The One Big Thing: Love

Ephesians 3:14-19

Jody Robertson

August 24, 2025

Today’s text is part of a lengthy prayer that Paul offers for the church at Ephesus, a church he founded. He prays for this church because they have a tendency to mess up and need the Lord to clean them up. BTW, it’s the same with us. 

In today’s text, Paul makes five requests for the church at Ephesus and for us. 

In verse 16, the first is that our spirits be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. 

In verse 17, the second is that Christ be with us, not just as another passenger, but as the driver. 

Third, verse 17b asks that we be rooted and grounded in love. 

Fourth, that we know Christ. “Know” in verse 18 does not just mean have information about someone. Instead, it means having personal experience with that person. That is how Paul wants us to know the Lord. 

Fifth, Paul prays for those who lack any understanding of God’s love. In the parable of the prodigal (and elder) son, neither one understood or knew the father’s love for him. The elder son did do all the right things, but for the wrong reasons. And for us to follow the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37), we need to understand and know the Father’s love. 

Now, having pondered the one big thing, close your eyes and imagine God thinking about you. What do you suppose God feels as he thinks about you?

Jesus Is the Answer

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Jody Robertson

June 1, 2025

We saw last week that through Christ, we are a new person, although we do still have an old nature. Verse 18 makes clear to us that God did the reconciling, not us. Ephesians 2:8,9 gives the same understanding. However, God provides us with a ministry of reconciliation. In fact, reconciliation is the keyword in this text. 

In God’s reconciliation of us to Him, He has given us a special freedom. Galatians 5:13 tells us that He has not called us to a life of doing whatever we want. Instead, it is to live with freedom from sin and freedom to serve. Verse 19 tells us that this service is a responsibility to give out the message of reconciliation. 

We come to a fuller understanding of our calling in verse 20. We are called ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is someone who is sent to another country to represent the country from which he was sent. We represent Christ to the world. We give the message that the answer to the wrongs of the world is Christ and the cross. 

We should note that most unbelievers are not in church. As ambassadors, we are to go to where they are. That may mean going to irritating people. However, that is an opportunity to shine light on people in darkness. And Jesus is always with us. This summer, Pastor Jody will not be with us, but Jesus is always with us. 

Verse 21 lays out the message we share. It is a message for people like the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. He was humble enough simply to want to be one of the servants. But he was clothed with a robe, a picture of the sinner clothed in righteousness. A ring was placed on his finger, a picture of the authority given to the sinner to be an ambassador for Christ. 

People who know us typically know what we were and did. We need to share with them what Christ did. That is expressed in Ephesians 2:12-19. Verse 12 tells us what we were. Verse 13 tells us what we are now. Verses 14f tells us what Christ did. As Jesus said in John 10:10, He gives us life.

Summary prepared by Elton Nelson