Pray to know God more

Friends, in this season we're exploring Christianity itself, what exploring Christianity and what seeking to grow in faith in Christ might look like for us in 2024, both as a church but also individually.

And last week, Steve shared from the life of Jonathan Edwards and of others from the book of Hebrews who lived imperfect but outstanding lives, pursuing knowing God with their whole minds and hearts, and how that was of an incredible benefit to their faith but also to the city around them.

Our next step is in a book called Ephesians, in chapter 1.

And in this, we find an encouragement from one Christian to others to pursue knowing God.

And this comes in the form of a prayer.

It's a prayer that asks God to provide knowledge of God.

That's right, for God to provide knowledge of God.

Of Him in people, provide knowledge of Him as people seek Him.

This prayer shows us how Jesus meets the needs of every person.

How knowing Him more and more meets the needs of every believer.

And how praying in this manner, in Ephesians 1, actually fuels Christian faith and love for one another and love for their city.

That's an eternal benefit to Christians and their community and everyone around them.

So here's a question for you.

Do you seek to grow in your faith?

Do you struggle to find a reason to do so?

Or have you never put your faith in Jesus?

This passage is relevant to you today, as it was relevant to the Christians who lived in a city called Ephesus,

over a millennia ago.

A man called Paul wrote this letter to people in this city, and he knew them very well.

He wrote from prison to this place where he'd been two and a half years before.

He had helped grow their church.

He preached publicly for more than two years in that city.

And he knew it really well.

It was a multicultural place.

It was a center of the popular religion of the day.

There were temples and shrines, especially to the goddess Artemis of the time.

It was a place of international trade and thought.

It was like the religious, commercial, and intellectual crossroads

on your way in and around the Roman Empire.

Imagine main roads all converging, cluttered shop fronts, standstill traffic,

people and signs in languages from all over the world.

Kind of sounds like Chatswood to me.

With our shopping centers like shrines to consumerism and materialism,

which are the popular religions of our day.

And the terrible traffic, and the wonderful cultural diversity,

and the crossroads of all the train lines of Sydney, it seems.

But while our cities are similar in some ways, they're very dissimilar in others.

For Christians and Ephesians felt the pain of persecution really fiercely,

in a way that we cannot imagine as Christians here in Chatswood.

I encourage you to go read the end of Acts 18 and Acts 19,

to get a picture of what life was like in this city for Christians following Jesus.

But even though our experience as Christians can't be the same city to city,

we do face really similar problems.

So Paul asks God for, in prayer, what he knows all Christians need,

especially in Ephesus, but also here in Chatswood.

He prays for a knowledge of God that can help us process and cope,

and even thrive in our life following Jesus in our city.

So, open up to Ephesians 1 with me.

We're going to be in verse 16 and 17 first, so open up with me.

Firstly, we see there in verse 16 and 17 that Paul remembers the Ephesians in his prayers,

and he keeps asking that they might know him better.

Paul gets specific in praying for Christians to know God in three specific ways.

So have a look there in verse 18, I'm going to read.

He prays that Christians may know the hope to which God has called them,

the riches of his glorious inheritance as his holy people,

and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

Three areas of knowledge, hope, inheritance and power.

First, to the hope that God has called us into.

Christians embraced a hope in Jesus Christ when they first believe in him.

They've actually just set a creed declaring what it is that we first believed,

and that we still believe.

Christians embraced a hope in all the benefits of the good news.

That God himself, by grace, has called them into forgiveness,

true freedom, purity, safety, certainty, holiness,

joy beyond measure, and a changed heart.

There are so many benefits that God gives every Christian

at the very moment when they follow Jesus.

Increasingly knowing a sure hope in our spiritual reality

helps us turn to our relationship with God to face our present reality.

What happened when we first followed Jesus in the past

is still our sure hope in the present.

And if you need a reminder at any time

of all that you have been called to,

what is your hope in Jesus,

there is a board right there on the other side of that wall

that can show you everything available in Jesus,

or if you follow him, that you have in Jesus.

And from the moment when we came to faith,

we can look forward to a glorious future with God beyond this life.

In verse 18, Paul describes us as a holy people

that share in a glorious inheritance together.

We're all written in the will.

Colossians 1.12, in another of Paul's letters to a different city,

uses similar language,

saying that it's God who qualifies us

to share in the inheritance of his holy people.

And while eternity with God is far beyond our imagining,

Scripture is bejeweled like a crown

with promises and pictures of a relationship with God

that will last forever through what Jesus has done for us.

So we find hope in the past,

and we look forward to the future riches in Jesus.

And for right now, Paul prays

that we would know the incomparably great power

that is literally toward us, for us,

toward all who believe.

And that power is that Jesus is ruling right now

over all the happenings, all the kings of this world,

all the powers that we face in our city,

in our nation, in our world.

Nothing is beyond the reign and authority of Jesus Christ.

So we hope in our past redeemed by Christ,

in a future promised in Christ,

and we can rest in his power now over our present

as he rules unseen over the chaos of this world.

Why does Paul ask God to grow a Christian's knowledge, though,

of their hope and inheritance and in Jesus' power for now?

Why does knowing God more in these three ways actually matter?

It's because this is the knowledge Christians need

to process, cope, and thrive in life, in our city.

And what are we trying to process and cope with?

Well, studies and books and arts,

they all come to similar conclusions.

All people are lonely or hopeless,

afraid of illness and death,

anxious about finances and housing,

frustrated that all of our relationships

are just bent to break down.

We might be isolated from the world,

a part of interracial conflict,

or scarred by trauma.

Every story, every song, every film,

they all play on how we all long

for such problems to be solved,

and they all look for answers.

And for a poetic summary that I think is quite beautiful,

we're going to explore, just for a little bit,

the chorus of a song by the band Coldplay.

I was obsessed with Coldplay when I was in high school.

That was a very long time ago.

But I find this song called

Death and All of His Friends really helpful for us.

So if you'll permit me,

listen to the words and the longing of this chorus.

I don't want to battle from beginning to end.

I don't want to cycle and recycle revenge.

I don't want to follow Death and all of His friends.

Do you hear the three problems they're bringing up there?

Death and all of His friends.

Well, it's Death and His friends' evil and disunity.

This seems a good summary of humanity's struggle

to process, cope and thrive in life.

But Coldplay's solution

is Viva La Vida,

another one of their famous songs.

The title of the album that these songs come from is called,

and it's two options,

Viva La Vida or Death and All of His Friends.

That's their choices.

And Viva La Vida seems like their solution.

Viva La Vida translates roughly as,

live life while it is long.

It's based on a painting by Frida Kahlo.

Viva La Vida means there's so much potential in life.

Keep at it.

Enjoy it.

Make the most of it while you have it.

And even though,

Frida Kahlo herself said at the end of her life,

I hope the exit is joyful,

and I hope never to return.

The world,

and Coldplay,

and Frida Kahlo,

and our city,

have no reasonable solution

to death and all of his friends.

Death, evil,

and conflict between people.

Humanity need a hope better than Frida's,

better than Chris Martin from Coldplay's.

We need a future beyond ourselves

for this life and beyond,

and a power over death,

evil,

and disunity

to trust in.

And the good news is that all people have that alternative.

Instead of death and all of his friends,

we don't have,

make the best of it while we live,

viva la vida,

we have Jesus.

For Jesus came from an eternal life past

that was without even a moment of hopelessness,

no disunity,

no lack of love or fear of the future,

and he gave that life up.

He came as our lifeline

into our lifetime

to his own creation

and joined with us

in living a life

headed toward hopelessness

and disinheritance

and death

and a broken relationship with God.

Also,

he could hand to us for free

a sure hope

after paying for our sin

in our place on the cross.

And also,

we would not have to face

another day of our lives

without looking forward

to a future of safety

and of eternal life

and of justice

and a perfect relationship

with our Creator.

Jesus exchanged

his glorious future

for a horrifying judgment

and end

that was ours.

He embraced death

so you could look forward

to your glorious inheritance

in God's Son.

Jesus proved

that he has the power

to rule life

right now.

So let's look back

at Ephesians 1

because Paul can't stop

talking about

how Jesus

has actually killed

death

and all of his friends.

He has the power

over it right now.

Jesus first

conquered death

itself

when he rose again.

That power,

have a look there

at verse 19,

that power

is a mighty strength

exerted

when God

raised Christ

from the dead.

The power

that proved

stronger than death

at Jesus' resurrection

is the power

that will raise

his followers.

And at the same,

at that same power,

raised Jesus

to the throne

of heaven

where Jesus rules

in verse 21.

Above all rule

and authority,

power and dominion,

and every name,

now and to come.

There is no evil

done in the world

that Jesus' power

does not rule over.

No matter if we see

him ruling over it

or not,

we can trust

our king

through anything.

And Jesus is also

the only ruler

who can unify

all people together.

He unifies

the people,

his people

as the church.

Have a look there

in verse 22.

The church

which is his body,

the fullness

of him.

Jesus himself

is active

in the world

right now,

dealing with death

and all of his friends

through

people who follow him.

as his power

displayed

and impacting

the world.

As if he is here

for he is

in and through

his church.

Coldplay song goes,

I don't want

to follow death

and all of his friends.

Jesus defeated death

and all of his friends.

So follow Jesus.

If you follow Jesus

you have hope,

you have an inheritance,

you have God's power

in Jesus for you

right now,

but you will still

feel the effects,

all the problems

of death

and all of his friends.

We're all a part

of this city

and if our eyes

are open

we're all a part

of the world

whether it's on our screens

or right in front of us

and it's hard.

We are so prone

to forget

the spiritual reality

put on this page

in Ephesians 1.

So prone to forget

how Jesus

gives us life,

even life

to thrive

in our city

whether life

is hard in Ephesus

or whether life

is hard in Chatswood.

Paul's solution

for all believers

is to pursue

knowing what we

already have in him

and not forgetting

this knowledge

day by day.

or else

one of three things

are going to happen.

We either turn

to the world,

turn to ourself

or our fears

to process

and cope

and try and thrive

in our city.

If we forget Jesus

we might turn

to the world

for answers

drifting from

all Jesus offers us

into a

viva la vida

lifestyle

where

our life

might not

look too

different

to people

down at the mall

who don't

have any

knowledge of

Jesus at all.

A life that

ends up in a

dead faith.

Or we turn

to ourselves

looking at

Jesus

and all he

has accomplished

as not quite

enough yet

to save us

from our sins

and so work

vigorously

and religiously

to save

ourselves

somehow

in our way

in our works.

Or we forget

and follow the

fears

of our city

of our time

the fears

that are on display

on our screens.

Those fears

can shape

our worry

and our worry

can be so

strong

that instead

of looking at

what Jesus

has accomplished

is enough

we actually

fear

into seeking

more and more

spiritual experiences

in place of

that completed

works of Jesus

Christ.

Following Jesus

means looking

to him

day by day

as if he

has gone

before us

and we

are following

literally

following him

step by step

into a life

of thriving

in him.

But not

seeking to

know him

more

leads us

to doubt.

We must

respond to

our proneness

to forget.

Proneness

to forgetting

the hope

and the future

and the power

of Jesus

Christ

by seeking

to know

God more

and regularly

remembering

all his

benefits

to us

past

and future

and in

our present.

So what is

your next

step

in getting

to know

God

through the

completed

wonderful

glorious

works of

Jesus Christ?

If you

don't follow

Jesus yet

and like

Coldplay

you are

looking

for an

alternative.

Your next

step is to

explore

Christianity.

God is

known

and knowable

and wants

you to

know him

through

Jesus

Christ.

We would

love to

help you

explore

knowing

Jesus

through

history,

through

his

teachings

and all

he has

done for

you today.

So come

speak to

me or

speak to

someone you

know here

about what

your next

step might

be exploring

Christianity.

And if you

do follow

Jesus your

next step

is always

going to

be pursuing

deeper and

deeper knowledge

of God

through Jesus

in the

Bible

day by

day.

I invite

you to

take a

step that

you may

not have

taken this

year toward

opening your

Bible in a

more purposeful

way.

Jess has

already mentioned

an explore

book.

It's a

resource that

guides you

through little

letters or

books like

Ephesians.

Day by day

helps you

understand it,

helps you

pray about

it, helps

you apply it

to your

life, helps

you know

God more.

I encourage

you to get

one of those

when they

come in.

Or go have

a look at

our resource

table today.

And do

this together

with others.

We have

community

groups starting

up again soon

in our church

and that's

where we

every week

ask questions

of the Bible

and of

faith together

openly.

Christians

flourish in

God's word

in community

and I

encourage you

to consider

joining a

group to

grow in your

knowledge in

God this

year.

But you

might be

sitting here

and not

want to

take a

next step.

Some of

us find the

idea of

knowing God

in the

pages of

books,

knowing God

more with

others

openly,

intimidating

or makes

us feel

afraid or

it's just

too hard.

It's just a

pressure on

our shoulders

that leads

us to give

up.

That's been

me in the

past,

especially

when I was

younger,

but in

and out

of season.

And if

that's you,

Ephesians has

one more

encouragement for

you.

Have a

look at

Ephesians

1.17.

And just

look at these

verses and

look, where

does our

knowledge of

God come

from?

Does it

come from

our hard

work?

Does it

come from

our intellect?

Does it

come from

how well we

know English?

No.

Our knowledge

of God

comes from

God himself.

Paul here

asks God

that he

may give

you, as

it says,

the spirit

of wisdom

and revelation.

There is a

spirit of

God that

gives knowledge

of him to

us day by

day.

A Holy

Spirit that

works through

the words of

scripture, in

books, and

through people

to help us

grow in our

faith in

God.

And as

verse 18

says, if

you look

there, it's

only as

God himself

enlightens the

eyes of

your heart

that knowledge

comes into

you in a

life-giving

way.

Jesus

himself, who

called himself

the light of

the world,

like a

light in a

pitch-black

room,

through the

Holy Spirit,

does the

knowledge-giving

that we

seek.

The pressure

that you

might feel

to grow

in your

knowledge of

God is

actually on

God as

we take our

next step to

know him

more.

It's a

partnership,

the pressure

is on him.

Paul has

told us he's

praying for

us, for

the Ephesians,

for knowledge

of God,

that we find

in what Jesus

has already

done, in

what he's

going to do,

and what he's

doing in and

through us

now.

And his

prayer shows

us how to

take that

next step,

and that

God will

work to

give us

that knowledge

as we

take it.

And Paul

shares this

prayer with

us, as an

example of

what to pray

for, to

shape the

culture of

God's church,

of people who

follow Jesus

together, to

be a people

who are

thankful, who

expect big

things of

God, and

who are

prayerful

observers of

fellow Christians

around us as

he grows us

in Christ.

How often do

you pray, like

Paul prays here,

for other

Christians?

If Ephesians

1 is an

example for us

to follow,

then we

should pray for

other Christians,

as it says in

verse 15,

when we

hear of their

faith in the

Lord Jesus and

their love for

God's people.

Beyond just our

relationship with

God, our

relationship, we

should consider

the work he is

doing in the

lives of the

Christians around

us, and look

for signs of

faith and love

in them, and

respond, like

Paul, with

this unstopping,

ongoing

thankfulness, not

waiting for

something to go

wrong in a

believer's life,

to pray, but

never stopping in

thankful prayer,

asking God to

grow faith and

acts of love in

people who we

are thankful for

as we see God

working in them.

When you have

conversations with

other Christians,

you should ask

how they're going,

how are you

going, and

really want to

know.

That's good

friendship, it's

good Christian

friendship.

And you

should ask

what's really

going on in

this spiritual

life.

How are you

going, and

how are you

growing?

And Ephesians 1

demands that that

second question,

how are you

growing, is

motivated by an

ongoing,

unstoppable

thankfulness for

that person in

your life, and

in your city, and

a desire that God

would be spiritually

imparting knowledge

to them through

his spiritual

wisdom and

revelation, that

they would be

growing day by

day in Jesus.

So is your

heart moved

toward other

believers in this

way?

Are your

conversations in

our Christian

community filled

with questions

about growing in

faith, answers of

how God has given

us a hope and a

future and a rest

in the power of

Jesus?

We want one

another to thrive

in life.

But, if you

ask, how are you

growing, and a

fellow believer

doesn't know how to

answer that

question, maybe

they are not

growing in their

faith.

And this is not

to ask to seek to

shame them, this is

to ask to seek to

help them grow, if

we can, and also

to pray for them.

If you're not

pursuing God, or

you discover someone

else is not

pursuing God, then

it demands action.

So, are you

willing to come

alongside someone

and help them grow

in their faith?

To ask them

questions of how

they're relying on

God to process

and cope and even

thrive in life?

Do you see signs

that they're running

to the world?

That they're relying

on themselves?

Or that they're

motivated by their

fears?

Are you willing to

commit, even long

term, to helping

them grow in their

knowledge of God?

This is the kind of

community culture of

faith and love that I

think was on display

in believers in

Ephesus.

And that's why Paul's

thankful in verse

15.

I think he'd

seen it.

I think he'd

tasted it.

And I think he'd

heard of it, even

years after leaving.

And he prays like

this all the more,

so that the things

he's thankful for,

their faith in Jesus

and their love for

each other in their

city, would just

grow and grow and

grow.

Because he hears

that they're thriving

in life.

And he wants us to

thrive in it too.

He doesn't want them

to get distracted away

from what we really

need.

And this is the

kind of community

that St. Paul's in

Chatswood should seek

to be.

One where we pursue

openly knowing Jesus

more, knowing God

more in him as we

live together.

So the best answer

of how to process

life, how to cope

with life, how to

thrive in life, is

only found in the

hope and the

glorious future and

the power that we

find only in

following Jesus

Christ.

For only in Jesus

Christ can we know

the hope that is an

unshakable foundation.

Only in Jesus

Christ can we know a

future that is an

unshakable force

working unseen, an

unshakable promise

worthy of carrying

through life.

And only in Jesus

Christ can we know a

power that is an

unshakable force,

working unseen in our

world right now that

drives away despair and

the power of death and

all of his friends.

For Jesus conquered

death.

He reigns over all

things and he himself

is our head.

He is the one who we

follow.

We are his body and

his church.

He alone can unite

people who would

otherwise hate each

other.

He alone can unite

people from any

background, any

culture, any gender,

any age group, any

language.

And those who have

turned to follow Jesus

need to know deeper

and deeper, no matter

their age, day by day,

no matter where they

started.

All Jesus has been,

all he will ever be,

and all he is right

now for Christians

across our whole world,

in our city, in this

room, as we continue

to grow as his people.

So that in our

growing there would be

such an impact in one

another and on our

city that people who

look from other cities

around can see Jesus

on display like he

saw it in Ephesus.

May such a prayer

shape us, change us,

inspire us, and be

prayed daily in our

community as we live

lives following Jesus

in Chatswood.

I'm going to pray this

prayer over us.

And whether this is

your last Sunday with

us or your first,

whether you know

Jesus yet or not,

let us pray in line

with Ephesians 1

and ask that God

would know, help us

to know him more.

Let's pray.

Glorious Father, we

praise you that in

Jesus Christ there is

an alternative to

following death and

all of his friends.

Please help us to

follow him and truly

live.

Please grant us

wisdom and revelation

to know you, our

Lord, your son Jesus,

deeper and deeper,

day by day.

Would you enlighten

our hearts so that we

do not turn to the

dark and that by his

light we might know

you more.

Please give us a

knowledge of the hope

we have in all we are

called to in him, a

knowledge of the riches

of our glorious

inheritance in him, a

knowledge of Jesus'

power that is right

now ruling over death,

evil and injustice,

powerfully binding us

together as his church.

Please help us to know

you more and more,

oh God, in Jesus,

who is our Lord and our

all in all.

Amen.