Human beings, it seems, are always reaching for more power. Auto manufacturer Devel Motors, for example, showed off the prototype of its Devel Sixteen, a vehicle with a 16-cylinder, 12.3-liter engine producing more than 5,000 horsepower. Or, if that is not enough, consider the Peterbilt semitruck that sports three Pratt & Whitney J34–48 jet engines. Boasting 36,000 horsepower, the truck does a quarter mile in 6.5 seconds and regularly hits 376 mph before deploying its two parachutes.
In contrast, Paul prays that believers in Ephesus, under temptation to admire the various powers and deities of their culture, will experience through the Holy Spirit the immensity of the power God makes available to them in Christ. This divine might is not measured in horsepower, or magic, but is seen in four cosmos-shifting, salvation-history events: (1) the resurrection of Jesus; (2) His exaltation at the throne of God; (3) all things being placed in subservience to Christ; and (4) Christ being given to the church as its Head (Ephesians 1:19–23).
In considering these four events, believers may begin to grasp—and experience—the vast scope of the power God exercises on their behalf.
Thought questions: To what extent are you living in the light of Christ’s rule over all things? Or to what extent are you living under the authority of [these] other powers, the fallen powers, whose authority is ebbing away anyway? How do you know which is which, and how can you get away from the forces of evil that, though certainly defeated, are still prevalent in our world?
The Power of the Exalted Jesus (Qtr 3 - Week 3: 15 July) Part1
The Power of the Exalted Jesus (Qtr 3 - Week 3: 15 July) Part2
Audio recordings are available 5-10 minutes after the show has aired.