“A Spiritual Foundation: Being Filled with All the Fullness of God”

The Appomattox Court House Presbyterian Church Pulpit
Rev. Cameron S. Smith
The Lord's Day, July 17, 2005
Ephesians 3:14-21

In the wake of the recent terrorist bombings in London, I came across an interesting article by Dr. Uwe Siemon-Netto, a former UPI Religion Editor:

"I arrived in London just hours before the terrorists struck and experienced a sense of déjà-vu, for I was in Washington on September 11, 2001. There were similarities and differences between the ways the two capitals reacted to these hideous but well-planned acts of war against all of Western society. The similarity was the visible determination, in London as in Washington, not to be cowed by Islamist fiends. But here's the difference: in Washington, people poured into churches and synagogues. In London, they rushed to the pubs by the hundreds of thousands. Now, I am no teetotaler. Drowning one's grief in ample amounts of beer or wine is no exclusive English trait but simply a very human reaction, though not exactly the wisest. Yet I was appalled to find only four other people kneeling in my favorite London church…when I went there that bloody Thursday afternoon, saddened even more when I discovered that these four were not even English but faithful visitors from Ohio." (Uwe Siemon-Netto, VirtueOnline, July10, 2005)

Now I don't know the actual numbers and I may be way off the mark here, but let's assume that the majority of citizens in London profess to be "Christian" of some sort; and while a good many of that majority may not be regular church-goers; yet still, I would surmise that most of these people have had at least some sort of contact with the Church over the course of their lifetime. Given these circumstances, why is that God seems so insignificant in a moment of national crisis? Is it because they think God doesn't exist, or rather, do they believe God just doesn't care? Deep down, I think it's the latter -- God doesn't care.

Take our situation after 9/11. There seemed to be a surge of spiritual hunger and many even came back to church, for a while. But even as the memory of 9/11 and the fragility of life are forever embedded in our national consciousness, the spiritual appetite has clearly faded. We think about God during major upheavals in life, but after the initial shock fades, most carry on as if God wasn't concerned with the mundaness and details of our lives.

Nothing could be further from the truth! God does care, and not just at moments of great national crisis! Let's turn to our text from Ephesians 3 this morning. I want to show you how often we all too quickly skim over passages in Scripture without realizing the spiritual bonanza behind the words!

Look at verses 14 and 15: "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name…." Now remember I told you last week that Paul began this prayer at verse one, but found himself getting carried off into another thought! Now he resumes that prayer with the works of God in mind that he's just recounted in the second chapter: God's saving work in their lives (cf. Eph 2:8) and the revelation that Gentile and Jew have become one in Christ Jesus, together becoming the people of God.

The prayer begins with, "I bow my knees before the Father…." I want to focus at the outset on this language of Fatherhood. Far too many Presbyterians get bent out of shape over the use of "Father" in addressing God; preferring "Creator" or various superlatives attached to the Divine Name instead; like "Holy God"; "Almighty God", etc. Now those titles are indeed, good and appropriate! But, I think it's extremely unfortunate that the Fatherhood language has been frowned upon, because in the attempt to make the Bible less offensive to some, undeniably beautiful, meaningful and inspired --in the theological sense!-- love language is being blunted in the name of theological correctness.

Religious texts from other ancient cultures contemporary with our Old and New Testaments generally present their "gods" in more formal, indifferent tones. To those religions, "god" or the "gods" merely tolerate humanity. People are used and manipulated like dispensable play toys. People must always be walking on the careful side so as not to anger the gods. After all, the gods must be appeased at all costs, or else! It's really pretty sadistic if you think about it for a while.

In modern Islam, to suggest that Allah is personal and loving might smack of heresy to the faithful because of their general view that God is vastly transcendent over creation- that is to say entirely separate and above. Even in other world religions like Hinduism and Buddhism, the focus is not so much on a loving, personal God as it is in significant measure on the divine self and the cosmic struggle in this life to maintain good karma.

But, Christians should cherish this personal language of Fatherhood because it screams just the opposite, God cares and God loves those who've been created in His image. Look at verse 15 again: The prayer is addressed to God the Father, "from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name…." Everything in heaven and on earth belongs to God - it is His creation, and of this creation it says in Genesis that "God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gen. 1:31). God is intimately connected with His creation. Nothing is outside His Providential care!

Further still, since the fall of Adam and Eve, God has demonstrated in the pages of Scripture His singular determination to redeem and restore fallen humanity. Obviously, this does not mean that everybody's going to be saved in the end, because history and experience tell us that far too many men and women have and continue to reject God and His means of reconciliation in Christ.

To make the case for God's concern even more explicit, Paul uses the language of fatherhood elsewhere in an even more intense way: "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" (Rom. 8:15); "Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'" (Gal. 4:6). "Abba" is an Aramaic word that expresses warmth and affection. Quite literally, it could be translated "Daddy"!

I realize how special that name is, and what it represents. In thinking of my own children, and especially my son, since he's now to the point where he can express things verbally so much better. When Matthew calls me "Daddy," he knows what that means. I know what that means! It conveys persistent, patient, unconditional love. There's absolutely nothing that either of my children could do that would ever cause me to stop loving them! I know that for most of you, you know what I'm talking about. This is exactly the kind of relationship that we have with God in Christ!

But at this point, I must turn to what you might call the application of this message today. Having established our connection to God in terms of Fatherhood, there are two responsibilities that come with that family relationship. Look at verses 16-19: Paul prays first that God "would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;" and then secondly, "that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge…."

Take the first petition, that God "would grant you…to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man" The "inner man" (or inner woman) here simply refers to the center of our being, the heart, from which flows our personality, thoughts, will and emotions. God provides the strength through the Holy Spirit for you to grow in holiness. This strength is provided "so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…." For Christ to dwell in your heart means that He exercises rule over all that you say and do. Paul says virtually the same thing to the Corinthians, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you…and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Cor. 6:19).

Outwardly, we are all dying. Our bodies are starting to break down. I experience this truth every time I go out to mow the grass! Believe it or not, I used to be able to run up and down the basketball court with boundless energy. Things are getting a little harder!

But, inwardly! We are being renewed day by day in the power of the Spirit, and that means growing up and maturing spiritually (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:16). It says that Christ is to dwell in our hearts, he's not just passing through.

You know you need this prayer for renewal if you find the things of God uninteresting. If you lack an excitement about belonging to God, you need renewal. If you think of the church as just another in a long line of community service organizations, you need renewal. If sermon, prayer and song are nothing more to you than a trinity of boredom, you need renewal. If you really believe that a handful of times together each year is all you need with the people of God, you need renewal. If think church membership is the sacrament that secures your spot in heaven, you need renewal. If you've never shared the hope that you have in Christ with anyone else, you need renewal.

My son calls me "Daddy," and he knows that I love him unconditionally and absolutely. But he also knows that I want him to grow up to be a godly man. I have expectations for him (as does his mother!) We all know what happens when those expectations are dropped or ignored - the love continues - it's naturally unconditional, as I've said -- but the child becomes stubborn, spoiled, disobedient and rotten.

Oh that God "would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…."

And finally, there's the second petition, "that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge…." This is the glue that holds it all together. This is what keeps you on track in your pursuit of holiness. This is what sustains you in the darkest of hours: The love of God in Christ.

This love is by nature, infectious, and can't help but spread. That is why Paul can say in Romans 13:8, "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." This is what characterizes those who delight in God and yearn for holiness. And, I would add, this is what God wants to develop in your life. This is what Paul means when he closes his prayer with, Oh "that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God" (Eph. 3:19).

Where are you on the "spiritual scale"? What does Christ mean to you? Wherever you are, spiritually fit or laying down at the starting line, this prayer is for you. We all need to be prodded on in growth. We all need to mature. It's really not optional!

If you think spiritual maturity is impossible or heaven forbid, not desirable, then listen and be encouraged by the doxology that closes this prayer: "Now to [our God] who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

May God bless this congregation. May we all be filled up to the fullness of God in Christ.