Title: Have Confidence in the Power of God
We approach the book of Ephesians as a call to Learn & Live the Truth of Who You Are in Christ
Today, we’re going to see the immense privilege it is to have Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
We’re also going to see how significant it is that He is the head and leader of the church.
We looked last week at Ephesians 1:15-23 and delved into verses 15-20 specifically.
We understood our passage as teaching us to “Pray for the Full Confidence in God’s Provision.”
We’re going to revisit these verses again this week.
Ephesians 1:15–23
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called
you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness
of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ
when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only
in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all
things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Before we finish off this passage on the provision that God provides in Christ, let me share with you about a
pipe organ performance which humbled the grandmaster who performed in it.
The town had talked about it for weeks—the great organist was coming. Posters were hung in shop
windows, the church had been swept and polished, and the tall brass pipes of the old pipe organ gleamed
like new. This was the pride of the congregation: a magnificent, hand-crafted organ, the kind that filled the
whole building with sound so rich it felt like it rolled down the aisles and wrapped around your shoulders.
But there was one catch. This organ did not run on electricity. Its sound depended entirely on a hand-
pumped bellows, hidden behind the instrument—an exhausting job that required steady strength and
timing.
For this evening’s recital, the church had hired a young farm boy to pump the bellows. He was small,
smiling, eager, and paid a few coins for his trouble.
The organist, a grand, dignified man with silver spectacles and a well-trimmed mustache, took his seat at
the bench. The crowd settled. The first note sounded—warm, deep, full of life. The music filled the
sanctuary.
The boy pumped steadily in the hidden chamber behind the organ: push, pull—push, pull—air to the pipes.
After several pieces, the boy, feeling quite proud of himself, leaned around the side and whispered, “We're
doing pretty good, aren’t we?”
Without missing a beat or lifting his eyes from the music, the organist replied, crisp and cool: “What do you
mean we?”
The boy’s face fell back behind the organ, and he went on pumping in silence.
A few minutes later, the organist launched into his grand finale. His fingers flew. The audience was
captivated. The music rose—swelled—soared— And then, suddenly, it stopped. Not a fading stop. Not a
gentle weakening. Just dead silence. The organist pressed the keys harder. Nothing. He yanked at stops,
tapped pedals, flicked switches. Nothing at all.
Then, around the corner of the organ, just where he had appeared before, the small face of the boy peeked
out—grinning ear to ear.He asked, very sweetly: “Now do you know what I mean by we?”
The master organist was only able to function in as much as he rode on the power provided by another.
I think you’ll find it to be the same for us as we seek to follow Christ.
Except we bring much less to the stage (if you will) and whatever we contribute is nothing compared to
immeasurable power of God.
This morning, I hope to convince you from God’s Word to - Have Confidence in the Power of God
I mentioned last week that God’s power that He works toward us who believe is immeasurable.
We measure nuclear blasts in terms of how many kilotons of explosive energy is released.
Just so you know, a kiloton is the same amount as if you piled up 2 million pounds of TNT and set it off.
A thermonuclear explosion took place as a test in North Korea on Sept. 3, 2017.
Based on seismic measurements the estimated power of the explosion was 120–250 kilotons.
So, that’s 120-250 times 2 million pounds of TNT.
And we’re told that the power of God that is at work toward us who believe in Christ as our Savior is
IMMEASUREABLE.
We can measure 250 kilotons of nuclear blast, but he power of God is immeasurable.
And it’s described as the power of God that is at work toward the follower of Christ.
This morning, we’re focusing in on that power and how it was expressed in God’s greatest work of restoring
Christ to life and to His throne and restoring His followers to our intended purpose.
So, we look this morning at how -
[Paul prays that we might know the greatness of God’s power, which is in accordance with His great
might]…
20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is
named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him
as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
From these verses, I first want to challenge you to have confidence in the power of God -
1. WHICH RAISED AND EXALTED THE CONQUERING CHRIST. (20-21)
20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is
named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Looking first at verse 20, we see God’s power was put on display at history’s most crucial moment
20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly places,
The power of God in which we can have confidence was put on display when God raised Christ from the
dead and placed Him again in His place of honor as God.
This moment was the when the penalty of sin was shown to have been paid.
And death was shown to be defeated
This may be a little confusing that God raised Christ because, Jesus Christ is God.
Other places in scripture tell us that Christ raised Himself and others talk about the Spirit raising Him.
The bottom line is that the whole Trinity was involved in the conquering of death by raising Jesus.
Another confusing idea may be of Christ being at the right hand of God.
As a member of the Trinity, how can Christ be at God’s right hand?
If Christ is omnipresent as God, how can He be located in heaven, sitting on a throne?
If God is spirit, does He have a hand next to which Christ would sit?
The idea of Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God isn’t about His location.
The right hand represents the seat of power and favor.
It’s symbolic of Christ’s authority over heaven and earth.
This is the display of His authority that He regained after having purchased our redemption.
We’ll see in Ephesians 4:10 that He’s described as He who descended and the one that ascended.
As well, we can read about Jesus’ humility and exaltation in Philippians 2:5-10
* Philippians 2:5–10 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though
he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by
taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he
humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has
highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
The place He ascended to is the same place He deserved to be - now His glory is on full display.
21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only
in this age but also in the one to come.
Far above isn’t saying that Jesus occupies the top-floor office.
It’s simply pointing to His superiority.
And that superiority is over everything that we might think could rival Him - He’s far beyond them all.
The categories that Paul lists under Jesus are all categories that none of us belong to.
They’re all beyond us.
Most believe that these categories reflect different ranks of angelic beings.
Jesus is infinitely superior to all of them.
=>In fact, He created them, as we read in -
* Colossians 1:16 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
So, what does it mean that Jesus is above every name that is named in the present age and also in the
next age/eternity?
This is talking about terms of honor.
And we come up with some pretty good ones.
“Your honor”
“Your excellency”
“Your highness”
“Your majesty”
“Grand Pubbah”
We bequeath these names to people to represent the honor we believe their worthy of.
Jesus’ name is higher than any name of recognition or any honor we might give to anyone.
And the honor due to Him is more than any being in the physical or spiritual realm at any point of time.
Colosians 2:15 tells us that at Jesus’ resurrection and ascension,
* Colossians 2:15 [God] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing
over them in him.
This is speaking specifically of the defeated demonic powers.
By Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, they were stripped of their power and right to accuse
Christians.
Sadly, they continue to do so rebelliously.
But they’re gonna get theirs.
I remember hearing about this really awkward moment on an award show that I didn’t watch or care about.
In 2009, Taylor Swift received an award for “Best Female Music Video.”
During her acceptance speech, another artist who I also don’t’ care anything about named Kanye got up
and took over the mic.
In his counter speech he argued that another female artist should’ve received the award instead.
Yeah, it was really awkward.
The world bickers about who’s prettier or who’s better in some small category in a small slice of time.
We’re not to be caught up in it or troubled by it.
Our Savior has the final title that beats all titles.
And He’s never going to be a “has been.”
Your praise and obedience to Him (worshiping Him with your life) is always going to have been the best
investment you could’ve made with your life for all eternity.
Your giving of your time and your treasure to further His kingdom is going to have been the best investment
you could ever have made.
Having a relationship with the conquering Christ, is there anything that you think He can’t help you with?
Is there any entity (physical or spiritual) that you fear or treat as if they have more power & authority than
Jesus?
From the rest of this morning’s verses, I want to challenge you to have confidence in the power of God
2. WHICH ELEVATES THOSE WHO FOLLOW CHRIST. (22-23)
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his
body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
The first way that we’re elevated by the power of God that was put on display is easy to miss.
It has to do with the idea that Jesus replaced Adam as the father of mankind.
So, we can see that God’s power elevates those who follow Christ in that -
2A. CHRIST HAS DOMINION OVER ALL THINGS AS THE LAST ADAM.
22a And he put all things under his feet
What does it mean that all things were put under Jesus’ feet.
These are words of submission.
But Jesus already had superiority over creation as Creator God.
This is referring to Psalm 8:6 which describes mankind as having dominion over creation.
Here’s what Psalm 8:3-6 tells us
* Psalm 8:3–6 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which
you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,
Man was “crowned with glory and honor” and given dominion over the rest of God’s creation.
But mankind lost much of this high position, being in bondage to sin due to Adam’s fall.
Jesus returned to His original place of glory.
But He returned as the Last Adam.
And all things were placed under His feet as our redeemer.
He is in His exalted position not just as God by now as the God-Man.
And all things are once again subjected to Him.
Here we see evidence that Jesus didn’t just redeem us from being condemned to hell.
He also restored those who follow Him to our intended role by bringing creation in subjection to us once
again as His followers.
In His ascension as the Last Adam, Christ provided for us to be restored to our original purpose of glorifying
God as we follow Him.
Men, when I teach the next Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study on the 15 th , we’ll dig into this.
We’re going to look at what 1 Corinthians 15:45 means when it says,
“‘the first man Adam became a living being;’ the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”
The fact is that we can follow the first Adam who brought sin and death into the world.
Or we can follow the Last Adam who gives life to others and brings glory to God.
Are you living more like you’re related to the First Adam or the Last Adam?
Christ has given us the opportunity to return to the original purpoe for which we were created.
We can pursue God’s glory in all that we do once again.
we can also see that God’s power elevates those who follow Christ in that -
2B. THE CEO OF THE CHURCH IS IN CHARGE OF ALL OF CREATION.
22b and gave him as head over all things to the church
And we as the church have Jesus as our head
He’s our head just as we speak of the President being the head of our government.
And Jesus (who is to be in total control and direction of the church) is also head of all things that exist.
Quote - EBC - “The church can thus overcome all opposition because of the absolute Lordship of Christ.”
Do you value the church as the organization which belongs to Jesus personally?
The last way we can see that God’s power elevates those who follow Christ is in that
2C. THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT HEAD.
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Not only is Christ our head, THE CHURCH is His body!
In Romans and 1 Corinthians, the church is referred to as a body in the sense that it has members that all
have their own function as the members of our bodies (hands, feet or eye) do.
But Ephesians and Colossians, point to us as Christ’s body because He is our head.
And we are His body, carrying out His impulses and desires the same way that your head is directing your
body to function and accomplish what it sets out to do.
Similar to the amazing statement that the head of ALL things has been given to us as OUR head,
We have this headship relationship with the FULLNESS of God who fills all things.
Jesus is the one who fills all in all - He is the significance of everything everywhere.
Other places where this word is used reflect the weight of Jesus’ significance.
For instance in -
* Colossians 2:9 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
Jesus is full in the sense that He is the full expression of the godhead.
It’s one thing to fil a bucket with Styrofoam.
And it’s another thing entirely to fill it with gold.
It’s different in its weight and in its value.
Similarly, as Christ’s body, we are made significant because of our relationship with the one that is the most
significant, weighty, and valuable being in the universe.
The New Testament Commentary describes it as “God’s purpose that the church should be the full
expression of Jesus Christ, who himself fills everything there is.”
As a part of Christ’s body, do you give Him full control like the way your head controls your hands?
Have Confidence in the Power of God Which Elevates Those Who Follow Christ.
I’ve shared with some of you how recently I went through a rough time.
I don’t know if I’d call it a mid-life crisis.
But with the completion of my doctorate, I felt a strong pressure to do something with it.
I would lay awake at night wondering if I should convert my dissertation into a book.
Or maybe I should apply to be an adjunct professor at a Bible college.
I think part of it was a desire that all my work would amount to something other than just my benefit from
what I learned.
As I was laying in bed wrestling with these questions, I asked the Lord,
“Why am I so troubled by needing to do something with this degree?”
“Why does it have to amount to something?”
And the Lord helped me to see in that moment - I was searching for significance.
This was a wonderful insight because I knew that, by focusing on who I am in Christ, I would see that I
have my greatest significance from my relationship with God in Christ.
Much of what we’ve learned about the power of God that was involved in the ascension of Jesus
also has to do with our significance.
Our Savior has dominion over all things as the Last Adam.
And we have the opportunity to glorify God by exercising His dominion over the our world once again.
No other organization can claim the one who is in charge of all of creation as their CEO.
Whatever we seek to accomplish as a church under His direction is the most significant work we could ever
invest ourselves in.
Christ isn’t just our leader.
He is our head.
We have the opportunity by being indwelt by His Holy Spirit to be directed by Him personally.
We get to be His hands and feet and grow closer to Him as we seek to be better guided by Him.
Let me close with one of my favorite stories.
A logging foreman sold a farmer a chainsaw guaranteed to cut down 50 trees in a single day.
A week later, a very unhappy farmer came to report that the power saw must be faulty.
It averaged only three trees a day.
The foreman grabbed the saw, pulled the cord, and the saw promptly start it up with a “BUZZZZZ.”
The startled farmer demanded, " Hey! What's that noise?”
It’s obviously crazy to think of someone trying to cut down a tree with a chainsaw that isn’t running.
It’s no less crazy for us to think that we’re powerless to change or to make a difference in the world when
we have the power of God at work toward us as believers.
I think it’s time for many of us to figure out how to be used by our powerful God for His glory.
