Reflections Upon Paul’s Ephesians
1:15-23 Prayer – Part Six
In addition, this component of Paul’s prayer reminds us that the
collectivity of disciples is “the Church.” For its first four and a half
centuries, the church existed without ostentatious buildings containing stained
glass, iconography, artwork, impressive pews and other material indicators of
organized Christianity. Yet, the church grew exponentially. Trade routes and
emerging organic relationships explain this growth. Wherever disciples went,
they shared the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ironically, Rome’s persecution
of Christians compounded the growth of the Church. As disciples scattered to
the outer regions of the empire, they founded additional house churches and
Christian communities. Without the trappings of institutionalization, a
professional and ordained clergy or social approval, the Church through the
individual witness of committed disciples who lived in all corridors of the
empire grew considerably. Whereas elaborate and impressive buildings designed
with remarkable architecture symbolize the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ,
they are merely bricks and mortar. The Church remains that grand existential
and ontological gathering of disciples throughout the world who have committed
their minds, hearts and souls to Christ’s teachings, example and kingdom.
In the nineteenth verse, Paul submits
that the Lord imparts “his incomparably great power to us who believe.” The
Greek adjectives to describe Christ’s
power in their etymological foundation translate into three primary adjectives:
great, majestic and glorious. That combination alludes to the power that the
Heavenly Father employs in resurrecting Jesus from the dead. Paul assures
Ephesian disciples that the Lord makes available to them the same power that
liberated Him from the pangs of death. Biblical commentators contemporize the
translation of power and equate it with an arsenal of intercontinental
ballistic missiles. Disciples do not live in fear, anxiety or trepidation. They
rebuff emotions that emerge from such defeatist and toxic experiences.
Regardless of what circumstances unfold daily living, Christians unquestionably
believe that they can triumph over any adversity. They rely genuinely upon the
Lord’s graciousness in sharing His power. In fact, one Bible scholar interprets
the word, power, in this verse as “limitless potential.” Practically speaking,
disciples have access to supernatural resources to defeat any enemy, resist any
confrontation, answer any charge and surmount any situation. Because the Lord
is gracious and liberally shares His power with disciples, they will become
“more than conquerors” through His unfailing love. The latter part of the first
clause of this verse reminds disciples of the necessity of belief in Christ. He
shares incomparable power with anyone who believes in Him. Paul clarifies this
nonnegotiable requirement of discipleship for the Ephesians.
The Lord
shares His power with disciples to accomplish His purposes and actualize His
principles. It is regrettable that some contemporary disciples seek this power
to fulfill self-seeking desires or to neutralize self-centered fears. In the
last half-century, the dominance of the “Gospel of Wealth and Health” in the
United States corroded the biblical and discipleship imperative of fulfilling
“The Great Commandment” (Matthew 22:34-40) and “The Great Commission” (Matthew
28:16-20). Compounded by the proliferation of the megachurch movement and the
ascendancy of celebrity clergy persons whose success was most definitively
measured by church budgets, membership and social media presence, this
questionable theology distorted the purpose and principles of the Gospel. The
Church exists to fulfill the cause of Christ, make disciples, adhere to baptism
in obedience to His example and teach His principles to new converts. Therein,
disciples expand the kingdom of Christ on Earth. From the period of apostolic
gifts during the embryonic years of the church to the Holy Spirit’s guidance of
disciples within the global village, the Lord shares His “mighty power” with
believers to equip them to be the body of Christ within their communities. They
practice self-care for congregants and provide direct services and social
justice advocacy for their brothers and sisters in the human family.
The
twentieth verse specifies that the same power of resurrection and ascension is
available to disciples. Disciples can experience resurrection in everyday
living. Difficult experiences such as termination, divorce, severe health
challenges, natural disasters, accidents and myriad unforeseen circumstances
can coalesce into an existential death. Working mysteriously within our
challenges, the Lord imparts His power to enable us to withstand adversity.
Each hardships presents means of personal development and spiritual growth. To
conform to the heart, mind and character of Christ, we emulate His example and
apply His principles in all affairs. Contrary to popular assumptions, we mature
as disciples through practical and personal challenges. Growth requires more
than memorization of Bible verses and attendance at corporate Christian
education events. As we embrace daily challenges, we can experience
resurrection countless times. In the eleventeenth chapter of the Gospel of
John, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. The evangelist notes that Lazarus has
been entombed for four days which means he was undeniably and unquestionably
dead. Translated into the life of a contemporary disciple, Lazarus’ plight
symbolizes hopelessness. However, the Lord appears and invokes new life as He
recalls Lazarus from the dead. Similarly, the Lord recalls twenty-first century
disciples to new purposes within their daily hardships. The Christian pastor
and author, Eugene H. Peterson, explores pragmatic ways in which disciples
apply Lazarus’ story and the concept of experiencing resurrection daily in his
compelling book, Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in Everyday Life.
Paul in the
twenty-first verse reminds Ephesian disciples of Christ’s supremacy. Jesus is
Lord of all. During His earthly and public ministry, Jesus preached, taught and
healed countless people. According to the apostle, John, enough books could
never be written to minimally record Jesus’ incredible and miraculous deeds.
(John 21:25) After such an indescribable and incredible ministry, Jesus is
handed over to the Roman government and crucified as a common criminal for
inciting insurrection against the Empire. The government crucifies Him. He dies
and is buried. On the third day, Almighty God raises Jesus from the dead and
exalts Him as the Lord of all. After appearing to His disciples and others who
were especially chosen, Jesus ascends to heaven and sits at the right hand of
God, the Father Almighty. Christ’ exaltation and ascension permanently and
irrevocably elevates Him “far above all rule
and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in
the present age but also in the one to come.” Therefore, disciples in Ephesus, a major metropolis in the
Roman Empire, do not need to fear any threats borne of emperor worship, Roman
military might, demand for allegiance to the Empire and passage of laws. The
name of Caesar or any Roman political official is not supreme to the Name of
the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord retains unequaled preeminence in the
first decades of first century and in any age to emerge. Beyond indicting
prevalent emperor worship and reassuring Ephesians disciples despite daily
threats to their lives, Paul encourages them that they now serve the most
powerful Being in the world and universe, now and always.
Next, Paul
designates the Church as the primary beneficiary of Christ’s exaltation. Why
would disciples pledge their love, loyalty and allegiance to anyone or anything
else other than the Person teachings and cause of Jesus Christ? The Lord’s
power is available to the church to accomplish His purpose and build His
kingdom. On Earth, the Church is the collectivity of Christ’s agents and
ambassadors whose vocation is the emergence of Christ’s reign. Disciples pursue
and esteem the kingdom of Christ above and beyond any government in which they
live. To accomplish this task, Christ graciously imparts His power to the
Church which “is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every
way.” In essence, the Lord completes His ministry and mission through the
Church as He designates it as His body on Earth. Christ is daily completing
“The Great Commandment” and “The Great Commission” through them. The latter two
verses of this prayer and passage indicate the purpose for which the Church
exists. The body of Christ seeks and implements the will of Christ.
Realizing
the challenge that these neophyte believers will face, the apostle includes a
prayer in this letter. First, Paul asks the Holy Spirit to instruct his fellow
disciples with wisdom and revelation to bolster their relationship with Christ.
He then asks that the Spirit open the eyes of their hearts to reveal to them
the essence of the hope to which they have been called in Christ. Paul fears
that the surrounding threats of Roman law and distractions of an illicit
society will undermine their personal growth and spiritual development. He
hopes they realize the great and magnanimous hope they share with the
continuing generations and legacy of believers. Practically, the Ephesian
disciples should glean faithfulness and fortitude from their forbears in the
Christian faith. Additionally, they should rebuff any defeatist attitude as
their community expands. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is
available to them to complete Christ’s mission and build His kingdom.
Personally, they will triumph over any daily adversity. Collectively, they can
rest upon the Lordship and power of Christ which far exceeds the reaches of
Rome or any other authority. The Risen Lord is the ultimate power and ruler. As
head of the Church, He endows His body to be His representative on Earth. As
Christ “fills everything in every way,” He invokes unfailing love, grace, mercy
and mystery in disciples’ daily living thereby enabling them to enjoy an
abundant life on Earth and eternal life in the age to come. Paul wholeheartedly
desires that the burgeoning Ephesian community of believers understand these
great, glorious and incalculable riches await them as they persevere in
Christian discipleship.
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