May 1, 2023
Ephesians 1:15-23
EXTRAVAGANT POWER
Sometimes Christians say to each other: “I’ll pray for you!” What do you pray? Some of you are leaders, what do you pray for the group of people you lead? In today’s passage, we get a look and a listen into the prayer closet of the apostle Paul. He’s not praying for sunny skies and ease of life, he’s got bigger dreams for the people of God.
Listen to an audio version of the message
Songs for this week: Spotify
Ephesians 1:15-23
- What’s the strength level of your praying lately? What do you find easy about praying? What is hardest?
- Paul mentions that he ‘has not stopped giving thanks’ for the believers in Ephesus. What do you have to give thanks for about the people in your group or those in your church?
- Paul prays that the Ephesian believers would experience three things: intimacy with God, the hope to which they’ve been called, and God’s power. What does each of those include?
- Paul is super jazzed about the Resurrection, Jesus, and the Church. The first two seem obvious. Why would the Church mean so much?
- Finish by praying for each other: pray for intimacy with God, deep hope, and the power of God in the lives of those in your group.
Share with a friend
Recent Sermons
Galatians 5:16-26 - The Holy Spirit surprised both the convinced and the curious in the early Church—working through powerful deeds and transforming lives from within to become more like Jesus.
Acts 2:1-21 - The long-awaited gift of God’s Spirit given to ordinary women and men finally touched down! A few unlikely believers huddled together in an upstairs room were the first recipients. This story unlocks the plan that the Spirit of Jesus has for us all.
Luke 4:14-21-Jesus announced that the Spirit of the Lord was on him to proclaim the good news. The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus for his mission. And Jesus gives us the same Spirit for the same mission.
Joel 2:28-32 - Begin a seven-week journey exploring the person and work of the Holy Spirit—from Genesis to Revelation. Discover how the Spirit moves through the Old Testament, revealing a presence that is mysterious, powerful, and deeply woven into the story of faith.
Mark 16:1-8 - The resurrection of Jesus Christ brings clarity to the entire Bible, redeeming every story from the Garden of Eden onward. Though surprisingly understated in Gospel of Mark, this moment secures a powerful hope—offering grace today and the promise of a future face-to-face with Jesus.
Mark 11:1-11 -As Mark’s account of Jesus moves toward the Cross, the Triumphal Entry may seem quiet to us—but for those who had waited centuries, it was electric. The question of the true King wasn’t just Israel’s struggle—it’s still ours today.
