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SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 9

TITLE: THE PETITION OF PAUL'S PRAYER

TEXT: EPHESIANS 1:17-18

INTRODUCTION: (1) WARREN WIERSBE, IN HIS BIBLE EXPOSITION COMMENTARY, TELLS OF A STORY ABOUT WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST, THE LATE WEALTHY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER.

* HEARST INVESTED A FORTUNE COLLECTING ART TREASURES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

** WIERSBE SAID, “ONE DAY MR. HEARST FOUND A DESCRIPTION OF SOME VALUABLE ART PIECES THAT HE FELT THAT HE HAD TO HAVE, SO HE SENT HIS ART AGENT ABROAD TO FIND THESE MASTERPIECES.”

*** “AFTER MONTHS OF SEARCHING, THE AGENT REPORTED THAT HE HAD FINALLY FOUND THE TREASURES, THE MASTERPIECES.”

**** NOW GUESS WHERE THEY WERE? ITALY, FRANCE, SWITZERLAND? NO!

(2) THEY WERE IN MR. HEARST’S WAREHOUSE. THEY ALREADY BELONGED TO MR. HEARST AND HAD BEEN STORED IN ONE OF HIS WAREHOUSES FOR MANY YEARS!

* NOW TRAGICALLY HEARST HAD BEEN SEARCHING FRANTICALLY FOR TREASURES HE ALREADY OWNED!

** AND HAD HE READ THE CATALOG OF HIS OWN ART TREASURES, HE WOULD HAVE SAVED HIMSELF A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY AND TROUBLE.

*** WELL, A LOT OF US AS CHRISTIANS ARE PURSUING A QUEST FOR SOMETHING MORE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, SOMETHING EXTRA THAT THE ORDINARY CHRISTIAN DOES NOT POSSESS.

*** BUT OUR PURSUIT AND PRAYER SHOULD NOT BE FOR SOMETHING MORE, BUT FOR KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND PERCEPTION OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN CHRIST, THE TREASURE THAT WE ALREADY POSSESS.

**** AND PAUL’S PRAYER FOR THESE EPHESIAN BELIEVERS IN THE REST OF EPHESIANS 1 IS THAT THEY WOULD BE SPARED FROM FRANTICALLY SEARCHING FOR WHAT WAS ALREADY THEIRS.

(3) PAUL PRAYS THAT THEY WOULD COMPREHEND OR UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY DONE FOR THEM IN CHRIST WHICH HE HAS SET FORTH IN THE TRUTHS OF VV. 3-14 OF CHAPTER 1.

* FOR YOU SEE GOD HAS ALREADY BLESSED THEM IN CHRIST WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING; PAUL NOW PRAYS THAT HE WILL OPEN THEIR EYES SO THAT THEY WILL FULLY GRASP THE IMPLICATIONS OF ALL THESE PRIVILEGES.

** AND BELOVED, OUR PROBLEM IN OUR WALK WITH OUR LORD IS NOT A LACK OF SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, BUT LACK OF INSIGHT AND WISDOM TO UNDERSTAND AND USE THEM PROPERLY AND FAITHFULLY.

*** AND YES EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS MANY SPECIFIC NEEDS – PHYSICAL, MORAL AND SPIRITUAL, FOR WHICH HE MUST ASK THE LORD’S HELP.

**** BUT, NO CHRISTIAN NEEDS, OR CAN HAVE, MORE OF THE LORD OR OF HIS BLESSING AND INHERITANCE THAN HE ALREADY HAS.

(4) THE CHRISTIAN’S PRIMARY NEED IS FOR WISDOM AND OBEDIENCE TO APPROPRIATE THE ABUNDANCE OF BLESSINGS THE LORD HAS ALREADY GIVEN.

* AND PAUL PRAYS THAT THE BELIEVERS TO WHOM HE WRITES WILL COME TO FULLY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THESE BLESSINGS.

** PAUL FOCUSES ON THE BELIEVER’S COMPREHENSION OF THEIR RESOURCES IN THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR AFTER HE TALKS TO THEM ABOUT SOME OF THE GREAT TRUTHS OF THE FAITH IN VV. 3-14.

*** AND BEGINNING IN V. 15 OF EPHESIANS 1 AND CONTINUING IN V. 16, WE SEE THE PRAISE OF PAUL’S PRAYER WHICH WE LOOKED AT IN OUR LAST STUDY OF EPHESIANS.

**** PAUL PRAISES THE LORD FOR THESE BELIEVER’S GENUINE FAITH IN CHRIST AND FOR THE EVIDENCE OF THEIR FAITH, LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS.

(5) AND BEGINNING IN V. 17 AND THROUGH THE END OF CHAPTER 1, WE SEE THE PETITION OF PAUL’S PRAYER, WHICH IS THE TITLE OF OUR MESSAGE TODAY, PART I.

* FOR TODAY WE’LL LOOK AT VV. 17&18 OF THE PETITION OF PAUL’S PRAYER AND WE’LL FOCUS ON TWO MAIN POINTS WHEN IT COMES TO PRAYER.

** NO. 1 PRAYER FOR PROPER KNOWLEDGE, V. 17; AND NO. 2 PRAYER FOR PERCEPTION, V. 18.

*** AND WITH THOSE TWO POINTS IN MIND, LET’S JUMP INTO OUR STUDY TODAY BY LOOKING AT OUR FIRST POINT, PRAYER FOR PROPER KNOWLEDGE. LOOK AT EPHESIANS 1:17 PLEASE.

I. PRAYER FOR PROPER KNOWLEDGE, (READ V. 17)

A. NOW FIRST OF ALL, NOTICE THAT PAUL’S PETITION FOR THESE BELIEVERS IS DIRECTED TO “THE GOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF GLORY”.

* AND THE FIRST PART OF THIS DESIGNATION OF GOD LINKS GOD THE FATHER TO CHRIST THE SON AS IT DID IN V. 3 OF THIS CHAPTER.

** AND MOST LIKELY MAKES REFERENCE TO OUR GREAT GOD WHO SENT THE LORD JESUS INTO THE WORLD AS SAVIOR, THIS WAS THE PLAN OF GOD THAT UNFOLDS IN VV. 3-12.

*** BUT THEN THE PHRASE “FATHER OF GLORY” IS AT THE END OF THIS DESIGNATION FOR GOD, OR THE GLORIOUS FATHER IN THE NIV.

**** AND THIS PHRASE MAKES REFERENCE TO THE TRUTH THAT GOD IS THE ONE TO WHOM GLORY BELONGS.

1. GOD THE FATHER IS WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE, HONOR, WORSHIP AND PREEMINENCE. WE NEED TO HAVE A HIGH VIEW OF HIM AS OUR GLORIOUS FATHER.

* HE IS THE SOURCE OF ALL TRUE GLORY AND IS WORTHY OF GLORY AND PRAISE.

** NOW AFTER PAUL DIRECTS HIS PETITION TO THE GOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF GLORY, HE STARTS TO GET SPECIFIC IN HIS PETITION IN WHAT HE PRAYS FOR.

*** AND HE PRAYS THAT GOD MAY GIVE THE CAPABILITY, THE ABILITY, THE POWER, THE FACULTY OF UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE CAN KNOW OUR RESOURCES, WHICH HE CALLS “A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND OF REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM.”

**** NOW THE WORD SPIRIT HERE IS LOWER CASE, SMALL S SPIRIT IN THE KJV, NAS AND NKJV AND UPPER CASE SPIRIT, A CAPITAL S IN THE NIV.

2. NOW UPPER CASE S SPIRIT NORMALLY IS MAKING REFERENCE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEREAS SMALL S SPIRIT IS MAKING REFERENCE TO OUR SPIRIT, THE HUMAN SPIRIT.

* AND THERE IS OBVIOUS DEBATE EVEN AMONG THE TRANSLATORS, LET ALONE THE COMMENTATORS AND SCHOLARS ABOUT WHAT SPIRIT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT.

** NOW IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE MEANING HERE IS THIS: THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM IS GIVEN THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT THIS SPIRIT DOES NOT REFER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.

*** LET ME EXPLAIN. ALL BELIEVERS ALREADY POSSESS THE HOLY SPIRIT, MADE CLEAR IN VV. 13&14 OF EPHESIANS 1, WHO IS GIVEN AS A PLEDGE, A DOWN PAYMENT, AS EARNEST OF THE GUARANTEE OF OUR ULTIMATE REDEMPTION.

**** SO PAUL IS NOT PRAYING FOR THE SPIRIT, BUT FOR A SPIRIT.

3. AND UNDERSTAND THE BASIC MEANING OF THE GREEK WORD FOR SPIRIT WHICH IS PNEUMA (FROM WHICH WE GET SUCH ENGLISH WORDS AS PNEUMATIC AND PNEUMONIA) IS BREATH OR AIR.

* AND FROM THAT MEANING IS DERIVED THE CONNOTATION OF SPIRIT.

** BUT LIKE OUR ENGLISH WORD SPIRIT, PNEUMA SOMETIMES WAS USED OF A DISPOSITION, INFLUENCE OR ATTITUDE.

*** LIKE THE EXPRESSION, HE IS IN HIGH SPIRITS TODAY OR SO AND SO HAS A GOOD SPIRIT, OR SO AND SO HAS A SPIRITED PERSONALITY, OR SO AND SO HAS A GENTLE SPIRIT.

**** AND JESUS USED THE WORD SPIRIT IN THIS SENSE IN THE FIRST BEATITUDE IN MATTHEW 5:3 WHERE HE SAID: (READ IT).

4. NOW IN MATTHEW 5:3 JESUS WAS NOT REFERRING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT OR TO THE HUMAN SPIRIT, BUT TO THE SPIRIT OR ATTITUDE OF HUMILITY.

* AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE WAY PAUL IS USING THE WORD SPIRIT IN EPH. 1:17.

** PAUL WAS PRAYING FOR GOD TO GIVE THE EPHESIANS A SPECIAL DISPOSITION OF WISDOM AND REVELATION.

*** SPIRIT HERE MEANING ATTITUDE OR DISPOSITION. HE PRAYS FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GIVE THEIR SPIRITS THE RIGHT SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND OF REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM.

**** THAT KIND OF SPIRITUAL DISPOSITION SHOULD CHARACTERIZE THESE SAINTS.

5. NOW SPECIFICALLY A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND OF REVELATION. AND WISDOM HERE MAKES REFERENCE TO THE INSIGHT INTO THE TRUE NATURE OF THINGS, SEEING THINGS FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE.

* WISDOM HAS TO DO WITH A KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S WILL AND THEN LIVING IN A WAY THAT IS SUBMISSIVE TO IT.

** AND AUTHENTIC WISDOM BEGINS WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS TO BE OBJECT OF OUR DEVOTION, OUR ADORATION AND OUR REVERENCE.

*** IN FACT PROVERBS 9:10 SAYS: (READ IT).

**** SO A PROPER VIEW OF GOD LEADS TO TRUE WISDOM AND APPLICATION OF GOD’S WILL AND WAYS, PROPER APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE.

6. NOW THE WORD REVELATION HERE HAS TO DO WITH AN UNCOVERING, A DISCLOSURE, REVEALING SOMETHING.

* AND IN THIS CONTEXT IT HAS TO DO WITH US UNDERSTANDING OUR POSITION AND BLESSINGS IN THE LORD, OUR MINDS NEED TO BE ILLUMINATED TO THE TRUTHS OF EPH. 1:3-14 THAT WE MAY GRASP THOSE TRUTHS PROPERLY.

** PAUL IS NOT PRAYING THAT CHRISTIANS CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE NEW REVELATION FROM GOD AND SO BECOME CONTEMPORARY APOSTLES.

* HE IS PRAYING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF THE REVELATION THAT GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN THEM.

** NOW WHY? WELL, LOOK AT THE END OF V. 17, “IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM.”

*** SO THE PURPOSE IN HAVING THIS WISDOM AND REVELATION IS THAT YOU MAY KNOW GOD BETTER.

**** KNOWING GOD INTIMATELY, KNOWING NOT JUST ABOUT HIM, BUT PERSONALLY AND IT INCLUDES AN INTIMATE AWARENESS OF GOD’S CHARACTER AND WILL.

7. BELOVED, PAUL IS PRAYING FOR BELIEVERS THAT THE FATHER OF GLORY MIGHT GIVE THEM THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY KNOW HIM BETTER.

* FOR TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM, TO SERVE HIM, TO OBEY HIM, TO WANT TO GLORIFY HIM IN ALL YOU DO.

** AND PAUL IS NOT TALKING ABOUT COMING TO KNOW CHRIST IN SALVATION, BUT COMING TO KNOW GOD INTIMATELY IN SANCTIFICATION.

*** PAUL IS PRAYING FOR US, HIS DESIRE IN PHILIPPIANS 3:10 WHERE HE SAID, “THAT I MIGHT KNOW HIM.”

**** AND AS WE START TO PROCESS TRUTH ABOUT HIM IN HIS WORD THAT HAVE TO DO WITH HIS HOLY CHARACTER AND ATTRIBUTES, AS WE START TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTHS OF EPHESIANS 1:3-14, TRUTHS ABOUT ELECTION, PREDESTINATION, ADOPTION, REDEMPTION, FORGIVENESS, WISDOM AND INSIGHT, INHERITANCE AND THE SEALING AND PLEDGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

8. AND AS WE START TO COMPREHEND THOSE TRUTHS AND WE START TO SEE WHAT KIND OF GREAT GOD WE HAVE AND START TO KNOW HIM AS OUR FATHER, AS OUR GUIDE, EVEN AS OUR FRIEND AS WE OBEY HIM.

* KNOWING GOD IS THE ULTIMATE PURSUIT. AND WHEREAS THE WORLD SAYS TODAY, KNOW YOURSELF, CHRISTIANITY SAYS “KNOW GOD” THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

** AND TO KNOW GOD PERSONALLY IS SALVATION. TO KNOW HIM INCREASINGLY IS SANCTIFICATION. AND THEN ONE DAY TO KNOW HIM PERFECTLY IN HEAVEN IS GLORIFICATION.

*** AND THE MORE WE KNOW HIM NOW, HAVE PROPER KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, THE MORE WE’LL SERVE HIM AND ENJOY HIM.

**** SO PAUL PRAYS FOR GOD TO GIVE THE EPHESIANS A SPECIAL DISPOSITION OF WISDOM AND REVELATION TO KNOW GOD THE WAY THEY SHOULD IN V. 17.

9. WHICH LEADS US TO V. 18 AND OUR 2’D POINT TODAY AS PAUL NOT ONLY PRAYS FOR PROPER KNOWLEDGE, TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN V. 17, BUT EXPLAINS WHAT HE MEANS BY THAT BEGINNING IN V. 18, PRAYING FOR PERCEPTION.

II. PRAYER FOR PERCEPTION, (READ V. 18)

A. NOW PAUL’S PRAYER FOR THESE BELIEVERS IS THAT THE EYES OF THEIR HEART WOULD BE ENLIGHTENED.

* NOW EYES HERE ARE USED IN THE SENSE OF THE PARTS OF OUR BODY THAT WE SEE THINGS WITH.

** AND THE PSALMIST PRAYED IN PS. 119:18 (READ IT).

*** NOW THE PRAYER OF THE PSALMIST WAS TO SEE WHAT HE NEEDED TO SEE OUT OF GOD’S WORD. FOR GOD TO OPEN HIS EYES, BECAUSE WHEN OUR EYES ARE CLOSED WE CAN’T SEE ANYTHING, BUT TO OPEN THEM SO WE CAN SEE THE WONDERFUL TRUTHS OF GOD’S WORD.

**** NOW PAUL PRAYS THAT THE EYES OF THEIR HEARTS WOULD BE ENLIGHTENED. AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE, YOU NOT ONLY HAVE TO HAVE YOUR EYES OPEN, THERE MUST ALSO BE WHAT? LIGHT!

1. AND THAT’S WHAT THE WORD ENLIGHTENED HAS TO DO WITH HERE, IT IS THE GREEK WORD FO-TID-ZO WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD PHOTO OR PHOTOGRAPH.

* AND IT LIT. MEANS TO GIVE LIGHT, TO SHINE, TO LIGHT UP, TO ILLUMINE, TO CAUSE SOMETHING TO COME TO LIGHT, TO BECOME CLEAR.

** SO PAUL PRAYS THAT THE EYES OF THEIR HEARTS WOULD SEE SOMETHING CLEARLY, THAT TRUTH WILL COME TO LIGHT.

*** BUT NOTE THAT THE WORD HEART HERE, IS NOT PRIMARILY TALKING ABOUT OUR EMOTIONS, BUT OUR MINDS.

**** THE WORD HEART CONSIDERED BY THE HEBREWS WAS THE CENTER OF KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING, THINKING AND WISDOM.

2. THE HEART WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE SEAT OF THE MIND AND WILL, AND IT COULD BE TAUGHT WHAT THE BRAIN COULD NEVER KNOW.

* PAUL THEREFORE PRAYS FOR THE MINDS OF THE EPHESIANS TO BE ENLIGHTENED. AND BELOVED WE CAN’T BYPASS OUR MINDS AND ALLOW OUR EMOTIONS TO CONTROL US.

** AND YES EMOTIONS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PLACE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, BUT THEY ARE RELIABLE ONLY AS THEY ARE GUIDED AND CONTROLLED BY GOD’S TRUTH, WHICH WE COME TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THROUGH OUR MINDS.

* AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE TO “LET THE WORD OF CHRIST RICHLY DWELL WITHIN US” – COL. 3:16.

** AND ONE OF THE CAUSES OF IMMATURITY IN CHURCHES TODAY IS RELIANCE ON FEELINGS ABOVE KNOWLEDGE.

*** AND MANY BELIEVERS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN DOING WHAT “FEELS RIGHT” THAN IN DOING WHAT GOD DECLARES TO BE RIGHT. (ILLUST. UNSCRIPTURAL DIVORCE)

**** NOW AS WE GO BACK TO EPHESIANS 1:18 PAUL PRAYS FOR THE MINDS OF THE EPHESIANS TO BE ENLIGHTENED SO THAT THEY CAN KNOW ABOUT TWO THINGS IN THE REST OF V. 18.

3. AND THE WORD KNOW HERE IN THE GREEK LIT. MEANS TO SEE, TO PERCEIVE, TO TURN THE MIND TO SOMETHING, TO ASCERTAIN SOMETHING.

* WHICH REMINDS US THAT BEING IS RELATIVE TO KNOWING. WE CAN’T BE LIKE CHRIST UNTIL WE KNOW HIS WORD AND APPLY IT.

** SO PAUL PRAYS THAT THESE BELIEVERS WOULD COME TO KNOW, TO UNDERSTAND, TO PERCEIVE, TO ASCERTAIN WHAT THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING IS ALL ABOUT FIRST OF ALL.

*** AND THE WORD HOPE HERE IS NOT WHAT IF HOPE, NOT HOPE SO HOPE, IT HAS TO DO WITH AN ASSURANCE, AN EXPECTATION, A CONFIDENT EXPECTATION OF ETERNAL LIFE.

**** BIBLICAL HOPE IS NOT A WISH BUT IS A SURE ASSURANCE, A CERTAINTY TIED INTO THE PROMISES OF GOD.

***** IN FACT IN HEBREWS 6:18&19, THIS KIND OF BIBLICAL HOPE IS CALLED THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL. IT LATCHES ON TO THE PROMISES OF GOD AND STANDS ON THEM FOR THE CERTAINTY OF OUR FUTURE.

4. HEBREWS 6:18&19 SAYS: “IN ORDER THAT BY TWO UNCHANGEABLE THINGS, IN WHICH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE, WE MAY HAVE STRONG ENCOURAGEMENT, WE WHO HAVE FLED FOR REFUGE IN LAYING HOLD OF THE HOPE SET BEFORE US.”

V. 19 – “THIS HOPE WE HAVE AS AN ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, A HOPE BOTH SURE AND STEADFAST AND ONE WHICH ENTERS WITHIN THE VEIL.”

* SO BIBLICAL HOPE IS NOT A WISH, NOT A POSSIBILITY, BUT A REALITY ROOTED IN THE TRUTHS OF GOD’S WORD.

** AND PAUL PRAYS FOR THESE BELIEVERS THAT THEY WILL HAVE A BETTER VISION OF THE HOPE TO WHICH HE HAS CALLED YOU.

*** AND THIS CALL, I BELIEVE, MAKES REFERENCE TO OUR CALL TO SALVATION, WHAT WE DESCRIBE AS THE EFFECTUAL CALL OF GOD, THE INWARD CALL OF GOD THAT ENABLES A PERSON TO BELIEVE ON CHRIST WHEN THERE IS INABILITY BEFORE THAT.

**** AND CONTEXTUALLY PAUL PRAYS THAT BELIEVERS BE ENLIGHTENED ABOUT THE GREATNESS OF GOD’S MASTER PLAN OF SALVATION, AGAIN WHAT WE STUDIED IN VV. 3-14.

5. FOR BELOVED OUR SURE HOPE OF SALVATION HAS IT’S SOURCE IN OUR ELECTION, WHICH TOOK PLACE BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, V. 4.

* AND OUR HOPE IS SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO IS THE GUARANTEE, THE DEPOSIT, THE DOWNPAYMENT OF OUR ULTIMATE SALVATION.

** AND BELOVED THE EYES OF OUR MINDS NEED TO BE ENLIGHTENED ABOUT THE GREAT TRUTHS OF OUR SALVATION.

*** FOR THOSE TRUTHS WILL TRANSFORM US, AND ARE THE MOTIVATION AND THE FOUNDATION THAT WE BUILD A LIFE OF SACRIFICIAL SERVICE ON.

6. GOD CHOSE ME AND I’M SECURE IN HIM AND HE RESCUED ME FROM HIS WRATH FOR HIS GLORY AND NOTHING FORESEEN IN ME AND I OWE HIM MY ALL!

* BUT NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO BE ENLIGHTENED ABOUT THE HOPE OF GOD’S CALLING US, BUT ALSO WE NEED TO BE ENLIGHTENED ABOUT THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF GOD’S INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS.

** AND THAT BASICALLY MEANS THAT BELIEVERS WOULD HAVE A CLEAR COMPREHENSION OF OUR FUTURE INHERITANCE THAT WE WILL RECEIVE ONE DAY IN CHRIST.

*** HIS INHERITANCE HERE MEANS THE ONE GIVEN BY GOD JUST LIKE HIS CALLING WAS THE CALL ISSUED AND MADE EFFECTIVE BY HIM.

**** SO PAUL IS SPEAKING ABOUT THE GLORIOUS RICHES, THE MARVELOUS MAGNITUDE OF ALL THE BLESSINGS OF SALVATION, PARTICULARLY THOSE STILL TO BE BESTOWED IN THE GREAT CONSUMMATION OF ALL THINGS.

7. AND THESE BLESSINGS ARE CALLED AN INHERITANCE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE GIFTS OF GOD’S GRACE AND WILL BE ENJOYED WITH ALL THE SAINTS OF GOD ONE DAY IN THE FUTURE.

* AND PAUL PRAYS THAT THE EYES OF OUR MIND WOULD BE ENLIGHTENED SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE AS OUR INHERITANCE AND HOW RICH WE REALLY ARE.

** THERE WILL BE A CONSUMMATION OF OUR SALVATION IN CHRIST ONE GLORIOUS DAY IN THE FUTURE, WHICH IS OUR SURE HOPE.

AND AS I WRAP UP OUR TEXT TODAY, (1) LET ME SAY, IT IS VITAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND, THAT THE EYES OF OUR HEARTS WOULD BE ENLIGHTENED TO TRUTHS OF GOD’S MASTER PLAN OF SALVATION, OF WHAT HE AUTHORS AND WHAT HE FINISHED.

* FOR ONLY WHEN WE COME TO UNDERSTAND HOW OUR LIVES ARE ANCHORED IN ETERNITY CAN WE HAVE A RIGHT PERSPECTIVE AND MOTIVATION FOR LIVING IN TIME.

** AND AS WE UNDERSTAND WHO WE REALLY ARE AS GOD’S ELECT, WE CAN LIVE LIKE WHO WE ARE.

*** THEOLOGY LEADS TO DOXOLOGY, DOCTRINE LEADS TO DUTY, TRUTH APPLIED LEADS TO TRANSFORMATION.

**** AND ALL OF THIS GOES BACK TO KNOWING GOD, THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THROUGH HIS WORD.

(2) THE LATE JAMES MONTGOMERY BOICE WAS ASKED THE QUESTION OF WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE GREATEST NEED OF THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH TODAY.

* HIS ANSWER WILL SURPRISE YOU. IT WAS “TO KNOW GOD!”

** NOT JUST KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GOD AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HIM, BUT APPLICATION OF THAT KNOWLEDGE IN THE PURSUIT OF KNOWING HIM INTIMATELY.

*** AS PAUL SAID THAT I MIGHT KNOW HIM. AND HOW DO YOU GET TO KNOW SOMEONE? SPEND TIME WITH THEM, WATCH THEM, TALK WITH THEM.

**** AND BASICALLY OUR NEED IS TO HAVE GOD GIVE US A DISPOSITION OF WISDOM AND REVELATION AND KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, SO THAT THE EYES OF OUR MINDS MIGHT BE ENLIGHTENED SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING AND THE RICHES OF HIS INHERITANCE.

2. BELOVED, WE DON’T NEED ADDITIONAL TRUTHS APART FROM THIS BOOK AND WE ARE BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING.

* SO OUR PRIMARY NEED IS FOR WISDOM AND OBEDIENCE TO APPROPRIATE THE ABUNDANCE OF BLESSINGS THE LORD HAS ALREADY GIVEN US.

** OUR PROBLEM IS NOT LACK OF BLESSINGS, BUT LACK OF INSIGHT AND WISDOM TO UNDERSTAND AND USE THEM PROPERLY AND FAITHFULLY.

*** TO KNOW GOD THROUGH HIS WORD AND PRAYER AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN NEEDS TO BE OUR PASSION.

**** I CLOSE WITH II PETER 3:18.