If you turn to the book of Ephesians, we're in Ephesians chapter one, and I want to read the statement that is made in the midst of Paul's prayer in Ephesians chapter one as he's praying to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory. But then I read in the 17th verse that he may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your heart, having been illuminated in order that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who are believing according to the working of the strength of his might, which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. Now when we come to this text of scripture as we have seen, the Apostle Paul is setting forth three specific facts that every believer needs to know and the believer can know these facts in contrast to the non-believer through the illuminating, enlightening ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The first fact, according to the 18th verse, is the hope of God's calling. That looks back to the past and the assurance, the certainty the believer should have concerning salvation. The second fact, according to verse 18, is all about what Paul describes as the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, which looks to the future and the enjoyment that the believer will experience in heaven. And then the third fact is the one that we read about in verse 19, and this is all about the outstanding greatness of God's power seen in the commencement, the continuation, and the conclusion when it comes to the believer's salvation. And I want you to notice what we read in that 19th verse. So notice verse 19. And what is the surpassing, outstanding, extraordinary greatness of His dunamis power? Do us who are believing, according to the working, the energy of the strength of His might, and when I'm reading the statement as I emphasized last week, that little preposition according to is extremely significant. So if I'm reading the verse again, how about this? And what is the surpassing greatness of this power towards us who are believing on account of, owing to, in accordance with, in consequence with, by virtue of, the energy of the strength of his might. So when you read this here, the only reason why we believed is by virtue of and consequence of his power. Otherwise we would have never believed and we would never have been saved. So there is no way to play down that when you read this little preposition, it is tied to believing, towards us who are believing by virtue of, in consequence of, and then we read about His power, which tells us the only way that an unbeliever will ever become a believer is through the power of God. Now I want to remind us of an illustration that I gave several weeks ago from William Wilberforce when he was very concerned about his friend, William Pitt the Younger. And he wanted him to go to hear a preacher by the name of Richard Cecil in London, but he always made excuses for why he couldn't go. And then on this one occasion, he said to William Wilberforce, he would go. So they went to hear Richard Cecil, and Wilberforce said he never heard him expound God's truth in a more wonderful spirit-filled manner. His heart was ravished by the truth. It was heaven to him. And he couldn't help but wonder, as to what was happening to his friend. Well, eventually the service ended and they both left the building and William Pitt said almost immediately, you know Wilberforce, I did my very best to concentrate with the whole of my power upon what that man was saying, but I have not the slightest idea as to what he's been talking about. Now he was obviously a very intelligent individual but he was utterly clueless in terms of what Richard Cecil was expounding in terms of the scriptures. Or I think again of William Wilberforce who said he anonymously visited in prison a famous infidel by the name of Richard Carlisle. who was in prison for his blasphemous writings. When Wilberforce took out a small Bible, Richard Carlyle said, I wish to have nothing to do with that book, and you cannot wonder at this, for if that book be true, I'm damned forever. To which Wilberforce replied, no, no, Mr. Carlyle, according to that book, There's hope for all who will seek for mercy and forgiveness. It assures us that God has no pleasure in the death of him that dies. So one has to turn. One has to believe. But the reason why one turns and one believes is because of the power of God. And Paul sets it forth here in Ephesians chapter 1 in verse 19. So I'm reading the statement. and what is the surpassing greatness of His power towards us who are believing by virtue of the working of the strength of His might." Now, I've given this list out of these particular words that are used, and you see the first four words at the top of the page, and those are the four words found here, deutomus, dynamite, energeia, energy, Kratos, strength, and iskios is might. And then you think about the way Bishop Lightfoot defines those terms and then the illustration that is given in terms of three of those words. So you think about this power and the power that we're reading about, according to Paul, is a power that raised us from the dead spiritually. and a power that enables us to live this Christian life. So I go back to chapter 2, and I want you to notice verse 5. And while we were being dead in transgressions, and I want you to notice, He, God, made us alive together with Christ, verse 6, and He, God, raised us up together, and He, God, seated us together in the heavenlies, in Christ Jesus. That's what God did. And if he didn't quicken us, make us alive and raise us up and seed us together with Christ, it would have never happened. So I think of this power that brought about my salvation, this power that enables me to live this Christian life and the power that will raise me and all of us from the dead." Now Paul moves, when you read this, to address the first of three manifestations of this unbelievable power. We have it in verse 20 and we see it in the resurrection, ascension, exaltation of Jesus Christ. Now I want you to notice the 20th verse. Here's manifestation number one of this power. Which, which goes back to his might, which, his might, he, and he uses the verb to be operative, to be at work, to put forth power, so we read it, which, his might, he put forth power, by Christ or in Christ when he, God the Father, raised him out of the dead ones. So when I think about Jesus Christ, I mean, this is an unbelievable statement. He confronted death and he conquered it. And he was the first one to actually do it. He's the first one to confront and conquer death. And the reason why he could do it is because he conquered the root cause of death, which is sin, and therefore he removed the sting from death, sin, for all of those who through faith have been united to him. So this is an incredible statement to read. And we just pass it by and really, we don't really contemplate what he's saying. which, and he's talking about this night, he worked in Christ when he raised him out of the dead ones. And then we read, and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. Now I want us to turn to 2 Timothy chapter one, and I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul says that further explains this text in Ephesians 120. Now this is in 2nd Timothy Chapter 1, and I want you to notice the 9th verse. At the very end of verse 8, he speaks of the gospel according to the power of God. And the word power is that word dunamis. So he mentioned the power of God at the very end of verse eight. Then you come to verse nine. The power of God, who, this is God and this is his power, who saved us and called us with the holy calling. Not according to our works, but according to his own plan and grace, which grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before eternal times. And then we move into verse 10. And when I read verse 10, notice it, but now having been manifested in the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus. So think about what he's saying. I am moving now from eternal times, eternal ages, to what actually happened in time and space. And he uses this word in verse 10, but having been manifested. And when I read the verb that is used there, it means to call something to become known. You're disclosing it. You are making something clear. So the verb means to make manifest or to make visible or to make known what has been hidden or invisible or unknown so I'm reading it here in verse 10 but now having been manifested having become visible or having become known and when he uses that little but now you understand there's a connection with verse 9 but there's also a contrast with verse 9 because verse nine is stepping back into eternity past, and now I'm moving into time and what was made visible or known or manifest. And it was through, and he uses the word in verse 10, the epiphany of our Savior Christ Jesus. An epiphany is His appearance, His visible appearance. So I come now to verse 10, but now having been made manifest through the epiphany of our Savior Christ Jesus, and then notice what he says in verse 10, on the one hand he did this, but on the other hand he did this. On the one hand, on the other hand. Now notice the first part. What happened in the epiphany of our Savior Christ Jesus? Here it is. On the one hand, He did this. On the one hand, he destroyed death. Now, when you read that, and I'm reading this little verb that is used here, let's think of these definitions. To render inoperative. To make inactive. To render powerless. To nullify, to set something aside, to cause something to lose its power, it becomes not effective. To invalidate something, to deprive something of its strength, influence, and power. And what we're talking about is death. So on the one hand, he rendered inoperative, he made inactive, he rendered powerless, he nullified, he set it aside, he caused it to lose its power, it became non-effective, he invalidated it, he deprived it of its strength and influence and power, and we're talking about death? Now listen to the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 when he's taunting death. And I'm reading this in 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 55. Death, where's your victory? Death, where's your sting? And then verse 56. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks to God who gives to us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So he's taunting death, and death has been conquered, and we have victory, and the victory comes through Jesus Christ. So I'm reading Paul's statement here. I understand something of what he describes in verse nine as his plan, his purpose, his grace, and he's stepping back in eternity past, and then he moves into time. And this is something that's been manifested. It was through the epiphany of our savior, Christ Jesus, on the one hand, having nullified death, but on the other hand, and look at this word. It means to illuminate. It means to flood with the light. It means to bring something out into the light. Well, what is he illuminating? What is he flooding with light? What is he bringing out into the light? Here it is. Life and incorruptibility. Life and incorruptibility. And incorruptibility means not subject to decay, not subject to disillusion, to be incorruptible. And he's talking about life, and he's talking about incorruptibility. So I'm reading this. And when he talks about illuminating, flooding something with light, bringing something out into the light, what he's talking about is this life and incorruptibility. That's what's brought out into the light. And how has it done? Through the gospel. It's through the gospel. And he says in chapter 2 and verse 8, Remember Jesus Christ, having been raised out of the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel. That's it. So you mean Christ nullified death? He nullified death by removing the sting of death, which is sin? And then he illuminated, he flooded with light, life and incorruptibility, and he did it by the gospel. And when you think of the gospel, you're thinking not only of his death, but you're thinking of his bodily, physical resurrection out from the dead. And then you know what the scriptures teach? 40 days after that historical event of the resurrection, He ascended from the Mount of Olives and he went back to heaven in an incorruptible, immortal body so that now he is the glorified God-man in the third heaven. And I cannot stress enough the importance that must be placed upon the ascension since the ascension clear line of demarcation between the period of his humiliation and now the period of his exaltation. Or as the writer of Hebrews will say in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15, he passed through the heavens, he passed through the heavens, the first heaven, the second heaven, and now as the glorified God-man he is in the third heaven seated with his Father upon his Father's throne. Now I want to read a number of passages that emphasize this in the book of Acts and in the epistles. Now I want you to just listen to these as I read them. Here's the first one. It's in Acts chapter 2 and it's verse 33. And in Acts 2, 33, we read this statement concerning Jesus, therefore being by the right hand of God exalted. by the right hand of God exalted. So I read this statement in Acts chapter 2 and verse 33. Now listen to Acts chapter 5 and listen to verse 31. Him, Jesus, has God exalted with his right hand. So I read it in Acts chapter 5 and verse 31. Now listen to Romans chapter 8 and verse 34. Christ died, yea rather has been raised, who is even at the right hand of God. Romans chapter 8 and verse 34. Listen to Philippians chapter 2 and listen to the statement in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 9. Wherefore, God has highly exalted him. Philippians 2, 9. Well, listen to Philippians chapter 3 and verse 20. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we're looking for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. From which also, he's there in heaven. We're looking for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians chapter 3 and verse 20. Listen to Colossians chapter 3 and verse 1, and it speaks of that which is above, where Christ is seated on the right hand of God. Colossians 3, 1. Think of 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse 10. And to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead. To wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead. 1 Thessalonians 1.10. Listen to 1 Thessalonians 4.16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven. He's going to descend from heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4.16. Listen to 2 Thessalonians 1.7. And to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. 2 Thessalonians 1.7. Listen to 1 Timothy 3.16. In speaking of Jesus Christ, we read, He was received up into glory. 1 Timothy 3.16. Listen to Hebrews 1.3. He sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. He is seated. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 3. Listen to 1 Peter, 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 22. He's gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God. 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 22. And then finally, Listen to Revelation chapter 3 verse 21 that comes from the glorified Jesus Christ himself where we read, to him who overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and have sat down with my father in his throne. Revelation chapter 3. and verse 21. So I think of the ascension, and the ascension is described by the writer Luke. He describes it in Luke chapter 24, and he describes it in Acts chapter 1. So I recognize the ascension was an historical event 40 days after the resurrection from the Mount of Olives. He ascends back onto the place where he came. Now listen to the words of Oswald Chambers, and he puts it like this. The ascension placed Jesus back in the glory which he had with the Father before the world began. So he's back in the glory, but now he's back in the glory as the glorified God-man, and he forever will be the God-man. So I read these words from one writer. Thou shalt raise our human nature on the clouds to God's right hand, There we sit in heavenly places, there with thee in glory stand. Jesus reigns, adored by angels. Man with God is on the throne. Mighty Lord in thine ascension, we by faith behold our own." So I think about all of this in terms of our Lord Jesus, and I'm thinking of the words of Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 1 when he says, In verse 9, this power of God saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before eternal times. But now, having been manifested through the epiphany of our Savior, Christ Jesus, on the one hand, having nullified death, but on the other, flooded with light, life and incorruptibility through the gospel. That is an unbelievable statement. Now, I want you to turn back to Ephesians chapter 1, and I want you to notice in Ephesians chapter 1, this 19th verse. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 19, and then verse 20. Verse 19, he prays that we might understand this fact what is the surpassing greatness of His power towards us who are believing by virtue of, in consequence of, the energy of the strength of His might, which, His might, He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. So I think of the ascension, but now I'm thinking of the exaltation. And he's seated there at the right hand of his father, on his father's throne. So that now, because of what Jesus Christ did, he has opened a way for all of us who are believers in him to follow him so that we are there where he actually is. Which is unbelievable to think about. He has paved the way, he's gone before us, and we're going to follow him there. So we don't have to be afraid of death. Now listen to the words of one of the reformers who said this in the 16th century. Monstrous it is that many who boast themselves Christians are gripped by such a great fear of death, rather than a desire for it, that they tremble at the least mention of it, as of something utterly dire and disastrous." But for a Christian, it shouldn't be that way, because for a Christian, it's simply a door that leads us from this realm into this other realm. And Jesus, as I read it, entered into the realm of death. He came out of that realm. He was here and then he ascended back and that's where he is. And we're going to follow him there. Now I want to go to the book of Hebrews and I want to remind all of us of three terms that are buried in the book of Hebrews that helps us to understand what Jesus Christ has done. and what this means for us. Now the first term is found in Hebrews chapter 2 and it's verse 10. And when you read Hebrews chapter 2 verse 10, you read this little phrase, the captain of their salvation, the captain of their salvation. Now the word that is used there, translated captain, is a word that means, a pathfinder, a trailblazer, a leader. It is used four times in the New Testament. It's used in Acts 3.15, it's used in Acts 5.31, it's used in Hebrews 2.10, and it's used in Hebrews 12.2, four times. Acts 3.15, Acts 5.31, Hebrews 2.10, Hebrews 12, 2. And when you look at it, you're thinking of a pioneer, you're thinking about a leader. Now what's interesting to me about it is that it has a distinct military connotation, referring to a commander of an army who went ahead of his men and blazed the trail for them. So he's a leader who opens up a new way for those to follow him. That's what we're reading. So when I read this word that is used here, Captain, or however it reads in your Bible, we're talking about someone who begins something in order that others may enter into that. Someone who blazes a trail for others to follow. So we would say he's a trailblazer, he's the pathfinder, he's the one who takes the lead, he's the one who begins something, he's the first in a series, in order that we may follow him. Now that is a great little word. He's the pioneer, he is the captain of our salvation, he's gone before us, he's reached the goal, And according to this, we're going to follow him there. So that is term number one. Now the second term is found in chapter six of Hebrews, and I want you to notice verses 19 and 20. In verse 19, he speaks of this hope that is set before us, and then in 19, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. And in the ancient world, anchor was a symbol of hope. So, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and firm, and which enters into that within the veil where the forerunner is for us entered. Even Jesus made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Now, the second word that I want to emphasize is the word translated forerunner in verse 20. Not only is he the pioneer of our salvation, he's the forerunner. Now, when you think about a forerunner, we're talking about someone who goes ahead, makes sure that it's safe for others to follow. And he goes before, he runs before. So when I read the word that is used here, we could say, he comes in advance to a place so that the rest can follow him there. He's a forerunner. He is the one who has gone before us. He's blazed the trail in order that we might follow him there. He's not only the pioneer, he's the one who runs before. He's the forerunner, which indicates, of course, that we're going to follow him. So I read this term in Hebrews 2.10, and I read this term in Hebrews 6.20, captain, forerunner. Now here's the third term. It is the one that is used in Chapter 7, And we have it in verse 22. And in chapter seven and verse 22, we read this statement. By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better covenant. And the word is surety. Now, when you read the word surety, that's the word for a guarantee. He's a surety, he's the guarantee. So when I read the word that is used here, he's the one who gives us security. He's the one who guarantees that all of this is gonna happen. So he is the trailblazer. He is the one who runs before us. He's the one who guarantees. He's absolutely guarantees the security of all of those who know him. He's the one who takes the lead, he's the runner beforehand, and he's the guarantee. And it's all because of what he accomplished during the period of his humiliation, all of that changed at the time of the ascension, and now he's in this period of exaltation as he's seated next to his father on his father's throne. And he gives us all of the power that we absolutely need. Now I want us to think about it because when I think of this power, the power had to take place in order to bring about my salvation. But I need this power, this present power to live the Christian life. And the reason why is because of Satan and the world and my flesh. So think about what the scriptures teach us. Peter says in 1 Peter 1, we're kept by the power of God. If we weren't kept by the power of God, we wouldn't be able to stand. Then Peter says in his second letter, according to this, his divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. We're kept by his power. And His divine power has given us everything to live this Christian life. It's already there in 1 Peter 1, 2 Peter 1. Listen to the words of the apostle John in 1 John 4. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. That's Satan. So it's God's power alone that can hold me and sustain me until I arrive in glory. So I read it in 1 Peter chapter 1. I read it in 2 Peter chapter 1. I read it in 1 John chapter 4. Or listen to the words of Jude. Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. He's the one who does it. So I have to have this power because I think about Satan and I think about what Satan is up to in terms of trying to destroy me. Now, I love the illustration that Martin Lloyd-Jones gives in terms of what happens to a believer at the moment of salvation. He's taken out of the realm that belongs to Satan and he now is in this realm that belongs to God. And he uses two fields to demonstrate it with a road between the two fields. One field is in the realm of Satan. The other field is in the realm of God. Satan cannot come into this other field, but he can come to the road and he can scream out and he can holler and say all kinds of things trying to influence me, but he can't harm me. He can't touch me. He's in this other field and I'm in this field. So I have to understand Satan and I have to understand I need this power. But moreover, I think about the world and all the temptations in terms of the world. I need this power. Then I think about my flesh and the propensity of the flesh. I've got to have this power. Otherwise, I'm not going to be able to do battle against Satan and I'll succumb to the temptations of the world or the propensity of my own flesh. So we think about all of this in terms of this power, in this power that we absolutely need. It's very easy to become lazy and lethargic, to procrastinate, to have physical problems, and as a result, to just throw in the towel. We need the power. We need this power, not only to save us. We have to have this power to live this Christian life as we are up against Satan in the world and our own flesh. And I recognize that this power not only saved me and this power enables me to live this Christian life, and to do battle against these three enemies. But this same power, this resurrection power, if I were to die, is going to overcome sin and death. And there are various verses that certainly indicate this. And I'd like for us to look just at a couple of them. Would you turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and I want to read of this power. This is 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 14. God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by His own power. So the power that raised Christ from the dead is a power that could erase us from the dead. 1 Corinthians 6, 14. Now look at 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and look at verse 14. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 14. Knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise up us also by Jesus and will present us with you. Now look at the third one. This is in 2 Corinthians chapter 13. 2 Corinthians chapter 13 and verse 4. For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God towards you. So you think about this incredible power that saved us, this power that enables us to live the Christian life, and then this power that's gonna raise us from the dead if we were to die. I think of John Calvin, who wrote a number of commentaries, a number of works. He battled asthma, chronic indigestion his entire life, and he died when he was 55. So you think about all of this in terms of what Paul is saying, and Calvin in his Institutes wrote this. If heaven is our homeland, what else is the earth but our place of exile? If departure from the world is entry into life, what else is the world but a sepulcher? And what else is it for us to remain in life, but to be immersed in death? If to be freed from the body is to be released into perfect freedom, what else is the body but a prison? If to enjoy the presence of God is a summit of happiness, is not to be without this misery? But until we leave the world, we're away from the Lord. But when we leave the world, we're now with Him. And it's all because Hebrews 2.10, Hebrews 6.19-20, Hebrews 7.22, it's all because He's the leader, He's the forerunner, and He's the guarantee that it's going to happen. So we come back here to Ephesians 1, and I want you to just notice it as I read it. He is praying that their eyes, the eyes of their heart would be open, that they would understand, ascertain these three facts. Number one, verse 18, what is the hope of His calling? Number two, verse 18, what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the safe? And fact number three, verse 19, what is the surpassing greatness of His power towards us who are believing? by virtue of, in consequence of the working of the strength of his might, which might, he operated, he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. far above all rule, and authority, and power, and lordship, and every name being named, not only in this age, but also in the one about to come. It is the first manifestation of his power, and the manifestation is all about his resurrection, ascension, and exaltation. Now, when you read these words as We read them in verse 21. There are various things that need to be said in terms of the language that He uses. So I'll turn to that, Lord willing, and address it next week. Our gracious Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for Thy precious Word. We think about death. We know that we're confronted with death. No one among us has any sort of ability to overcome death. And yet we think of our Lord Jesus when He took the sting out of death, paid the penalty of sin, and demonstrated it by His physical resurrection out from the dead. And then we think of His ascension when He went back to heaven as the glorified God-man and now understanding that He's seated upon your throne at your right hand. And we know that he's blazed the trail for all of us to follow him there. And we know that it's absolutely guaranteed. And we know that death for all of us is something that we do not have to be afraid of, but understanding it to be an open door that leads us into the very presence of Jesus Christ. So help us, Lord, to understand these unbelievable realities, and may they have a sobering effect upon the way we think and the way we live. And then guide us, Lord, because we know it's only the proclamation of the gospel that the Holy Spirit can use to demonstrate this unbelievable power to bring about the salvation of unsaved people. So guide us, we pray. As we think through all of these subjects, I pray it in Jesus' name, amen.