The Twenty-First Sermon, the Sixth on the Third Chapter, and the first on the Fourth - Ephesians 3:2

on the Third Chapter, and the first on the Fourth

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. - Ephesians 3:20-4:2

When God has done us much good, although we feel indebted to Him and obliged to offer Him due praise, we cannot fulfil our duty with a willing heart unless we have hope that He will continue to be the same in the future as we have known Him to be in the past. Without faith, we cannot have hope. Thus, it becomes impossible for God to receive the praise due to Him from humanity, even if He has come to our aid and granted our every wish.

If we were to think that His help in our time of need was merely a fleeting moment, soon to vanish, and that henceforth, we could expect nothing more from His hand, we would be discouraged from seeking Him. Our hearts would be burdened with sorrow and despair. To maintain our praise of God, we must unite two things: firstly, we must remember the good we have received from Him, and secondly, we must maintain hope that He will remain steadfast in His benevolence until the end, continuously bestowing His blessings upon us.

This is the order that St. Paul underscores here when he says, "Praise and glory be yielded unto God, and how unto him," adding, "who is able to do all things beyond our asking, yea, and beyond our thinking too." St. Paul has this in mind, as we have seen before, that God has revealed the boundless riches of His goodness by spreading the gospel, which is the message of salvation, throughout the world.

Nevertheless, he encouraged the faithful to discharge their duty cheerfully by assuring them that they should not doubt that God would withdraw His hand, as if His generosity towards them had been temporary and fleeting. His intention was to convey that God would continue His work, allowing them to praise His name without interruption. This means that we should express our gratitude not only for the blessings we have already received but also in anticipation of God's continued faithfulness. This is the essential point we should draw from this statement.

This statement is an exhortation for "glory to be yielded to God in the church." It emphasizes that it is insufficient for each individual to privately acknowledge the blessings bestowed by God. Instead, believers should unite in their thankfulness and praise. When the body (the church) prospers and grows in number and spiritual gifts, it is not only the recipients of these blessings who should strive to praise God but also the entire body. Believers should be bound together in a holy union, as the Apostle Paul will later explain. This is why he specifically mentions the church, indicating that God's goodness should inspire every individual to glorify Him. In this way, we recognize that whatever God does for our fellow believers should be considered as if it were done for us.

Paul also addresses a potential obstacle to unified praise among believers. There was a historical animosity between Jews and Gentiles, with Jews often feeling a sense of superiority due to their heritage and adherence to the law. Gentiles, on the other hand, were seen as having no claim to such privileges. Paul reminds them that since God has called both groups as brothers and sisters to share in the inheritance of salvation, they should be united in praising Him. He says, "Let glory be yielded to God, yay, even forevermore from world to world, and by Jesus Christ." Paul's intention is to stress that the church will be preserved forever, and there will always be a remnant in the world. Thus, the message of salvation will never be in vain, and there will always be people who can serve as a mirror reflecting the immeasurable mercy of God, which He has shown us through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, we understand St. Paul's meaning, which assures us that even though Satan may attempt everything within his power to erase the memory of God and disrupt the church, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will ultimately prevail. The church will endure, and the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ will remain effective, despite the cruelty of tyrants and the schemes of enemies, whether they are within households or seek to destroy the entire structure. This is why St. Paul emphasizes the name of Jesus Christ.

It is indeed true that we can only give thanks to God through Jesus Christ because we would be unworthy to receive any good without Him. By nature, we are enemies of God, and even though He is generous even to unbelievers, it only increases their condemnation, for "to him that is unclean, all things are unclean," as St. Paul mentions elsewhere. Therefore, we can never express our gratitude to God except through the name of Jesus Christ, through whom we receive all good things.

However, St. Paul's main message in this passage is to make us understand that God's intention, through His only Son, was to reveal Himself as a Father to all humanity. He ordained His Son to establish an everlasting atonement that would continue for all eternity. We should be assured that God will uphold His truth in this world and will always have a flock gathered to Him where His name will be invoked.

Now, let's move on to the second part of this passage, where St. Paul emphasizes that it is not enough for us to have experienced God's goodness in the past. We must be filled with hope that God will continue to show His mercy towards us in the future. This is why St. Paul mentions that God is "able to do all things exceedingly, abundantly above our asking or thinking." St. Paul's message here is a warning that if God has shown great mercy to us in the past, we should not doubt that He will continue to do so. God is not like fickle human beings, and we should not fear that His blessings will run dry after bestowing great benefits upon us. On the contrary, God has an abundance of blessings, and the more we receive, the greater His abundance becomes.

Therefore, to prepare ourselves to acknowledge and honour the good that God has bestowed upon us, we must always be fully convinced and persuaded that we will find Him to be a Father because He has promised to be so. When St. Paul speaks of God's power, we should not imagine it as idle power, as worldly people often do.

They will readily admit that God is all-powerful, but in the meantime, they trust in Him less and less. To them, it seems like He is resting in heaven, or that He doesn't concern Himself with the affairs of this world until He thinks of them. However, when God speaks to us about His power, it is so that we may use it as our shield against all the distress, hindrance, and doubt that the devil throws before our eyes to make us question God's promises.

For instance, when it is said that Abraham believed in God's almighty power, it wasn't a vague belief but a belief in the context of God's infinite power being applied to the promise given to him. The promise was that through his descendants, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Abraham, looking at himself, saw that he was a man rapidly decaying, almost at death's door. His wife had been barren all her life, and she was beyond childbearing age. The promise given by God seemed utterly impossible. Why, then, did Abraham still have unwavering faith in God's promise? It was because he had faith in God's infinite power, which could overcome all obstacles and hindrances. Abraham applied God's power to his own situation, believing that God's truth and power were inseparable.

Similarly, consider what the Apostle Paul wrote about being entrusted with God's message. Paul saw himself as a frail and vulnerable creature. He was pursued and despised, and the message he carried was hated and opposed. His life was constantly at risk, and he faced numerous troubles that could have overwhelmed him. Even when imprisoned and facing death, how did he achieve victory against so many temptations and challenges? He knew that God was the keeper of his soul and trusted in God's infinite power, which could accomplish everything He intended.

Therefore, let us learn this lesson, as it is emphasized in both the Old and New Testaments. The frequent repetition of this message is not without reason. We are often frail and easily shaken, so even when God promises to protect us, a slight adversity can quickly dishearten us. However, if we truly honoured and acknowledged God's Almighty power, we would boldly face anything that appears to be against us. For as Paul said, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" We also see how David defied all his enemies and even death, saying, "Though I should walk in the shadow of death and within the grave, yet should I be safe, because God is my shepherd, and His shepherd's staff will guide me." In another place? He says, "Though I were surrounded by a million enemies, I would not shrink." And why? Because God is with me. If we were as firmly persuaded of God's mightiness as we confess it with our mouths, we would not be easily dismayed, nor would our faith be shaken at every little threat. Therefore, let us conclude that since we are so weak and the smallest things can terrify us, our confession of God's almightiness does not come from our hearts. We must, therefore, make a conscious effort to instil and practice this lesson day and night, that we may truly experience it.

The reason why it is mentioned to us so often is that we do not consider it of great importance. But when our Lord repeatedly tells us that He holds all things in His hand, that He governs His creatures as He pleases, and that nothing can thwart His purposes or the fulfillment of His promises, it is so that we may give His promises the weight they deserve. When we find ourselves on the brink of despair, and the devil engages us in such fierce battles that we see no way of escape or end to our troubles, we should reflect on this. Who is it that has spoken and promised to be our defender? Is it not the Almighty One who, with a single breath, could dispel all the devil's schemes, even if the whole world were against us? If God has deigned to take our side, what could anyone do against us? In this manner, we must exalt God's power above the entire world so that we may rest in His promises.

God's Word and His power to fulfill what is contained therein are inseparable. We blaspheme God whenever we doubt or waver, wondering if He is able to defend us as He has promised. Since He has made the promise, there is no doubt that He will fulfill it, lest His power be diminished, which is impossible. This is why St. Paul speaks of God's power here. The prophets also, when speaking of the sackcloth that God always has ready to rescue the faithful from death when they are plunged into it, often say, "Is it not the God who made both heaven and earth?" This may seem far-fetched, but when I am in distress, seeking refuge only in God's pity, and He tells me that He created heaven and earth, He seems to be sending me far away and steering me out of God's blessing into the sun.

But God's declaration that He created heaven and earth is meant to convey that He also governs His creation, cares for us as His children, and has authority over all things above and below. He directs everything according to His will, and nothing is beyond His control. So, if He says so, we must immediately apply it to our benefit and have no doubt that His power is superior and capable of uprooting anything that appears to be against us. This is how we should always connect God's promises and His ability to fulfill them. St. Paul states that God can do everything beyond our asking or thinking, and it is not without reason that he includes everything related to our salvation. For the one who trusts in God for one thing will not hesitate to question whether He will add a second or a third benefit. Therefore, St. Paul wants us to expect everything from the hand of our God.

He says, "Above our asking, it is true that we must not fall asleep when we are helped and governed by God, thinking that His hand will be filled with His benefits. But if we believe in His Word, we must also be moved to pray for it as a true proof of our faith when we resort to our God. For that reason, it is said that the faithful must cast all their cares into His lap, as a true testimony that at all times of our need, we resort to Him, who wants us to seek all our welfare in Him alone.

Therefore, the faithful must be diligent in prayer, as St. Paul mentions in another text, where he exhorts us to prayer and supplication, setting before us this diligence so that we are not slothful. Even if we give ourselves wholly to praying unto God, God must still exceed our requests and do much more for us than we require. As proof of this, when any of the faithful feels his own weaknesses, he will immediately humble himself and resort to God, not just once, but every minute of an hour. Afterward, he will continue to seek Him, both for his body and soul, and even if he does this many times, it is not too much. I must emphasize that the faithful thoroughly examine the miseries to which they are subject to provoke themselves to pray unto God.

However, we should not underestimate the devil, who has many tricks that we do not perceive, and God must be found to provide for them, or else what would become of us? Although we may feel various things afflicting us, there are many others that are unknown and hidden from us. So, it will always be true that God exceeds all our prayers and wishes. Take note of this one point: let us do what we can to continually resort to God, but let us also be fully persuaded that He must be found to watch over us and be much more vigilant than we are in recognizing our needs and the appropriate means to help us. All these things must be entrusted to Him, as I mentioned earlier from the Psalm.

So, when he adds "above our ability to think," he shows that even though people, enlightened by the gospel, learn to distrust themselves and walk in fear, and are humbled by their own wretchedness, they still perceive only a fraction of it. The rest must be left to God, and we must look for more from His hand than we can imagine. This also shows us that we cannot go too far in trusting God and asking Him for what we need. However, we must not use this liberty foolishly to ask God for this or that, driven by our fleshly desires. We must fully commit ourselves to Him, and especially in prayer, we must fight against our own lusts so that we do not become too demanding. We see what happened to those who demanded their desires to be satisfied; the children of Israel were fed with meat until they were ready to burst."

But while the meat was yet in their throats, God's wrath and vengeance fell upon them. It would have been no better for them if their request had been denied than granted. Therefore, when we pray, we must not take such liberty as to say that God should be subject to our affections and desires. Instead, we must ask Him for the things that He has promised us, assuring ourselves that He will approve of our requests. As I mentioned before, let us not fear that we will be too excessive, for we will see that He will do even more. So, this is what we should do, and let us not be afraid of being accused of presumption or arrogance when we rely on His promises.

Indeed, if people trust themselves more than what God's word will support or indulge in hopes that go beyond what is reasonable, such hopes will undoubtedly lead them astray. But if we ground ourselves in God's truth, which is sure and indisputable, let us have unwavering trust in Him, and let us not doubt that He will fulfill it completely and even more. As I mentioned earlier, God is with us here. We see then that one of the things to remember in this context is that we must consider God's blessings, not only those we have experienced ourselves but also those that are evident throughout the world. They should inspire us to praise God's name and create a harmonious melody among all the faithful, honoring God for all the benefits He has bestowed upon His entire church.

Furthermore, we must hope that He will continue what He has begun and that, since we have already experienced His mercy when we were far from Him and rescued from the depths of our despair, we should not doubt that He will continue and increase the blessings we have already partially received. In our prayers, we must also consider the many necessities that compel us to turn to Him and recognize that He will do much more for us than we can wish. We are weak-minded and unskilled, and we do not know what is best for us. However, God remedies this in two ways: first, by stirring up unutterable groanings in us, as He more fully explains in Romans 8, and second, by supplying us with His grace, so that He not only answers our pleas but also anticipates us through His mercy, even when we are in our wretchedness and do not perceive a tenth of what we need.

Now, on this basis, Paul encourages the faithful to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they have been called. This is not only so that they should thank God with their mouths, as he urges them to do, but also to benefit themselves with the spiritual gifts they receive and use them to glorify God. For if we were to proclaim God's praises, but people could see no zeal for honoring and serving God in our lives, it would be mere pretense, and such a confession would be empty and hollow when our lives do not align with it. Therefore, for good reason, Paul adds here that people should walk in accordance with the calling to which they have been called.

In this regard, we should first note that because we are naturally sluggish, there is always too much sloth and coldness in us. We cannot find a better way to stir ourselves to greater obedience to God than to contemplate His infinite mercy, which He has shown to us. In this regard, Paul, in Romans 12, encourages the faithful to be teachable and to place their trust in God. He sets before them the mercy they have received from His hand. It is as if he were saying that whenever we hear the stone that ought to be removed or reflect on the immeasurable goodness that God has shown us by not sparing His only Son but giving Him up for our salvation, allowing Him to be offered as a sacrifice to remove the memory of our offenses and wrongdoings, it should deeply affect our hearts.

Therefore, in this text, he speaks the truth when he mentions God's calling before our eyes. It is indeed a sufficient binding force by nature to serve and honour God, for we derive our life from Him and exist at His sustenance.

We witness how all His creatures serve us. This obligation is great enough to direct our lives according to God's will. But God deems it insufficient merely to place us in the world and provide for our physical needs. He also takes us to be His own children, nurturing us in His church, which is His house. Through His adoption of us, He bequeaths us the inheritance of heaven and assures us of it, having given us the pledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing that God, out of His infinite love for us, has offered us so much, should kindle the fire within us to run to Him. By renouncing ourselves more and more, we should strive to give ourselves entirely to Him so that He may have the full use of our entire lives. Our sole purpose should be to exalt His name. This is what St. Paul was emphasising when he said that he desired the Ephesians to walk in a manner befitting the vocation to which God had called them.

Therefore, we can conclude from this text that to overcome the slothfulness within us and especially to subdue the stubbornness that hinders us from pleasing God in all aspects, we must learn to direct our attention towards the infinite grace that God has bestowed upon us. He has made us partakers of the spiritual blessings through our Lord Jesus Christ by allowing us to become members of His body and adopting us as His children and heirs.

Furthermore, we should contemplate the purpose God had in mind, so He would not have to rebuke us as He did the Israelites through His prophet Isaiah. He complained about their ingratitude, likening them to a vineyard or a precious vineyard that He had cared for. Despite His care, they produced nothing but wild grapes and bitter fruit. We must be mindful that God has reason to reprimand us today, just as He did them. If the ancient Israelites received great gifts, then we, since the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, are even more obligated to thank and acknowledge God. Consider that what He gave to our forefathers in olden times through symbols and shadows, He has granted us in reality and substance today. We live in the fullness of time, during which it has been God's will to abundantly pour out all His blessings upon us. Therefore, we will be less excusable if we are ungrateful and fail to acknowledge the good that God has done for us. This is what we should bear in mind.

Moreover, we should realise that, like Simon Peter, our Lord has redeemed us from the clutches of death and called us to His kingdom of light. He did this so that we may proclaim His virtues and dedicate our entire lives to magnifying Him to the fullest extent, in accordance with the present text, which states that we must live in a manner consistent with the calling to which God has summoned us.

Now, this significant gathering and drawing of us unto ourselves, as though God intended to make a new world of us, indeed, this was accomplished by the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The purpose was to separate us from the impurities of the world. Since we have been set apart by God and dedicated to Him, with the intention of making us His inheritance, let us not disappoint Him in His purpose. If we are indeed the children of light, as He says elsewhere, then let us not walk in darkness as the unbelievers do. Rather, let us make effective use of the grace we have received. This, in essence, is what we need to remember about the term "vocation" or calling. In short, we shall be much more blameworthy than ignorant and blind souls if we do not strive to hold ourselves under God's guidance and subjection.

The truth is that in the present age, there is no corner of the world that is not corrupted, to a horrifying extent. Even those who have never encountered the gospel but have been continually immersed in superstition will justly face condemnation from God. As for us, it is certain that we will have an even greater accountability, since God has illuminated us with His Word. While others wander astray in destruction, He has shown us the path to salvation, calling and luring us daily closer to Him. Therefore, we must consider this privilege carefully and not extinguish the light or cast aside the special grace granted to us. Instead, we should be even more motivated to serve Him. However, we must pay close attention to how the Apostle Paul advises us. He says that this must be done with utmost submission, humility, patience, and gentleness. By this, he means to express that it is not enough for each individual to strive to do their duty alone. We must also extend our hands to our neighbours and brothers, so that God may be served with one common consent among us.

Thus, we must understand that, as St. Paul states, this is not directed towards each person individually. Rather, it encompasses the entire body and community of the church. It is as if he were saying, "My friends, it is not enough for each of us to withdraw from evil, abstain from it, and demonstrate zeal to live in the fear of God and with uprightness. We must also care for one another and be fully resolved that it is insufficient to serve God if we do not strive by all means possible to encourage others to do the same. Therefore, he who leads should reach out his hand to his neighbour, and together, let us go forward. Those who are strong should assist those who are weak, bearing them up when necessary, so that we may all be drawn closer to God. This must be done not only within every town and village but also to those whom we do not know personally. Nevertheless, they are part of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we should serve as mirrors and examples to them, encouraging them to lead a godly life by showing them the way to follow us.

Furthermore, let us also benefit ourselves by doing so. If we see others who are more virtuous, zealous, and steadfast than we are, we should be ashamed and think to ourselves, "How can I lag behind when others march so boldly and eagerly towards God?" Therefore, the main point we must take from this is that since God has not called us individually or separately, but has directed His voice to all of us, and wishes it to be a holy bond among us, we must respond to Him, not only with our mouths but with our entire lives. There must be true unity among us, and we must strive to ensure that God is worshipped purely everywhere. Since we are all called to one inheritance, we should consider each other as brothers and sisters. Since we call God our Father, it is fitting that we be joined to our head, that is, to our Lord Jesus Christ. When we are joined to Him, we will certainly not be cut off from those whom He has included in His body. The hand should not despise the foot, nor should the foot scorn the hand. Since we know that our life solely depends on Jesus Christ, we should strive to support one another. We should pray to God to strengthen us against all of Satan's attacks, and to thwart his attempts to divide us. We should continue to battle with unwavering determination and follow the path that God has shown us until we reach the inheritance that He has promised us and purchased so dearly through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, let us humble ourselves before the majesty of our good God, acknowledging our sins and praying that He draws us to true repentance. May we be utterly cast down in our own eyes, only to be raised up again to serve Him. This should not be for a single day but for our entire lives. As His grace never wanes, may we never cease to serve Him. May His gifts to us increasingly inflame us to draw nearer to Him and be firmly united with Him. Let us all say, "Almighty God, Heavenly Father, etc."