Power for Peace
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 3:20-4:3)
We tend to read the Bible a little bit at a time. This is good and normal. However, surprising insights can sometimes come from just reading a little bit more. A little more context, a few more connections, and things stand out differently.
This is what happened to me recently as I reflected on Ephesians 3:20-21.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
This is an awesome prayer of praise and hope—it’s a benediction I use to end my prayer time almost every day.
There’s so much wonder in these verses—far more abundantly… throughout all generations—and there’s so much hope here too—than all we ask or think… the power at work within us… to Him be glory in the church… I love these verses!
And I’ve benefited greatly from Ephesians 4:1-3, especially verse 3:
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
What “walking in a manner worthy of [your] calling” means is not personal moral piety or purity, but rather being “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Peace and unity are the truer marks of following the Lord than anything else that we might sometimes prefer. As Jesus teaches us in John 13:35, “By this will all people know that you’re My disciples, if you love one another.”
Growing up as I did in a religious tradition that looked on unity and peace with disdain, always giving preference to a moralistic ideal of “holiness,” these verses have been profound in my spiritual growth.
So, two passages that are awesome and which I love.
But I never read them together.
And they aren’t even separated! Ephesians 4:1 is the very next word after the “Amen” of 3:21!
What happens when we read these two passages together? Here’s one observation:
3:20-21 says that there is a power at work in us which will result in God being glorified in the church.
4:3 says that our lives will glorify God by our efforts to live in unity and peace.
So the power in us is working for our unity and peace by which our church will glorify God.
Paul says that unity and peace will take “humility and gentleness.” Are those hard? Is it hard to “swallow your pride”? Yes. Is it hard, when someone is being obstinate, pig-headed, aggressive, to respond with gentleness? Yes.
In other words, it takes power. It takes a power working within us that we don’t naturally possess.
Paul says that this effort to glorify God by unity and peace will also require “patience” and “bearing with one another in love.” Are those things hard? Are they, in fact, like the literal hardest!? I mean, the only times we need patience is when we’re in situations that are driving us bonkers. The only times we need to “bear with one another in love” are when “one another” is being *ahem* difficult to tolerate.
So what will this take? Power. A power working in us which points to God’s power working among us.
The power at work within us is at work to glorify God “in the church.” (3:21)
God gives us power so that we can deal with what we have to deal with. And so He will be glorified in Fellowship Bible Church.
God gives us power so that we can develop and sustain a culture of unity and peace, so that He is glorified in Fellowship Bible Church.
The power at work within each of us is power for “maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” So that “you all may walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” So that God may be glorified “in the church and in Christ Jesus.”
If our love for one another is a core part of our witness to the world, then it makes sense that the God who desires to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory would give us the power we need to live together with humility, gentleness, patience, and long-suffering love.
Our unity around Jesus and our peace with each other is a remarkable contrast to the polarized, tribalistic, nationalistic, conflicts the world experiences constantly. From families to neighborhoods, workplaces to industries, communities to cities, regions and parties, countries and continents, tensions, conflicts, gossip and attacks are, unhappily, business as usual.
There’s one place which can sometimes be different, an exception, a breath of fresh air. It’s not easy, of course. It takes a lot of power.
God gives us a lot of power. So God gets a lot of glory.
Thank God that this is, and so may it be.
Prayer:
Father, You have called us to Yourself, to be Yours. You put Your Name upon us and shine us as lights in the world. You fill us with Your Spirit and sow us like seeds of peace.
So help us, we pray, to walk worthy of this, of You. Make us eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Please give us what we need to be patient and gentle, humble toward each other, to put up with and to be put up with.
For You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power.
So to the One who is able to do far more abundantly that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to You be glory in us and in our church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, now and forever, here and everywhere. Amen.