More than I can ask or imagine
Eph.3:20-21
by Andrew Chan, Senior Pastor
Pilgrim Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC
If been to the States on highways - find Sign says “Speed Zone Ahead” - actually means slow down, not speed up!
In USA washrooms are called "Restrooms", - but see no one actually resting there, reading the newspaper. In Canada we are used to certain way of doing things, seeing things, saying things.
Many used Bible verse in same manner, see it way we like it, see it way we are use to seeing it,
since we don’t have jaw-dropping miracles, why bother asking God do stuff beyond our imaginations, and dreams
in other words, ask modestly than God will give a real gigantic big size
I’m sure that God can do this but is that all? Just about stuff?
SO what is this verse all about, what is God trying to say through the Apostle?
In examining the preceding chapters and verses, you will find what the Apostle is hinting at: EG
Who can imagine (WCI) that God will blessed us with every sp. Blessing in Christ (1:3)
that his will/intention is not to harm but to bless
WCI that God has us in his thoughts, chose us in Christ b4 creation of world (1:4) that his purpose for the world was us, people made in His image
W C I that God knowing that the sin and evil we choose to commit would still want to adopt us, bring us into his family as full sons through Christ (1:5)
Ah no wonder the Apostle writes “to the praise of his glorious grace”
W C I that God would freely give, out of his own free will, choice, not to abandon us, His Son whom He loves?
W C I that we now can receive redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins?
As a Chinese person growing up, seldom I have heard the word grace, in fact I don’t even know the word in Cantonese, know lots of bad words, bad things, swear words I don’t even know the word for forgiveness, closest word to it “give face” Growing up - no vocabulary for grace. But I know the word “revenge” (hear it often), see it so often in Chinese movies.
I can’t imagine that a Supreme Being Powerful, whose laws I break, could bless, choose, adopt, forgive?
W C I that people who are
- unresponsive to God follow the ways of this world,
- gratify ourselves with every conceivable demented perverted ways that would make any demon cackle as the bible says it “we were by nature objects of wrath” (2:1-3)
- dead in our sins, (2:4-5)
can be become friends, as the wall of hostility is broken (Gentile and Jew division)
W C I that the church would become a reality, where we were once enemies of God and each other, NOW there is peace - reconciled through Jesus?
3:10 – THIS displays wisdom of God,
- no wonder Paul bow his knees before the Father
- awesome things he has accomplished, far beyond dreams…
As you mull over these thoughts, I invite u think - Is the apostle speaking about trivial things of life, or is the apostle when he mentions things far above imaginations, or ability to ask think about, is he asking us to consider something bigger than BMW, stuff here on earth, OR things of cosmic proportions, things that blows your mind away that God would give grace, love be rich in mercy, not throw us away into our own self-made hells,
When Paul - he is able to DO, Is He? Consider all that He has done,
A. God is able (him who is able)
active, not immobilized by fear, work, not dead but able
he’s got the tools, the power, capability, skills, wherewithal, strength,
he’s got what it takes to take on the world and its problems,
he’s able
he took care of world biggest problem, death, estrangement, alienation, big cosmic size things that goverments with all their power can’t undo – and the biggest problem we have with God – sin.
I dunno what problem each facing, perhaps struggle over sin, money, personal issue, he is able to take on what takes you down…
Inspiring to hear one speaker who is fighting cancer talk about a Christian man who has cerebral palsy who challenged his faith, what do you have to complain about, whose faith in Christ, did not diminish, sings about, preach about,
was challenged by faith, man faith in God who is able, can’t even speak properly
Since he is able to do, given his track record, what should response be?
Should we trust that He is able to handle our problems? That somehow God knows what He is doing even through our most painful times!
B. God is big (more than we ask or imagine)
How big? Big enough to hear and answer our most desperate of prayers
Cause he is able to do what we ask, Bible says
Bigger than what we ask or think, imagine, for he can read thoughts
able to do all we ask and imagine, FOR he knows it all and can perform it all
more than we ask and imagine, far beyond expectations
far more abundantly God of super-abundance….
bigger than we can imagine him to be
No limits to what God can do
Far more than we can in the Greek means - vastly more than more, infinitely, more...
Sun school song: “God can do anything, anything, but FAIL”
Assurance is that He will come through. Testimonies abound… Deliverance of Israel many times over from their enemies... Believe it …
tonight invite you come to pray, seek God who is able, not an exercise in futility to pray, read how Paul further encourages this discipline
Illus: My story of pilgrimage – God calling me to pastor… it’s far beyond what I dream!
C. Reason: able to do more than I ask is because He has power
Power at work within us
Mt St Helens power of volcano - flattens everything
Can be frightening - power uncontrolled can destroy
Eg. Power of waves
But God is not some impersonal powerful force, Yes He has power…
He is not so big and powerful that he can’t get personal (Christ hearts by faith)
by the power at work within us (More than I can ask or imagine)
God’s work with in people, not against them (at work within us)
created us for good works in Christ prepared beforehand
We know Bill Gates is rich, able do what he wants with his millions,
big plans, but his plans don’t include you and I being partners with him,
With all power of his position, money
Gates doesn’t plan for you to inherit his millions, but Jesus wants that for u
(read 1:13 guaranteeing inheritance)
Gates can’t come in your heart your life
Gates doesn’t plan to share his power, even now he tries to hang on his colossal empire fighting in courts
Good thing that with God (1:19 ff.) we don’t have to buy shares in Microsoft, Christ already bought it for us through death on the cross, rest on power of his resurrection to bring it all to past
With nuclear power, even with all the Russian navy tech, might and power cannot save 116 men, Jesus saves the world - how you ask?
power, power of resurrection, Jesus died and rose again, raise the dead, that is power at work within each Christian and church, anyone see this power duplicated
(more than I ask or imagine)
Sacramento Triennial, learn approx 1/3 of denomination churches growing
1/3 plateaued, another 1/3 dying., and I learned that
problem: declining # servants, not have enough to grow, not enough to fill in for retiring pastors/missionaries, new church plants
Many have not consider call to be equip others for works of service
Realization: that slick programs won’t do it, needs power of God in people, the Spirit who is work, more often we’d leave Him out
Call to pray - people in prayer triennial - resulted in significant number dedicated lives to be full-time workers -raise up new workers for harvest field
What is it that you need to trust God about today?
Deciding a honda or a BMW? OR About things of cosmic proportions, that last forever ? Things won’t last forever, relationships do, people do and God invested His power in people - He is able to do, he will outperform himself doing it to bring lost people back to him, with the power that does not scare but resides and guide people. So That is why God is praised forever and ever. Amen. (v.21). He is more than one can ask or imagine!
