Hi, it’s Mick and welcome to Friday’s Podcast. We do hope you are enjoying our podcasts and especially the worship song which ends each podcast. Thank you to Becca, Duncan and all the team from STC Worship. In this week’s podcasts at the beginning of this new year we have been reflecting on Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church and how these timeless words can still inspire us today in our busy 21st century lives.
REFLECTION:
Today our week’s reflections come together in Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church (Eph 3:14-21) One of the most famous, well known prayers in the Bible. It is an extraordinary prayer; full of passion and purpose, full of grace and truth. In our daily podcasts the full Bible reading is usually at the end after the worship song, and we usually highlight a focus verse or verses. Not today …as all the verses in today’s reading are key verses! Let me read this prayer to you. (Eph 3:14-21)
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
There is so much to consider here; to much for a short podcast so let me encourage you to read/ listen to this prayer again today at least three times – and then see what happens!
However, today let’s consider these two foundational truths contained in this prayer
Firstly, the Power of the Holy Spirit
Paul prays that ‘out of his glorious riches he (God) may strengthen you with power through his Spirit’ (v.16) and that ‘you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God’ (v.19). So, how does this practically work? How does this power actually come?; how can I/we be ‘filled to the measure of all the fullness of God’? The Lord wants us to know this power every day – all we need to do is come before him, open up our lives and ask. If we ask, he will come – then we start to live out this power filled gospel
Let me remind you again of this truth from Wednesday’s Podcast –
‘power comes from the message of the gospel put into practice every day by our simple acts of kindness, love, generosity and a willingness to speak to others when asked about our faith in Jesus’
Secondly, the Purposes of God’s Love
We can never fully understand or grasp the enormity of God’s love for us but Paul gives a wonderful image of God making his home in us, being one with us (v17) that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then he goes much further as his prayer seems to take him into the courts of heaven! Listen …
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. vv17-19
God’s love is that big! Paul states what seems a paradox, to know that which surpasses knowing; however, through the Holy Spirit we can really know this love in our lives and share it with those around us.
Our vision, our focus in 2019 at STC Sheffield is to ask people to ‘Join us and Grow’ as we embark on the Grow Project – the first module is launched next Monday, 14th January. If you are part of the STC family make sure you’re signed up for our weekly newsletter – if you’re not sure, or know someone in your midweek community who isn’t signed up, contact the church office/ leader today! We are preparing as a church to go deeper with Jesus as his disciples; that our lives and families and friendships would begin to overflow with love every single day; to prepare ourselves for a spiritual awakening which will call many people back to God.
We live in challenging and turbulent times; but as Christians it’s good to be reminded that they also hold immense opportunities for all of us. Remember Tuesday’s reflection; this day and every day, choose thankfulness, choose joy and know peace. Trust me, there isn’t a disaster ready to happen every day, there’s an opportunity to step into every day!
As we conclude this week’s podcasts let’s pray that the Lord Jesus will pour his love and peace, his power and purpose into all our lives and into the lives of those we love as commit to GROW and follow him every day of this new year. Exciting times ahead!
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you that in you we can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us. I ask Lord that today that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God and you would use me to be a blessing to others in the days to come in this exciting new year. Bless the Grow Project Lord and bless our church family. Pour out your Spirit Lord as we worship you now. Amen
READING: Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.