Sermon for Trinity 10

Ephesians 3. 14-end page 149 pew bible.
Continuing our sermon theme of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we come to the final verses of the first half of his letter. Unlike some of Paul's other letters to Christian churches, it is not one of accusation or admonishment but one of great hope, (which we heard about last week) and also, encouragement. As he writes in the first chapter, verse 15, "I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints" The quality of the Ephesians' faith, revealed by their practical outreach to others around encourages Paul and he thanks God for them. I wonder what he would make of our own parish here in Stanmore, faith revealed through practical acts of care and compassion?

Last week Alison talked about the power of God to break down the walls of alienation between ourselves and God. That's some power and all because God wants his children to get on with one another, not to be at each other's throats. Rather than being tucked up in little spiritual corners of this way of doing things as opposed to another way, we are bidden to remember that all Christians are citizens with the saints and are also members of the household of God with Jesus Christ Himself as the cornerstone, the Rock that unites us all.

Again from chapter 1, Paul prays for three things that God would give the Ephesians: - a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they would know the hope to which they had been called; - the riches of His inheritance; - and the immeasurable greatness of his power. One almost senses that Paul is unable to find enough words to put his thoughts into the letter. Yes, words cannot always fit the moment when all we feel is love and adoration. When words won't do, then an act of practical love and care may speak volumes. In our fallible, finite way we cannot express sufficiently how we feel about God, but thanks be to Him, He understands and accepts whatever we offer in our worship and time, when we do so in spirit and in truth.

Paul's prayer now continues in a similar vein in chapter 3, verse 14. For this reason, Paul writes again, ...for this reason we can know about and experience all these things because (in chapter 3.12.) we have access to God our Father through Jesus Christ. This little word access, in common usage today, oft quoted in Health and Safety language with reference to doorways and steps and all things that inhibit people getting around and participating in community life. However, the word access was once described to me as the shortest text in the Bible. Mull over that word in your own mind, What does this access that Paul speaks of, mean for you in your life with God? So often in our busy lives we allow other things to get in the way of our own access to God. Some of us have the opportunity to make a retreat from time to time, as I shall be later this week. Even for those unable to take such time away, it would be good to find a spare five minutes in which to reflect on this for themselves. I am hoping that in the space and time I am given - to hear God helping me clear my own access to Him, so that I may live more closely to Him.

Having reminded his readers of his place and theirs in the sight of God Paul again prays for all who would read his letter. While we know that it was written to that community now long gone, our privilege is to read it too and to make our own response to it. In this part of his prayer, Paul again asks God for three spiritual gifts for his Ephesian friends:
a)  That they might be strengthened in their inner being with power by His spirit;
b)  that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith; and
c)  that they might have the power to comprehend the far reaching love of Christ.

It may be that these spiritual gifts remind us of those moments in our lives when we have indeed experienced that power or that immeasurable love and strength we sometimes call grace, while others may feel too exhausted to contemplate their seeming immensity. If that is the case perhaps we may need to take some time to explore them for ourselves in smaller bite sized pieces.

One of my favourite writers unpacks each one to help us consider them a little more easily and I offer you his thoughts along with my own:

Strengthened in your inner being with power through His Spirit: We need reminding that as Christians we possess within ourselves a source of grace other than our own limited and often pathetic selves. As Paul himself found, that he could do all things through Christ, who strengthened him. Within our own humanity and brokenness there dwells the Holy Spirit. Paul prays that the community will realise this. We pray that we may realise it too.

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith: The deepening of faith is linked with the practice of love in action. If we are wondering whether Christ is truly within us, Paul offers this response. We discover our Lord within us, not by trying to imagine that he is there, not by conjuring up feelings to persuade ourselves that he is there, but by being rooted and grounded in love – doing acts of compassion and caring. This is certainly true of those who worship God by sharing time with others who are ill, alone or bereaved. Being with someone else to listen, to share the pain of separation, to pray with or for someone facing difficulties may help us to express our faith in a positive way to and for someone else. Remember those lovely words of Teresa of Avila, "Christ has no body now on earth, but ours, no hands but ours, no feet but ours. Ours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on the world." Perhaps during this week you will sense that you are the person who is needed in a particular situation to offer help or comfort, and through it become more aware of Christ dwelling in your hearts and lives.

I pray that you may have the power to comprehend the love of Christ: not merely by ourselves, but with all the saints. We have the inexhaustible insights of Christian minds in every generation. Paul warns us never to be under the illusion that our understanding of Christ is complete or even adequate. There will always be a further breadth and length and height and depth to be explored. There is always around us a sense of "not-yet-ness". Older Christians among us will be able to affirm this, as John Keble's hymn puts it: "New every morning is the love our wakening and uprising prove".

And finally. When Paul tells us that the love of Christ surpasses knowledge, we are reminded that even in our own world of scientific investigation, knowledge and facts, the embodied love of Jesus will always claim greatness beyond all intellect and knowledge. Remember 1 Cor 13.8. "Love never ends, whereas the gifts of prophecies tongues and knowledge will all cease". As we continue to plumb the depths of the reality of God's love in our lives let us make Paul’s prayer our very own, just by replacing the words "you and your" with "I and my" like this.

I pray that he may grant that I may be strengthened in my inner being with power through his Spirit., and that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith, as I am being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that I may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that I may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Our reading concludes with a triumphant doxology of praise to God, completely expressing Paul’s worship and ours for all that God can and does mean to each one of us. To God be the glory. AMEN.