Ephesians 1.15-23 (4)
Pray Psalm 47.2-4.
For the LORD Most High is awesome;
He is a great King over all the earth.
He will subdue the peoples under us,
And the nations under our feet.
He will choose our inheritance for us,
The excellence of Jacob whom He loves.
Selah
Sing Psalm 47.2-4.
(Truro: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns)
High is the LORD, O, fear His Name! He rules, a King o’er all the earth.
Nations and peoples He has tamed, the heritage of His holy worth.
.Read Ephesians 1.15-23; meditate on the phrase “word of truth” in verses 20, 21.
Concentrate on Jesus, exalted and enthroned. What do you see? Where are you in relation to what you see? How might you get “a closer look”? How can you fix this vision in your mind (Ps. 16.8)?
Preparation
1. Where is Jesus now?
2. How does Paul encourage us to think about Him there?
Meditation
Thank you for bearing with us during this long slog through Ephesians 1. Susie and I agreed that we can’t really understand the rest of Ephesians and realize its promise or fulfill its commands, without a good understanding of the spiritual power that is available within us by the gift of the Holy Spirit. And as the chosen and adopted people of God, He has given us every spiritual gift we will require. So it’s a lot to take in—thus, the slog.
And, more important, He reigns over us and over all things. The Name of Jesus is the highest of all names, a Name that signals power, might, and dominion now and forever. With the eyes of the heart we can see Him, enthroned in glory. And even though this may not actually be the way of things where He is “seated”, it is how God has chosen for us to think of Him, through familiar ideas that are greatly magnified and glorified because of their being included in the vision of Jesus.
Jesus is calling out a people for Himself. He is building His Church in unity and maturity as a corporate human reflection of Himself. He upholds the entire cosmos by His powerful Word. He dispatches angels, receives the adoration of departed saints, and rides through the earth on His white battle horse—the Church—conquering and to conquer, bringing His Kingdom to reality on earth as it is in heaven.
And nothing can stop Him. And nothing must stop us from fulfilling our apostolic calling as His saints.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Jesus Christ is far above all:
principality
power
might
dominion
He is far above
every name that is named
not only in this age
but also in the age to come.
Past, present, and future (Eph. 1.20, 21).
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him
and given Him the Name which is above every name,
that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Phil. 2.9, 10).
Think of the name of any person, place, or thing that conjures up
power, popularity, fear, beauty, brilliance, respect, and awesomeness.
Jesus is above all of those and then some. There is nothing that surpasses
our beloved Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. No thing, no person, no place. Nothing.
Now that we are summarily overwhelmed and impressed with Jesus and
we seek to see and serve Him—to worship The King of glory—we find ourselves
needing and wanting to become more like Him. And the more we seek to be like Him
the more we will accept and live out our calling as a people called out from the world.
A people that fit the description that Peter supplied:
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people,
that you may proclaim the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
who once were not a people but are now the people of God,
who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Pet. 2.9, 10).
“For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance…” (1 Kgs. 8.53).
We are called to keep His Law as a testimony to those in our Personal Mission Field.
“Those who forsake the Law praise the wicked,
But such as keep the Law contend with them” (Prov. 28.4).
The best way to honor and love our King is to do what He requires.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn. 14.15).
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (Jn. 15.14).
The only way to do what He requires is through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“But when the Helper comes, Whom I shall send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth Who proceeds from the Father,
He will testify of Me.
And you also will bear witness,
because you have been with Me from the beginning” (Jn. 15.26, 27).
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2.10). From the beginning.
“Jesus is calling out a people for Himself…and nothing can stop Him.
And nothing must stop us from fulfilling our calling as His saints.”
Reflection
1. How do you understand your calling from the Lord? Of what does your calling consist?
2. How do the spiritual blessings of the Lord help to prepare you for your calling each day?
3. Whom will you encourage today to seek the power of Jesus to pursue their calling?
He demonstrates the power of God through a human image. It is not that a material throne is set up and God the Father is physically seated on it and has the Son seated above with him. Rather he communicates with this metaphor because we could not understand his role as incomparable governor and judge except in our own terms. Jerome (347-420) Epistle to the Ephesians 1.1.21
Pray Psalm 47.5-9.
In prayer, meditating on Jesus, use the details of what you see with the eyes of the heart to give specific praise to our all-powerful and all-ruling King.
Sing Psalm 47.5-9.
(Truro: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns)
God has ascended with a shout, the LORD with sound of trumpet bold!
Sing praise to Him, let praise ring out; let praise throughout the world be told!
God is the King of all the earth; sing praise to Him with glorious psalms!
He rules the nations by His worth, and on His throne receives their alms.
Princes of peoples gather all to Abraham and to our God.
Exalt the LORD, and on Him call. The earth is His, so praise our God!
T. M. and Susie Moore
Have you ever wondered what Jesus, exalted in heaven, is doing on earth? Our book, What in Heaven Is Jesus Doing on Earth? can open the eyes of your heart and stretch your faith in Jesus, Who continues to be powerfully at work on our behalf. Order your copy in book form by clicking here, or in a free PDF download by clicking here.
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we are looking at commerce from a Kingdom perspective. Our Read Moore podcast continues readings from the book, Such a Great Salvation. In our Crosfigell series on Brendan of Clonfert, the saint is making progress in his journey to find The Promised Land of the Saints. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
