SERMON NOTES :: To Know Him Better - Ephesians 1:15-23
MESSAGE |
To Know Him Better
SERIES |
It's A Family Reunion
SCRIPTURE |
Ephesians 1:15-23
SPEAKER |
Pastor Joseph Ardayfio
KEY THEME |
As children of God, we are called to grow in our knowledge of God through a recognition of the hope to which he has called us, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.
1) As part of the family of God, we must continue to grow in our knowledge of God both personally + intimately.
a. Even after salvation, the eyes of our heart are fogged by our personal identities rather than our identity in Christ. We must allow the eyes of our heart (intellect, wisdom, emotion + will) to be opened so that we may know God better.
b. If we are going to grow in our knowledge of God, there are three essential truths that we must know: the hope; the riches; and His incomparably great power.
2) THE HOPE to which he has called us.
a. The hope of the believer is a confident assurance of our future position and reality in God. This reality is only found in Jesus Christ.
b. We must have the right object + character of our hope. The object of our hope is not a thing, but a person and the character of our hope is eternal rather than temporal.
3) THE RICHES of his glorious inheritance in the saints.
a. We, the saints, matter to God. He makes an investment to bring us to perfection because we are a part of His creation.
4) HIS INCOMPARABLY GREAT POWER for us who believe.
a. Jesus is a case study in the power of God at work.
b. God’s power raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Jesus to His rightful place.
c. That same power is at work on our behalf to resurrect us from the power of sin + death and to exalt us to our perfected standing as sons + daughters of God.
Scripture Index
Matthew 6:25-26
Ephesians 1:15-23
thoughts for further study
1) Are you continuing to grow in your relationship with God? If so, how?
2) How does the object and character of your hope affect your ability to grow in the knowledge of God?
3) Have you truly understood the power that is working on the behalf of those who believe? How does your understanding of this power affect how you live out your life?
