God’s Exceeding Abundance
Sermon Outline for Sunday, March 14, 2021
Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV
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.
LAST SUNDAY we looked at how God can BREAK EVERY CHAIN that is in our lives. We didn’t look at every chain, but we did look at 17 chains, I think pretty major chains at that, and God can break them all, if we allow Him. But we must understand and trust that He can!
To that end, let’s look at our verses this morning one more time.
There are two great truths in these verses.
1. The Ability of the Savior – Vs. 20
a. Now to him who is able – That’s all the Bible we need
b. to do far more – He is able to do FAR more
c. far more abundantly – He is able to do abundantly MORE
i. to surpass; to go beyond any request; to overcome and do anything
ii. to overflow and to do more than enough
iii. to go over and beyond, surpassing any need
iv. all that we can think, imagine going beyond anything we can think! What is the greatest answer or deliverance we can think? God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can think.
d. We can not even fathom what FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY even means, but God can do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY!
e. What can God do? He is able …
i. to raise up children from stones …
Luke 3:8 ESV
Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
ii. to fulfill promises even if they are humanly impossible …
Romans 4:21 ESV
fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
iii. to make grace abound …
2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
iv. to subdue all things …
Philippians 3:21 ESV
who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
v. to guard the soul’s treasure …
2 Timothy 1:12 ESV
which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
vi. to save to the uttermost …
Hebrews 7:25 ESV
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
vii. to keep from falling …
Jude 24 ESV
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
2. The Availability of the Servants – Vs. 20-21
a. Our Service – according to the power at work within us – God works through us
i. What is that power within us?
ii. It is the combined power of all that God has put within us, all that for which we are praying:
1. the power of the Spirit strengthening us
2. the power of Christ indwelling us
3. the power of love working in us
4. the power of understanding all that God does
5. the power of the fullness of God Himself
Matthew 19:26 ESV
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Luke 1:37 ESV
For nothing will be impossible with God.”
b. The Place of Our Service – in the church – We are to do our service through the church
Galatians 6:10 ESV
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Acts 20:28 ESV
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Ephesians 4:11–16 ESV
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
c. The Time of Our Service – all generations – We are to serve until Jesus Christ comes
i. Jesus is not coming back for a doubting church
ii. Jesus is not coming back for a lukewarm church
iii. Jesus is not coming back for a divided church
iv. Jesus is not coming back for a sleepy church
v. Jesus is not coming back for a stale church
vi. JEUS IS COMING BACK for a church that is on fire, dedicated, serving, united, working church
Pastor Andy Lambert ~ pastorandy@cvcog.church