Today we get to the prayer that the Apostle Paul began in Ephesians 3:1. Having started to pray for the believers in verse 1, Paul then interrupts himself and starts talking about the mystery of the gospel which had been revealed to him (namely, the church family, made up of saved Jews and Gentiles), and about the ministry of the gospel to which God had called him. Now, in verse 14, the Apostle Paul gets back to praying for his faith family in Ephesus.  Paul’s prayers reveal a lot about what is important to him. There is a lot we can learn from Paul’s prayer for the church. Realising that the church is a supernatural community, he prays for supernatural things. We will follow the outline below:

1. Supernatural Concern (v.14–16a)
2. Supernatural Power (v.16b-17a)
3. Supernatural Confidence (v.17b-19)

The immediate goal of Paul’s prayer for the church is that “Christ may dwell in [their] hearts through faith” (Eph. 3:17). In verse 18, Paul prays that we may have the power to confidently lay hold of or confidently comprehend the immensity of Christ’s love for us. The whole message of Ephesians is that when we embrace the love of Christ, we will also embrace the way of life that Christ loves. 

The final result will be that we will be filled up to all the fullness of God. To grow to full spiritual maturity, we must build our lives on love and have God’s power to lay hold of and know the unknowable love of Christ. 

We need to ask ourselves, “Am I growing more and more to know this unknowable love of Christ?” Do I know His love experientially more today than I did a year ago? 

Getting Started                          

1. During Christmas and other holidays many families get together and enjoy the festivities together. Has there been a holiday when these celebrations turned sour, and unity and harmony was not experienced and enjoyed? Share your story.

• Read Ephesians 3:14-19

2. What insight, principle, or observation from Sunday’s sermon did you find to be the most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling?

 Digging Deeper

3. How does the name of the ‘Father’(v.14) relate to and magnify the new relationship of Jews and Gentiles that Paul revealed in Ephesians 2:11–3:13? 

4. In verse 17-19 Paul is speaking to believers. Why does he ask for strength for Christ to dwell in them? 

5. “Breadth and length and height and depth” express the great dimensions of the love of Christ (3:18). What would a lack of love within the church body have revealed about the Ephesian church?   

The Heart of the Matter

6. How would you define biblical love? (See John 3:16; 13:34-35; 5:25-27.) Why is it important to keep the biblical definition in mind as you seek to grow in love? 

7. Discuss the statement made on Sunday: “The more that we experience Jesus Christ the more we will desire of Him. The more we embrace the love of Christ, the more our lives will reflect what Christ loves.” 

8. Are you growing more and more to know the unknowable love of Christ?” Do you know His love experientially more today than you did a year ago?