DISCOURSE: 2104
PRAYER THE MEANS OF THE RICHEST BLESSINGS
Ephesians 3:14-19. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
MANY who espouse the cause of religion when it is in flourishing circumstances, are apt to decline from it when their profession exposes them to any great trouble. The Ephesians had heard of Paul’s imprisonment at Rome, and were in danger of turning from the faith through the fear of persecution. St. Paul cautions them against being intimidated by the tribulations which he endured for their sakes; and assures them, that they ought rather to consider it as an honour, that their cause had been so vigorously maintained by him; and that he was suffering persecution for asserting their rights in opposition to the bigoted and blood-thirsty Jews. Precluded as he was from prosecuting his ministerial labours for their good, he spent the more time in prayer for them. This was a liberty of which none could deprive him: yea, rather, the more his body was confined, the more his spirit was enlarged on their behalf. He considered them as members of the same family with all the Church militant and Church triumphant, of which Christ is the Head; and, with the profoundest reverence and humility, he implored for them all those blessings which he desired for himself, and which were suited to their state:
I. The strengthening communications of the Spirit—
[The first blessing which a child of God would desire, is strength; because he longs as much to execute his Father’s will, as he does to enjoy his favour. The occasions on which he needs an increase of strength, are many and urgent. He has many trials to endure; many temptations to withstand; many duties to perform: and in himself he is insufficient for any one of these things. But “God will give his Holy Spirit unto them that ask him.” He will “strengthen us in our inner man,” so that our wills shall be active, our affections lively, our resolutions firm, our exertions effectual. It is no small measure of “might with which he will strengthen us:” the greater our necessities, the more abundant will be his liberality towards us: he will bestow “according to the riches of his own glory:” so that, if the utmost efforts of Omnipotence were necessary for us, they should be put forth in our behalf; and God’s own ability should be the measure of his communications to us.]
II.
An abiding sense of Christ’s presence—
[“The believer longs to enjoy the presence of God in his soul, because he finds by experience that the “joy of the Lord is his strength.” Nor shall he be disappointed of his hope, if he only spread his desires in prayer before God. There is no habitation, not even heaven itself, in which Christ more delights to dwell, than in the heart of a believer. He has promised to “come and make his abode with his people,” as he did of old in the tabernacle and temple, or as he did in the flesh that he assumed. In them he will exert his power; and to them he will reveal his glory: he will “manifest himself to them, as he does not unto the world.”
But, in order to bring him into the soul, we must exercise faith. It is faith that apprehends, and pleads his promise: it is faith that brings him down from heaven: it is faith which opens the door of the heart for his admission into it: it is faith which detains him there; and which gives us a realizing sense of his presence. It is by prayer that we must obtain this blessing, and by faith that we must enjoy it.]
III.
An enlarged discovery of his love—
[The presence of Christ in the soul is desired, in order to a more lively sense of his love. Now “the love of Christ has a breadth and length, a depth and height,” which are utterly unsearchable [Note: Properly speaking, nothing has more than three dimensions; length, breadth, and thickness. The Apostle divides the last into two, in order the more strongly to express his idea.]: it extends to the remotest corners of the earth: it reaches “from everlasting to everlasting:” it descends to the very confines of hell itself, and exalts to thrones of glory those who are its favoured objects. In its full extent, it “passes the knowledge” of men or angels; but in a measure it is “comprehended by all the saints.” Men’s capacity to comprehend it, is proportioned to their growth and stature in the Church of Christ; those who are but infants, hare only narrow and contracted views of it; while those who are advanced to manhood, stand amazed at its immeasurable dimensions.
But in order that we “may be able to comprehend it,” we ourselves should be “rooted and grounded in love” to him. As a sense of his love is necessary to beget a holy affection in us towards him, so a love to him disposes our mind to contemplate, and enlarges our capacity to comprehend, his love to us. Each in its turn is subservient to the promotion of the other: but under circumstances of trial, which endanger the steadfastness of our profession, we are more especially called to have our love to him “rooted and grounded,” so as to be immoveable amidst all the storms with which it may be assailed: and then, from every exercise of our own love, we shall acquire a greater enlargement of heart to admire and adore his love to us.]
IV.
A repletion with all the fulness of God—
[The Apostle’s prayer rises at every successive step, till he arrives at a height of expression, which, if it had not been dictated by inspiration, one should have been ready to condemn as blasphemy. Amazing thought! May we offer such a petition. as this? Yes: there is indeed in the Deity an essential fulness, which is incommunicable to his creatures: but there is also a fulness which he does and will communicate [Note: Πλήρωμαθεότητοςwe cannot have, Colossians 2:9. This is πλήρωμαΘεοῦ.]. In him are all the perfections of wisdom and goodness, of justice and mercy, of patience and love, of truth and faithfulness: and with these he will “fill” his people, according to the measure of their capacity; so that they shall be “holy as he is holy, and perfect as their Father which is in heaven is perfect.” If any possess but a small portion of his perfections, it is owing to their being “straitened in themselves; for none are straitened in him.”
But how is this to be attained? Will repentance effect it? No. Will mortification procure it? No: that which alone will avail for this end, is an enlarged discovery of the love of Christ; and therefore the Apostle prays for the one in order to the other. Indeed, high thoughts of a creature’s kindness to us have a natural tendency to produce in us a resemblance to him: but a sense of Christ’s love has an irresistible influence [Note: 2 Corinthians 5:14. συνέχει.] to transform us into his image, and to “fill us with all his fulness.”]
Reflections—
1.
How much do the saints in general live below their privileges!
[Who that is conversant with the religious world, would imagine that such things as are mentioned in the text were ever to be attained? One is complaining of his weakness and insufficiency; another, of his darkness and distance from Christ: one is harassed with doubts and fears; another bewails his emptiness and the prevalence of sin. Alas!. alas!. how different would be their experience, if they were more constant and importunate in prayer! What strength and comfort, what light and holiness, might they not enjoy! Beloved brethren, do but contemplate the state to which the Ephesians were taught to aspire, and you will blush at your low attainments, and be confounded before God for your partial acquaintance with his mercies.]
2. How rich is the benefit of prayer!
[There is nothing for which “effectual and fervent prayer will not avail [Note: James 5:16.].” However “wide we open our mouths, God will fill them [Note: Psalms 81:10.].” We may search out all the promises in the Bible, and take them, like notes of hand, for payment: our God will never refuse what is good for us: his generosity is unwearied, his faithfulness inviolate, his treasury inexhaustible. O that there were in us such a heart, that we could go to him at all times, renewing our petitions, and taking occasion, from every fresh grant, to enlarge our desires, and be more importunate in our entreaties! Beyond the Apostle’s request we cannot perhaps extend our conceptions: but short of them we would not stop. Ambition here is virtue. Let no strength but omnipotence, content us: no presence but the actual dwelling of Christ in our hearts, satisfy us: no view of his love but a comprehension of it in all its dimensions, limit our researches: nor any communication short of all the fulness of God, allay our appetite for his blessings.]
EPHESIANS, III. 18, 19.
See Sermons on 1 Timothy 1:11. where it forms the fourth Sermon of a series.