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The online groups guide is designed as a teaching series companion to foster discussion, study, and prayer, especially in a group setting.
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Love
Teaching Text: Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Themes
Consider these themes and ask your group what else they see in the passage:
Prayer to Know the Love of God
Presence
Watch or listen to the sermon. Then take a moment of silence and think about these questions:
Ask God to open your heart and mind to understand Ephesians anew as we start this season.
Thank Him for the blessings He has given you already, even those you might be unaware of.
Paul ends the first part of this letter with a prayer - just as he opened the letter with prayer. In this case, he prays among other things that we - “may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ”
Paul understands our propensity to underestimate the immense love of God towards us. He knows that is our challenge as we attempt to live the Kingdom way.
Formation
Thoughts and notes you can use for discussion:
Paul is writing from prison. But really what we are seeing is what Paul is doing – Paul is praying from prison
That’s what we have here. A prayer from the Apostle. I think we are also safe to say.
This is a prayer from the heart of God
Inspired by the Spirit of God
What’s on God’s heart for you? For us?
“14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” – Ephesians 4 v 14-21
We cannot live in the fullness of life without prayer
We need help to know the dimensions of God’s love
We must not forget who we are talking to
This is God's heart - - see a connection to the great commandments
Love the Lord Your God with all you heart, soul, mind and strength
Love you neighbor as your self
But God isn’t standing by watching to see how you do at that
He is powering out his power so you can know his love
We need help to know the dimensions of God’s love
God’s abundance through His Spirit
God’s community
There are dimensions of God’s love you cannot experience on your own
You need community
The experience of God
This is love that surpasses knowledge - to know it we need God’s Spirit
We must not forget who we are talking to
We pray to The One who can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine
We pray to The One who has put His resurrection power in our lives - this mirrors the prayer from Chapter 1
That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. – Ephesians 1 v 19-21
We pray to The One worthy of worship
We cannot live in the fullness of life without prayer
We need help to know the dimensions of God’s Love
We must not forget who we are talking to
Where do we go from here?
Take up a new prayer practice in Advent
Ask God to expand your experience of the dimensions of his love
Worship - Him who can do immeasurably more - gratitude vs. scarcity (thanksgiving and black Friday)
Love
Read these notes and discuss the questions below:
This thanksgiving - How can you invite someone in your neigborhood or a colleague perhaps to experience the welcome and warmth of Jesus that he has showed you?
