00:47:36,767
I'm not talking about something

1161
00:47:36,767 --> 00:47:38,632
that I think will add a little spice

1162
00:47:38,632 --> 00:47:41,365
to your life.

1163
00:47:41,365 --> 00:47:43,333
I'm talking about something essential

1164
00:47:43,333 --> 00:47:49,293
to Christian growth.

1165
00:47:49,293 --> 00:47:50,934
And so I want to ask you

1166
00:47:50,934 --> 00:47:57,711
to make this resolution.

1167
00:47:57,711 --> 00:48:00,726
The resolution is that you would pray

1168
00:48:00,726 --> 00:48:04,355
continually based on this reason.

1169
00:48:04,355 --> 00:48:07,570
Because we are the temple of God,

1170
00:48:07,570 --> 00:48:10,254
would you ask and seek and knock

1171
00:48:10,254 --> 00:48:11,833
at the door of Heaven?

1172
00:48:11,833 --> 00:48:13,799
Would you ask like the importunate widow?

1173
00:48:13,799 --> 00:48:16,003
Would you seek God

1174
00:48:16,003 --> 00:48:18,339
until He will be found by you?

1175
00:48:18,339 --> 00:48:19,799
Will you wrestle with Him

1176
00:48:19,799 --> 00:48:21,015
and say like Jacob,

1177
00:48:21,015 --> 00:48:22,446
"I will not let You go

1178
00:48:22,446 --> 00:48:24,070
until You bless me."

1179
00:48:24,070 --> 00:48:25,964
Will you grab ahold of

1180
00:48:25,964 --> 00:48:27,358
the Lord Jesus Christ

1181
00:48:27,358 --> 00:48:29,373
and try to touch the hem of His garment

1182
00:48:29,373 --> 00:48:30,519
on this matter?

1183
00:48:30,519 --> 00:48:31,632
Asking Him,

1184
00:48:31,632 --> 00:48:35,420
Lord, I need power.

1185
00:48:35,420 --> 00:48:37,084
And I need it according to grace,

1186
00:48:37,084 --> 00:48:40,019
because I can't earn it.

1187
00:48:40,019 --> 00:48:43,157
Would You give me power?

1188
00:48:43,157 --> 00:48:44,983
And oh God,

1189
00:48:44,983 --> 00:48:46,880
would You flood me with the knowledge

1190
00:48:46,880 --> 00:48:48,601
of Your love?

1191
00:48:48,601 --> 00:48:51,974
Not just so I can define it,

1192
00:48:51,974 --> 00:48:54,029
but so I can describe it.

1193
00:48:54,029 --> 00:48:55,287
So I can tell others,

1194
00:48:55,287 --> 00:48:57,745
oh, how deep and how wide

1195
00:48:57,745 --> 00:49:03,302
and how high and how long

1196
00:49:03,302 --> 00:49:05,276
is the love of Christ.

1197
00:49:05,276 --> 00:49:07,240
I'm going to tell you one more story

1198
00:49:07,240 --> 00:49:09,450
and I'm done.

1199
00:49:09,450 --> 00:49:12,055
We have a young girl in our church.

1200
00:49:12,055 --> 00:49:15,449
She's a pre-teen/early teen.

1201
00:49:15,449 --> 00:49:19,204
She's had a hard time with her parents.

1202
00:49:19,204 --> 00:49:21,163
And they so desperately want

1203
00:49:21,163 --> 00:49:24,866
to see her saved.

1204
00:49:24,866 --> 00:49:28,356
And we have an African lady in our church

1205
00:49:28,356 --> 00:49:31,987
and she just walked up to this young girl

1206
00:49:31,987 --> 00:49:33,528
just recently actually;

1207
00:49:33,528 --> 00:49:35,114
and walked up to her and said,

1208
00:49:35,114 --> 00:49:37,209
"Oh, the beauty of the love

1209
00:49:37,209 --> 00:49:42,377
of the Lord Jesus Christ."

1210
00:49:42,377 --> 00:49:43,963
Now, I've got to be honest,

1211
00:49:43,963 --> 00:49:45,554
I've been a pastor for awhile,

1212
00:49:45,554 --> 00:49:49,771
and that's not usually how I greet people.

1213
00:49:49,771 --> 00:49:52,101
And I'm sure I'm paraphrasing what she said,

1214
00:49:52,101 --> 00:49:53,869
but she just began to sing

1215
00:49:53,869 --> 00:49:59,955
and to tell of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1216
00:49:59,955 --> 00:50:02,127
And it may not be an accident

1217
00:50:02,127 --> 00:50:04,170
that here a few weeks later,

1218
00:50:04,170 --> 00:50:08,732
it looks like this young girl's been converted.

1219
00:50:08,732 --> 00:50:12,877
There's something about the love of God.

1220
00:50:12,877 --> 00:50:16,985
The full warmth and full experience

1221
00:50:16,985 --> 00:50:18,709
that wins us to walking

1222
00:50:18,709 --> 00:50:23,138
in the very fullness of Christ.

1223
00:50:23,138 --> 00:50:36,590
Let's pray.

1224
00:50:36,590 --> 00:50:39,323
Father, we join together to say

1225
00:50:39,323 --> 00:50:42,956
that we have not walked as fully

1226
00:50:42,956 --> 00:50:44,727
in obedience to You,

1227
00:50:44,727 --> 00:50:49,758
because have not known as fully

1228
00:50:49,758 --> 00:50:51,999
Your love.

1229
00:50:51,999 --> 00:50:54,290
Lord, we pray like in that old illustration

1230
00:50:54,290 --> 00:50:55,387
that You would go from

1231
00:50:55,387 --> 00:50:57,341
holding us by the hand

1232
00:50:57,341 --> 00:50:59,446
and that You'd pick us up like a father

1233
00:50:59,446 --> 00:51:04,337
and just hug us into Your arms.

1234
00:51:04,337 --> 00:51:05,675
We pray this Lord,

1235
00:51:05,675 --> 00:51:08,087
because there's only so much growth

1236
00:51:08,087 --> 00:51:12,088
we can experience without it.

1237
00:51:12,088 --> 00:51:13,901
We come to You, Lord,

1238
00:51:13,901 --> 00:51:16,539
and remind You that in this generation,

1239
00:51:16,539 --> 00:51:17,705
this kind of love -

1240
00:51:17,705 --> 00:51:19,482
at least in circles we're in, Lord,

1241
00:51:19,482 --> 00:51:23,653
we've not seen much of it.

1242
00:51:23,653 --> 00:51:26,899
And we're asking You, Lord God, to end that.

1243
00:51:26,899 --> 00:51:28,872
We're asking You to pour out Your Spirit

1244
00:51:28,872 --> 00:51:30,185
on Your people afresh,

1245
00:51:30,185 --> 00:51:31,489
and we're asking You, Lord,

1246
00:51:31,489 --> 00:51:32,675
at the very least,

1247
00:51:32,675 --> 00:51:34,815
to give us a spirit of prayer

1248
00:51:34,815 --> 00:51:37,826
that will not be satisfied.

1249
00:51:37,826 --> 00:51:40,881
Lord, our brother this morning

1250
00:51:40,881 --> 00:51:43,107
called us to a holy contentment,

1251
00:51:43,107 --> 00:51:46,073
and he was right in everything he said.

1252
00:51:46,073 --> 00:51:47,289
And Lord, in this matter,

1253
00:51:47,289 --> 00:51:50,206
there is a holy discontent

1254
00:51:50,206 --> 00:51:52,198
that says, "Lord, we will not

1255
00:51:52,198 --> 00:51:55,546
let You go until You bless us."

1256
00:51:55,546 --> 00:51:58,791
We will not despise the day of small things, Lord.

1257
00:51:58,791 --> 00:52:01,056
But neither will we be content

1258
00:52:01,056 --> 00:52:03,992
until You give us all

1259
00:52:03,992 --> 00:52:07,603
that You have promised to Your people.

1260
00:52:07,603 --> 00:52:10,209
We beg that of You, Lord.

1261
00:52:10,209 --> 00:52:13,063
We're not sure how long we can go on, Lord.

1262
00:52:13,063 --> 00:52:17,871
Help us. Help us.

1263
00:52:17,871 --> 00:52:20,094
We pray for power to overcome

1264
00:52:20,094 --> 00:52:21,141
prevailing sin.

1265
00:52:21,141 --> 00:52:22,757
We pray for power to overcome

1266
00:52:22,757 --> 00:52:24,200
entrenched sin.

1267
00:52:24,200 --> 00:52:26,837
We pray for power to help us repent

1268
00:52:26,837 --> 00:52:27,748
and to walk.

1269
00:52:27,748 --> 00:52:30,049
We pray for confidence that there's grace

1270
00:52:30,049 --> 00:52:31,411
to give that power,

1271
00:52:31,411 --> 00:52:32,321
even today;

1272
00:52:32,321 --> 00:52:35,004
even tonight;

1273
00:52:35,004 --> 00:52:37,038
even now.

1274
00:52:37,038 --> 00:52:38,311
And we ask You, Lord God,

1275
00:52:38,311 --> 00:52:39,897
that You would flood Your people

1276
00:52:39,897 --> 00:52:41,236
with Your love,

1277
00:52:41,236 --> 00:52:43,220
so that we might more fully display

1278
00:52:43,220 --> 00:52:45,206
the glory of Christ Who loved us

1279
00:52:45,206 --> 00:52:49,338
and gave Himself for us.

1280
00:52:49,338 --> 00:52:51,326
We pray this thanking You

1281
00:52:51,326 --> 00:52:54,386
for every measure of grace.

1282
00:52:54,386 --> 00:52:56,165
In Jesus' name,

1283
00:52:56,165 --> 00:52:59,015
Amen.