Eph 1:15-23

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passageRead the Passage at least twice. Who is in the passage?What action verbs do you see?What other words stick out in your mind

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996 (electronic ed.) (Eph 1:15–23). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Eph 1:15-23

what was said in the beginning of this letter is now in a lot of ways echoed in a prayer that Paul tells them he prays for them. The very blessing avaiable to them is what he prays they will receive. And he prays continually for them (vs 17)

See Acts 18:19? (vs 15) Has already had relationship with the city. Must have gotten new info about the city

Vs 15-17 What Paul praises them for is their faith in Jesus and love for all the staints. They have the vertical relationship with God right and their relationship with believers right. He prays that that will continue and improve as they know God's will for them. Note: Paul not of the opinion you hit a level and stay there (see 4:14, Heb 5:13-14)

Note again the emphasis of the trinity in vs 17. asks God the Father who is our Father through our Lord, Jesus Christ to give us the Spirit of how to live for God and know Him better.

The purpose of the wisdom and revelation is about knowing God better, not making a name for ourselves.

vs 18-20 Eyes of heart (spirtual lives) opened. Pray that we see better the will of God for us "the hope He has called us to, Our rich inheritance. When you know what is in your future you can live today with an abandonment of worrying about your future. You also can live today based on the what you have before you.

But also available to us now is this great power of God. The incomparable great power is what we have right now because we are adopted in to God's family. That power has been shown in it's greatest way through Jesus' death and ressurection. It is available, again not for us to become big headed but for us to bring praise to God (vs 12, vs 14). He is referring to the power of the Spirit to work in us(vs 13-14, 17, John 14:12-14)

vs 20-22 Paul gets caught up in telling who Jesus is. But in that telling He lets us see Jesus' place because he did the will of God the Father. Jesus is an example of what it is to be in the will of God and the benefits that come from that. (see Isa 53:10-12, Luke 22:41-42)

Christ's place

• right hand of God

• far above anyone other authority or power

• has every title that can be given (not titles to make one fell important but more like honors received and true power because of title)

• power both now and forever

• Controls all things,

• head of the church

• Fulfills everything in every way ( all that has importance finds it completion in Him) It all points to Jesus! (Phil 2:10-11, Col 1:15-20)