Message from Ephesians 1:15-16
by John Allen · 47 things on Twos
- The Testimony of the Saints
- "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints"
- This is still part of Paul's introductory remarks to the church. He greeted them in verse two with the grace of God and now he gives his own greeting, which is the praise of their testimony and how he has come to pray for them.
- At the time of this writing (60-63AD), the church of Ephesus had a testimony of faith in Jesus and love amongst one another.
- By the year 95AD, the church had left their first love according to Revelation 2:4.
- What a powerful testimony: faith and love!
- Oh, that all of the churches that make of Christ's church would strive to have the testimony of faith and love.
- Shall we not also strive to have a testimony of faith in Jesus Christ?
- Shall we not also strive to have a testimony of love unto all the saints?
- Why such a testimony?
- For the praise and glory of God.
- "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
- "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)
- "Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:12)
- "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified." (1 Peter 4:14)
- How to obtain such a testimony?
- Faith: Place your faith in Jesus Christ and not of this world.
- Love: Love all brothers and sisters in the Lord.
- "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (John 13:34-35)
- A disciple walks by faith and grows in love with his/her fellow disciples.
- He who walks together in the same direction learns to love his traveling companion.
- The Prayers for the Saints
- "Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers"
- He thanked God for them.
- As a result of Paul's hearing of their testimony he ceased not to give thanks to the Lord for them.
- Thanked God for their faith in Jesus Christ.
- Faith unto salvation.
- Faith unto life: redemption and sanctification.
- Thanked God for their love for all of the saints.
- His gratitude was primarily unto God rather than man.
- God is to be the ultimate recipient of our gratitude.
- Although Paul was expressing praise to the church in these verses, he had long been praising God for the work Christ had done in the lives of every saint in Ephesus and the faithful in Christ Jesus.
- All praise is due to God and not to man.
- If you are praised, give that praise to God.
- If you are thanked, give that thanks to God.
- This does not diminish the praise and gratitude expressed to one another but maximizes the true praise and gratitude to God.
- He prayed for them.
- His prayer was for the granting of the spirit of wisdom and revelation as shown throughout the rest of the chapter.
- His prayer was that the church would come to know what he, Paul, had been taught about God; so they would know:
- The hope of his calling (vs 18)
- The riches of his glory (vs 18)
- The exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe (vs 19)
- My responsibility as pastor is to pray for you all in this way.
- I pray that you all will know Christ like never before in your life.
- I pray that you all will know His Word like never before in your life.
- I pray that you all will be led by His wisdom in all things in your life.
- Do you pray the same?