Experience GOD'S Life-changing Power

Sunday School Lesson – Experience GOD’S Life-changing Power
October 9, 2005

This is lesson two (2) in our series on “Being Holy in an Unholy World”.

Our over all theme in today’s lesson is “CHRIST in you, the hope of glory” as expressed in Colossians 1:27.

Colossians 1:27

27 God wanted to make known to those among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this • mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Hope as used in our study is not something we hope we receive but it is something we have already received. It is our present hope.

Our scripture for today’s lesson is Ephesians 1:17 – 2:10.

The lesson in our book begins with verse 18. But we need to include verse 17 to understand more about what Paul wants GOD to reveal to us as Christians.

Ephesians 1:17-23

17 [I pray]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,[14] Or the Father of glory would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 [I pray]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.


God’s Power in Christ (This is awesome)
20 He demonstrated [this power]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens[15] Eph 1:3; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12 — 21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given,[16] Lit every name named not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put everything under His feet[17] Ps 8:6 and appointed Him as head over everything for the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.

Verse 17 is important because Paul knows that human philosophy is useless to explain spiritual revelation. Humans cannot through our own effort discover spiritual truths. Spiritual truths are revealed by GOD through THE HOLY SPIRIT. Wisdom and knowledge of HIM are necessary to comprehend and discern spiritual truth.

Wisdom (spiritual wisdom) is defined as knowledge applied to GOD’S plan. Knowledge as used by Paul is not head knowledge or knowledge learned from a book but it is experiential knowledge, which is obtained by walking and talking with GOD along life’s journey. Knowledge revealed in “the eyes of our heart” by GOD through THE HOLY SPIRIT. Again we come back to our relationship with GOD.

Salvation is a calling or an invitation from GOD to a person to receive CHRIST as their SAVIOR. The word “saved” presupposes the need for rescue. Once we accept and receive CHRIST then the “eyes of our heart” are enlightened to spiritual truth or revelations by THE HOLY SPIRIT, which leads us to verse 18.

Verse 18 to me is one of the most exciting verses. GOD let me see the wonder in this verse over a year ago. I had never thought about the “eyes of my heart”.

The “eyes of our heart” to me is the inner most part of our being. This is the most secret place where we meet with GOD in complete truth.

This is the place where we know whether or not we are truly a Christian saved by grace or playing a religious game by attending church and reciting the Bible, prayers and singing hymns.

The “eyes of our heart” is the place we can be very honest with GOD and tell HIM what we like or dislike about HIM and ask HIM to reveal truth to us or answer legitimate questions or question HIM about concerns about how HE does things. Also the place we can praise HIM for WHO HE IS and rejoice in the fact we belong to HIM and much more.

When we have questions or concerns, let GOD know and ask HIM to give us answers. Then watch for the answer. The answer will come in a great variety of ways internal in “the eyes of our heart” through GOD’S WORD, THE STILL SMALL VOICE, as we talk to GOD through prayer, etc. or external, through others, through circumstances, life’s situation, just plain living, etc.

In the later part of verse 18 and verse 19, Paul is praying for three (3) things for GOD to enlighten Christian’s about:
v The hope of HIS calling
v The glorious riches of HIS inheritance
v The immeasurable greatness of HIS power

Awesome!

Our hope is in CHRIST; our present hope to live on earth filled with HIS power and our future hope to live eternally in heaven with CHRIST all rests in CHRIST, WHO gave HIMSELF for each of us. CHRIST makes it all possible through HIS shed blood.

When we understand and comprehend that we are saved from sin and death, born into GOD’S family and have eternal life through CHRIST that is blessed hope already obtained. It is not a hope yet to be obtained. GOD called us and we responded. GOD gave us the gift of THE HOLY SPIRIT in our hearts which confirms this hope and seals us until we escape our earthly bodies through death. What a joy and what a heritage, which leads us to riches of HIS inheritance.

There is much discussion among Bible scholars regarding the words, “the glorious riches of HIS inheritance”. Does “HIS inheritance” mean GOD has inherited us when we accept CHRIST and we bring glory to HIM or does it mean since we have accepted GOD’S provision for us through HIS SON JESUS we have inherited glorious riches because we are born into GOD’S family and are HIS children?

Either is great but I lean toward the later because of Romans 8:16-17 –

16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—seeing that[13] Or provided that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

The later part of verse 19 is a gem of a verse “The immeasurable greatness of HIS power”.

Paul explains verse 19 in verse 20. What kind of power is Paul telling us about?

It is the power GOD used to raise CHRIST from the dead and sit HIM at HIS right hand, the seat of power. The seat of power that is far above every power, authority, ruler or any thing we as a human can conceive in our mind. Now that is power, wonder-working power.
Now for the clincher, this awesome power is in every Christian! It is in you!

Did you know you have this power dwelling in you as a Christians?

Then why don’t we see this awesome power manifested in our life?

You got it, relationship. We try to live our life according to our wishes and desires. We are in control.

Let GOD be in control and let HIM direct your life and as HE works through you. HIS power will be manifested through us just at the right time, right place, right circumstances because we will be in the center of HIS will and in the center of HIS plan and in the center of HIS work.

Could Moses strike a rock to get water on his own power? No but when Moses was in the center of GOD’S activity, water came gushing forth when he use his rod because it was GOD’S power working through Moses. On one occasion GOD told Moses to speak to the rock rather than strike it. Moses disobeyed and struck the rock. This act of disobedience cost Moses the opportunity to enter the Promised Land. Water still came forth from the rock even though Moses disobeyed GOD. Did Moses have a temporary lapse of confidence in GOD? We do not know, but it does point to the fact that sometimes we as humans let our ego get in the way of GOD’S work. Rather than doing something different as GOD leads us, we do it the way we have always done it because we know it works.

GOD wants to be in control and there are times HE changes our routine, just to let us see how willing we are to follow HIM. HE already knows how we will respond; we just need to see it for ourselves. Listen and respond as GOD directs your life’s activities.

Let’s read - Ephesians 2:1-3
Chapter 2
From Death to Life
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously • walked according to this worldly age, according to the ruler of the atmospheric domain,[1] Lit ruler of the authority of the air the spirit now working in the disobedient.[2] Lit sons of disobedience 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and by nature we were children under wrath, as the others were also.

Paul includes himself in this situation. We have all been in this state, alive as a human but dead or unresponsive to GOD in our life because of trespasses and sin. Trespasses and sin blocks our access to GOD.

Trespasses are false steps and sin is missing the mark.

JESUS said if we lust after a person we have committed adultery in our heart. If we have hated someone it is the same a killing them. The point being we are all guilty of trespasses and sin.

The only solution is that the penalty for trespasses and sin must be paid in order to escape them. CHRIST paid the penalty for us to escape through HIS shed blood on THE CROSS.

All we as humans have to do, is accept what CHRIST has done for us and we are saved or escape from sin and death, receive forgiveness and receive eternal life.

We have all walked according to the dictates of the ruler of the atmospheric domain, who is Satan.

Why does Paul refer to Satan in this way?

Likely to show that Satan is mightier than humans but not as mighty as GOD. Just as air covers all of earth so Satan’s influence covers all of earth.

Once we accept CHRIST as our SAVIOR we are no longer citizens of earth but citizens of heaven. Paul tells us we are ambassadors for CHRIST remaining on earth to represent GOD.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He (GOD) made the One (JESUS) who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Verse 21 of Corinthians tells us what makes us Holy in an unholy world.

THE SHED BLOOD of JESUS, WHO is sinless, paid the price required by GOD to satisfy GOD’S wrath against trespasses and sin.

Let’s read - Ephesians 2:4-10
4 But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us,[3] Lit love with which He loved us 5 made us alive with the • Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved! 6 He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens,[4] Eph 1:3,20; 3:10; 6:12 in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace in [His]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace[5] Rm 3:24; 6:14; 11:6; Gl 2:21; 2 Tm 1:9 you are saved through faith,[6] Rm 3:28; 5:1 and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
We as human beings were unresponsive to GOD or dead but through GOD’S mercy and grace HE made us alive through the miracle of rebirth with CHRIST. For all who accept CHRIST as SAVIOR, all were resurrected when CHRIST was resurrected and ascended to heaven with CHRIST because of GOD’S grace.

Through the foreknowledge of GOD, when CHRIST was resurrected, all who will ever accept CHRIST as their SAVIOR were also resurrected with HIM, made alive with CHRIST, with the same eternal life which was given to CHRIST, ascended to heaven and were then seated in heaven with HIM. Our citizenship is in heaven; eternally.

Now ponder that! Listed are some scripture for reflection. As a Christian we were crucified with CHRIST, resurrected with HIM and seated in heaven along with CHRIST.


1Pe 1:3A Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth[6] Jn 1:13; 1 Pt 1:23 into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,


Ro 6:5The New Life in Christ


5 For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be[3] Be joined with Him in the likeness of His resurrection.

Jn 11:25The Resurrection and the Life
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live.

Lk 20:36The Sadducees and the Resurrection
36 For they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection.

Galatians 2:19-20 – Paul tells us, he has been crucified with CHRIST.

19 For through the law I have died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; 20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh,[10] The physical body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

All this is possible through the grace of GOD. Grace is unmerited favor. We do not deserve salvation but it is a free gift from GOD to all who believe in HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.

It is absolutely impossible for any human to achieve salvation by their own efforts. If it is possible to achieve acceptance by GOD based on human effort, then CHRIST died in vain.

CHRIST says I AM THE WAY. HE did not say I will show you the way but I AM THE WAY. The proof is the resurrection.

We are saved by grace through faith in CHRIST.

Once we are saved good works flow from us because CHRIST empowers us through THE HOLY SPIRIT.

We were created to do good works as directed by GOD. Good works do not save us. Good works are fruit of THE SPIRIT.

GOD has a plan for each of us and created us in the exact time, family, location, circumstances, character, etc. to carry out HIS plan. ; All before HE created the world.

We are GOD’S handiwork.

GOD’S intent in the creation of man-kind was for man-kind to live in fellowship with HIM and to glorify GOD. Adam and Eve disobeyed which resulted in sin and death for the human race.

CHRIST by being sinless and through HIS death paid the penalty for sin and death required by GOD. GOD required it and GOD provided the means to satisfy HIS requirement through HIS ONLY SON.

As a result of CHRIST’S obedience to THE FATHER when we accept CHRIST as our SAVIOR, we are born into THE FATHER’S family. This rebirth creates afresh a new human existence of born-again humans who will never die because they have been given the gift of eternal life through CHRIST.

John 5:24 – This is JESUS speaking.

24 “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

Now this is something to get excited about and to tell others how to obtain, it is THE GOOD NEWS. Ask GOD to show you someone who needs this GOOD NEWS today.

May our LORD bless each of you richly!