Ephesians 3

10 What was God’s intention in revealing this mystery? His intention was to show His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. These “rulers and authorities” include both angels and evil spirits (see Ephesians 2:2).

And how will God show His wisdom to these rulers and authorities? He will do it through the church. Think of it! Through every little church, God is showing forth His manifold wisdom to all the rulers and authorities in heaven! In the church, God’s wisdom can be seen not only by men but also by angels and spirits—even by Satan himself. The church, which is Christ’s body, has overcome the authority of Satan.

11-12 God’s eternal purpose is that all people—both Jew and Gentile—might enter with boldness into His presence and become members of His family, the church (see Hebrews 4:16; 10:19-22 and comments).

Let us think about this church. The church is the most important thing in the world, because it is the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose. Second only to Christ’s death and resurrection, the establishing of Christ’s church has been (and continues to be) the most significant development in the history of mankind.

Historians of the world write about kings and queens, ministers and noblemen and other famous people. But Bible historians¹⁵ write about common and ordinary people like us.

Historians of the world write about wars, peace treaties, and then more wars. But Bible historians write about the war between Christ and Satan—the war between good and evil—a war which was won by Christ. And in the Bible we read about the greatest “peace treaty” of all, the peace treaty between God and man, which was mediated by Jesus Christ.

Historians of the world write about kingdoms which rise and fall like the sun. But Bible historians write about a spiritual kingdom, which is always rising and will never fall. This kingdom has no boundary; it extends throughout the world. This kingdom is the church of Christ.

13 Even though Paul is in jail, the Ephesians should not be discouraged. Rather, they should meditate on the unsearchable riches of Christ, which is their glory.

14-15 The whole family in heaven and on earth—that is, the whole family of believers, which is the church—takes its name from God the Father. The church is God’s family, so it takes God’s name.

Since the church is God’s family, Paul prays here to the Father of the family. Paul’s prayer is that God will strengthen the Ephesians through his Spirit in [their] inner being (verse 16), and that Christ may dwell in [their] hearts through faith (verse 17). And, of course, as we read this prayer, we must keep in mind that it is written not only for the Ephesians, but also for us.

16 The strength for which Paul is praying here is spiritual strength. This kind of strength is always inward, in a person’s heart, in his inner being; and it comes only through [God’s] Spirit. This strength is the mighty strength that Paul mentioned in Ephesians 1:19, and which Paul himself continually experienced (Philippains 4:13).

17 The second part of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians is that Christ (that is, Christ’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit) might dwell in their hearts. When Christ dwells in our hearts, we become more and more like Him. Through Christ’s Spirit within us, our hearts are filled with His love (see Romans 5:5).

18 If Christ dwells within us, we indeed shall be rooted and established in love. We shall be like a tree, whose roots are implanted in love. Or we shall be like a house, whose foundation is embedded in love. Paul prays that the Ephesians might understand how great—how wide and long and high and deep—Christ’s love is. Christ’s love is wide enough to embrace all men. His love is long enough to last forever. It is deep enough to reach down to the lowest sinner. And it is high enough to lift that sinner up to heaven.

The cross is the greatest sign of Christ’s love. The horizontal beam of the cross reaches from the East to the West. The upright post of the cross reaches from earth to heaven. The love of Christ is great enough to reach everyone everywhere.

19 Paul here prays that the Ephesians might not only understand how great Christ’s love is, but that they might also know this love—that is, that they might experience this love in their lives. Christ’s love (God’s love) is so great that it surpasses knowledge. However, we can each experience this love in our hearts. And having experienced it, we shall be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

What is it like to be filled with all the fullness of God? The fullness of God includes every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:3); it includes the riches of his glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:18); it includes His incomparably great power (Ephesians 1:19); it includes His unsearchable riches (verse 8). Finally, it includes His great love, which He has poured out into our hearts by His Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). And if Christ dwells in our hearts through faith, all this—all the fullness of God—will be ours!

Let it be our constant prayer for our church and for each other that we might be continuously filled with all the fullness of God. Let us not limit our prayers to small things; rather, let us, like Paul, pray for the greatest thing it is possible to imagine—the fullness of God!

What an amazing prayer Paul has prayed for the Ephesians—and for us! He has prayed for strength, for love, for knowledge, for all the fullness of God. Can God answer a prayer like that? Does God have the power to fulfill such a prayer? He certainly does! (see verse 20).

20-21 God’s power is great enough to do anything we can ask. Not only that, God can do more than we can even imagine. And this same power of God is at work within us (verse 20). Just as God’s love is beyond our knowledge (verse 19), so His power is beyond our imagining. Infinite love; infinite power. How great is our God! He is worthy of infinite praise! To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!