Ephesians: Part 5 - Knowing God
Ephesians: Part 5 - Knowing God
October 19, 2025
Ephesians 1:15-23
Pastor Scott Skones
When I was in college I read a book that impacted me more deeply than I even understood at the time. It was a book by an Anglican theologian by the name of JI Packer, titled “Knowing God.” And in the book, Packer distinguishes between “knowing about God” and “knowing God.”
Think about that distinction for a moment. There is a difference between knowing “about” something and “knowing” something. And that distinction is true with God. There is a difference between “knowing about God” and “knowing God”.
There is one quote in the book that I think gets to the heart of this difference. He writes:
“There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God’s favor to them in life, through death and on for ever.”
As we look to God’s word today, I want you to ask yourself the question: Do you know about God. Or do you Know God?
Is your knowledge of God head knowledge, or is it true and living and personal knowledge of God?
This question is the subject of Paul’s prayer for the Christians in Ephesus as we will see in our text for today. I invite you to stand as you’re comfortable as I read our sermon text for today from Ephesians 1:15-23 as we continue in our sermon series in Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:15-23
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 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.
God, we thank you for your word. We know that it is alive and it is powerful, and we confess that it is the final authority in faith and life. And so speak to us today through your word. Amen.
Paul gives thanks for the church in Ephesus and prays for them. But the substance of his prayer is what is so powerful and helpful for us today.
Look at verse 17 - “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation…”
Paul prays that they would know God better. And, specifically, he mentions three things that he wants them to know.
1 - The hope to which they were called.
V. 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…”
If you remember in our text from last week, we recognized that faith comes as God CALLS us through the preaching of the Gospel. And what we see in the text before us today is that the calling carries with it deep, abiding, lasting, transformative hope.
Remember there are a couple of ways to use the word hope. I might say, “I hope the Broncos win today.” That’s not how Paul is using the word here. This hope is not just wishful thinking. It is the assurance of a future reality. It is the confidence that the promises of God are true. It is a fundamental trust that God will, in fact, do what he has said he will do.
And so in verse 18 Paul prays for his friends in Ephesus – that they would KNOW the HOPE that comes from God’s work in their lives. That they would KNOW the hope that is part of what it means to have faith in Jesus.
Think about how Paul uses the word in 1 Thessalonians 4:13: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.”
Paul writes with this understanding that because we have been called by God, because we are God’s chosen people, because our salvation isn’t a product of our decision, but of the work of God and mercy of God – that we are fundamentally *hopeful* people.
The word that Paul uses that we translate as “hope” can also be translated as “expectant.” God’s people live with an expectancy that the promises of God are true. That God will do what he has said he will do. That we are pilgrims and exiles here, awaiting our true and eternal home.
I want you to do some self-reflection today. When you walk out of this room – when you are talking in the foyer, or in the coffee shop, or at work, or as you go about the rest of your week. What is the flavor of your conversation? What is the tone of your discussions? Is it hopeful and hope-filled?
Or think of it this way – What if I was to ask the people that you interact with as you go about your life this question: Is this person finding their hope in the events of today or in eternity? Is this person living their life with the joyful hope that everything that God promised is true, or are they so caught up in the things of this world that they have very little joy – very little tangible hope.
Stare into that mirror for a bit. Is your presence among your neighbors and friends one of deeply rooted hope in spite of our circumstances? Or is your general presence among your neighbors just like those who have NO true eternal hope?
For many Christians, the only difference between the things that they talk about and the things that their neighbors talk about is that they might use fewer curse words. But, practically speaking, the substance of their conversations is the same.
That can’t be so. If you really believe what we’ve heard the last two Sundays in the first 14 verses of Ephesians, this can’t be so. If you actually believe that, in Christ, you have received EVERY spiritual blessing. If you really believe that, in Christ, your salvation was planned in eternity past. Then how can you spend all of your time bemoaning the things of this world that won’t matter when you breathe your last. How can you spend your life believing the media lie that those who vote differently are your enemy? If you believe the Gospel, how can you forget it so quickly in conversation?
We have a crisis of hope in the church today. And a big part of that crisis of hope is that many Christians have become disciples of culture and politics and opinion news far more than they have been disciples of Jesus.
Many who should be discipling the next generation – many who should be serving as mentors in the faith – have been distracted by a false gospel.
Our hope is in Jesus. Our hope is in Jesus.
When you hear the news and you start to feel hopeless – it’s because you’re looking in the wrong places for hope. Repent and believe the Gospel. Our hope is in Jesus.
Why? Because we believe what God says. We believe that his promises are true. We believe that this world is passing away and that our true kingdom is an eternal one. We store up treasure in heaven. We know that the debates and concerns of today are quickly passing away. Our eyes and our hearts are fixated in eternity.
Or, we might simply say, we have deep, abiding, lasting, transformative hope in Jesus.
There is another thing that Paul prays that these Christians in Ephesus would know:
2 - The riches of his glorious inheritance.
V. 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…”
We’ve already heard about an inheritance in this letter. In verse 14, we read that the Holy Spirit is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the day we receive it.
But now notice the grammar of verse 18. “The riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people…”
Who’s inheritance are we talking about there? It sounds like it is God’s inheritance. Clearly in verse 14 it’s the believer’s inheritance, but the grammar of 18 sure makes it sound like God is the one receiving the inheritance.
But this shouldn’t surprise us. Listen to Deuteronomy 4:20 - “But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance…”
Now, you might think that this is somehow less meaningful if Paul is praying that these believers would KNOW the riches of his glorious inheritance – if that inheritance isn’t for them, but for God. Wouldn’t it be more meaningful if the inheritance was for these believers?
And that might be true – until you understand what the inheritance is. Listen to verse 18 again: “the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people…”
What is the inheritance that God is anticipating? His Church. His people. Eternity together with is redeemed people. He treasures you. And he longs for you to be with him forever, together with all the saints.
I struggle to understand how a holy God could find such value in a group of sinners. But the good news is that it’s not my judgment, not my appraisal, not my determination of value that matters. It’s his. And he says that together with all who believe – we are God’s inheritance. His treasure.
And so Paul prays that the believers in Ephesus would KNOW – not only true and lasting hope – but that they would know that they are treasured by God.
But we have to guard ourselves here against the tendency to get overly individualistic. Verse 18 says that the inheritance is “in his holy people.” The language is corporate, not individual. And this will come up again in a few verses – in verse 22 we find this qualifier: “For the church”. And this is really important. The Christian faith is personal, but never individualistic. Everywhere you read in the new testament, the presumption is that Christians are engaged in life together. Consider the spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians. God gives his gifts as PART of his body, the church.
We’re going to see this more clearly in Ephesians chapter 3. In Ephesians 3:18 we hear Paul pray for the Christians in Ephesus again. And is prayer is this –that they: “…may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ….”
This is so important. There is a presumption that even our understanding of God’s love for us is happening together with fellow believers. The Christian faith is personal, but it is never individualistic. You need other believers. In order for your faith to grow and be healthy, you need to be engaging with other believers. Spiritual growth is a corporate endeavor, not an individualistic one.
What is Paul’s prayer here? That we would KNOW how God sees us. How he views us. As his own treasured inheritance.
There’s one more thing that we find in our text that we are to KNOW.
3 - His great power for those who believe.
V. 19 “and his incomparably great power for us who believe”
Just soak in these words. HIs “incomparably great power.” The word “incomparable” means “without equal” or “matchless.” There is nothing comparable to God’s power.
This would have been a particularly powerful message to these believers in Ephesus. Remember on one end of town was the gigantic Temple of Artemis. And throughout the city were statues of Roman and Greek Gods and Goddesses, and constant reminders of the claim that the Roman Emperor was the Son of God.
And so Paul prays that they would KNOW the incomparably great power of God.
Apart from Jesus, the power of a holy God is a frightening thing. Some of you were raised in churches that used the power and holiness of God against you. Whether we are talking about indulgences and manipulations from Catholicism or scare tactics and behavior control from Fundamentalism and Legalistic Protestant churches, the power of God has been used to scare and manipulate people in terrible ways. And if you grew up being manipulated by wolves masquerading as shepherds – manipulating and abusing people with a false view of God, I’m sorry. Those wounds run deep.
Apart from Jesus, the power of a Holy God is a frightening thing. In fact, The knowledge of God’s power is only Good News if you also know what Jesus has done for you. Listen to how verse 19 words it: “his incomparably great power for us who believe…” And then he goes on to explain what he means. What is the power of God FOR US who believe?
Listen to verses 19-23:
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.
In Jesus, God’s power is not a fearful thing. It’s a hopeful thing. Why?
First - He raised Jesus from the dead.
How is God’s power FOR us who believe? Quite simply, because he proved that he is powerful even over death itself. God’s power extends over all things, and especially over death.
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the greatest exhibition of God’s power, and also the greatest source of hope for the Christian.
I had someone ask me recently if I’m hopeful about the future of the church because of what I’ve seen in response to Charlie Kirk’s murder. And I gave an initial response – but since that day, I’ve done a fair bit of reflecting on that question. Am I hopeful because of what I’ve seen? And I think if I could go back to that person I’d say this: I’m not hopeful because of anything I’ve seen. My hope for the future of the church lies fully in the resurrection of Jesus. People come and go. Enthusiastic movements ebb and flow. But God raised Jesus from the dead, and so I am overwhelmingly hopeful about the future of the church. Why? Because God is powerful and he destroyed death. And so there is coming a day when that will be eternal reality. No more death or mourning or pain.
Let us place our hope in THAT.
There’s more though. Not only did God show his power by raising Jesus from the dead, but:
Second - He seated Jesus at his right hand.
Not only did Jesus defeat death, but now he is ruling and reigning as king. Jesus is King of all creation this very moment.
I want you to think back to our Psalm for today. Psalm 121. Listen to these words – Knowing that Jesus is on the throne today:
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber
The Lord watches over you
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
You can live today with that deep and sure confidence because Jesus didn’t just float off into the clouds – but he is enthroned in heaven as king today.
And that leads to the third word of confidence that we find in verse 22:
Third - He placed all things under Jesus’ control.
Listen to verse 22 again: And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church.
You can rest today because Jesus is Good. And because everything you encounter in this life is under Jesus’ control. Jesus is enough for whatever you face today or tomorrow.
Well there is one final statement for us to consider as we conclude our time in this text today, and that’s found in verses 22-23:
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.
We are reminded, again, that these promises are not to be heard individualistically, but as members of the church.
He says that Jesus is the head of the body, which is the church. Many of us are familiar with this language, but don’t let your familiarity desensitize you to the shocking nature of what is being said.
God takes sinners and calls them together and saves them by his grace, and he calls them “The Body of Christ.” Think about what that means. There is something that happens here, when forgiven and redeemed sinners gather, that you can’t get in any other setting.
There are gifts available for you to receive here together with other believers that are unavailable to you when you’re not here.
And this becomes clear in verse 23. “The church is his body, the FULLNESS of him…”
Think about what that means: The fullness of God is found in the gathering of God’s people. The presence of God is not some mystical thing – God is present in his body, the church. And when you are not together with his body, you are, by definition, distancing yourself from God.
Let me say that again: When you are not together with his body, you are, by definition, distancing yourself from God.
You can watch TV preachers, but it’s not the church. You can listen to podcasts, but it’s not the body of Christ. You can read your Bible on your own – and you SHOULD – but it’s not the fullness of God that is found only in his body.
Because of your sin nature – even as a Christian – you will naturally drift away from the church – from the gathering of believers. Why do we naturally lean away from the church into individualism? Because we want to be the captain of our own ship. Because being part of a body means that we set aside some of our own desires and preferences. It means that we give people a voice into our lives. It means that we don’t see ourselves and our own time and priorities as most important. But we yield ourselves to the needs of another. And that cuts against the grain of our sin nature. And so it’s common, maybe even expected, that many will choose themselves over the body of Christ. It’s natural. And the only response is to repent and believe the Gospel.
When you aren’t together consistently with the body of Christ, you’re distancing yourself from God. And you’re missing out on what he desires for you. On the gifts he longs to give you.
As we close, I want to return to that question that I mentioned at the beginning. – Do you know about God? Or do you Know God?
He wants you to know him. To know true hope. To know your worth in his eyes. To know of his power. And he wants you to be part of his body. Because that is where he has promised to meet us. And it is only in his body, the church, that we truly know God.