WEBVTT 00:00:04.700 --> 00:00:07.580 One of our dynamic small churches is Small Church 00:00:07.580 --> 00:00:11.580 28. They began meeting today at 8 .15 in the 00:00:11.580 --> 00:00:16.320 morning. Some of them with young children, nonetheless, 00:00:16.460 --> 00:00:19.100 were able to be out at that early hour to allow 00:00:19.100 --> 00:00:21.780 us a little more breathing space in these two 00:00:21.780 --> 00:00:26.239 other hours that we come together. This morning 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:28.179 they had breakfast down there and the men cooked 00:00:28.179 --> 00:00:31.440 it. I want to tell you, it was really good. It 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:33.619 was really good. They had something called Egg 00:00:33.619 --> 00:00:37.200 Souffle, I think. Was that the name of it? Something 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:39.820 close to that, anyway. It was quite delicious. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:43.299 They started cooking last night and had it ready 00:00:43.299 --> 00:00:48.640 by this morning. I do think that they slept overnight 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:51.579 and finished it up this morning. Thank you for 00:00:51.579 --> 00:00:54.560 that invitation, and God bless you and your ministry 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:56.420 in that hour. God is doing some great things 00:00:56.420 --> 00:01:01.549 in our small churches. When I was a youngster, 00:01:01.590 --> 00:01:04.890 I recall the congregation standing at the start 00:01:04.890 --> 00:01:09.010 of absolutely every Sunday morning service and 00:01:09.010 --> 00:01:13.049 singing together the doxology as the choir came 00:01:13.049 --> 00:01:17.469 in. At that time, I thought doxology was the 00:01:17.469 --> 00:01:20.790 name of that particular piece. But since then, 00:01:20.810 --> 00:01:23.310 I've found out that the word doxology is used 00:01:23.310 --> 00:01:25.909 in other ways. It's not just the name of that 00:01:25.909 --> 00:01:29.719 one common chorus that we sometimes sing. But 00:01:29.719 --> 00:01:31.959 actually the word doxology is from the Greek 00:01:31.959 --> 00:01:35.900 language, and it means to speak praise. There 00:01:35.900 --> 00:01:38.459 are many doxologies of God. One of them is the 00:01:38.459 --> 00:01:42.319 force in our text today in Ephesians chapter 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:47.519 3, verses 20 and 21. Paul closes this first section 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:51.319 of his epistle, chapters 1 through 3, with this 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:55.060 doxology of praise to God. It serves also as 00:01:55.060 --> 00:01:58.650 the climax or the high point of the book. After 00:01:58.650 --> 00:02:01.730 building a mountain of truth, telling us who 00:02:01.730 --> 00:02:05.510 we are in Jesus Christ, in the next three chapters 00:02:05.510 --> 00:02:07.409 of the book, he's going to allow that truth to 00:02:07.409 --> 00:02:11.849 trickle down into our lives, practically, touching 00:02:11.849 --> 00:02:15.629 every area where we live. So today we're at the 00:02:15.629 --> 00:02:18.810 mountain peak. We're at the summit of the truth, 00:02:18.969 --> 00:02:22.969 and here he voices praise to the Lord. The statement 00:02:22.969 --> 00:02:26.569 of praise not only blesses God, but it also stimulates 00:02:26.569 --> 00:02:30.680 us. It stimulates us to act upon what we've studied, 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:33.500 that we might live it out. I think as we look 00:02:33.500 --> 00:02:36.439 at these verses, we can ask three simple questions 00:02:36.439 --> 00:02:39.520 to open it up to our understanding. There are 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:43.240 the simple questions, who, what, and how. Who 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:46.439 is in view in these verses? The answer, of course, 00:02:46.500 --> 00:02:49.800 is God the Father. In fact, we have here suggested 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:52.500 to us another of his Trinitarian statements, 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:58.020 to him who is able. In verse 21, he mentions 00:02:58.020 --> 00:03:01.819 in Christ Jesus. And again in verse 20, he talks 00:03:01.819 --> 00:03:04.000 about the power that works within us, and comparing 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:06.759 that with verse 16, we know that to be the Holy 00:03:06.759 --> 00:03:10.699 Spirit. And so when he says to him who is able, 00:03:10.860 --> 00:03:13.580 we know that he is speaking of God the Father. 00:03:13.699 --> 00:03:16.680 God the Father is the object of all glory and 00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:21.020 praise. Even our Lord Jesus Christ ascribed glory 00:03:21.020 --> 00:03:25.430 to him. In John 13, 31, after Judas had gone 00:03:25.430 --> 00:03:29.310 out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, 00:03:29.310 --> 00:03:35.530 and God is glorified in him. In his high priestly 00:03:35.530 --> 00:03:39.330 prayer, our Lord Jesus said, I have glorified 00:03:39.330 --> 00:03:44.469 thee on the earth. And so the purpose of the 00:03:44.469 --> 00:03:47.110 Lord Jesus being in the world was, yes, to give 00:03:47.110 --> 00:03:50.900 himself as a ransom for us sinners. But overarching 00:03:50.900 --> 00:03:53.960 that and every other purpose, it was that he 00:03:53.960 --> 00:03:57.919 might glorify God the Father. And even now he 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:00.939 answers prayer for that same purpose. In John 00:04:00.939 --> 00:04:04.680 14, 13, it says, Jesus speaking, Whatever you 00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:08.800 ask in my name, that will I do that the Father 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:13.979 may be glorified in the Son. So God the Father 00:04:13.979 --> 00:04:17.139 is the object of praise and worship. And why 00:04:17.139 --> 00:04:21.699 is that? It's because he is glorious in his attributes. 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:25.660 The word attributes refers to his nature, what 00:04:25.660 --> 00:04:29.079 describes God. We've seen a number of those already 00:04:29.079 --> 00:04:31.180 here in Ephesians. For example, back in chapter 00:04:31.180 --> 00:04:35.139 1 and verse 4, it says that he chose us in him, 00:04:35.300 --> 00:04:38.220 in Christ, before the foundation of the world. 00:04:38.500 --> 00:04:42.939 Here we have the eternality of God. God had no 00:04:42.939 --> 00:04:48.240 beginning. The world, time and space, All of 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:51.699 that had a beginning, but before it was, there 00:04:51.699 --> 00:04:54.740 was God, and God was acting. God is eternal. 00:04:54.860 --> 00:04:58.459 In verse 5, he reminds us, not only did he choose 00:04:58.459 --> 00:05:02.300 us in Christ, but he predestined us to adoption 00:05:02.300 --> 00:05:04.980 as sons. And so here we have the sovereignty 00:05:04.980 --> 00:05:08.420 of God. God is a great king and worthy of all 00:05:08.420 --> 00:05:10.920 praise. He is the king of kings and lord of lords. 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:14.120 He is sovereign. In verse 6, we have mentioned 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:17.410 one of many times, his grace. Another of his 00:05:17.410 --> 00:05:21.490 attributes. Again in verse 8, it mentions the 00:05:21.490 --> 00:05:24.750 wisdom and insight of God. Again in chapter 3, 00:05:24.829 --> 00:05:28.050 it mentions his wisdom as an attribute. In chapter 00:05:28.050 --> 00:05:31.930 1, verse 19, he talks about the power which he 00:05:31.930 --> 00:05:35.089 can demonstrate toward us and has in Christ's 00:05:35.089 --> 00:05:38.110 resurrection and ascension. And so here we have 00:05:38.110 --> 00:05:42.410 the power that is God's. He is omnipotent, all 00:05:42.410 --> 00:05:46.139 -powerful. In chapter 2, verse 4, we have the 00:05:46.139 --> 00:05:48.879 word mercy used. And again in that same verse, 00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:52.000 the word love. Both of those attributes of God. 00:05:52.060 --> 00:05:55.639 So why does Paul praise God? It is because he 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:59.759 has just expressed to us in these chapters the 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:04.279 attributes of God. Now he tells us in our text 00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:06.439 that there are two specific works which show 00:06:06.439 --> 00:06:10.649 forth the glorious attributes of God. He tells 00:06:10.649 --> 00:06:14.129 us in verse 21, to him be the glory in the church, 00:06:14.329 --> 00:06:18.850 first of all. The church, the body of the redeemed 00:06:18.850 --> 00:06:23.129 during this age, you and I who are born again 00:06:23.129 --> 00:06:27.730 through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The church 00:06:27.730 --> 00:06:32.569 serves as a vessel to display the reality of 00:06:32.569 --> 00:06:36.790 God to a watching world. All of the attributes 00:06:36.790 --> 00:06:39.870 that have been listed for us. in these chapters 00:06:39.870 --> 00:06:43.189 are exhibited in the experience of the church. 00:06:43.370 --> 00:06:47.470 They all relate to us. And so he says that to 00:06:47.470 --> 00:06:50.769 him be the glory first in the church, because 00:06:50.769 --> 00:06:54.850 God wants to demonstrate his glories as God in 00:06:54.850 --> 00:06:58.769 our lives, in our fellowship as a body of believers. 00:06:59.589 --> 00:07:02.709 We're not just here to have a social time on 00:07:02.709 --> 00:07:06.410 Sunday morning. We are here to worship God and 00:07:06.410 --> 00:07:08.709 to be instructed so that then we might go out 00:07:08.709 --> 00:07:13.629 and impact our world for the glory of God. But 00:07:13.629 --> 00:07:16.709 secondly, he says, to him be the glory in Christ 00:07:16.709 --> 00:07:22.910 Jesus. All of God's attributes are fully made 00:07:22.910 --> 00:07:26.750 visible in Christ. As the writer of Hebrews says, 00:07:27.170 --> 00:07:30.610 he is the exact representation of God's nature 00:07:30.610 --> 00:07:35.339 or God's essence. In other words, all that God 00:07:35.339 --> 00:07:41.339 is, is found in Christ Jesus, the Son. Paul says 00:07:41.339 --> 00:07:46.639 in Colossians 1 .15, In him, in Christ, all the 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:50.439 fullness of deity dwells in bodily form. That's 00:07:50.439 --> 00:07:54.920 Colossians 2 .9. In him, in Christ, all the fullness 00:07:54.920 --> 00:07:59.240 of deity dwells in bodily form. And then Colossians 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:03.480 1 .15, He is the image. of the invisible God. 00:08:03.860 --> 00:08:08.199 We cannot see God. He is spirit. But he has made 00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:12.920 himself visible in the Son, in Christ. So all 00:08:12.920 --> 00:08:15.439 that God is and his glorious attributes can be 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:18.800 seen in Christ Jesus. And oh, how God was glorified 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:22.839 in his Son and still is today as his Son works 00:08:22.839 --> 00:08:26.720 in our lives. God's glory is to be manifested 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:32.440 everlastingly. As he exists forever, so his praise 00:08:32.440 --> 00:08:36.399 must exist forever. There are two phrases in 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:40.019 verse 21 which combine to signify the unending 00:08:40.019 --> 00:08:43.360 nature of his glory. Notice those. To him be 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:49.000 the glory to all generations forever and forever. 00:08:49.980 --> 00:08:55.379 Notice first all generations. You are a part 00:08:55.379 --> 00:08:59.169 of some generation. At any time on the earth 00:08:59.169 --> 00:09:01.950 there is a mingling of generations. For a generation 00:09:01.950 --> 00:09:06.470 exists from the birth of the parents to the birth 00:09:06.470 --> 00:09:10.590 of their children. And so there's not an exact 00:09:10.590 --> 00:09:13.110 time frame on that. But that is a generation 00:09:13.110 --> 00:09:15.490 from the birth of the parent until that parent 00:09:15.490 --> 00:09:19.370 has his children. That is a generation. And what 00:09:19.370 --> 00:09:22.830 is said here is that God's praise is to all generations. 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:28.059 Now, we might think that is limited to time, 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:31.179 but it's one of those phrases in the Bible that 00:09:31.179 --> 00:09:35.080 means not just time, but eternity as well. We 00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:38.159 see that, for example, in Psalm 102 and verse 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:41.639 12, where it says, But thou, O Lord, dost abide 00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:46.960 forever, notice that, and by name to all generations. 00:09:48.620 --> 00:09:51.059 Now, in the Hebrew poetry, that parallelism is 00:09:51.059 --> 00:09:53.259 significant. What does all generations mean? 00:09:54.090 --> 00:09:57.929 It means forever. But then the apostle goes on 00:09:57.929 --> 00:10:00.450 to state that clearly, for he says, not only 00:10:00.450 --> 00:10:05.049 to all generations, but forever and ever. Literally, 00:10:05.129 --> 00:10:09.490 he says, to the age of the ages. That is a phrase 00:10:09.490 --> 00:10:11.850 that is found a number of times in the New Testament. 00:10:12.669 --> 00:10:15.389 It is found exactly like that. Sometimes it's 00:10:15.389 --> 00:10:19.850 called just the age or the ages. In 2 Peter 3 00:10:19.850 --> 00:10:22.789 .18, it says, both now and to the day of eternity. 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:26.980 In Jude 25, his praise is said to be before all 00:10:26.980 --> 00:10:30.360 time and now and forever, or literally unto the 00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:36.379 ages. God is eternal, that is, God is timeless, 00:10:36.460 --> 00:10:40.159 and God gives to us eternal life. But we have 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:43.320 a beginning. We will have no end, but we are 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:47.740 really everlasting, not eternal. We had a beginning, 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:50.399 but there is no end to us. And the way that the 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:54.330 Bible expresses our everlastingness, is to say 00:10:54.330 --> 00:10:58.789 that we will be to the age of the ages. Forever 00:10:58.789 --> 00:11:03.450 and ever we will be in heaven or hell as people, 00:11:03.509 --> 00:11:08.330 as individuals. God's praise, likewise, is everlasting. 00:11:10.110 --> 00:11:13.990 To all ages and all generations, to God be the 00:11:13.990 --> 00:11:18.990 glory in the church and in Christ Jesus. Now 00:11:18.990 --> 00:11:20.970 the second question we want to look at is this 00:11:20.970 --> 00:11:24.179 question of what. What is said here? about God 00:11:24.179 --> 00:11:27.620 the Father? Well, Paul's emphasis is that he 00:11:27.620 --> 00:11:35.740 is able. He says, to him who is able to do exceeding 00:11:35.740 --> 00:11:39.779 abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. That's 00:11:39.779 --> 00:11:43.000 what is said about God, to whom be the glory. 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:48.059 Notice the building of the thought here. Notice 00:11:48.059 --> 00:11:52.299 how it builds. There really are ten stones of 00:11:52.299 --> 00:11:57.799 truth. that are put together. They form a marvelous 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:01.460 temple of praise to God. The first one is just 00:12:01.460 --> 00:12:08.460 simply the word he, God. The second stone says 00:12:08.460 --> 00:12:13.799 he is, he is. You could preach a sermon on that. 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:21.320 The third stone, he is able. What that means 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:25.870 is that he, who is, possesses inherent power. 00:12:28.269 --> 00:12:33.590 He possesses the power of his own life to perpetuate 00:12:33.590 --> 00:12:38.190 himself without being diminished. He is able. 00:12:38.490 --> 00:12:41.889 All power is there in that. But it goes on to 00:12:41.889 --> 00:12:46.710 say, fourthly, he is able to do. God is not a 00:12:46.710 --> 00:12:48.850 God who is silent and still. God is a God who 00:12:48.850 --> 00:12:53.659 is acting. He is able to do. But then notice 00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:56.720 it goes on to say, he is able to do what you 00:12:56.720 --> 00:13:05.559 ask. That is a real turn on for prayer. He is 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:12.620 able to do what you ask. But he doesn't stop 00:13:12.620 --> 00:13:15.539 at that point. He says he is able to do what 00:13:15.539 --> 00:13:20.840 you ask or think. Or the idea seems to be imagined. 00:13:23.179 --> 00:13:28.039 God is able to do what you ask or what you imagine, 00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:32.879 what you dream. But he doesn't stop there. He 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:41.799 says he is able to do all you ask or think. Beyond 00:13:41.799 --> 00:13:48.039 that, he says, he is able to do beyond all that 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:52.639 you ask or think. But he doesn't stop at that 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:58.120 point. He says he is able to do abundantly beyond 00:13:58.120 --> 00:14:04.139 all you ask or think. One more stone to finish 00:14:04.139 --> 00:14:08.259 off this temple of praise. He says he is able 00:14:08.259 --> 00:14:14.220 to do exceeding abundantly beyond all you ask 00:14:14.220 --> 00:14:18.570 or think. Do you notice how that builds? There's 00:14:18.570 --> 00:14:22.250 excitement here in what God is able to do. What 00:14:22.250 --> 00:14:25.029 is the greatest thing that you've ever asked 00:14:25.029 --> 00:14:31.529 God to do? What is the prayer request that stretched 00:14:31.529 --> 00:14:37.549 you just to say it to God? God is able to do 00:14:37.549 --> 00:14:41.950 that. Whatever thought you have that you can 00:14:41.950 --> 00:14:46.429 put into words, whatever the request may be that 00:14:46.429 --> 00:14:51.629 you have of him, God is able to do exceedingly, 00:14:51.629 --> 00:14:57.210 abundantly beyond that. As you look back in your 00:14:57.210 --> 00:14:59.110 life, what's the greatest thing you've ever asked 00:14:59.110 --> 00:15:05.529 God for? Has it been worthy of God? This God? 00:15:07.690 --> 00:15:10.750 Let's ask a second question. How far can your 00:15:10.750 --> 00:15:16.740 imagination stretch? What are the dreams? that 00:15:16.740 --> 00:15:18.799 you've had that you've not even expressed to 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:21.960 others, but particularly to God at this point? 00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:26.620 I mean, the dream or the imagination seems so 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:30.559 out of the realm of the possible that you have 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:32.679 toyed with it in your own mind. You've thought 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:35.360 about it, but you've not even been able to ask 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:38.600 it of God. Do you recognize what he is saying 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:41.399 here about God as he's able to fulfill that for 00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:46.830 you? Now, it doesn't mean that God is a genie 00:15:46.830 --> 00:15:51.309 in a bottle who's ready to do every bid and wish 00:15:51.309 --> 00:15:54.769 of his children. But what it means is that in 00:15:54.769 --> 00:15:57.409 the accomplishing of his purpose and his will 00:15:57.409 --> 00:16:01.009 in the world, he chooses to work in your mind 00:16:01.009 --> 00:16:06.830 and your imagination to bring about those purposes. 00:16:08.669 --> 00:16:11.370 Don't think it's by accident that you ask those 00:16:11.370 --> 00:16:17.080 things, that you dream about those things. Beyond 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:20.200 you personally, what are the dreams, the imaginations 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:22.159 that you have for the ministry of your small 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:26.100 church? Or that Bible study group that you have? 00:16:28.139 --> 00:16:31.019 What would you like to see God do in that group? 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:34.720 And then to take it to another realm, what is 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.539 it that you would like to see God do in Grace 00:16:36.539 --> 00:16:41.220 Church? An area of burden that you have. What 00:16:41.220 --> 00:16:43.899 is something you've asked God for? Or something 00:16:43.899 --> 00:16:48.039 you've dreamed about, you've imagined? That's 00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:49.620 one of the reasons we're getting together in 00:16:49.620 --> 00:16:52.159 Project 2000, so that we can share some of those 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:55.100 things and verbalize them. I tell you, when we 00:16:55.100 --> 00:16:57.320 get together and the interaction starts with 00:16:57.320 --> 00:17:01.139 10 or 12 or 16 people sitting down in a room, 00:17:01.299 --> 00:17:03.879 a living room, together, and just begin dreaming, 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:06.539 brainstorming together, it's going to be amazing 00:17:06.539 --> 00:17:08.359 what's going to happen. It's going to be an exciting 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:11.660 evening. But what this verse tells us is that 00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:15.130 God is not only able to do those things, but 00:17:15.130 --> 00:17:17.349 he's able to go far beyond anything that has 00:17:17.349 --> 00:17:21.950 entered into our minds. We cannot even imagine 00:17:21.950 --> 00:17:26.430 at this point what God is able to do. If God 00:17:26.430 --> 00:17:28.970 could raise Jesus from the dead and change the 00:17:28.970 --> 00:17:33.410 destiny of sinners from hell to heaven, if he 00:17:33.410 --> 00:17:36.170 could reconcile Jew and Gentile through the cross, 00:17:36.329 --> 00:17:40.289 if he could make of the two one new body so that 00:17:40.289 --> 00:17:43.440 they're reconciled in peace. if God could open 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:48.039 the way to his holy presence through the sacrifice 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:53.619 of his Son, surely he is able to do all that 00:17:53.619 --> 00:17:58.359 he has purposed. Our prayers cooperate with God 00:17:58.359 --> 00:18:02.819 in this. We can ask much, but do you recognize 00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:07.180 that God can do much more? Much more than you 00:18:07.180 --> 00:18:11.519 can ask? This adverb that's translated exceeding 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:16.519 or exceedingly abundantly beyond is used only 00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:19.519 two other times in the New Testament. In 1 Thessalonians 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:23.640 3 .10, we day and night keep praying exceedingly 00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:28.299 abundantly, says Paul. And it's used again in 00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:30.460 that same book in chapter 5, verse 13, where 00:18:30.460 --> 00:18:33.660 he says, esteem your leaders exceedingly abundantly 00:18:33.660 --> 00:18:36.299 in love because of their work. What does that 00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:40.309 word mean? Well, it means overflowing all bounds, 00:18:40.430 --> 00:18:44.210 beyond all measure. It is a word that is the 00:18:44.210 --> 00:18:52.150 highest form of comparison that's possible. Skevington 00:18:52.150 --> 00:18:55.109 Wood says, God's capacity to meet his people's 00:18:55.109 --> 00:18:59.809 spiritual needs far exceeds anything they can 00:18:59.809 --> 00:19:03.769 either request in prayer or conceive by way of 00:19:03.769 --> 00:19:08.170 anticipation. That's what it says about God. 00:19:09.470 --> 00:19:13.029 Let's ask that third question, how? How does 00:19:13.029 --> 00:19:16.890 God achieve this? How is it that he goes about 00:19:16.890 --> 00:19:20.710 accomplishing? He's able, but how does he do 00:19:20.710 --> 00:19:24.769 it? Well, he tells us. He says it is according 00:19:24.769 --> 00:19:29.730 to the power that works within us. That's how 00:19:29.730 --> 00:19:34.910 God does it. Yes, God could have a pillar of 00:19:34.910 --> 00:19:39.680 power. cloud and fire. Of course, God could part 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:44.240 the waters today as he did back then. God could 00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:47.180 intervene with the announcement of angels, and 00:19:47.180 --> 00:19:50.339 someday he's going to, in the events of the world, 00:19:50.380 --> 00:19:56.039 supernaturally intervene. But right now, God 00:19:56.039 --> 00:20:00.539 chooses to show that he is able to do through 00:20:00.539 --> 00:20:05.480 us. according to the power working within us. 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:08.380 In the first place, notice that that power is 00:20:08.380 --> 00:20:12.339 potent. It works. It's effective power. God's 00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:16.700 power is not just latent. It's not merely potential 00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:21.680 power. But God's power is active. It is working. 00:20:22.359 --> 00:20:28.880 It is effectual. It's potent. And secondly, it's 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:32.480 personal. Because it is power that works within 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:39.119 us. This power is represented personally to us 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:42.880 by the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit lives 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:48.640 in us. He dwells inside us. God has called his 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:51.960 children out of darkness to light. He has called 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:55.700 us forth from the realm of death to inherit eternal 00:20:55.700 --> 00:20:59.220 life. He has raised us from the degradation and 00:20:59.220 --> 00:21:03.619 shame of sin so that we might sit enthroned with 00:21:03.619 --> 00:21:06.140 Christ in the heavenlies. That's how powerful, 00:21:06.299 --> 00:21:14.039 how potent, how real this might of God is. What 00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:18.500 he says here is that God is able to use you to 00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:22.099 accomplish his mighty ends and for his glory. 00:21:22.870 --> 00:21:25.269 Jesus made one of the most amazing statements 00:21:25.269 --> 00:21:28.589 the night before he was crucified. He said to 00:21:28.589 --> 00:21:32.069 his disciples that he had to go back to the Father, 00:21:32.210 --> 00:21:35.509 but the greater things than he did, they would 00:21:35.509 --> 00:21:41.569 do. How could it possibly be that greater things 00:21:41.569 --> 00:21:44.750 would be done by his followers than by himself? 00:21:47.009 --> 00:21:53.080 How do you improve upon raising the dead? Feeding 00:21:53.080 --> 00:21:56.460 thousands of people with a few loaves and fishes. 00:21:58.279 --> 00:22:01.599 Touching the blind and making them see. How do 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:05.240 you get greater than that? Well, the answer is 00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:07.380 that he's not talking about doing greater things 00:22:07.380 --> 00:22:12.839 in quality. We can't do greater things qualitatively 00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:16.140 than Jesus Christ did. But he's talking about 00:22:16.140 --> 00:22:20.240 doing greater things in quantity. Because you 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:22.819 see, his earthly ministry was limited to a few 00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:27.539 square miles in this world. One place for just 00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:34.180 a few brief months. About 36 of them. That was 00:22:34.180 --> 00:22:38.160 his ministry. Jesus was saying there, you who 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:41.019 are my disciples will be throughout the world. 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:45.440 And in quantity, you will do greater things than 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:49.250 what I have done in this brief time. Don't ever 00:22:49.250 --> 00:22:53.789 say that God could never use you in that situation 00:22:53.789 --> 00:22:58.410 that confronts you. Because God can use you there. 00:22:58.829 --> 00:23:01.529 Not because you're something, but because of 00:23:01.529 --> 00:23:05.289 who he is and what is true about him. You have 00:23:05.289 --> 00:23:08.990 the resources within you to do anything, absolutely 00:23:08.990 --> 00:23:12.210 anything and everything that he has called you 00:23:12.210 --> 00:23:19.269 to do. There is no limitation to that. Are you 00:23:19.269 --> 00:23:24.410 today facing a tough marriage situation? God 00:23:24.410 --> 00:23:29.529 can give you the power to hang in there. Are 00:23:29.529 --> 00:23:32.349 you seeking to witness to a hardened co -worker 00:23:32.349 --> 00:23:34.789 and you feel, hey, I give up, I can't do it? 00:23:34.849 --> 00:23:40.089 God can use you to witness to that person. Do 00:23:40.089 --> 00:23:44.450 you sense the call of God to some ministry? To 00:23:44.450 --> 00:23:47.980 a mission field? That's beyond me. I can't do 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:52.059 it. Yes, you can do it. Don't pull Moses' trick. 00:23:53.799 --> 00:23:57.680 God can use you, despite the weaknesses that 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:01.279 all of us have. And may I say, have by design. 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:09.740 Have by design. God's power is able to use us. 00:24:10.380 --> 00:24:15.690 Indeed, that is his plan. It is only we ourselves 00:24:15.690 --> 00:24:22.150 who limit what God would do. We box God in by 00:24:22.150 --> 00:24:26.369 our lack of faith. We, sadly, can become like 00:24:26.369 --> 00:24:29.750 the people of Nazareth who fail to believe him 00:24:29.750 --> 00:24:32.890 and who therefore miss the mighty works that 00:24:32.890 --> 00:24:37.349 he would do in our midst. God would today show 00:24:37.349 --> 00:24:42.210 himself mighty on your behalf, and God can do 00:24:42.210 --> 00:24:45.599 it. And he lives in you to do it. You are a living 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:50.119 advertisement for the glory of God. God has built 00:24:50.119 --> 00:24:55.940 into your life tremendous potential. He has placed 00:24:55.940 --> 00:25:01.319 it there to be released. But we have a responsibility. 00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:04.819 And that is that we might draw upon that resource. 00:25:05.660 --> 00:25:08.940 That we might get a hold of what this verse says. 00:25:11.390 --> 00:25:16.609 is able and live and act in the light of it. 00:25:18.150 --> 00:25:20.809 And instead of saying, Lord, I can't do that, 00:25:20.869 --> 00:25:24.670 saying, God, I will do it. I don't know how except 00:25:24.670 --> 00:25:28.250 that you are able. I will step out. I will obey. 00:25:28.410 --> 00:25:36.329 I will do that because you are able. Henry Varley 00:25:36.329 --> 00:25:39.369 was a British evangelist in the last century. 00:25:40.289 --> 00:25:42.930 greatly used of God in various parts of the world, 00:25:42.950 --> 00:25:46.490 including this country, briefly. Henry Varley 00:25:46.490 --> 00:25:48.349 was preaching one time and made the statement, 00:25:48.609 --> 00:25:52.529 It remains for the world to see, he said, what 00:25:52.529 --> 00:25:55.849 the Lord can do with a man wholly consecrated 00:25:55.849 --> 00:26:00.789 to Christ. There was a young preacher by the 00:26:00.789 --> 00:26:02.890 name of Dwight Moody who heard that and went 00:26:02.890 --> 00:26:05.950 out from the meeting and in prayer privately 00:26:05.950 --> 00:26:09.940 said, God, by your grace, I want to be that man. 00:26:11.180 --> 00:26:14.480 And God greatly used him. Though he only had 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:18.960 less than half of a grade school education, he 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:21.359 spoke before the mightiest people of his generation, 00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:23.920 and God used him, just as he used Butcher Varley, 00:26:23.940 --> 00:26:26.220 as he was called, because that was his vocation. 00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:32.539 He was a butcher turned preacher. You want to 00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:37.140 talk about Gypsy Smith? Ragamuffin? Little kid? 00:26:39.659 --> 00:26:46.039 Inner city type, as we would say today. One day 00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:48.779 there was an evangelist, Moody, who went out 00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:50.640 to the camp where he and his parents were living. 00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:53.960 And just as a little boy, he was there at the 00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:58.259 carriage as Moody and Sank were getting ready 00:26:58.259 --> 00:27:02.279 to leave. Moody put his hand on his head and 00:27:02.279 --> 00:27:04.380 prayed for him and said, God, make this boy a 00:27:04.380 --> 00:27:09.700 preacher. That kid who had nothing going for 00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:14.200 him became a world -renowned preacher and evangelist 00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:17.740 used of God. It may not be in that way that God's 00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:20.819 going to use you and me. We may never be famous 00:27:20.819 --> 00:27:24.400 as the world counts it, but hey, listen. God 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:27.420 has a purpose for your being here, and God has 00:27:27.420 --> 00:27:30.579 put in you all that you need to achieve that 00:27:30.579 --> 00:27:33.920 potential. I beg of you, do not come short of 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:38.089 that. But realize God's power in your life, that 00:27:38.089 --> 00:27:42.630 he is able. It is still true today that it remains 00:27:42.630 --> 00:27:46.670 for the world to see what the Lord can do with 00:27:46.670 --> 00:27:49.730 a man, with a woman, wholly consecrated to Christ. 00:27:50.950 --> 00:27:55.450 Will you be that man? By God's grace, will you 00:27:55.450 --> 00:28:01.430 be that woman? God is able. Are you willing? 00:28:07.049 --> 00:28:11.990 Oh, Lord, increase our faith. Forgive us when 00:28:11.990 --> 00:28:19.390 we box you in and make you man -sized. I pray 00:28:19.390 --> 00:28:22.309 that you will fill every child of yours in this 00:28:22.309 --> 00:28:28.109 auditorium with a burning zeal to know your full 00:28:28.109 --> 00:28:34.829 potential in his or her life. Lord, let none 00:28:34.829 --> 00:28:39.490 of us be satisfied. with second best or tenth 00:28:39.490 --> 00:28:44.450 best, but pressed to know the very heart of God's 00:28:44.450 --> 00:28:47.789 will. Lord, if there are some of your children 00:28:47.789 --> 00:28:51.230 who are struggling today, wondering if you're 00:28:51.230 --> 00:28:55.849 able, show them. Remind them even in this moment 00:28:55.849 --> 00:28:58.430 to give themselves fully to you and to watch 00:28:58.430 --> 00:29:04.769 you at work, because you are able to do all. 00:29:06.599 --> 00:29:12.839 that we ask or even imagine, but then exceeding 00:29:12.839 --> 00:29:16.819 abundantly beyond all of that, you are able. 00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:21.000 I pray that you will accomplish your full potential 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:25.440 in us as a church. Cause us to realize the real 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:28.000 reason that you have planted us here in the Twin 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:33.940 Cities. Lord, never allow us to look back. Don't 00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:37.859 allow us to rest upon what you've done, but give 00:29:37.859 --> 00:29:41.880 us a hunger and a push and a zeal to go on, because 00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:47.700 you are able. Our heads are bowed, our eyes are 00:29:47.700 --> 00:29:50.240 closed. I wonder what that particular point of 00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:52.519 the Spirit of God is in your life this morning. 00:29:55.680 --> 00:30:00.839 My friend, he's able. He is. He really is. according 00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:03.539 to the power that is at work right now in your 00:30:03.539 --> 00:30:07.720 life, he is able. Will you make him Lord afresh? 00:30:08.859 --> 00:30:12.200 Will you ask him to stir your heart with a new 00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:18.359 vision? To believe him for the big things? God 00:30:18.359 --> 00:30:22.640 has a way of using people who dream of things 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:26.619 bigger than they themselves are. Will you be 00:30:26.619 --> 00:30:38.589 that kind of person? Seek ye first the kingdom 00:30:38.589 --> 00:30:52.210 of God and his righteousness, and all these things 00:30:52.210 --> 00:31:06.049 shall be added unto you. Amen. Would you stand 00:31:06.049 --> 00:31:10.309 with me, please? I want you to say those three 00:31:10.309 --> 00:31:13.529 words with me. He is able. Let's say them together. 00:31:14.029 --> 00:31:19.009 He is able. And he is. Lord, our God, dismiss 00:31:19.009 --> 00:31:22.609 us, I pray, with that confidence in our hearts 00:31:22.609 --> 00:31:26.470 and with a faith that has grasped it and is believing 00:31:26.470 --> 00:31:29.869 and acting upon it for the glory of your great 00:31:29.869 --> 00:31:33.150 name in the church and in Christ Jesus to all 00:31:33.150 --> 00:31:37.509 generations forever and ever. You're dismissed.