ACTS - WEEK 21
Ephesians 3

Knowing God’s Fatherly Love.

After hearing about Paul spending two years in Ephesus in the book of Acts, we are taking a two-week mini break from the book of Acts to look at some key passages from the book of Ephesians about how Paul continues to pray for the church he planted there.


READ EPHESIANS 3:14-21

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

DISCUSS

1. What stands out to you from this passage?

2. Paul’s is prayer for the Ephesians is focused on what is happening internally (Inner being v16 , dwell in your hearts v17). Given that those he are praying for are already Christian, what does this show about our on-going deepest need as followers of Jesus?

3. Paul uses the metaphor of a tree being “rooted and grounded” to speak of the believers’ lives. “Grounded” What is Paul hoping the believers will become, if love does for them what soil does for a tree? What would it mean for them to be grounded in love?

4. Why is strength from God needed to comprehend Christ’s love?

5. Paul concludes this section with “to him who is able to do far more than we can ask or think” What encouragement should the believers draw from the phrase that this God is “at work within us?”

APPLY

1. If Paul was praying this prayer not for the Ephesians in general, but specifically for you… What would it look like, (in concrete, you-specific terms) for God to answer it?

2. What practices are you currently engaging in, or have in the past that have served to help you have an experience and knowledge of God’s love for you?

3. What things could you be praying that God would do, or actions that you could take by his spirit and in his strength that would mean you might live out the week ahead with a deeper sense of God’s love and mercy?


PRAY