Ephesians 1:18-23 Podcast
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18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:18-23)
Today, we come to the rest of the first prayer that Paul prays for the believers in Ephesus. He prays that the eyes of the believer's heart may be enlightened. He speaks metaphorically about the eyes of our hearts, but theologically he is spot on. Faith is the ability of the heart to see God. The word enlightened is crucial to understand. The Greek word used here is pephÅtismenous which is the word from which we get our word photo.
I have always admired people who have a photographic memory. I do so, because I like so many, have a bad memory. Perhaps this is why the Lord commands us to remember some 166 times in the Bible.
Paul is praying that we will have a heart that doesn't forget these truths about God, so that we hope. This hope is powerful, as Paul points out in v.19-21. This powerful hope will culminate in the glorification of Jesus Christ. This powerful hope will result in everything putting the spotlight on Jesus as God.
This enlightenment is of utmost importance because it enables us to experience the resurrected life Jesus died to give us. Following Jesus is the product of the engagement of our hearts with a real person who has overcome and conquered sin and death. Following Him is to be defined by Him. And, this definition renders to us a hope that is so powerful that it overcomes all that would prevent us from His calling on our lives.
The cross of Jesus Christ is what mankind did to Jesus. He not only took on sin and death, but He rendered shame helpless in our lives. Freedom from this shame renders to and in us "the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people."
He rose from the grave to reveal to us eternal life. The first to see Him after He rose from the dead was Mary Magdalene. He appeared first to this woman who had been delivered from much. Her reputation before she met Jesus was not all that sterling. He appeared to her first because she was the most marginalized. He appeared to her first because she was the worst.
When our hearts grasp this, the power that is accessed is enough to raise us to a new life that renders to Jesus authentic glory. Such was the case for Thomas. Jesus left him in his doubt for eight days. When Jesus appeared to Thomas and He placated to his demands. Jesus invited the doubter to touch His nail prints. We are more blessed than Thomas because blessed are those who believe even though they haven't seen with their eyes, like Thomas.
Jesus is constantly revealing Himself personally to us on a day by day basis. The question is this: will we be enlightened enough to see Him with our hearts? When we do, we will transcend and we will have the perspective of Him who is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.
