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〝The Power of God〟 Eph 1:15-23 August 3rd 2008
(The power of God in the church) 教会にある神の力
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John Taylor |
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When you think of the church, what comes to mind?
Friends? Singing? Heat? Christmas? Bible?
Love, forgiveness, strict, judgment, duty, service …
At the end of Ephesians 1, Paul is thinking about the church, and he prays for the church.
Looking at three things he prays for the church, it is good for us to pray for these things in our own fellowship too.
Paul prays not that the church would be friendly, or happy or strict, etc. He prays that they would be a powerful church.
As he does so, three things highlighted ?
The power of God,神の力
The power of prayer祈りの力, and
The power of fellowship.交わりの力
The power of God神の力
First of all, the power of God is to be seen in the church because it is seen in Christキリストにあって (20).
Particularly in the resurrection.
復活 That power of God that raised Jesus is at work in the church, giving life to things that were dead!
死んだものに命をIs there something this morning about which you have given up hope ? a relationship, a desire?
God’s power at work in the church brings new life, new hope.新しい命、新しい希望
It is also seen in the heavenly places天において(20-22).
The risen Lord Jesus has the victory over “all rule and authority power and dominion.
” すべての支配、権威、主権の上にSometimes we can feel that all the world is against us.
City regulations forbid church activity in most of Izumi Park Town ? what shall we do?
Families expect us to worship at the family altar at Obon ? how can we resist?
God’s work in our various situations will show that he has the victory ? often in unexpected ways.
神様の御業～勝利～期待していないところに
God’s power is also seen in us who believe私たち信仰者に働く(19).
From the moment you believed, God has been at work in you to change you into the likeness of his Son, Jesus. イエスに似ているように
You may not have noticed that change, but God has been at work.
The people closest to you may sometimes criticise ? “Call yourself a Christian!”
We have to acknowledge that we do not always live up to the teaching of Jesus.
But the fact is that in the weeks or years since you believed, God’s power has been at work in your life, changing you.
As God’s power changes us as individuals, it is also at work in the church教会に与えた(22).
The church is a gathering of imperfect people who are aware of our short-comings, and need forgiveness ? not only from God, but also from one another, as in our selfish behavior we offend one another!
How is that forgiveness possible? ? in Christ. Christ is the head of the church, and all power has been given to him.
By the working of that power an amazing transformation is possible in the church ? as His body,
we are “the fullness of him who fills everything in every way”! いっさいのものをいっさいのものによって満たす力の満ちておられるところです(23)
What does this mean?
For a start go back to v.17 ? having wisdom知恵, the knowledge of God神様を知る ? who he is and what he has done. His love愛, his holiness義, his forgiveness赦し.
The power of prayer祈りの力
As we learn about God’s power in the church, we see too the power of prayer.
Paul believed in the power of prayer, and that is why he prays for the church that is reading his letter.
He begins withThanks感謝(16).
Thanks for them as people ? people saved by God’s work in their lived.
Thanks that God has chosen選び them, saved救い them and sealed them with his Holy Spirit御霊をもって、証印おを押された.
He goes on to say he remembers them in his prayers, asking that God would do things for them - Intercessionとりなし ? that they would know Jesusイエスを知る(17)
- that they would know the hope to which we are called神の召しによってどのような希望が与えられている(18)
? to be holy and blameless in his sight (4), forgiven (7), enfolded in his love (5), pleasing him (5,9), receiving the riches of his grace (7)
- that they would know the riches of his inheritance受け継ぐものがどれほど豊かなものである(18)
? the future riches of a place in heaven, and the present riches of being a member of his family, his possession (5,14)
- that they would know his power神の力を悟る(19-21) as we have already seen
The power of fellowship交わりの力
Then, as we see answers to these prayers in our own lives and in the lives of our fellow believers in the church, so we begin to see the power of fellowship.
It is not a superficial thing that is intent on ME being happy and content in the presence of other people.
Christian fellowship is always centered on others. First and foremost, it is Faith in Jesus主イエスキリストを信じる(15).
That is the first thing Paul mentions about this church. He heard about their faith in Jesus.
Then it is Love towards all the saints すべての聖なるものを愛する(15).
He heard about how they loved and cared for one another in the local fellowship.
Also how they showed God’s love for other believers in other places by sending money to help them when things were difficult.
Then Paul shows the power of his fellowship with church by his Prayer祈るfor them.
Also his expectation that they would experience God’s power 神の力を悟るat work in their fellowship.
What they have in their fellowship that makes it so good and beneficial is not some great personalities, or people with great gift, etc.,
but it is God’s power at work amongst them so that the fruit of the Spirit is seen growing in their fellowship, and the gifts of the Spirit were operating in their fellowship so that all may grow stronger in their walk with God.
May we see these things in our church as we seek to grow in our fellowship with God and with each other. |
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