Stronger: An Introduction in Ephesians

Have you ever dreamed of being stronger?

When NASA astronaut Steve Austin is severely injured in the crash of an experimental aircraft, he is "rebuilt" in an operation that costs $6 million. That would be about $34 million today based on inflation. His right arm, both legs and the left eye are replaced with "bionic" implants that enhance his strength, speed and vision far above human norms: he can run at speeds of over 60 mph, his eye has a 20:1 zoom lens and infrared capabilities, and his bionic limbs all have the equivalent power of a bulldozer. He uses his enhanced abilities to work for the Office of Scientific Intelligence as a secret agent.

Supervising the trial of an experimental gamma bomb that he designed for the U.S. Defense Department at a nuclear research facility in New Mexico, Dr. Bruce Banner selflessly rushed to the rescue of an ignorant teenager who had wandered onto the testing field as the countdown ticked inexorably toward zero. After shoving young Rick Jones to safety in a nearby ditch, Bruce was struck full-force by the bomb blast. He survived but was irradiated by the deadly gamma energy. Afterwards, anytime Bruce would get experience a strong emotional state, he would transform into the Incredible Hulk

Born Kal-El on the alien planet Krypton, his parents become aware of Krypton's impending destruction and construct a spacecraft to carry Kal-El to Earth, where the planets yellow sun gives him super human strength. His friends only know him as Clark Kent, mild reporter for the daily planet, but the world knows him as his alter ego, Superman.

The Need for Strength

When I was growing up in Norfolk, Virginia, I was bombarded with the idea of superheroes and scientific discoveries that could make me faster, smarter, stronger. I would daydream about rescuing a group of people using my superpowers and becoming the next superhero.

It wasn’t like I was wishing I was someone else, I was just a normal little kid dreaming of fame. Yet there are many people who long to become someone else or something else as a means to escape their life. People that have been abused physically or emotionally. Those that have been bullied into believing that they are ugly or fat or skinny or weird or stupid or even too smart. Addicts.

You may be one of these individuals or you may know someone that just wishes that they could be stronger.

Strong enough to tell that cheating boyfriend or girlfriend to hit the road. Strong enough to stand up to that person that is abusing or has abused them. Strong enough to ignore the lies that bullies throw in their face. Strong enough to overcome their addictions. Strong enough to love themselves.

Today we begin a journey through the book of Ephesians to discover how we may become stronger in heart, mind, body, and soul.

The Source of Strength

The book of Ephesians was a letter written by Paul around AD 90. It is believed that it was meant to be a read in each of the churches in Ephesus, which was the capital city of the Roman empire in Asia, the area that is now Turkey. It was meant to be a letter of encouragement to those that were followers of Jesus in the light of persecution, racism, class warfare, internal struggles, and the strong allure of addictions and sexual sins that were so prevalent in the culture of that time.

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus. ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:1-2, HCSB)

Typical of his letters, Paul lets the reader know who wrote the letter before they start reading the actual letter. He gives us his credentials: he is an apostle because God called him and chose him for that position. This makes it clear that he is someone who has the authority to address them and teach them. He then lets them know who the letter was written to, in this case the faithful in Christ or believers or Christians.

In verse 2 Paul’s greeting includes a common phrase used in that time, grace and peace to you. This was a similar to the Jewish greeting Shalom, which means peace to you. But he expresses that this grace and peace are from God, our Father, and our Lord or boss, Jesus Christ.

These 2 short verses pack a lot of information into them. Paul is telling the church that he has been called by God, appointed by God as an apostle, and therefore has the authoritative backing of God as an emissary to the church.

This same God that has done miracle after miracle through Paul, the same God that created the universe, the same God that brought the flood on the world, the same God that was able to bring the Israelites safely out of Egypt, the same Incarnate God who came down to His creations in human flesh as a baby, the same God that willingly provided a way for us to have forgiveness of our sins, this same God can provide grace and peace to all who believe in Him.

Why is this important to us? Because if we want to become stronger in heart, we need to follow the One who loves the entire world fiercely. If we want to become stronger in mind, we need to learn from the One that is Omniscient, who knows all. If we want to become stronger in body, we need to grow in our understanding of the One who is Omnipotent, who is all powerful. If we want to become stronger in spirit, we must recognize the One who is able to transform our spirit from darkness to light.

The Hope of Strength

Becoming stronger in heart, mind, body, and soul begins with God who provides grace and peace to us. At the end of Paul’s initial greetings, he prays that all believers will comprehend our hope, our riches, and God’s power. Our hope is built on the promises from God.

¹⁸ I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.

²⁰ He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him [Jesus] at His right hand in the heavens— ²¹ far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:18-21, HCSB)

This hope that Paul writes about it not an “ify” hope, but an assurance that it will happen because of God’s ability and power to do so. Our riches in Christ is Paul’s way of trying to express that we should not focus on the worldly treasures which will only last for a short time, but rather on the heavenly treasures that are being prepared for us to enjoy for all of eternity as a part of our inheritance.

Paul reminds the church that God’s power is something tangible that they have witnessed through His miraculous works (raising Jesus from the dead, healings, etc.) and something intangible as in the way He changes lives beyond our understanding. His power can help us make our focus the hope and riches to come rather than the worldly pleasures and riches that seem to be so abundant around us.

Paul also reminds us in these verses that God gave Jesus a place of power in His Kingdom. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. In their culture, anybody that would sit at the right hand of the king was considered to be the voice of the king. Anything that person said had the same power and authority as if it came from the king himself. Paul is saying that Jesus is equal with God. Therefore, anything Jesus, or God the Son, said or did was done in the name of God the Father.

We all need to become stronger. Even if we have no problems or insecurities or addictions or hurts or pains or whatever, we still need to become stronger. The book of Ephesians will show us how we can be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Ephesians 6:10).