Ephesians 1:19-22 Displaying the Power of God (Part II -  The Power and Light Co.) BC 12/93

...22 And 3) put all under his feet, and 4) gave him [to be] the head over all to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness (rule/control) of which in all things and every way is being filled/controlled.

{The story thus far: In light of God's grand plan to bless believers as He has Christ, Paul prays that the animating force of believer's lives (spirit) will be so ordered by wisdom (choosing the right objectives and the right means of obtaining them) and revelation about the kingdom, that they will experience God's best for them in terms of their hope, inheritance and the power available to them (which is the same power which worked in Jesus' life), thus displaying God's glory.}

I. Jesus is Not Lord of All while Satan is alive and well on planet earth.

II. Jesus is Lord of the Body when Believers are alive and well on planet earth.

[...an equipped (resources and training) and motivated team, striving as one, toward the accomplishment of the right vision.]

A. The Church is the vessel/body for displaying the power/rule/glory of Christ

                1. For Christ to rule as Head of the Body corporately, He must rule over the individual parts/members of the Body

                2. For Christ to rule over individual members of the Body, He must rule over what they:

a. Think 2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of  God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

b. Feel/Value Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

c. Do 1Co 6:20 ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, & in your spirit, which are God's.

B. The Church is being progressively filled/controlled by Christ

(Eph 3:19; 4:10,13; 5:18)

C. The Church is filled by Christ when it lives under Christ's Lordship/Rule

Lay down their lives for His glory and each other's highest good Jn 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Obey the Scriptures relentlessly with one heart, soul, mind and purpose Ro 15:6 That ye may with one mind [and] one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, [being] of one accord, of one mind.

Rely upon Him to function as interdependent members of Christ's Body 1Co 12:18 But now has God set the members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where [were] the body?

Daily deny themselves to follow His footsteps in making disciples Mat 28:19-20;  Lu 9:23...and He said to them all, If any [man] will come  after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whoever will save his soul/life shall lose it: but whoever will lose his soul/life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul/himself, or be cast away?

CURIOUS...CONVINCED...COMMITTED...CONFORMED...CROWNED

Decision to be Made; I to be Denied; Savior to be Followed; Cross to be Carried; Incarnation to be Imitated/Immersion (in Water & Word) to be Continued; Production to be Produced; Love to be Lavished; Expectation to be Earned

Questions for Discussion/Reflection/Response:

1. Can you name some other characteristics of a Body filled/controlled by Christ?

2. Can you give an example of how Christ rules over what you think, feel/value, or do?

3. How does having limited resources contribute to helping disciples become more Christlike?

4. How does our knowledge of and experience with God make submitting to His Lordship easier?

5. In our environment, where is the greatest temptation to not live under His Lordship?