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Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
POWER AND GRACE
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, EPH 1:19-20.
In the previous sermons we were speaking of the Friends of Jesus; "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you," JOH 15:14. We have spoken of His authority in that command, that He has all authority and power to command us. We also considered how the word do is the pivotal point of the law of the gospel, and that "if ye do" is personal. The last message discussed how the friendship we have with Christ is proven by the trials of our faith.
Now we need to consider the greatness of His power which enables us to do these things. If you or I were to try to fulfill any one command in our own power, then all we can say is, "Unclean, unclean." We find we are not capable within ourselves; we are dead in trespasses and sin. This means that we have no ability in our own strength. By nature we have no love and have become enemies of God and our neighbour. So we are not able to fulfill these commands in our own strength. Our text says it is the exceeding greatness of His power towards those of us who believe, "...according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead." It takes the unction and power of the Holy Spirit to raise us unto a newness of life.
The resurrection of Christ is the symbol of us being raised out of the powers of hell and spiritual death, under the power and servitude of sin, to be able to walk in a newness of life. This takes the same creative and almighty power of God which it took to raise Jesus Christ from the grave. By nature we are dead in trespasses and sin, cf., EPH 2:1. In our carnal state we have no capacity of any kind to show love. The bitterness, enmity, and rebellion that are in the heart of man by nature is the result of the fall in sin.
When we try to love one another as Jesus loved us, we find we come so short. We need the power and the grace of God to raise us out of this deadness and into the newness of life that Christ might be formed in us. It is by the resurrecting power of God that He raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead to sit at His right hand. Notice that God raised Jesus not only to sit in heavenly places but far above all principality and power. EPH 2:5-6 says, "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Then we become raised above the power of sin. It is only in the resurrection power that we become raised above the power of Satan, sin, and our own evil nature.
As we look at our text in its context the Apostle Paul speaks to the church of the Ephesians about the work of grace. It is all of grace; it is the grace of God which gives us new desires and instills the love of God in our heart. It is the grace of God which gives us the power to come above the controlling power of sin.
EPH 1:12-14 says, "That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard [You and I can hear with the natural ear, but there is no power in that, it still leaves us spiritually dead; it was the power of the Word of Jesus, `Lazarus, come forth,' JOH 11:43, that brought about the resurrection of Lazarus out of the grave, after that ye heard] the word of truth [effectually, after the Holy Spirit has come with power and applied the holy Word of God.], the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
Look again and see that Paul is teaching us the chronology of the work of grace. It is through the Word. ROM 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." It is when the Word is heard by the effectual application of the Holy Spirit that faith comes into exercise. As the work of grace is worked in the soul by the Holy Spirit, faith is put into exercise. Then we begin to know what it is to love one another and delight to do the will of God. Then we are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance. That seal is the earnest, or the evidence, of our inheritance.
As we unfold these Scriptures and the precious truths that are within, we must see where the fountain is. It is in the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
We must marvel to see the spirit of charity in the Apostle Paul as we see in the next verses. "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers," EPH 1:15-16. What is the fruit of regeneration? Our undeniable evidence of regeneration is our love for all saints. In JOH 15:14 Jesus says, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." In other words, if you love one another, you are a friend of Jesus. Why? Because it is against our fallen nature. Our fallen nature brings us in enmity with God and our neighbour as is evident from ROM 8:7. Therefore, a new heart or a new attitude toward God and our neighbour is the evidence of our regeneration; our heart is again united with God's will and love to our fellow man.
Now we see charity. What is charity? It is thinking of the other person in the best possible light. The Apostle Paul is not telling the church at Ephesus that they have come to a state of perfection in this letter to them. At the end of the letter Paul reproves them for things that ought not to be. They did not obtain a state of perfection in the flesh, but Paul saw the element of charity; they have been renewed in the spirit of their mind, having put on the new man which is created after righteousness and true holiness, cf., EPH 4:22-25. The Apostle Paul is identifying the good thing in these people, and he is commending them for it.
If we understand what it is to love each other, then we are not critical of each other, looking for excuses to tear each other to shreds, because we could find something to criticize every living soul. If we heed Paul's example, we will look for those things which accompany salvation and praise the person for it. We need to look for those things upon which we can build a hope for salvation. Therefore, we are to be patient with the shortcomings and appreciating those things which accompany salvation. That is what the Apostle Paul is doing in this letter to the Ephesians.
He tells them he gives thanks for them unceasingly; he prays for them, and he tells them he is praying for a special wisdom. The apostle's prayer which was prompted by the evidence of their faith in exercise, i.e., their "...love unto all the saints," was for wisdom to discern the hope of their calling. His prayer is for wisdom to know what leads to the assurance of their faith.
EPH 1:17-18 continues, "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." Our text goes on to explain this prayer. "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us- ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places."
The Apostle Paul is praying that they would have the wisdom, the understanding, and the enlightening of their minds to see wherein the hope of their calling is found. We too need to know and have hope that the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father have begun a good work in our heart; that He has given us the effectual calling. Amen.
Faith! ‘tis a precious grace,
Where’er it is bestowed;
It boasts of a celestial birth,
And is the gift of God.
Jesus it owns a King,
An all-atoning Priest;
It claims no merits of its own,
But looks for all in Christ.
To him it leads the soul,
When filled with deep distress;
Flies to the fountain of his blood,
And trusts his righteousness.
Since ‘tis thy work alone,
And that divinely free,
Come, Holy Spirit, and make known
The power of faith in me.
These on-line devotions are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a daily devotion. See also our sermon notes. We pray this devotion has been a blessing to those who read it. Thank you.