According to the Riches of His Glory

In one paragraph

Pastor Will walked through Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul's prayer for the church, showing how the reasons Paul gives for praying reach all the way back through the letter to everything God has already done for his people. The sermon followed the prayer section by section, from the strengthening of the inner being through to the closing doxology about God's glory in the church forever. Paul opens with...

Read together

1. Ephesians 2 Jews and Gentiles no longer foreigners and strangers but fellow citizens, building analogy with Jesus as cornerstone
2. Ephesians 3:1 for this reason, Paul begins thought he does not finish until verse 14
3. Ephesians 3:14-19 Paul kneeling before the father, praying for inner being, faith, knowledge of Christ's love, and fullness of God
4. Ephesians 3:20-21 God able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations
5. Ephesians 1:5 according to the good pleasure of his will
6. Ephesians 1:7-8 according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us
7. Ephesians 1:11 according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will
8. Ephesians 1:18-19 the immeasurable greatness of his power
9. Ephesians 2:6 immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus
10. Ephesians 2:21 the whole building being put together grows into a holy temple in the lord, built together for God's dwelling in the spirit
11. Ephesians 4 outer self is wasting away but inner self is being renewed day by day, maturity measured in fullness
12. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me, the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God
13. 1 Corinthians 3:16 do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's spirit dwells in you
14. John 15:5 the one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit because you can do nothing without me
15. John 15:8 my father is glorified by this, that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples
16. John 15:9 as the father has loved me, I also have loved you, remain in my love
17. John 15:12 this is my command, love one another as I have loved you, no one has greater love than this, to lay down his life for his friends
18. John 15:17 love one another

Talk about it

1. Pastor William talked about how Paul prays for our inner being rather than our outer being, and mentioned people in the room whose outer being is wasting away but whose inner being is being renewed to the point of sharing the gospel with doctors and nurses. What does it look like in your own life right now to prioritize your inner being over your outer being?
2. Pastor William used the analogy of a run-down foreclosure house to describe how Christ purchases us and then begins a renovation project, working on rooms we haven't let him into yet. Are there rooms in your life you have been keeping him out of, and what has made it hard to let him in?
3. Pastor William described the comprehension of Christ's love as a group project, saying we learn from each other, see how others are strong in their inner being, and grow together as the church. Who in your life has helped you understand something about God's love that you couldn't have seen on your own?
4. Pastor William pointed to the connection between faith and Christ's dwelling in us, describing it as a direct relationship where as faith increases, the presence of Christ in us increases. What has either built or weakened that faith in your own experience?
5. Pastor William closed by saying that anyone discipling someone younger is taking part in glorifying God throughout all generations, and he challenged people who are not discipling anyone to find somebody to pour into. Who are you currently pouring into, and if no one, what is holding you back?