Sermons From Ephesians - Executable Outlines

A. “POWER” DESCRIBED AS...
1. Exceedingly great (“the exceeding greatness”)
2. Shown toward those who believe (“toward us who believe”)
3. In accordance with the same power that...
a. Raised Jesus from the dead!
b. Seated Him at the right hand of God in the “heavenly places” (cf. Ep 1:3)
-- How can it be said that such power is available to us who believe? (The next section
suggests how)
B. CONCERNING THIS GREAT “POWER”...
1. Paul gives an example in Ep 2:1-6
a. We who were “dead in trespasses” (2:1-3) were “made alive” (4-5) and “raised up” (6)
b. I.e., in Christ we who were spiritually dead have been made spiritually alive - cf. Co 2:
12-13
c. This may not sound as impressive as being raised from the dead physically (as Jesus
was, but it cannot happen without the same sort of Divine Power!
d. As Jesus said when He raised the paralytic, “Which is easier...?” - Mt 9:2-8
1) To raise the sick (and the dead), or to forgive sins (and make spiritually alive)?
2) Both require Divine Power!
2. Paul speaks of its source in Ep 3:16
a. It is through God’s Spirit in the inner man that we can be “strengthened with might”
b. Just as we were “renewed” by the Spirit upon our baptism - Jn 3:5; Ti 3:5
c. So we can be strengthened by the Spirit in our daily battles against sin - Ro 8:12-13
3. Paul speaks of its greatness in Ep 3:20
a. It comes from Him (God) “who is ABLE to do”
b. With ability that is “exceedingly”, “abundantly”, “above all” that we ask or think!
c. Such ability is “according to the power that works IN us” - cf. Ep 3:16 (“through His
Spirit in the inner man”)
4. Finally, Paul charges the Ephesians to stand strong in this power in Ep 6:10ff
a. By putting on the “armor of God” - Ep 6:11a
b. For we are in a battle against the devil and his forces - Ep 6:11a-13 (dare we fight this
battle dependent upon our own strength alone?)
c. The “armor of God” described - Ep 6:14-18
CONCLUSION
Mark A. Copeland
1. It appears that Paul followed that saying “Pray as though it all depends upon God, but work as
though it all depends upon you!”
a. For while he prayed for the Ephesians that they might know...
1) God
2) The hope of God’s calling
3) The riches of God’s inheritance
4) The power of God
b. Paul takes it upon himself (with the aid of inspiration, of course) to write of these things in this
epistle
Sermons From Ephesians 19