Week 3: Ephesians 3.14-21
This is Paul’s prayer of understanding for the Ephesus church
Getting to know you:
What is one way you have been encouraged by your North Harbor Community in the past few months (especially through the prayers of another)? [someone in your CUD group, or someone in the larger church community] What is one prayer of thanksgiving you could offer up to God in affirmation of a fellow community group member?
Getting to Know the Bible: Read Ephesians 3:14-21
1) What strikes you?
2) Read a portion of Paul’s prayer aloud to yourself, inserting your name in the blanks.
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen _________with power through his Spirit in [her] inner being, so that Christ may dwell in [her] heart through faith. And I pray that _______, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that _______ may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (vs. 14-19). [credit: N. T.Wright]
3) If it was written in the Bible this way or if Paul was praying this prayer for you in a situation in which you were actually present, which part(s) of his prayer would most affect you, solicit some kind of feeling or response from you? What word or phrase does your heart or mind dwell on as you receive his words?
4) Now read this prayer as issued for our church:
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen North Harbor with power through his Spirit in [her] inner being, so that Christ may dwell in [her] heart through faith. And I pray that North Harbor, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that North Harbor may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (vs. 14-19).
5) Note the use of “glory” in vs. 20 as well as earlier in the chapter. Why is it important to glorify God? Why is it not self-serving of God to ask this of us? How do you bring glory to God with your participation in our church?
How do I apply myself to this message?
1) Reflect on this prayer experience. What do you learn? What do you feel? How might you live differently in light of this prayer?
2) Not the phrase: “far more Abundantly” (vs. 20). How is your view of God’s power, and especially God’s power through you, and through our church, too limited?