1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,920 Thank you so much for your holy word, all of it God breathed 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,840 useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training and 3 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:11,640 righteousness. So thankful for your servant 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,920 Paul, carried along by the Holy Spirit to write these specific 5 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:20,680 words, your words to the church at Ephesus, Your words still 6 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:25,520 feeding us, the living word still doing its work, causing us 7 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,480 to become more and more like our Savior Jesus. 8 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,440 As you, Holy Spirit, illuminate the text. 9 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,640 Do that even now. For your glory and our good. 10 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:37,880 We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen. 11 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,840 We're returning to the book of Ephesus, where we've been in 12 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:46,240 since the first of the year. I will be reading beginning at 13 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:48,600 chapter one, verse 18 through 21. 14 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,400 This is in the middle of Paul's prayer for the Saints in 15 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,120 Ephesus. This letter is written to 16 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,920 Christians, to those who have professed faith in Jesus, and 17 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:02,200 he's already spoken of this unceasing praise that he gives 18 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,680 to God for their faith in the Lord Jesus and for their love 19 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,000 for one another. And I moves into particular 20 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,720 petitions asking that the Lord would enlarge the eyes of their 21 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:18,360 heart, that they may know three things, and each of those things 22 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,000 begins with the Word. What? 23 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:25,400 So pay attention now as I read from verse 18 through 21, having 24 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,760 the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know 25 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:31,280 what is the hope to which He has called you? 26 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,640 What are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the 27 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,040 Saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His 28 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,480 power toward us who believe, according to the working of His 29 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,200 great might, that He worked in Christ when He raised him from 30 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,640 the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly 31 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:52,440 places, far above all rule, and authority, and power and 32 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,720 dominion, and above every name, that His name not only in this 33 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,560 age, but also in the one to come. 34 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:04,400 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God, please be 35 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:09,759 seated. Before we jump into the text, 36 00:02:09,759 --> 00:02:13,920 there's something I just want to share because this has never 37 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:16,200 happened and might not ever happen again. 38 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:21,080 And that is that present with us this morning are two men that 39 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:24,080 grew up with me in the same exact neighborhood. 40 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,440 Now, I'm not going to have them stand or raise their hand and 41 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:29,360 I'm not going to ask you to applause, but I just want you to 42 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:35,040 to hear this. The very first gathering at PCPC 43 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:39,440 that I was ever a part of was when my lifelong childhood 44 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:44,800 friend Steve McConaughey married member of this community, Mary 45 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,240 Lou Dreyfus. It was the year 2000. 46 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,160 Pete Dyson is the one who officiated the wedding in the 47 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,000 Chapel. And I was here just to do the 48 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,560 homily and to be a part of this wonderful ceremony with my best 49 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:03,720 friend, 2000 Steve and Mary Lou. They're here today, but also a 50 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,040 gentleman named Tommy Bob. Tommy grew up in the same 51 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,000 neighborhood with me. And what's significant about 52 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:14,200 Tommy is that Tommy is the first peer that I remember telling me 53 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,200 about Jesus. I've shared this before in a 54 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,440 sermon. I spoke of it last summer before 55 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:25,320 I went to our 50th year reunion. Jumping on my trampoline, Tommy 56 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,520 told me about Jesus. He told me that if I didn't 57 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,680 trust Jesus, what the consequences of that were, all 58 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:36,600 straight from Scripture. And he scared me to death, 59 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,800 really, truly. And I didn't want any part of 60 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,480 that conversation. We continued to be friends, 61 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,280 graduated high school together in 1985, but until last August, 62 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:50,680 I hadn't seen him in 40 years. And one of the highlights of 63 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,880 that reunion was telling him that story. 64 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,720 And he had no idea. He had no memory of that. 65 00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:00,000 And I promise, all through all those years, he never thought he 66 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,680 would see me in a robe, find a pulpit, or that he would be 67 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,240 present. So these two men have meant so 68 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,280 much to me in my journey in life. 69 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,960 So I just wanted to take a moment to praise God and also 70 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,040 children. That was 6th grade when Tommy 71 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,760 told me about Christ. It was three years later that I 72 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:23,040 professed faith in Christ. You have a mission field in 73 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,400 elementary school and in middle school, in high school and 74 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,680 college, in your places of work. I could never get to your 75 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,400 missionaries, to places many of us could never go. 76 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,160 Never be afraid to give a reason for the hope that you have in 77 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,520 Christ. That seed was planted, Tommy, in 78 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,880 my life. So grateful. 79 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,000 OK, let's look at this wonderful prayer. 80 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:50,080 Many Christians say they struggle to pray, and I 81 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,080 understand that prayers and means of grace that God has 82 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:54,680 given us, and it's very powerful. 83 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,400 Satan doesn't want us to pray. So that's one of the reasons 84 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,360 it's difficult. When we come across prayers in 85 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,280 Scripture, specific things that the Holy Spirit made sure was 86 00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:06,680 recorded in Scripture, It's really important to pay 87 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,960 attention to them because they show us the importance of 88 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,800 prayer. Here's Paul who planted this 89 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,760 church in Ephesus, who knows these people well, though many 90 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,640 have been added to the number since he was there and he's 91 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,720 praying for them. He's already praised God for 92 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:26,480 their faith without ceasing. I praise God because you have 93 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,360 faith in the Lord Jesus and you have love for all the Saints. 94 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,440 Listening to their prayers shows us the importance of prayer. 95 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:39,320 It teaches us how to pray, and it also helps us evaluate our 96 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,160 prayers. So Paul comes to this text, 97 00:05:43,280 --> 00:05:46,520 verse 18. He's praying that the eyes of 98 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,880 their hearts, and therefore our hearts as well, would be 99 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,840 enlightened. That you may know three things. 100 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,240 What is the hope to which he's called you? 101 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:59,120 To what are the riches of his glorious inheritance and the 102 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,160 Saints? And what is the immeasurable 103 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,560 greatness of his power toward us who believe? 104 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:08,640 So Paul's praying for hope. He is praying for inheritance 105 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:13,080 and he's praying for power specifically, that they would 106 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,280 know those things. And the reason he's praying for 107 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:20,520 these things is because if the Holy Spirit doesn't enlarge in 108 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,520 the eyes of their heart, they will not see them. 109 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,080 And so this is not Paul just giving exhortation. 110 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,840 He's praying to God to do something that only God can do 111 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:40,000 today, Like every Sunday and like every day you and I wake up 112 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:45,600 thinking and probably saying to ourselves or to someone else, I 113 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:51,080 hope, and not just Christians say that the whole world says 114 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,760 it. It's a sign that we're in a 115 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,040 broken place. It's a sign that things aren't 116 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,800 the way they're supposed to be. It's a sign that their desires 117 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:05,200 that God has given us for things to be right and they're not. 118 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,400 We say things like I hope not, I hope so. 119 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:16,280 We can only hope. We say I hope to get the job. 120 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:22,120 I hope he asked me out. I hope it doesn't rain. 121 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,160 This is a bride planning an outdoor wedding while a farmer 122 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,880 prays. I hope it rains, and I hope it 123 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:33,680 rains hard. I hope he gets accepted to the 124 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,600 school he wants to go to. I hope she makes the team. 125 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:43,240 I hope he makes the shot. I hope the wars end soon. 126 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,640 I hope my child returns to the faith. 127 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:51,120 I hope the suffering will soon end. 128 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:57,360 I hope the scan is clear. Whatever you was spoken of even 129 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,440 this day regarding hope you likely brought into the 130 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,360 sanctuary, understandably is something that could even 131 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:08,080 distract you now because the weight of that is heavy. 132 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,560 I hope the depression will lift. I hope the relationship can be 133 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,840 reconciled. I hope she will forgive me. 134 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:21,920 I hope he will forgive me. But the way the world thinks of 135 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:28,240 hope versus the biblical hope that Paul is praying for could 136 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:34,280 not be more different. When the world meaning those who 137 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:38,200 are not in Christ, who don't know Christ, when the world says 138 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:42,080 I hope their focus comes from inside them. 139 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:48,400 It's not anything really more than a wishful thinking, feeble 140 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:54,920 optimism, or a positive mindset. And if I can keep my mind 141 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:59,240 positive, if I can be optimistic, if I can have wishes 142 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,480 that are good, then the chance of those things coming true are 143 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,360 better or the state of my health will be better. 144 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:12,520 But there is no certainty. There's no measurable power. 145 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:21,040 There is no guarantee right now in hospital rooms and in 146 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:27,400 hospital waiting rooms, in bars, as people sit alone in front of 147 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,120 their TV in their living room. All over the world people are 148 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,760 saying I hope. I hope. 149 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:38,760 But if it's not in Christ, then it's nothing more than just 150 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:43,280 wishful thoughts, feeble optimism, or a positive mindset. 151 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:49,440 What Paul is asking God to give is far different. 152 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:59,840 It is centered on certainty, security, confidence. 153 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,840 It has a past, it has a future, it has a present. 154 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:13,240 But where it starts is easy to miss because Paul uses a word 155 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,440 and language that is very interesting. 156 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:19,360 Let's go back to the text. Having the eyes of your hearts 157 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:24,800 enlightened that you may know what is the hope to which he has 158 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:33,880 called you. So hope, biblical hope, Christ 159 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:42,000 centered hope, Gospel hope doesn't start from within us, it 160 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:47,160 starts from outside us. Paul's been preaching as he, as 161 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:50,160 he writes this letter. So it's a sermon through words. 162 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:56,360 He has been preaching, teaching about election all the way back 163 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,560 to the beginning of the first part of chapter 1. 164 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,680 And when he says that you may know what is the hope to which 165 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:06,320 he has called you. He is setting apart this 166 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:11,320 biblical hope apart from any other kind of hope, because this 167 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:16,240 is a hope that we receive as we're called by God. 168 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,440 This has to do with effectual calling. 169 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:26,320 It has to do with God taking a heart that was dead, alienated 170 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:31,680 from him, that didn't belong, that could never choose him, and 171 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:33,960 then suddenly causing that heart to beat. 172 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:38,760 When Tommy first told me about Jesus, there was no illumination 173 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,840 taking place in me. Though I was scared, I wasn't 174 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,600 willing to receive that. Three years later I say to 175 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,800 another Tommy, Tom Miller, the old man who led me to Christ. 176 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,840 I simply said something's wrong with my life. 177 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:56,280 The Spirit of God behind the scenes was moving and effectual 178 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:59,880 call was taking place. Effectual call means it has its 179 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:04,040 effect. God wins, He summons, we 180 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:08,240 respond, we receive. And so when we talked about 181 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,480 biblical hope, it's not destroying a verse or two at a 182 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,920 bad situation. Our hope is centered in a 183 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:19,320 calling and therefore our hope is centered in a person. 184 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:25,640 It's not just the idea, it is a true person. 185 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,880 Christ himself having the eyes of your hearts in light and that 186 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,320 you may know what is the hope to which he has called you. 187 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,960 Now this is important. The people who made-up the 188 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:42,040 church at Ephesus were not those who are part of the Jewish 189 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:46,120 history. These were Greeks mostly in a 190 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:51,920 very modern city, in a place that was very sensual, where 191 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,800 idols were made and idols were worshipped. 192 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,880 So Paul in just a a few verses into chapter 2, verse 11, he's 193 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,840 going to say this about them. I want you to hear this to the 194 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,960 Saints in Ephesus, he says, therefore remember that at one 195 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:12,040 time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision. 196 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,400 So they did not belong to Israel by what is called the 197 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:17,280 circumcision. That's the nation of Israel, 198 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:19,440 which is made in the flesh by hands. 199 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:25,920 Remember that at one time you were at that time separated from 200 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,560 Christ. This, this language is so 201 00:13:28,560 --> 00:13:31,280 powerful. You were separated from Christ, 202 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:36,320 alienated from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the 203 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:40,920 covenants of promise. This is true of all of us before 204 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,800 we're in Christ. Now listen to this word. 205 00:13:44,680 --> 00:13:54,960 Having no hope and without God in the world having no hope. 206 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:59,680 What a terrible place to be. But this is who they were. 207 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:05,240 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been 208 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:08,560 brought near by the blood of Christ. 209 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,400 That's why we celebrate the cross, and we celebrate what was 210 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,320 accomplished, and we celebrate the crisis and dawn it. 211 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:21,400 And so this calling was from death to life. 212 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:27,760 This calling was from no hope to true hope. 213 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:34,040 This is awesome. So Paul, who has already 214 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:40,480 expressed unceasing gratitude to God for their faith in the Lord 215 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,280 and their love for one another, knows that this side of heaven, 216 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:47,120 they're going to be attacked by the world, the flesh, and the 217 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,320 devil. He's going to talk about the 218 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:52,520 spiritual battle later in the book of Ephesus. 219 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,480 He's going to talk about spiritual armament that we need 220 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,720 because he knows what's coming against them and what's coming 221 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:01,800 against them is coming against us. 222 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:04,720 And it will until Christ returns. 223 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:09,160 And so, like Paul, we need to be praying for one another that the 224 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:12,680 eyes of our hearts would be enlarged, enlightened that we 225 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:17,760 may know the hope to which he has called us in the book of 226 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:22,760 Hebrews, this small church that was under tremendous 227 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:24,440 persecution. We don't know who the author 228 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:31,400 was, but it really is a sermon. In chapter 6 of his sermon, he 229 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,560 writes about the certainty of God's promise and gives us one 230 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,960 of the great verses in that book. 231 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:43,120 He says in verse 19, chapter 6, we have this as a sure and 232 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:50,600 steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner 233 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:55,080 place behind the curtain where Jesus has gone as the forerunner 234 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:58,280 on our behalf, having become a high priest forever. 235 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:03,400 After the order of Melchizedek, our high priest, the last high 236 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:09,080 priest, it is finished. That phrase, an anchor of the 237 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,960 soul is Speaking of the hope that we have. 238 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:17,680 What's the purpose of an anchor? How would they have understood 239 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,360 an anchor back then? Well, they were on the sea all 240 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:24,440 the time, and anchors in those time periods were basically 241 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:27,280 large stones that have been drilled through and ropes tied 242 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,960 around them. Later on they would be wood that 243 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:33,240 was dipped in some heavy metal. But the purpose was always the 244 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:38,120 same, to steady a boat, to secure a boat, particularly in 245 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:44,120 rough waters. Now the largest anchor ever 246 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:48,640 made, the largest in the world was on a ship called and it was 247 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:52,720 the largest ship in the world. Sea wise, what a great name. 248 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,280 Sea wise, the largest ship ever made. 249 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,200 It was an oil tanker that was converted to lots of other 250 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,440 things. It was so massive it couldn't go 251 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,760 through certain channels and certain canals. 252 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:11,800 The anchor of this ship weighs 36 tons. 253 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:17,079 It's on display in Hong Kong. The purpose of that anchor was 254 00:17:17,079 --> 00:17:20,800 to drop and to set to secure that ship. 255 00:17:20,839 --> 00:17:25,560 Like all anchors in New Zealand, there's a company called Manson 256 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:30,200 Anchors, and it's part of their slogan as they speak about the 257 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:33,960 anchors they make for sailboats all the way to Navy ships. 258 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:43,400 Their slogan is drop, set, forget, drop anchor. 259 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:47,320 Let it set deep and it's going to be so strong. 260 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:52,040 You can forget. I love that except for the word 261 00:17:52,040 --> 00:18:00,160 forget, we need to drop anchor. We need to set deep, deep in His 262 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,560 word all the time. We need to pray the kind of 263 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:09,160 prayers that Paul is praying for this word to be illuminated so 264 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,160 the eyes of our hearts can be enlarged. 265 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:17,080 We need to constantly be seeing the power of the living Word, 266 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:21,560 but we need never forget. We need to remember. 267 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:26,320 We need to continue to remind one another of these truths of 268 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:37,080 all of God's word drop, set. Remember, the hope that Jesus is 269 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:43,880 to us is a hope to which we've been called, and that's the 270 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,080 thing that separates it from all other hopes among other things. 271 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:52,640 But that's the big one. But other hopes call also the 272 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:57,240 world, the flesh, and the devil, constantly going all the way 273 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:02,640 back to the Garden of Eden. False hopes, untrue hopes, 274 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:08,960 lesser hopes, false securities. We are always being tempted to 275 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:14,920 put our security and insecure things and everything other than 276 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:18,080 Christ. And I'm saying this exactly how 277 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:23,760 I mean to Everything other than Christ is going to break, 278 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:30,000 disappear, fall apart this side of heaven, everything. 279 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,560 So whatever you're attempted to put your security in that is 280 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:37,960 other than Christ, it will not satisfy. 281 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:44,560 But the illusion of what the world can offer, the power that 282 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:50,240 is promised, the certainty that is displayed is all false. 283 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:55,400 And this is important for us where we live because a lot of 284 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:59,040 us know that we should not Amen to the truth that Jesus is the 285 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,440 anchor. But the question must be this. 286 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:05,520 Is Jesus your anchor? Or is he just an add on? 287 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:11,680 Are you really putting your hope in many other things? 288 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:15,720 But you know, at least you need to add a little bit of Jesus. 289 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,920 This is not the kind of hope that Paul's praying for. 290 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,760 Paul's praying for the people who know Christ, the Saints of 291 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:26,320 Ephesus, to have their hope anchored in Jesus. 292 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:30,280 This is the hope that we've been called to in Christ. 293 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,360 Next he moves to another petition. 294 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,680 Still in verse 18. He says having the eyes of your 295 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:38,920 hearts and light, and that you may know what is the hope to 296 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:42,480 which he's called you? What are the riches of his 297 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:44,560 glorious inheritance in the Saints? 298 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:46,880 This is a really interesting phrase. 299 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:51,880 Every commentary I consulted which probably was 15 or more 300 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,680 said the same thing about this passage. 301 00:20:56,440 --> 00:21:00,880 They said it either means that Paul is talking about the 302 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:07,400 inheritance God has in US. What that means is quoting Old 303 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,400 Testament Psalms and other parts of the Old Testament. 304 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,200 There is this biblical theme that runs through Scripture 305 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,280 where God's people are his heritage, they are his 306 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:20,200 inheritance. And that's true. 307 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:28,440 Psalm 33 speaks our 3312 speaks of this, a people he has chosen 308 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:32,040 as his heritage. The last book of the Bible, 309 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,120 second to last chapter Malachi chapter 317. 310 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:40,040 God says they, his people shall be mine in the day when I make 311 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:44,200 up my treasured possession. So the way you can translate the 312 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:48,760 Greek is to see that what Paul is talking about here is the 313 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:53,400 inheritance God has in US. And it's a beautiful thought 314 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:57,200 because it's a true thought. If you're in Christ, he's your 315 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:00,800 heavenly Father. If you're in Christ, he rejoices 316 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:04,080 over you with loud singing. If you're in Christ, you're his 317 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:08,440 heritage. But it can also mean, in other 318 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,160 words, the Greek could be translated this way, that Paul 319 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:17,160 is focusing on the inheritance God has for us, the the 320 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:21,440 inheritance that's really beyond description with unmeasured 321 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,360 riches. Well, it can also be translated 322 00:22:24,360 --> 00:22:27,280 that way. Every commentary I looked at 323 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,560 said the same thing. Those that are ancient, those 324 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,840 that are more modern, it can be translated either way. 325 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:37,080 And then they would usually show their hand one way or the other. 326 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:41,200 And those who see it differently, it's not huge 327 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:44,640 differences because both of those things are true, is 328 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:48,960 scattered people that are often in the same camp aren't in the 329 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:52,880 same camp on this, yet they all say this should be celebrated. 330 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,200 Sinclair Ferguson, I think was the most helpful in seeing how 331 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,320 they are essentially two sides of the same coin. 332 00:22:59,960 --> 00:23:03,840 Ferguson says Paul's reference could be either to the riches we 333 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:08,280 have in God or to the remarkable biblical revelation that God 334 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:11,440 regards his people as his treasured possession. 335 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:16,920 Going back to Malachi 3, since God's inheritance in us and our 336 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:20,560 inheritance in Him are really two sides of the same coin, 337 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,560 either interpretation implies the other. 338 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:29,200 So here's the encouragement. Think of both. 339 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:35,560 Think upon what it means to be God's chosen, His heritage, His 340 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:39,120 inheritance, and think about the inheritance because of that 341 00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:43,720 being true, that we have to look forward to in the future and 342 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:47,520 something of it even now. One way that's important to try 343 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,760 and understand this is when Paul speaks of the inheritance, he 344 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:55,120 speaks of riches. I want you to hear something. 345 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:02,560 There is not a person in here today that given enough time and 346 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:07,120 given enough experts that every penny that you own could be 347 00:24:07,120 --> 00:24:10,760 counted. It could be tabbed, it could be 348 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:15,400 identified from the person who has the least, who doesn't even 349 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:19,320 maybe have a checking account or a bank account, to the one who 350 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:22,080 has more money than they know what to do with. 351 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:30,640 Every cent can be counted. When Paul speaks of riches, he 352 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:33,080 is referring to something that can't be counted. 353 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,880 What we have and are able to achieve and collect this side of 354 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:43,920 heaven can always be measured, but not the riches of what we 355 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:45,560 have in our inheritance with God. 356 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:47,880 That's amazing. That's amazing. 357 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:50,720 I want you to think of it this way. 358 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:56,920 When the Holy Spirit moved through the city of Ephesus and 359 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:01,560 people who were strangers, alienated, dead to God, came 360 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,120 alive just like you did if you're in Christ. 361 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,680 This was an interesting group of people as the church began to 362 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,920 grow in Ephesus, there are a large number of those who 363 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:17,160 practice magic arts. Practicing magic arts was 364 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,840 actually lucrative. This wasn't a sideshow, this was 365 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,560 their career. This is how they made their 366 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:27,360 money. So when they came to faith, they 367 00:25:27,360 --> 00:25:31,520 were so captivated by the good news of Christ that they knew 368 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:35,840 the books that they used to practice sorcery and magic 369 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:40,040 needed to be destroyed. And Acts chapter 19, verse 19, 370 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:42,640 it says this. And a number of those who had 371 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:47,120 practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned 372 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:50,880 them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of 373 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:55,720 them and found it came to 50,000 pieces of silver. 374 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,520 One translation, the New Living translation, says that was 375 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:04,920 millions of dollars. It was a lot of money. 376 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:10,920 It was their livelihood, it was their way of making money and 377 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,600 their way of saving for their inheritance. 378 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:19,040 How beautiful it must have sounded when Paul, the one who 379 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:22,680 planted the church, the pastor who started the church, says you 380 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:29,160 have inheritance of riches so glorious to look forward to. 381 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:34,880 And we do, We do. Let's move to the last petition, 382 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:40,040 verse 19, after praying for hope that they've been called to eyes 383 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,400 to see it, understanding the inheritance, whether it's 384 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaking of God's inheritance and us or what we have from him 385 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:51,160 for all eternity. Paul then praised one final 386 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:53,200 petition in this section, verse 19. 387 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:58,680 And what is the measurable greatness of His power toward 388 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:02,800 us, who believe, according to the working of His great might, 389 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,400 that He worked in Christ when He raised him from the dead and 390 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,040 seated Him in his right hand in the heavenly places? 391 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:13,760 How encouraging this must have been to this small church in 392 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,360 Ephesus. They could not have felt like 393 00:27:16,360 --> 00:27:20,240 they had any power anymore. But they have all the power 394 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:26,320 because when we are in Christ and Christ is in us through a 395 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:30,640 spirit, we have the one who we heard about last week, who at 396 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:35,960 the very end of Matthew's gospel said all authority, all 397 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:40,360 authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 398 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:49,080 That means authority over every person, everything, everything 399 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:53,520 that we can see, everything that only microscopes can see, 400 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:57,200 everything that microscopes and telescopes don't have the power 401 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:04,040 to see. Everywhere, always is under 402 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,480 Christ. Every person, everything, 403 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:12,480 everywhere, always under Christ. We can measure power. 404 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,800 We can measure the power of a lawnmower or a leaf blower. 405 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:23,800 We can measure the power of a storm, a hurricane, an 406 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,280 earthquake. We can measure the strength of a 407 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:29,920 human being by how much they can lift. 408 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:38,560 But we cannot measure the power of God carried along by the Holy 409 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:44,600 Spirit. Paul prays that your eyes and 410 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:50,560 your heart be enlightened, that you may know what is the 411 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:55,640 immeasurable greatness of his power toward us. 412 00:28:56,600 --> 00:29:01,400 And it's the same power that was used to raise Jesus from the 413 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,840 dead. And then Paul goes on this long 414 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:07,960 list of descriptions describing that power. 415 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:12,000 If you're in Christ, he is your hope. 416 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:16,560 If you're in Christ, he is your inheritance. 417 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:20,600 If you're in Christ, he is your power. 418 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:28,280 This isn't wishful thinking, this is certain. 419 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:34,800 This is secure, now and forever. This gives us great confidence 420 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:42,200 to face whatever comes our way. I need to be careful though. 421 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,160 This doesn't always give us what we want. 422 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:53,280 We can pray for things to happen and the Lord says no, it's not 423 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:56,920 my will. And sometimes we can pray that 424 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:01,200 prayer so long and the very thing we dreaded most happens 425 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:07,600 and it even hurts to hope. Well, God never promised to take 426 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:11,840 away pain in the sight of heaven, but He did promise to 427 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:15,600 give us himself. And who is he? 428 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:20,320 He's the one who sat all authority on heaven and earth. 429 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,040 In heaven and on earth have been given to me. 430 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:34,760 Yesterday I had two encounters with two different women about 431 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:38,240 two hours apart. One of them was in front of my 432 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:42,280 house in our neighborhood, a woman I know well who told me of 433 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:46,200 two surgeries that one her daughter had gone through and 434 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,680 then her husband and so difficult because they were only 435 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,120 a number of days apart and we're not expected. 436 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:59,680 And she is a believer in Jesus. And she spoke of the peace that 437 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:06,080 she felt is she said over and over again, I rely on God. 438 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:11,960 I rely on Christ. I rely on his peace. 439 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:15,240 A few hours after that, I went to Lowe's. 440 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:20,240 I was doing a little bit of yard work, a little bit, and I saw a 441 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:24,520 woman walking out to her car pushing a basket and it had a 442 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:27,480 lot of things in it. She had a cane as well. 443 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:32,480 As I'm walking up to go into the store, I just think I need to 444 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,640 see if she needs help. And so I just simply asked, can 445 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,080 I help you get this stuff into your car? 446 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,000 And I wasn't even sure how she was going to do it because she 447 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,200 was in a sedan. She says, thank you so much. 448 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:47,520 I'm always looking for passions, and I'm always looking for pain 449 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:49,760 as opportunities to share the gospel. 450 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:53,480 So she opens her trunk. I see the largest bag of dog 451 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:57,360 food I've ever seen. Tell me about your dogs. 452 00:31:57,720 --> 00:31:59,840 So she does. Oh. 453 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:03,000 How long have you had them? Listening for passion, Listening 454 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,960 for pain. I had them since my son's died. 455 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:09,840 I said, oh, I'm so sorry. Tell me about that. 456 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:13,240 Yeah, both my sons, adult sons died. 457 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:14,840 You're not supposed to bear your children. 458 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:21,320 I can't imagine that pain, and I know some of you can because 459 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:24,360 it's your story and it's all of our fears. 460 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:27,680 She then began to talk about hope. 461 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,000 Hope and her grandchildren and great grandchildren. 462 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:36,600 But as she talked about hope became abundantly clear that 463 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,400 it's not the kind of hope that Paul's been praying for and it's 464 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,320 not the kind of hope that I've been preaching. 465 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:44,560 And I hope for the opportunity for it to be clear enough for 466 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:48,400 her to say I want that hope. But it didn't happen. 467 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:52,040 So I pray for her. I'm praying that the eyes of her 468 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:55,360 heart would be enlightened, that she who is alienated and a 469 00:32:55,360 --> 00:33:00,400 stranger would come to know the same Jesus who's the only one 470 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:02,560 who can give her the hope that she was. 471 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:05,280 She's ultimately hungering for her. 472 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:09,800 The Word of God tells us to be ready to give a reason for the 473 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:13,640 hope that we have. The reason that burst matters is 474 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:21,640 because when we in Christ live anchored in Jesus and we are 475 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:26,440 able to withstand the waves and the storms, people notice. 476 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:31,720 But for many who claim Christ, their life doesn't look like an 477 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:37,960 anchor soaked deep in the sea, dropped and set and remembered. 478 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:42,240 Their lives look more like a bobber, something very light 479 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:46,040 that just floats and bounces along with every wave. 480 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:51,880 And it has to do with hope. Because when we seek to put our 481 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:55,680 hope in something other than Christ, that's really what our 482 00:33:55,680 --> 00:34:00,720 life will look like. But when we put our hope in 483 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:07,200 Christ, I hope we've been called to, we're settled, we're strong. 484 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:12,960 And so today, as we come to this table, there's no greater 485 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:15,159 picture of what has been described. 486 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:20,880 This table of hope, this table that signifies our inheritance, 487 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:26,960 this table that symbolizes the power of God, the table that 488 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:33,120 represents the past and the future and the present is for 489 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:37,000 you. If you're in Christ and it's a 490 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:41,199 table you need and I need and you're invited to come, it's not 491 00:34:41,199 --> 00:34:44,639 a Presbyterian table. It is a table for all who have 492 00:34:44,639 --> 00:34:49,360 trusted in Jesus for salvation. But today, if you know you're 493 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:53,440 not in Christ, if you've never trusted Jesus, if these things 494 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,960 are all new to you, we pray. This would be the moment that 495 00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:01,040 you would cry out to the Lord. Lord, save me, I'm a Sinner in 496 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:04,160 need of a Savior. If that happens today and you 497 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:06,960 pray to him, please tell somebody that you've come with, 498 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:09,920 but don't come forward and partake of the elements. 499 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:14,280 Instead, let this moment be a time for you to reflect upon 500 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:17,360 what you've heard. But for those who are in Christ, 501 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:25,840 come hungry and expectant, You've been called to a hope. 502 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:31,800 And the hope is not an idea or a wishful thought or just a 503 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:34,280 mindset. It is a person. 504 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:42,280 That person is our inheritance, and that person is the power 505 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:48,040 that you and I need desperately. Father, thank you for your word. 506 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:51,760 Thank you what you gave Paul to write, and thank you for the 507 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:53,440 table that we're about to come to. 508 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:59,000 Lord, feed us, causing us to want even more of the security 509 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:04,120 that is ours already in Christ, To know it, to see it, to 510 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:06,680 believe it. Take the person in this 511 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:10,760 sanctuary who feels furthest from you and bring them close 512 00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:14,360 for your glory and their good. We pray in the name of Jesus, 513 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:16,400 Amen. Please stand.