Greatness of His Power

Driving home: And then remember that all the power thus manifested is to usward who believe. I say this is a veritable Mount Everest of truth.

The passage Ephesians 1:15-23 is likened to Mount Everest, representing the lofty and challenging nature of the spiritual concepts it contains, requiring careful study and divine aid to comprehend.

If you've never felt what it's like to stand before a Mount Everest of lofty concepts in your bare feet, and with no knowledge of how to climb mountains, just park yourself down in front of this passage and begin to study it and meditate upon it, and you realize that you've come into the presence of one of the most lofty concepts in all of the word of God, the exceeding greatness of the power of God manifested, not in its raw manner in creation, or in its mysterious elements of providence, but the power of God peculiarly and most vividly manifested in these mighty saving acts of Jesus Christ. ...

1:49 - 2:53 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin outlines his approach to expounding the 'exceeding greatness of his power,' promising a broad overview followed by a detailed exposition of each part, allowing for pauses…

The process of expounding the passage is compared to a mountain climber's 'attack approach,' emphasizing the need for careful planning and a systematic method to reach the summit of truth.

So he's concerned not that they have more defined and well-framed knowledge, furnished intellectual concepts of the hope, the inheritance, and the power of God, but he longs that they may have a living, growing, powerful awareness of these things as they reflect the grace of God that is stored up in Jesus Christ. Now having completed this brief review, we will attempt this morning to begin an exposition of the third of these ingredients or these, uh, principles that Paul has as the focus of his prayer. We've studied together the hope of his calling, the riches of the glory of his inheritance, ...

7:08 - 8:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Never forget that all of these things relate to one dominant issue: the power that is operative in believers to secure the enjoyment of the inheritance and the realization of their hopes.

A person inheriting a vast estate (houses, lands, riches) who gets lost in admiring its beauty but forgets that 'this is mine' illustrates the danger of getting lost in the wonder of God's power without realizing it is operative 'for me' as a believer.

All of these things and we're going to get involved in some very lofty concepts and sweeping words, principalities, powers, might, dominion. Never forget that all of these things relate to one dominant issue. It is the power that is operative in believers to secure the enjoyment of the inheritance and the realization of their hopes. The things in themselves are so stupendous that it would be easy to get lost in the wonder of the things themselves and forget that they are mentioned within the distinct sphere of reference of the power of God operative in believers. Our temptation would be the te...

15:10 - 16:38 Read in full sermon

Driving home: unless the movings of the bowels of your compassion are joined with power I say it's nothing but frustration for you and frustration for him

A story of encountering an imprisoned, destitute, and illiterate man illustrates that pity and mercy are frustrating without the power to effect change, highlighting the necessity of God's power joined to His grace.

the might and the omnipotence of God which is operative in us and on our behalf why? follow that so that everything that God has designed in his grace will certainly be accomplished by his power if grace is not joined to power it is frustrating if power is not directed by grace it will destroy us but when grace is linked to omnipotence you have the glory of New Testament salvation let me illustrate suppose you were to pass a man this week you find him lying in chains and iron obviously obviously undernourished sick you notice upon closer observation and entering the conversation with him that ...

24:18 - 25:46 Read in full sermon

Driving home: but listen creation is kid stuff compared to the power manifested in the redemption of his people that's why it's exceeding greatness of his power

Observing a new airplane, first admiring its design ('in itself') and then its flight ('in its working'), illustrates Paul's distinction between the excellency of God's power and its efficacy in operation.

so it is power according to the working of his might which he wrought in Christ hence it is gracious power put forth and exerted to secure the salvation of a great multitude of sinners from the four corners of the earth a power focused in redemption this then is the subject of this part of the prayer the power of God the might the omnipotence of God exerted to accomplish and secure the designs of his grace now I think we'll have time to go to the next level up the mountain what are the characteristics of this power first of all in itself or in its excellency and then secondly in its working or...

28:39 - 30:07 Read in full sermon

Driving home: but listen creation is kid stuff compared to the power manifested in the redemption of his people that's why it's exceeding greatness of his power

When trying to describe something that fills the mind, one might 'pull in every word' without strict technical distinctions, suggesting Paul's use of multiple words for power ('working, strength, might') is to convey overwhelming fullness.

when you are trying to describe something that fills your mind you pull in every word that you can use to try to say well it is something like this you are not using the words technically as though each one had a specific shade of meaning you are just trying to somehow express with the poor stuff of verbs and nouns and adjectives that concept which is there I rather think that this is one of the places where Paul is doing that so that we are not to look for some ironclad distinction in each of these words the working of the strength of his might and yet having said that the words are so rich t...

37:29 - 38:57 Read in full sermon

Driving home: but listen creation is kid stuff compared to the power manifested in the redemption of his people that's why it's exceeding greatness of his power

Seeing a man with large biceps (inherent power) and then watching him lift heavy weights (power in action) illustrates the distinction between 'might' (inherent power) and 'strength' (power exercised in activity).

always refers to a superhuman power so he says this power is characterized by its actual working then the next word the strength the katas refers to the strength exercised in the activity its power shown in action you might see some fellow with a 54 inch chest and 22 inch biceps and you look at that guy and say man he looks strong then you see him bend down and take 420 pounds and clean and jerk it you see the strength of the man that's it there it is its might in operation and then he uses the word might its kous its power as inherent power as possessed whether its active or not that's what y...

38:57 - 40:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Beware of any emphasis which says that only an advanced group have the power of God operative in them; this power is for every single saint.

The difference between being told money has been deposited in your account (appraising you of possessions) versus being told to go deposit it yourself (making impossible demands) illustrates the gospel as appraising us of what God has already done, not demanding conditions.

of any emphasis which says that only an advanced group have the power of God operative in them this idea you've got a whole bunch of people called Christians and then most of them the power of God is operative in them and then you've got a little group who've gone beyond and the power of God is operative in them that does not stand up to the teaching of this doctrine says I'm praying not that you may have the power operative but that you may know the power that's already operative to you if you're a believer that's all the difference in the world says I'm praying not that you may have the powe...

47:45 - 49:13 Read in full sermon