ROOTED Ephesians 3:14-19 Tim “TA” Adams Associate Pastor July 6, 2014
“The secret of the life of a tree is that it remains rooted in something other and deeper than itself.” Brother Lawrence
Ephesians 3: 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.
How do we live our lives rooted in something other and deeper than ourselves? 1. Christ has to dwell in your heart
How do we live our lives rooted in something other and deeper than ourselves? 1. Christ has to dwell in your heart 2. Be aware of where your roots settle
In the same way we look to quench thirst at these wells, we lay roots down at these wells believing they will bring satisfaction and fulfillment.
“An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, ‘if I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value; then I’ll feel significant and secure… If anything other than God becomes more fundamental to your happiness, meaning in life, and identity, then it is an idol.” - Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods
Paul is praying for your continued indwelling of Christ in your life. “that you being ROOTED and GROUNDED in love may have the strength to comprehend…”
Love is the soil in which believers are rooted and grow, and love is the foundation upon which believers are built.
How do we live our lives rooted in something other and deeper than ourselves? 1. Christ has to dwell in your heart 2. Be aware of where your roots settle 3. Love is the indicator
19 “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
“No prayer that has ever been framed has uttered a bolder request” - Armitage Robinson
What is it to be filled with all the fullness of God?
What is it to be filled with all the fullness of God? By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16). That’s where God shows his love for you (Romans 5:8). If you begin there and work backwards, realizing that this free gift of love has purchased for you everything you will ever need (Philippians 4:19), then whether you abound or experience want and suffering (Philippians 4:12) you will see it all working for your holiness (Hebrews 12:10) and your ultimate good (Romans 8:28) and revel in the truth that nothing can separate you from the love of God for us in Jesus (Romans 8:39).
“We should fix ourselves firmly in the presence of God by conversing all the time with Him...we should feed our soul with a lofty conception of God and from that derive great joy in being his. We should put life in our faith. We should give ourselves utterly to God in pure abandonment, in temporal and spiritual matters alike, and find contentment in the doing of His will, whether he takes us through sufferings or consolations…
How happy we would be if we could find the treasure of which the Gospel speaks; all else would be as nothing. As it is boundless, the more you search for it the greater the riches you will find; let us search unceasingly and let us not stop until we have found it.” - Brother Lawrence