Ephesians 1: 19-23
:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, :20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, :21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: :22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, :23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Paul is finishing his prayer for the believers and elaborates on the subject of power more than the other two subjects of his prayer, hope and inheritance. I want us to notice a few things in the closing of chapter one and the closing of Paul's prayer. This power he is speaking of not only brought Christ from the dead to the living but brought Him from death on earth to life on earth but it brought Him much higher than from death to life but from death to eternal life and not only eternal life but to the highest position held in heaven. The right hand of God, the seat of power. This power he tells us was wrought when this happened. When he says it was wrought in Christ it means we see its potential or ability in how it raise Christ not from death to life only but from death to the right hand of God. This is the power Paul, through the influence of the Holy Ghost, wants us to know. The same power of God that raised Christ is the same power that our father has and demonstrates in us and for us as it is needed. So Paul gives us the example of what God's power is capable of and the greatest display of His power wasn't in Egypt or at the Red Sea, or even in the miracles Jesus performed here on Earth but on the third day,when Jesus came forth from the grave victorious over death, hell and the grave and then forty days later when he ascended into the heavens and sat down on the right hand of God. That was and is still the greatest display of his power and that power is something we have access to as we need it and God sees fit. We all say there is nothing to hard for God but often we don't act as if we really believe it. It is a fact, there is nothing to hard for Him. The knowledge of this power is to comfort and embolden us to serve without reservation or fear, He can and will do all that is necessary. Imagine you worked for a billionaire, you did his bidding, you worked for his benefit and his advancement was your work. You wouldn't be expected to use your own money to tend to the affairs of his business or your own means to further his wealth and if he was a good employer anything that you spent would be reimbursed and your work would be compensated generously. I had a good employer in the states and I never once worried about what was spent, I knew the bill wasn't mine to pay and my employer never gave me any reason to doubt that on payday I would be compensated generously. Now, has God ever short handed you? Has he ever been late on a payment? Will anyone be more fair, nay, more gracious than Him? No not one, He is absolutely fair, He is more gracious than we can imagine and He is the King of Kings. We can and should have great confidence the Savior that we work for, He has never and will never give us any reason not to trust Him fully with everything we have. This power is to bring confidence in our Savior and also to establish a truth. A truth when believed and applied affects the very way we think and walk out our Christian life. That truth is that He is in control.
Jesus is above principality, power, might, dominion, and every name in this world and the world to come. He is now currently, this very minute on the throne of the universe and that is who we serve. Do you believe He is in control? If you will accept and believe this truth you can welcome the lowest valley or the highest mountain. You can pass through the furnace of affliction the same as you would pass through days of ease and enjoyment. Do all things really work together for our good? Or is that just something we say? It is absolutely true, good things, bad things.....all things. He allows them all to come and measures out what we need. Often we let our feelings determine what we believe instead of facts, feelings say this trial is bad or this chastisement is bad but the scripture, the facts, tell me He knows best, facts tell me I'm chastened because I'm loved. The fact is He is in control and all things are under His feet. Then Paul proceeds to tell us we are the body of Christ. He is the head, the controller of the body, and we are the body. I won't reckon my self to be any body part of importance, I am among the lowest but even if I am the smallest toe, this still puts all things under the church. You might feel as if your are the lowest member of the body, but be comforted because the lowest part of the body of Christ is still far above principalities, power, might, dominion, and ever name that is name in this world and the one to come. We should find great comfort in the the knowledge of God's power and the high position our Savior holds. He describes us, the church, as the fullness of Christ. Oh I can certainly believe He is my fullness but to know that we are his fullness is to know that He loves me without measure. Me, a sinner, the fullness of Christ?We are His and He is ours what wonderful love that wrought such truth. He powerful beyond measure and He our fullness and us His. This truth is one that should be meditated on because it's good isn't extracted in a simple reading and passing over but is one that expands with thought and meditation. Cows eat in the mornings, without chewing they swallow pounds of grass. throughout the day they bring what they ate that morning back and chew on it throughout the day, chewing the cud. This is when the nutrients are extracted. Let's do that, we may not have time for careful consideration of truths in the morning but it's important we get the scripture in our hearts, then throughout the day The Spirit will bring back to us the text we digested that morning and often this is when the real nutrients and truth and blessings are extracted.
According to the riches of His Grace!!
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