Our God Is Able

Introduction

Well, good morning to all. It’s certainly a privilege to me and pleasure to see each and every one of you. And to have also gracing our audience today, several who are visiting. And may I say to those who are visitors that we certainly welcome you, and I hope you will feel the sincere and warm welcome from our family here. And if you have any questions about our worship or our work, please feel free to ask. And we encourage you to come again and be with us from time to time.

Ephesians chapter 3. We’ve just been singing, standing on the promises of God. And in the last two verses of Ephesians chapter 3, I find one of the most encouraging and really fascinating promises of God being described. Where the Apostle Paul says, Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. According to the power that worketh in us. To him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. What this passage says is that our God is able.

To do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think. Now let me say in the very beginning, this is not a promise to encourage covetous desires. Nor is it a promise to say that we’ll never have any trials or troubles or valleys in our life. Indeed, they will come. But it is a promise to say that whatever occurs in our life, that our Lord will be there to bless us and to help us through. And that promise is exceedingly important. Every one of us, at least of adult age in this audience, and really in any audience of this size, there will be adults who have problems, who face challenges in their life. Perhaps there are some who have health issues. Or maybe it’s financial concerns that you have.

Or issues at work. Or maybe in the family with marriage or in the bringing up and raising of your children. I’m certain every one of us, if we were to just stop and have the time to talk, you could say, yes, there’s something that’s really troubling me at this moment, and it’s on my mind of great concern. Does God really care? Passages like this certainly give the solid answer, God does care. And in fact, he has promised to be of help unto us.

Often more often quoted from Romans 8 and 28, where the scripture says all things work together for good. To those who love God, to those who are the called according to his promise. This promise in Ephesians 3 is very similar to that promise. But I want you to notice particularly the wording of this promise. It does not say that our God is able to answer all of our prayers or to simply fulfill what we may ask or think. But rather it says that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above. Above all we ask or think. Exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.

1. God Is Able to Do Exceedingly Abundantly Above

Exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think. When we begin to understand this promise and how it is fulfilled in our life, then we live with that peace that indeed surpasses understanding that the Lord and the Bible speaks about for those who are Christians. Now let me say that when you look at this passage, you may say, well, are there any examples of that? Why would you believe that God really will bless us in that measure? And so as we look at some of the illustrations, I would call your mind to perhaps some Old Testament stories that you’re already familiar with. For example, when we talk about the children of Israel as they were in Egyptian bondage. You remember in the story in the book of Exodus, how that God sent Moses and Aaron to deliver his people out of that bondage.

A time had come in Egypt where there was a Pharaoh who did not remember Joseph. And as the number of Israelites had begun to multiply, the Egyptians had begun to make slaves out of them. And so when Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh to let the people go, Pharaoh refused.

God threw Moses and Aaron, brought about plagues upon Egypt. And ten plagues.

In every house that did not have the blood sprinkled on the doorpost and on the lentil, the firstborn was put to death. Of course, the Israelites were protected because God, through Moses, instructed that they would take a lamb or a goat of the first year, and on the specific day designed that they would kill that lamb and sprinkle the blood. And as recorded in Exodus 12, that’s exactly what occurred. And because of it, the Israelites were freed from that sorrow, but Pharaoh and all the Egyptians suffered the death of the firstborn. And consequently, Pharaoh said, Go, get out of here. But as you read on in Exodus chapter 13 and even into chapter 14, what happened is that Pharaoh changed his mind. His heart became hardened again.

And so he chose 600 of his army of his best military men with chariots, come chasing after the Israelites. Something like perhaps two million, it is believed, of the Israelites who were fleeing. They came to the Red Sea and had a problem. There was no bridge over the Red Sea. There were no ships right there waiting for them to board and go across. How are they going to get across the Red Sea into the Sinai Peninsula? That wasn’t the only problem. When they looked behind them, there came, no doubt, the dust rising away in the back of the chariots of these Egyptian soldiers as they’re coming after them. What do you do? Have you ever felt as though you’re facing a barrier in front as well as behind?

Have you ever felt like somehow there’s just no light at the end of the tunnel? Perhaps every adult here can say, yeah, there have been some stories like that in my life, sometimes when I just did not know which way to turn. And the Israelites certainly at that point in time, in fact, some of them greatly feared. Is it going to be a certain death? How do we get across the sea? And behind us are these soldiers coming after us. And that story is found how God blessed them above what you may ask or think. In fact, in Exodus chapter 14, the story is told how God told Moses what to do. That as he stretched his hand over the sea, the waters parted. There was an east wind that blew all night until on the next day they were able to cross over.

In fact, in verse 22 of chapter 14, the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea. I want you to notice where, though. On dry ground. And the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Now, in reading the story, you might expect, well, okay, the east wind blows and the waters part, that’s the miracle. But there’s been water there, and surely it’s going to be muddy as they go across. But notice it’s dry ground. God has the power indeed to do exceedingly abundantly above. About 40 years later, when the children of Israel have now wandered in the wilderness because of unbelief, and those who were above 20 years of age when they left Egypt have now died.

And with the leadership of Joshua, only Joshua and Caleb are still able to enter the promised land, but with the leadership of Joshua, where they cross the River Jordan, and the first city they come to. It’s Jericho. Now, Jericho is walled up. In fact, you may recall the ten spies earlier said, anyway, we can’t go into that land and possess it. They didn’t have the faith to trust in God. But as they come to Jericho now, what about these children? And those who are led by Joshua and Caleb, will they have the kind of faith to do what God says and the way God said do it? Perhaps you know the story. God said for them to march around the city of Jericho one time each day for six days.

And on the seventh day, they were to march around that city seven times. And at the conclusion of that seventh time, there would be the priest going before with the ram’s horns, followed by the Ark of the Covenant. And when they would blow the horn, the people would shout, and the fall the walls would fall. The walls fell down flat. So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets, and it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the priest or the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. Now, why is that significant? Have you ever seen in the news where there’s been some building that’s imploded?

What’s left is a pile of rocks. And can you imagine the wall falls down? First of all, who would think this will work anyway? I mean, you’re marching around the city, so it’s a total of thirteen altogether, thirteen times, and and they shout, and that’ll make the wall fall. They had a battering ram, or they had some kind of uh maybe a dynamite or something like that. You might expect them to fall, but just the walking around as God said and shouting, well, doing what God said and the way God said do it. May not have seemed reasonable, but when they did what God said, the walls fell. But the fact is they fell down flat. How are the people going to enter into the city?

What will they be able, or how will they be able to conquer it? God did exceeding abundantly above. All that you might normally think would occur. Then there’s a story in the days of Elisha the prophet, recorded in 2 Kings chapter 4, at a time where the widow, her husband, one of the prophets, had died, and she had two sons, and indeed she had great debt. Such debt at that time, in fact, that indeed the creditors were about to come and take her two sons and make them servants. Under the law of Moses, that was one way that sometimes debts could be paid. The sons or the children may be made servants, or at least those who owed the debt, could be made servants, and either for six years, or if the if the year of Jubilee came before, they would be released from that debt.

But here her sons are about to be taken from her answer was that she only had a pot of oil. You ever felt like, what shall I do? There is nothing I know to do to turn things around in my life. What Elisha instructed her by, of course, the inspiration of the Lord is for our sons to go throughout that area and borrow pots. In fact, he said, Go borrow vessels from everywhere. From all your neighbors, empty vessels. And then he said, Do not gather just a few. We’re not told how many they were gathered, but all the neighbors supplied their vessels or their pots. And then in 2 Kings 4, as they closed their door, and she took that jar of or pot of oil that she had and began to pour into the different vessels, one after the other after the other, not just a few.

And when all of the vessels were filled, she then took those and went and sold them and was able to pay the debt. God blessed her in a way that man may think, well, who could guess it be this way? We sometimes work out our problems, or we think we worked about in a way that may not work like we expected it to do. When God enters in, sometimes our prayers are answered with a no. And we find sometimes it’s a different direction from what we thought was the right way to answer our problem. But God watching over us can sometimes say, hey, you do it a different way. But it is when we look back at the providence of God, we can say, the Lord indeed, has used us and blessed us.

2. According to the Power That Works in Us

Now I want you to understand about each of these, though, that it was according to the power that works in us. That passage in Ephesians 3.20, he will bless us exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. God is involved in this. In each of these cases, man had to do his part. In each of these cases, man or mankind was responsible for action. But it was God who blessed, ultimately. But each of these cases also had a, you might say, a condition with it. In fact, when we turn to the New Testament in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 29, the Hebrew writer in that great chapter about characters of faith throughout the history of man, the scripture says, by faith, they crossed the Red Sea as by dry ground.

And the Egyptians attempted to follow thereafter. As you know, the Egyptians tried to follow after, and then the waters came back together again, and they drowned. The enemies were defeated. By faith. That is doing what God said and the way God said it. Can you imagine? I’ve tried to think about how it would be, even though the waters are parted, and on either side there’s a wall of water. Some estimate something like maybe two miles, two to four miles at that point. And to cross, and surely there ought to be in some sense a sense of fear. Will these waters come back on us? They did against the Egyptians. And so, by faith, they would across on dry ground as God had blessed them. And with the walls of Jericho, by faith, the walls of Jericho fell.

Man had to do what God said and the way God said do it, even though it sounded somewhat unreasonable. But when God’s will is followed, he will bless his people. And so with the poor widow, the widow of a prophet. Indeed, she feared the Lord, meaning that she believed in him, would do what he instructed. And here’s a case where you might say God carried out his plan by using others. They had to go gather pots from others. And sometimes even in our day, where there may be some benevolent need, there are others that God uses to provide for those who are in need, as we read in Acts chapter 2 or in Acts chapter 4, where some of the disciples indeed having land and houses sold what they had and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet that indeed distribution could be made to the needy.

3. To Him Be Glory: God’s Real Purpose for Our Lives

But the real point is that in every one of these, the power of God is involved, but it was by faith on the part of those who were being blessed by God. And so that really comes to the point that I want to make of this sermon. And that is that our God is able and he enables us and blesses us when there is glory to him. To him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus. Now, what does that really mean to you? If I were to ask you, what do you believe is God’s real purpose for our lives? Is it that God simply wants us to be materially blessed? I’m appalled to hear some preachers today who preach a message we call it health and wealth.

And there are people who are caught up saying, Oh, you know, if you’ll just serve the Lord, he’ll make you wealthy. Preachers preach that message. I guess most of those preachers are wealthy. But I say it’s because of the false doctrine they teach. It is not that God ever said, Hey, just serve me and I make you materially a wealthy person. In fact, in 1 Timothy 6 and verse 10, the scripture teaches that the love of money is the root of all kind of evil. What God has promised is our needs, not our greeds. In Matthew 6 33, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. That is the material things that are necessary in our lives.

God has promised to bless us. But ultimately, what is God’s real desire? Is it that he wants everybody to really be materially well off? When you look at the apostles, they certainly didn’t fulfill that criteria, did they? They all died of unnatural death. Early, you might say. Maybe the apostle John lived to be the oldest. But even he, the history says, was thrown into a pot of boiling oil. What a way to die. The fact is, what God really desires for every one of us is that we be saved. 1 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 4. God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. God’s ultimate desire for you and you and you and you is that you go to heaven.

4. When Heaven Is Our Goal

He gave his only begotten Son to pay the penalty for your sin and my sin. His ultimate desire is not just here and now in this life, but his ultimate desire is that heaven be our home. Consequently, when we have heaven as our goal, then circumstances are such that we have that peace of mind in facing all kinds of trials or situations in life. When we have heaven as our goal, the spiritual attitude, passages like Romans chapter 8 and in verse 28, all things indeed work together for good to those who are the called according to his purpose. Those who are called according to his purpose. Romans chapter 8 is one of those fascinating chapters. In fact, if you have your Bible open to that chapter with me, Romans 8, verse 28, has often, I believe, been misused and abused.

I’ve heard it used, you know, right off, maybe there’s been some physical tragedy, a house is burned, or something car wrecked, and somebody quotes that verse. Like you just wait, God will take that tragedy, and he’s going to turn that in, and you’ll be blessed materially, they often apply the verse. But when you read the chapter of Romans 8, it’s not speaking just about blessings in the material way. In fact, in Romans 8 and verse 28, we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. Now, what follows that? Look at verse 31. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? That question really doesn’t have to have an answer written right there.

In fact, if God, who is all powerful, the creator of heaven and earth, the giver of every good and perfect gift, if he’s on our side, then who could be able to succeed in opposing him or his will? His purpose will come to pass. But not only that, in verse 32, he who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Again, if you think about the story of the crucifixion of our Lord. If God was willing to send his only begotten Son and gave him up for you and for me that we might have heaven as our home, then again the question, how shall not he also with him freely give us all things, that is things that are needful to enable us to inherit that eternal crown of glory.

Or following that in verse 33. Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore, is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Again, when you read that passage, are you thinking that, oh, here’s the blessing in this world, you’ll be a millionaire, or you’ll you’ll inherit this material blessing or that? He’s speaking about that which has to do with our spiritual life. Heaven is our goal, and no matter what happens in this life, he will enable us, working for good to that end, can be fulfilled. In fact, look at the last few verses of this chapter. In verse 35 through 39, who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword. You believe the Lord knows us in each of those situations and will help us through whatever the trial may be, if they come our way. We’ll not be separated from God. As verse 36 as it is written, For your sake we are killed all day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. That sounds like we’ve lost. If we’re killed, if we’re persecuted and put to death, as many Christians were in the first century. Did God forget them? You know the answer. Physical death wasn’t the end. In fact, books like Revelation over and over give us the insight that what we live for is not just in the flesh. Whether we die at 18 or 118 isn’t the matter.

What matters is are we prepared for life after death? And so as in verse 37, yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor death, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I find that’s one of the hardest lessons to get across in this country and in this generation of time. We live in a materially blessed country, and a materially blessed time. All of us are rich. Even the poor are rich compared to many people throughout other countries and other nations.

5. Like Paul, We Have a Living Hope

But it’s because of our prosperity, we get so busy with things. Things that are now, things that matter today. What kind of car do you drive? What kind of house do you live in? We get concerned about doing this, that, and the other, we’re so busy with now that it’s hard for us to really have heaven as our commitment. Our goal to be eternally involved, spiritually involved. Indeed, when heaven is our goal. All things work together for our good. Is it just physical? Not at all. But it has to do with enabling us to go to heaven. When heaven is our goal, I put the words, therefore. Like Paul, we have a living hope. If you’re still open at Romans chapter 8, look back at verse 18.

In Romans 8 and in verse 18, hear the apostle Paul. When he says, I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. What do you mean, Paul? Well, the sufferings that are this present time, you ever remember any sufferings that Paul endured? You ever think of anything that Paul would say? In fact, I would say to you, if you have your Bible, keep your finger open at Romans 8. But in 2 Corinthians chapter 11, in verses 24 through 28, listen to what Paul would say about the sufferings he understood. 2 Corinthians 11 and verse 24. From the Jews, five times I received forty stripes, minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods.

Once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I’ve been in the deep, in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and toil, and sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Would you like to be with Paul? Would you like to live with him in all of that? With that in mind, though, what does he say in Romans 8? Well, the sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed. Think about it.

But then dropping down to verse 23 of Romans 8. Hear him when Paul says not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan. Now, wait a minute, you stop right there. It sounds like he’s going to complain, doesn’t it? He says we groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. My beloved, how many of us can say, I groan, waiting to put off this physical body. I’m eagerly looking forward. You see, heaven is our goal. Do we talk about it? Do we really believe that, like Paul, we have that living hope that no matter what really comes in this world, I’ll tell you the apostle Paul is the one who wrote in Philippians chapter 4 about a peace that surpasseth understanding.

And in the midst of all his trials, he understood where he’s going. He understood there’s more to life than just this life. Don’t get caught up with a world that plants and go has its goals only for the now. But as a child of God who understands that our God is able to exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all generations. That God’s will shall be accomplished. In fact, one last passage I’d like you to turn to, it’s in 1 Peter. In 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 3 through 8, where the Apostle Peter writes to a people who themselves were being oppressed at that time. And he says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen you love.

What Peter would say of them, you rejoice, even though you’re in heaviness through trials, persecutions, you rejoice with a joy you can’t put into words. Inexpressible is what he says. You rejoice with that kind of joy. Why? Because of the faith you have in Christ Jesus, you’re looking forward to a home that is eternal, that has every blessing you could dream of.

Conclusion

You see, I I close this morning by asking, what is your goal in life? If you were to be asked at this moment to write down, what’s your plans? Ultimately, what’s your real plan? Well, I’ll tell you, if heaven is your goal, you’re going to seek to serve the Lord daily. You’re going to seek to pray to him daily. You’re going to seek to understand something of his word, probably daily. You’d like to read a little bit about him. There come times where you know other saints are going to gather for worship and you want to come because heaven’s your goal. And they’re wanting to go the same place, and you enjoy being with them. And yes, there may be trials, there may be troubles that come along your way.

But indeed, you’re able to overcome those troubles, because you know that God is able to help you through them. He will see that you not only make it through them, he will indeed maybe change the path you had in mind, but he gives you a better path as you look back. God can bless. But he blesses those who by faith serve him. Those who put him first in their life, seek first the kingdom of God. It’s a passage in 2 Corinthians chapter 9. But along this line, I think is interesting, where he says, 2 Corinthians chapter 9 and verse 6, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So will each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.

That seems to be caught up in a passage he’s talking about giving. I mean, even as we gave this morning. But I say to you, it’s much more than that. That indeed, as a man sows, that’s what he’s going to reap. If you’re sowing to things that have to do with the flesh, that’s all you’ll reap. If you’re sowing with things that have to do with eternity, that’s what you shall reap. God knows what your goals for life are. In fact, continuing, in verses 8 through 11, he says, God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that you always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. Did you notice the superlatives in that verse? That you always, having all sufficiency in all things may have an abundance for every good work.

That’s quite a saying. That’s to the people who are generous toward God, whose goal is to serve Him and to bless Him, to praise His name and to glorify Him, even in the church in Christ Jesus. Well, I hope everyone in this audience can say, that’s my goal. I want to go to heaven. And more than anything else, I’m going to continue to work for it. That’s ultimately where I’m headed. Well, there may be some here that are not ready. If Christ were to come at this very hour, you would probably be afraid. Because you may know that Jesus is the Son of God. You’ve already believed that. And you may know that in order to have the blood of Christ to wash away your sins, you need to be buried by baptism into his death where his blood was shed.

But you may never have been immersed or baptized for the remission of sins. We’re going to close with what we call an invitation song and lead simply saying, if you would like to come to the Lord, let us help you. You can be immersed or baptized today if you need to do that. Or if in some way to just come back to the Lord, repenting of waywardness and being apart from Him, we’ll pray with you and pray for you. If you’re subject to that invitation, won’t you step forward even now as we sin while we sing?