Having Trouble Worshiping? (pt. 3/3)

The third piece of wisdom from the Bible comes from Ephesians 3.

[3] Ephesians 3:14-21 – “14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen.”

Here Paul is writing to the Ephesian people telling them how and why he prays for them.  These verses have so much in them.  The second part of verse 19 says, “that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.“  This fullness of God that we will be filled with is the same as being filled with the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18.
So how?  The answer is in the first part of verse 19, “to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”

The Third piece of wisdom from the Bible is, (which leads to the second piece of wisdom being fulfilled) that you know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.

Unpacking this verse by verse in Ephesians 3:14-21 will show it’s relation to worship.  In verses 14-16, Paul begins praying for the Ephesian people to be filled with the Holy Spirit by God.  “For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches (abundancy) of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” (v. 14-16)

This prayer by Paul is the same prayer that we have been told to pray in Ephesians 5:18.  However, continuing through the passage, Paul shows us that knowing Jesus’ love for us gives evidence to our being filled with the Holy Spirit.  Knowing Jesus’ love for us will also eventually involve our emotions toward Him.  Understanding the “breadth and length and height and depth” (v. 18) of Christ’s love involves our emotions.  How could it not?

Romans 8:38-39 shows us everything that tries to keep us from Christ’s love.  All these things end up unsuccessful to keep us from Christ’s love.  Jesus’ love for us is stronger that all these things.  Thus, worship will be the result of a person when they know more than just facts about Christ, but are also emotionally involved with Jesus and love Him – and - they know His love for them.

So a key for us to experience powerful worship is for us to try our hardest to begin to understand, more and more, Christ’s love for us.  When we do, we will be changed.

Can you just imagine what your worship towards Jesus would look like if you fully (or even partly) understood His love for you?