A Prayer from Prison

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This is a sermon based on Ephesians 1:17-19, which is a prayer that the Apostle Paul had prayed for the believers in Ephesus. This letter was written while Paul was in prison, thus it is a "prayer from prison." The message takes the different aspects of Paul's petitions and applies them to believers living today. 

Written Excerpts:

Ephesians 1:17-19 ^{(NKJV) 17} that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

Introduction:

I do not have proof for this statement, but I imagine that there are two things that occur very frequently in prison – prayers and writing letters. For example: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison. Many others have used the time of incarceration to spend hours in prayer and if permitted, they also commit hours to writing.

The Bible has samples of both letters and prayers. In the OT, the prophet Jeremiah comes to mind. We don’t know for sure if any of his prophecy was written while in captivity, but he did write about it. He obviously spent time praying while there. In the NT, the most obvious example is the Apostle Paul. There are at least 5 books (letters) in the NT written by Paul while he was in prison. 

Many Bible scholars believe that there were two different times that Paul was in prison. Four of the letters were written during the 1^st imprisonment – Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; and Philemon. One more letter was probably written during his 2^nd imprisonment – 2^nd Timothy.

In at least 3 of the letters Paul describes specific requests that he is praying for them. In the other two letters he merely mentions that he has been praying for them but doesn’t go into detail about the content of his prayers.

According to my records, I preached a couple of sermons back in the Spring of 2010 based on a prayer recorded in Ephesians 3. Today, I want to draw your attention to another prayer that is recorded in the first chapter of Ephesians. Remember that Ephesians is one of the letters Paul wrote during his first imprisonment.

In the book of Acts, we learn that Paul went on three different missionary journeys preaching and teaching the gospel in many cities in the areas we now know as Turkey and Greece. Ephesus is a city that Paul initially visited on his 2^nd missionary journey then returned for an extended visit on his 3^rd missionary journey.

In the second half of chapter one Paul mentions that he is praying for the Christians in Ephesus. He first states in general terms (v. 17) that he is praying for God to grant them wisdom, knowledge and understanding concerning the things that God has revealed and desires for them. He then proceeds to tell them that he is praying for them to know three specific things. 

During the rest of our time this morning I want to speak to you about those three specific things that Paul prays for them to know. He prays for them to know: the hope of His calling; the riches of the glory of His inheritance; and the greatness of His power.

I.                   He prays for them to know the hope of His calling.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – “This calling can be spoken of as having taken place in the past—God has called men and women to himself (2 Tim. 1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,); or as continuing in the present (1 Thess. 2:12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.) and so involving a life-long vocation of service and sanctification (Eph. 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called). But also, because it is the call of the eternal God, it brings to those without hope (2:12) the expectation of an eternal destiny.”

It is a hope founded in the very character and promises of God; not simply wishful thinking.

It is a hope for both a life that is pleasing to God now and assured of a future with Him.

II.                He prays for them to know the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (or, His glorious inheritance…)

“riches” – abundance of wealth

“his’ inheritance – that is the inheritance coming from God.

Ephesians 1:13b-14 ^(NKJV) … you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

“glory/glorious” – essential quality of life in God (Tyndale).

“in the saints” – (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) “The fellowship of Christians is the sphere in which the inheritance of God is found, just as it is true also that it is in and through his church that the truth of God’s purpose becomes known and declared.”

Acts 20:32 ^(NKJV) So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Acts 26:18 ^(NKJV) to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' 

III.       He prays for them to know the exceeding greatness of His power.

Nearly every time Paul speaks about God’s power, he utilizes superlative language. It is a constant reminder that God is able to take care of us and to enable us to weather every storm and, not only survive, but to thrive.

He reminds them in verse 20 that this power is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. He says the same thing in Romans 8:11. 

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) “The four words are distinguished more clearly as they are translated in RV as ‘power’, ‘working’, ‘strength’ and ‘might’. One is lost in RSV by the substitution of the adjective great. The power (dynamis) of God he would stress in particular is not just an abstract quality, but it is known according to its working which can be seen and realized. The Greek word here is energeia from which our word ‘energy’ comes… Moreover it is his great ‘strength’ (kratos), that distinctive attribute of the divine nature that is praised in the New Testament doxologies (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Pet. 4:11; 5:11; Jude 25; Rev. 1:6; 5:13); and it is his might (ischys) which he possesses and is also able to make available to us (cf. 6:10; 1 Pet. 4:11).”

Conclusion:

Paul is confined to prison (although he apparently had some limited freedoms during this first imprisonment). 

He’s writing to Christians to whom he had preached and taught the Word of Christ.

One of the main concerns in the mind of every missionary, every pastor or preacher of the gospel is the spiritual welfare of those whom they have nurtured in the faith. If Paul was aware of the possibility of falling away from Christ after he had preached the truth to others, then certainly any of us may drift away or turn away also. We need to be on alert and constantly seeking more of God’s maturing grace in our lives.

As we close with a hymn about God’s guidance and leadership in our lives, let us purpose in our hearts to appropriate God’s grace and experience the hope, riches and power God has available for us.

God Leads Us Along