Just for fun . . . tongue planted firmly in cheek:
and . . . the short sermon that I never ended up preaching. My sincere apologies to Huey Lewis and the News:
The Power of Love
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
The power of love is a curious thing. It makes one man weep, and another man sing. Change a hawk, to a little white dove. More than a feeling. That’s the power of love.
The love of God transcends any human love. He loves so deeply that the power of it can bring the hardest heart to salvation, and the deepest of enemies into the same family.
Planted in our hearts, the power of God can work through us to accomplish more than we ever imagined.
God’s Power
vv14-17 - For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
You don't need money, don't need fame. You don't need a credit card to ride this train. It's strong and it's sudden and it seems cruel sometimes. But it might just save your life.
God’s power was demonstrated in his great love for us through Christ. Though we were helpless in our sin, Jesus willingly came and took the full wrath of God on himself on the cross. He died, but he rose again. That same power that would willingly redeem the entire world through love, that would conquer death, went through the grave and out the other side to dwell inside of you.
No matter how helpless or insecure or unworthy you may believe yourself to be, God’s power is available for you. Before you ever did anything, right or wrong, faith filled or villainous, God prepared to be united with you, and to use his power through you for his eternal, perfect purposes.
God’s Love
vv18-19 - And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
But you know what to do when it gets hold of you. With a little help from above you feel the power of love. It changes a hawk to a little white dove. More than a feeling. That’s the power of love.
God’s love is a powerful force, wider than any chasm between enemies, waiting longer than you would ever run from it, going deeper than you would ever fall from it, lifting you higher than you could ever go without it. When you receive the spirit of Christ by faith, his power changes you from the inside out, allowing you to know a love that is unknowable. His love is the source that the roots of your life drink from. His love is the fruit displayed in your life when you establish yourself in him. It gets ahold of you, and you are consumed by it.
Our Worship
vv20-21 - Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
First time you feel it, it might make you sad. Next time you feel it, it might make you mad. But you'll be glad baby when you've found that it’s the power that makes the world go 'round.
God has an intention and a purpose and a plan for you. He loves you, and he empowers you. When we are truly rooted and grounded in the love of God by faith in Jesus, our heart and life explodes with rapturous joy at the knowledge of his goodness. The highest authority in all of heaven and earth has chosen you, loved you, dwells inside you. Nothing is impossible for God. Through faith in him, he will accomplish through us his mission on earth, which is greater than anything we can plan, or learn, or hope, or ask of him, or even imagine. Another translation says that he will accomplish more through us than we ask in our highest prayers.
The power and love of God are received by faith (our roots in the Bible and the Spirit), and activated through our lives in our practice and obedience to his call (our fruits from a life of worship).
We are obedient and faithful. Whatever he asks, we will do, and we are able through him who loves us.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
God’s Power. God’s Love. Our Worship.
To him be glory in us and in Jesus forever.
Amen.
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