Title: The Amazing Plan of God
Contents
Ephesians 1:17-23
17) The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
give you so that you may know God
18) Open your hearts and your eyes, what is the hope of his calling, and what is the hope of his calling?
What is the riches of the glory of that enterprise?
19) The most extreme of the power which he bestows upon us who believe according to the work of the mighty power of his power.
I pray that you may know what greatness is.
20) His power worked in Christ, raising him from the dead
seated at his right hand in heaven
21) All principalities, powers, powers, and rulers, not only in this world but also in the world to come
exalt above every name that is called,
22) And he put all things under his feet, and gave him head over all things to the church.
23) The church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
There are things God wants us to know more deeply about. It is a church. He wants you to know the privilege, glory, and power of the church. Even the resurrection of Jesus was to become the head of the church. God raised Jesus from the dead to make him the King and Ruler of our church. Jesus humbled himself to be united with the church. But the church has been given the tremendous privilege and position of union with the God who has humbled itself. Now God wants to know the tremendous privilege, position, and power of that particular church.
I. He wants to know more about who God is who has given Jesus Christ as the head of the church.
How can the infinite and eternal God, the glory of God, the exaltation of God, be expressed in finite human terms? If we express God in our own language, we will make God's glory rather ugly. How can words express the grace and love of God, and how can he express His strength and power? The light that surrounds us is only giving us a little taste of who God is. God wants to give us the Holy Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we may come to understand more deeply all of God's love for the church and His wonderful plan.
Ⅱ. He wants to know spiritual blessings.
First, He wants us to know what kind of hope He has given us by inviting us to salvation.
He wants us to know the freedom that made us sons and daughters, the freedom that set us free from sin, the hope that made us inherit the heavenly inheritance, and the absolute assurance that the church is destined to be victorious in God.
Second, He wants you to know the glory of that company.
He wants to know the blessings of heaven bestowed on the church and the blessings of God the Holy Spirit in the fellowship of the saints so that they can enjoy the glory of heaven. It is like feeding the 5,000 people with 2 fish and 5 barley loaves, so God is full of glory in the church together. “The church is the fullness of Jesus Christ itself,” he said. Therefore, there cannot be a lack of a church that has Jesus as its head and lives in fellowship.
Third, He wants us to know the exceeding greatness of His power.
It refers to the special power of God working in the church. The mighty power of God who raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him is now reaching the church. Knowing this indescribable privilege and status of the church, He wants the church to be revealed to the world as the power of heaven. The church is the fullness of Christ, the mighty kingdom of God at work for the world, and the glory of God. Worship offered as a fellowship of saints is the joy of being united with Jesus Christ, and the joy of heaven for the children of God in the great power of God. When the saints love the church, they love the Lord.