What We Need to Know

Eph 1:18 ", the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints," NKJV

 

I have to keep going with these verses. Paul prayed that these people would get their brains around their faith. And this is what he wanted them to know: God, their hope, their inheritance, God's power.

 

First God. He prayed that they would be given wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. This is primary. If we miss this we miss everything. God wants us to know Him. He wants us to grow in our knowledge of Him. In short, He wants relationship. Paul said it in another letter: "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings." (Philippians) He said that he counted everything loss for the surpassing value of knowing Christ. This is it. If we have to concentrate on anything in our Christian life, this is it. Know Jesus. Grow in our relationship with Christ. Paul knew this and this was a big deal prayer request for him on behalf of this church.

 

Then look at what else he wanted these people to know: Their hope, their inheritance and their power.

 

Their Hope. In my profession I have found this truth: People need hope. It is tough to live without hope. Now as a lawyer, people think that hope is found in money, or a job, or health. There are times that I have an opportunity to share with them that real hope is found in a person: Jesus. Money and jobs and health will all eventually fade…Christ never will. Real hope, real purpose, a real future is found there and nowhere else. Paul said that he wanted them to know the hope of their calling. Their hope was not in what they did. Their hope was not in what they decided. Their hope was found in the calling of God in their lives. Their hope was found in the divine invitation of God to embrace salvation. If we have this, we have eternal hope.

 

Their Inheritance. Paul said that this was glorious. This is the magnificence of what we will eventually receive. I know that I have no clue, but Paul wanted these people, and God wants us to get a clue. I think that if we concentrated on this, if we spent time talking about and investigating what our inheritance is then we would not be so enamored with the junk that this world has to offer. There is no way that this world's property, or power, or money, or thrills can compare with God has for us. "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man all that God has prepared for us." It is so astounding. Just wait.

 

Their Power…tomorrow.