Ephesians 3:19 - Experiencing the Love of Christ and the Fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:19 (NLT) May you experience the
love of Christ, though it is too great to
understand fully. Then you will be made complete with
all the fullness of life and power that comes
from God.
Ephesians 3:19 (AMP) [That you may really
come] to know [practically, through experience for
yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere
knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled
[through all your being] unto all the fullness of God
[may have the richest measure of the divine
Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded
with God Himself]!
WORD STUDY
To Know The Love Of Christ: Not the love
believers have for Christ, but the love of and from
Christ that He places in their hearts before they
can truly and fully love Him or anyone else
(Rom. 5:5). [MacArthur Daily Bible 2003]
Which passes knowledge: Knowledge of
Christ's love is far beyond the capability of human
reason and experience. It is only known by those
who are God's children (Phil. 4:7.). [MacArthur
Daily Bible 2003]
Filled with all the fullness of God: To be
so strong spiritually, so compelled by divine
love, that one is totally dominated by the Lord
with nothing left of self. Human comprehension of
the fullness of God is impossible, because even
the most spiritual and wise believer cannot
completely grasp the full extent of God's attributes
and characteristics His power, majesty, wisdom,
love, mercy, patience, kindness, and everything He
is and does. But believers can experience the
greatness of God in their lives as a result of total
devotion to Him. Note the fullness of God, here; the
fullness of Christ in 4:13; and the fullness of the
Spirit in 5:18). [MacArthur Daily Bible 2003]
COMMENTARY PEARL
In the 1980s, I was a FedEx courier,
and I would listen to cassettes in my truck as I
drove. One of my favorite groups is Take 6, and
during the Christmas season I would play their He
is Christmas cassette. I didn't have a
relationship with Jesus at the time.
One day while I was driving my van and
listening to the cassette, "Sweet Little Jesus Boy"
started to play. I sang along to the lyrics as I
always did, but this time, as I sang the words
about Jesus being born to save me, tears started
streaming down my cheeks. I felt a rush of love that I
never knew existed. I was driving in the middle of
nowhere, delivering packages, and a song that I'd
sung so many times before suddenly affected me in
the most wonderful and unexpected way.
That day was the beginning of the
greatest love relationship of my life - my
relationship with Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. My
blinded eyes were opened to the true miracle and
reason for the birth of the sweet Little Jesus Boy.
Whenever I think back on that thrilling life-changing
event, I am reminded of the amazing "width and
length and depth and height" of love that Jesus has
for all of us. He wants to draw us to His love
and let us know He is our loving Savior who gave
His life to save me and you! by Tracy Eldridge
[Mornings With Jesus 2020 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever wondered if you are a
"whole person"? We all have struggles in life that
could make us feel incomplete, but the apostle
Paul says we can be "filled up to all the
fullness of God" (v. 19). What does that look like?
A "whole person" is generally satisfied
with life. He feels loved and is able to love
others in return. Difficulties and hardships don't
devastate him, because he is able to go through them
with confidence in God. He isn't a complainer or
someone who is quick to blame others. A positive
attitude guards his mind since he knows that the Lord
will work everything out for good (Rom. 8:28).
Being a Christian doesn't automatically
make us feel complete. Fullness comes only when
we experience God's love for us. For many
years, I knew theologically that the Lord loved me.
I even preached about it, but I didn't really
feel it. Only after I took a deep look at my life
and started dealing with events that had
fractured my soul in childhood did I begin to
experience His love in an intimate way. Once I felt the
security of His love for me, I discovered great joy
in walking in obedience to His will. The reason
was that I knew I could trust Him to meet all my
needs in His time and way.
Do you feel God's love, or is it just a
biblical fact to you? If you long for wholeness, the
key is to experience an intimate relationship
with Jesus Christ. This is possible only when
you're willing to open up and let the Lord search
your heart. He'll reveal what's holding you back
from accepting His love. [In Touch Daily
Devotional by Charles Stanley at www.intouch.org]
COMMENTARY
Truth in Christ and through Christ is
measureless. The student of Scripture looks, as it were,
into a fountain that deepens and broadens as he
gazes into its depths. Not in this life shall we
comprehend the mystery of God's love in giving His Son
to be the propitiation for our sins. The work
of our Redeemer on this earth is and ever will
be a subject that will put to the stretch our
highest imagination. Man may tax every mental power
in the endeavor to fathom this mystery, but his
mind will become faint and weary. The most
diligent searcher will see before him a boundless,
shoreless sea.
The truth as it is in Jesus can be
experienced, but never explained. Its height and breadth
and depth pass our knowledge. We may task our
imagination to the utmost, and then we shall see only
dimply the outlines of a love that is
unexplainable, that is as high as heaven, but that stooped
to the earth to stamp the image of God on all
mankind.
Yet it is possible for us to see all that
we can bear of the divine compassion. This is
unfolded to the humble, contrite soul. We shall
understand God's compassion just in proportion as we
appreciate His sacrifice for us. As we search the word
of God in humility of heart, the grand theme of
redemption will open to our research. It will increase
in brightness as we behold it, and as we aspire
to grasp it, its height and depth will ever
increase.
Our life is to be bound up with the life
of Christ; we are to draw constantly from Him,
partaking of Him, the living Bread that came down from
heaven, drawing from a fountain ever fresh, ever
giving forth its abundant treasures. If we keep the
Lord ever before us, allowing our hearts to go
out in thanksgiving and praise to Him, we shall
have a continual freshness in our religious life.
Our prayers will take the form of a conversation
with God as we would talk with a friend. He will
speak His mysteries to us personally. Often there
will come to us a sweet joyful sense of the
presence of Jesus. Often our hearts will burn within
us as He draws nigh to commune with us as He
did with Enoch. When this is in truth the
experience of the Christian, there is seen in his life
a simplicity, a humility, meekness, and
lowliness of heart, that show to all with whom he
associates that he has been with Jesus and learned of
Him. COL128-130
What love, what matchless love, that,
sinners and aliens as we are, we may be brought back
to God and adopted into His family! We may
address Him by the endearing name, "Our Father,"
which is a sign of our affection for Him and a
pledge of His tender regard and relationship to us.
And the Son of God, beholding the heirs of
grace, "is not ashamed to call them brethren." They
have even a more sacred relationship to God than
have the angels who have never fallen.
All the paternal love which has come down
from generation to generation through the channel
of human hearts, all the springs of tenderness
which have opened in the souls of men, are but as
a tiny rill to the boundless ocean, when
compared with the infinite, exhaustless love of God.
Tongue cannot utter it; pen cannot portray it. You
may meditate upon it every day of your life; you
may search the Scriptures diligently in order to
understand it; you may summon every power and
capability that God has given you, in the endeavor to
comprehend the love and compassion of the heavenly
Father; and yet there is an infinity beyond.
In all His children God beholds the image
of His only-begotten Son. He looks upon them
with a love greater than any language can
express. He enfolds them in the arms of His love. The
Lord rejoices over His people. ML289
ONE LINER
To know God is to love Him; DA22
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Ephesians 3:19 - Experiencing the Love of
Christ and the Fullness of God.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20191212-0906.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor
(recent): https://www.revelationnow.com/
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (recent):
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
