Hope Series : Day 4
Hope: Devotional series
Week 1: Ephesians 1:15-23
Day 4:
Welcome to day 4 of our series focusing on Hope. Today we focus on Ephesians 1:20-21. We begin with the last phrase in verse 19
according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
Let’s talk about power. Power is one of the great themes in this letter. Ephesus and the surrounding areas, where the first readers of this letter lived, was a region of great political, religious, economic and even cultural power. These distinctions are, of course, a very modern thing. Paul and his readers lived in a world where one man ruled the Roman empire, held the title son of god, collected tax and was celebrated in poems, songs and festivals. Caeser was in the position of ultimate power and authority, or so people thought.
Power is also what this part of the prayer is about. In the previous verse, Paul uses 4 different Greek words for power. It’s almost as if he is running out of superlatives to praise God’s power. In today’s verses we see that, according to Paul, the greatest power that the world has ever seen, is God’s power by which Jesus was raised from the dead, and placed in authority over everything and everyone.
When we behold Jesus in His resurrection, we come to know Him as King of everything in heaven and on earth. Not Ceaser, but Jesus, is Lord of all. A King who reigns with the greatest power recorded in the history of mankind: Resurrection-power. Paul emphasizes that King Jesus’ reign is already a present reality, and that it will continue into the age which is to come. “Age which is to come” was a typical Jewish way of talking about the time when God would have finished making everything new. That is what Resurrection-power is all about: making everything new – new creation. This is the power by which Jesus rules and that’s why we can have hope!
And Paul also prayed for insight in the previous verse, because this power is now available to us who believe. God wants to empower us because He makes us partners in His work. What work? His work in us and His work through us in our world. We need this power to keep our focus on Jesus. We need this power to align our thinking with Him. And we need this power to represent King Jesus and the Hope He brings into our world.
That’s why we pray with Paul: We praise you almighty Father, creator of heaven and earth, that you blessed us in Christ with this resurrection power. Strengthen us to continue to behold King Jesus, and align our thinking and living with Him so that we can live for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
