Asking for the Renewal They Need (Ephesians 1:15-23)

This sermon was preached on July 5th, 2026. You can listen to the audio here.

We’ll get back into Genesis next week. But today I want to take you to a passage from Ephesians that I love. One that Billy preached back when we walked through the book. And I want you to think about a question.

What would you say that America truly needs? Yesterday marked 250 years since our nation’s founding. It’s a big anniversary. You’d expect quite the celebration. But we haven’t seen too much of that. There seems to be a great deal of disenchantment - with where we find ourselves today. And there’s so much division over what the path ahead should be. So I return to my opening question. What would you say America truly needs?

Now I think the answer is found in that passage we just read. As Paul shows us how He prays to God for a church. That he planted way back in this city called Ephesus. And writes in this letter several years later. Verse 15 starts with these words, “for this reason.” And they point back to everything he says just before. Where He praises the Lord for our great salvation. And gives Him credit for really doing all the work. Hear verses 3 through 6 with me:

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Did you catch what Paul says? He’s blessing the Lord for all the blessings they’ve received. And declaring that they all from from God’s sovereign will.

He “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” And “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons.” He did it, it says, to make us — and the Ephesians — holy. He brought us into His family. He made us His “beloved.” But it came “according to the purpose of His will.” And “to the praise of His glorious grace.” It certainly wasn’t because of anything the Lord found in us. And it was all done that He might forever receive the honor He deserves.

Now there is more we could say about verses 7 through 14 But this is our context. To where our words today point back. We serve a God who’s sovereign. In others words, who’s in control. He reigns over everything as King - and that includes our salvation. And He deserves - blessing - glory and honor - for all of that. Paul says “for this reason,” and launches into our verses today.

Praising for God’s Work

Because Paul’s view of God is so big, he makes a habit of doing a couple things. Yes, for this church in Ephesus. But for other churches, as well. And they serve as an example for you and me - for our life together. Because we serve a great and glorious God, we should, first, be about praising for God’s work. Paul here thanks God for His work in their lives. He writes in verse 16, “I do not cease to give thanks for you.” And we should be about that, as well.

Well, what is he thanking the Father for? Their faith, first of all. Verse 15: “Because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus.” The apostle is writing this from prison. More on that in a bit. But he’s hearing of the faith of this church - and how they’re trusting the Lord - even in really difficult times. And he recognizes that it’s from the Lord. So He’s praising.

But he also has heard, second, of their love. Verse 15 again: word of their “love toward all the saints” has made it there to his cell. And Paul is so encouraged. Remember, if we’re in Christ, we’re all “saints” - set apart by - and devoted to - our Lord. Paul says, “I keep hearing how you’re loving one another. And I keep thanking God for that. After all, that can only come from Him!” D.A. Carson explains it like this:

“The assumption, of course, is that apart from God’s powerful, transforming work, these people would never have been converted. Without God, they would never have begun to display the trust, faithfulness, and love now richly displayed in their lives. Therefore whatever Christian virtues characterize them become the occasion for heartfelt praise to God.” (D. A. Carson)

The two great commandments - to love God, to love neighbor - are being lived out in the lives of those saints. What Jonathan Edwards called the two marks of true conversion - affection for God and affection for others - are bursting out of that church there in Ephesus. And it’s making Paul so excited. He’s so encouraged by them. And he can’t stop thanking His Lord.

Is this a regular rhythm for us? This kind of thanksgiving. Do we even notice these things, among our family, first of all? If we do see God’s work, do we encourage that brother or sister? And, beyond that, do we ever get to the most important thing? Do we praise and thank the Lord for His work?

I think about my own MC. Brandon and Mary, who in a very stressful year. In the thick of parenting small kids. With family members really sick. They’re discipling our youth. They’re pouring out their hearts. Continuing to trust in the Lord. Thank you, Father!

Kevin and Laura - leading an MC for the first time. Encouraging and supporting so many people - while living out their faith so well in our city. Thank you! For Daniel and Clare - holding such weighty, important jobs. Raising busy little kids. Loving our church so well. Continuing to cling on to faith. All the while, in the toughest year so far of their lives. I praise you! You’re at work!

Hannah and Nathan, serving us so well - trusting the Lord - taking on foster parenting and inspiring us all. Andrew and Jamie - in a young marriage, now in a new, unfamiliar place with challenging jobs, welcoming a new baby - trusting in Jesus, sharing the gospel. Sabrina battling health problems as a single mom. Mark jumping in and investing in biblical community again. Thank you, Father! You’re doing beautiful things. In my MC. But all over our church!

Notice Paul here, somehow thankful in the midst of trouble. Again, friends, he is in JAIL. We can live this way, too. We tend to resort to griping and complaining. About our situation. About the people God’s put in our lives. Missing out completely in all the grace that surrounds. Instead of thanking. Even in hard times, we have reason to give thanks - for all the work our Father has done. Do we see that in our church community? Let’s bless the Lord for what He’s doing in one another.

Pleading for God’s Work

Now there’s a second practice that’s common for the apostle Paul. Did you see it? “For this reason” - again because God is so big - because the Lord reigns - He says He also does not cease, “remembering you in my prayers.” Contrary perhaps to what you’ve maybe thought, believing God’s sovereignty doesn’t undermine our prayers. It gives them a foundation.

As Carson also puts it, “God’s sovereign grace in our lives must serve not as a disincentive to prayer but as an incentive, just as it is for Paul.”

Because we serve a good and gracious God, we should, second, be about pleading for God’s work. Paul thanks God for what He’s done. But He also asks the Lord for even more. Knowing that we’re dependent upon Him to work. But notice what it is the apostle asks.

Tim Keller wrote this helpful article entitled “Kingdom-Centered Prayer.” We’ve read it and discussed it for years in Karis Lead School. In it, he cites a mentor, Jack Miller, who explains the difference between “maintenance” and “frontline” prayer meetings. Maintenance prayers - what we’ve perhaps most experienced - focus on “physical, personal needs inside the church.” Just Aunt Myrtle’s hip replacement surgery, for example. But “frontline” prayer, what Miller and Keller argue we desperately need, has these three characteristics: "a request for grace to confess sins and humble ourselves; a compassion and zeal for the flourishing of the church; and a yearning to know God, to see his face, to see his glory.“ In other words, we need to pray for gospel renewal as a church family. What we see modeled here by Paul.

Paul, here in verse 17, asks “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.” He begs God for “wisdom” in the life of those Ephesian Christians. That they’d know how to apply Scripture to all of life’s complex situations. And he also pleads that God would give them “revelation.” And not something other than Scripture. But rather that it would be illuminated for them. That they would be able to mine its depths. And experience Jesus there like they never had before. He’s asking God to give them more of His “Spirit” to do this.

Now notice how the three persons of the Trinity here are involved. If you go back to the first of this chapter, Paul blesses Father, Son, and Spirit for this salvation they’ve found. Here, He’s calling out to those three persons - He’s asking the Triune God - to give them even more blessings - to help them truly experience that salvation. And specifically “in the knowledge of Him.” Paul wants them to know the Lord better.

Not just cognitive knowledge - more facts in their brains. But experiential knowledge - more passion in their hearts. As verse 18 puts it, “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened.” The apostle wants them - in the core of their being as persons - to see and truly celebrate the glory of the gospel. Paul is asking first for gospel renewal.

But notice second what this renewal looks like. He wants them, verse 18, to “know what is the hope to which he has called you.” When they first heard God’s summons to salvation. When they were called by God out of darkness into light. When as chapter 2 puts it, they were made alive in Christ. They were called to a hope. The hope of being set free from struggles with sin. The hope of their bodies one day resurrected in Christ. And the hope of Jesus restoring all things at the end. Paul asks the Lord to help them grasp this.

He also prays that they’d know “what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” Now there’s some debate - about the inheritance we’re talking about here. At first glance, our mind goes to what we’ll inherit one day in Christ. And, of course, that’s true. It’s even mentioned in verse 14. But most scholars point out that it’s HIS inheritance that Paul brings up. Meaning God’s, of course. That WE are His riches. And what an exhilarating thought. That as Exodus 19:5 in the Old Testament communicates so well. And Titus 2 brings over into the New. We are His treasured possession. Have you thought about that? Not a bunch of people the Lord chooses to tolerate. But objects of His affection He chooses to never live without.   

There’s a third thing Paul asks for those Ephesians - that they’d really understand strength. The might that’s theirs in the Lord. As He puts it, in verse 19, “what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe.” And do you see how He explains it - that power that’s theirs? He points them to the resurrection. In our time in Genesis, we’ve been amazed at God’s power. In creation. But that’s not where Paul chooses to go. Could something be even greater? What’s we see in redemption. Resurrection from the dead! The apostle wants those Christians to be struck by the might that’s theirs in Jesus.

They don’t have to stay stuck in sin. Their ministry can do far more than they think. Far more is possible in their lives and in their church than they can possibly imagine. Paul asks the Lord to impress that upon that church.

Is this our practice, our pattern as Christians? Do we pray for one another - that we’d be renewed by God’s Spirit? That we’d truly know our Triune God? That we’d be changed by His gospel? That we would comprehend our hope? That we’d marvel at this identity - that God calls us His inheritance? Do we ask that He’d help us see the great power that’s ours in Christ? Do we depend upon - and plead before - our Lord - to work?

With our brothers and sisters here? What about our global family? By God’s grace we’ve sent out a number of disciples here to the ends of the earth. And today, Caleb and Kelly Bales are here visiting along with their three girls. They’re serving in Scotland. And it’s been a tough season for them there. Dealing with sickness and death across the pond. And the same trials and tragedies back here. Raising a family in a strange place. Struggling to pay their bills. What if we followed Paul’s example here? What God clearly wants us to grasp.

And asked the Lord to renew them. That they’d know the Lord even better. In the midst of those trials. To have their hearts renewed. In the good news of the gospel. To truly feel their hope - when everything around thing really hurts. To grasp that they’re the Lord’s treasured possession. When they don’t feel much of His presence. And to know and truly believe - that, yes, they’re weak. But there’s a power that’s at their disposal. That can create light out of darkness. That can even raise the dead. What if we asked the Spirit to work all that in them? And we did that for all those we’ve sent out?

Notice how Paul here, somehow keeps priorities. He’s not asking God to take away His suffering, His pain. He’s not asking God to give His people political power. He’s focused on the right things. And we can do this, too. We often resort to bitterness and cynicism. About our lives, and the future of the church. But truly all the time - and especially in hard times, we have need for Him to work even more. To bring His renewal. Let’s beg the Lord to cause even deeper change in us.

Think about this. If we lived like Paul here - with these rhythms we see - of thanking God for His work in His people and asking Him to do even more among His church. If we took up this practice, how do you think it would affect you and me? What do you think would come of all the complaining and cynicism we so often feel? Don’t you think it would deepen our faith and love ourselves?

And what would it do among us, as a church? Do we think He’s honored by praise? Do we believe the Lord answers prayer? Do we think renewal might come? And how might that impact our city, even our country? If they saw a church renewed. Moved by gospel hope. Gripped by His love. Wowed by the power of God.

But here’s what we often sadly do. We try to force the world to act Christian. Politics becomes our hope. We forget we’re children of the KING. We try to take power into our hands. But all that does is backfire. And push everyone away. What they really need - those around us we’re called to reach - is to see us overflowing with the love of Christ.

The early church was a part of a wicked Roman Empire. The Ephesian church was surrounded by evil, by witchcraft. And the Lord used them in powerful ways. Acts 19 says that so many people were delivered from the enemy - that came in repentance and faith - that an uproar resulted - in that town. And the word of God spread in power. Paul wrote to them later. And said these words here. He praised God for His work in them still. And asked for the Lord to continue to do great things.

Living Out This Prayer

So how about we live this out? Starting in your MC, moving out to our church, and the missionaries we’ve sent out around the earth, why don’t we thank God for one another - for His work in us? Why don’t we ask the Lord to do more - in our family, here in our church?

What if we really believed God heard prayer? And delighted to work by His Spirit? What if we made renewal our passion, our priority, our prayer? We’d sure be more grateful. And a whole lot more hopeful. And our city might just notice. Especially with everything going on today. And begin to ask some questions.

Here’s a challenge. Start with this prayer of Paul. The thanksgiving. The intercession. And give it a try. And actually expect God to work. And then maybe move on, or alternate with, the other prayers of Paul. Check out what’s on the screen. All the other prayers like this are listed. Plus a book from D. A. Carson that will inspire you in this. Give it a go in private worship. In your MC and DNA. In our corporate times of prayer. Let’s go to our sovereign God - like we see Paul do right here.   

Jesus Reigns and Asks Us to Trust

Now, hear with me again how this passage wraps up. The Father raised Jesus His Son. Seated Him beside Him in heaven. His resurrection. His exaltation. Verse 21:

Ephesians 1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

I began talking about God’s sovereign reign. Here we see Jesus ruling in heaven as King. Jesus is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion.” Certainly over rulers here on earth. And even over spiritual beings - including our enemy, Satan.

The Father “put all things under his feet.” That’s a call-back to Psalm chapter 8. Which refers back to Genesis chapter one. Jesus will have dominion as Adam was always meant to have. King over all creation.

But Christ is also made “head over all things to the church.” All that sovereign power, Karis - it’s now working for the good of His people. For you and for me. And here’s the question: do we really believe that’s true? Do we really think He’ll build His church? That He’ll grow us in faith and love? And usher the nations in?

Will we dare ask Him for that? That we might be renewed - and those around us might be changed? Just like that church back in Ephesus? That turned that city upside-down?

Now we should have gratitude, here as Americans today. But mingled with grief, as things aren’t what we’d like. Thanksgiving for what we have. Intercession for change we need. A certain type of patriotism is fitting. It makes sense. But not taking it too far. As this isn’t our home. And we’re first citizens of heaven. Our hope isn’t found in this nation. Or in earthly rulers we see. Just as it wasn’t back in those Roman Empire days. We worship Him who sits on the throne. We long for a new heavens and new earth. And that’s what our fellow Americans are longing for, as well.

Imagine with me for a second. What if our neighbors saw our steadfast faith in our unstable world and were intrigued? And saw our sacrificial love for one another and were attracted? They saw God’s work in our midst. And they just couldn’t look away. The work of the gospel became non-ignorable for them. And they were drawn to us.

And what if our hearts were so renewed in passion for Jesus, that we were propelled out into our city? Have you heard about this hope? Do you know about God’s love? Have you heard of this power that can be yours? What an impact we’d make! Can you imagine?     

I don’t have to completely imagine. Because I see the Lord’s work here in us. But I will keep on thanking. And I’ll keep asking. For His transformation so far. And for more renewal to come. Will you join me? A renewed church. That’s what they, what America, our world, truly needs. And that’s what Jesus, exalted in heaven, our King, has committed Himself to. Let’s pray.