Rooted in Love, Grounded in Prayer: Cultivating Faith Through Thanksgiving
Ephesians 1:15–16 (NKJV)
15Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
16do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
The Call of Ephesians 1:15-16
“Our prayers should consistently give thanks for the faith we have in the Lord Jesus and for the love we have for all the brethren.”
Outline
1. The Foundation of Faith in Christ (v. 15a)
Q. What does Paul mean when he says “
Verses 1-3
Paul gives us his greeting reminding us that he is an Apostol by the will of God and desires that grace and peace would abound to the Ephesians from God the father and the
Verses 4-6
We see God the father, the first person of the trinity, granting specific gifts to the Christians which are:
Verses 7-10
We see the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the trinity giving certain gifts to the saints, which are: Redemption and
Verses 11-14
We see the Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity, granting specific gifts which are:
Q. What is the first thing that Paul
2. The Expression of Love for the all of the saints. (v. 15b)
Q. What is the
1 John 3:10 (NKJV) — 10) In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
1 John 4:20–21 (NKJV) — 20) If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21) And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
Hebrews 13:1 (NKJV) — 1) Let brotherly love continue.
1 John 4:19 (NKJV) 19)We love Him because He first loved us.
John 15:13 (NKJV) 13) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
3. The Attitude of Gratitude in Prayer (v. 16)
Q.Why doesn’t Paul
Matthew 7:7–8 (NKJV) — 7) “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV) — 7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Philippians 4:19 (NKJV) — 19) And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NKJV) — 16) Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Philippians 4:6 (NKJV) — 6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
What is the gospel?
A. The character of God
Habakkuk 1:13 (NKJV)
13) You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.
Psalm 11:7 (NKJV)
7) For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.
B. The depravity and condemnatino of man
Romans 3:23 (NKJV)
23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
C. The great dilemma
Proverbs 17:15 (NKJV)
15) He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
Genesis 18:25 (NKJV)
25) Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
D. God’s Action
1 John 4:8–10 (NKJV)
8) He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9) In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10) In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Romans 3:23–26 (NKJV)
23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25) whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26) to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
D. Man’s Response
Psalm 51:3–4 (NKJV)
3) For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4) Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
Romans 7:24 (NKJV)
24) O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
E. Cry Out to God for Salvation
Acts 2:21 (NKJV)
21) And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’