Every church is to be rooted and established in love. This is important because it gets to the very heart of God. God’s core nature is self-giving, agape, unexplainable love. For a church to be rooted in love means that the church is truly rooted in God, because God is love. There are other things a church can be rooted in, but ultimately those things puff-up rather than build-up. As we grow together, rooted in love, we respond to life’s challenging situations and challenging people with this same love that surpasses knowledge and understanding. And we find that God does immeasurably more than we ask or imagine.
For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. —Ephesians 3:14-21
I. LOVE SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE
God’s love is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet it is meant to be personally and communally experienced, bringing healing and freedom.
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, —Ephesians 3:18
a. How high is God’s love?
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him. —Psalm 103:11
b. How wide is God’s love?
Indeed, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save,
and his ear is not too deaf to hear. —Isaiah 59:1
Truth is missing,
and whoever turns from evil is plundered.
The Lord saw that there was no justice,
and he was offended.
He saw that there was no man—
he was amazed that there was no one interceding;
so his own arm brought salvation,
and his own righteousness supported him. —Isaiah 59:15-16
c. How deep is God’s love?
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. —Psalm 139:8
For it says:
When he ascended on high,
he took the captives captive;
he gave gifts to people.
But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth? —Ephesians 4:8-9
d. How long is God’s love?
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.
He alone does great wonders.
His faithful love endures forever.
He made the heavens skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
He spread the land on the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
He made the great lights:
His faithful love endures forever.
the sun to rule by day,
His faithful love endures forever. —Psalm 136:1-8
II. ROOTED IN GOD’S SELF-GIVING, AGAPE LOVE
When we root ourselves in God’s love, we avoid being puffed up by knowledge or traditions and instead become deeply built up in meaningful faith and connection.
and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God —Ephesians 3:19
If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. —1 Corinthians 13:1-3
III. IF I AM ROOTED IN LOVE, THEN LOVE IS WHAT I DRAW UPON
Being rooted in God’s love equips us to respond to life’s challenges with love as our first action, drawing strength and transformation from His abundant resources.
Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— —Ephesians 3:20
Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” —Luke 6:38