The Supremacy of Jesus Christ

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬-‭23‬ - “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

Paul opens this passage with an acknowledgment of praying prayers of thanksgiving to God for the Ephesians and their faith. He doesn’t stop at gratitude though. Paul prays eagerly for the Ephesians in their walk with Christ. Paul prays that they may receive the wisdom which comes from God, so that they may have a full knowledge of God. A mind and heart guided by the Holy Spirit is the only means through which we can come to a proper understanding and appreciation of God, most often done by the reading of His Word.

But Paul wasn’t just praying that the Ephesians gain knowledge for the sake of knowledge. In fact, Paul writes to the Corinthians that knowledge for the sake of knowledge simply puffs up, but it is love that edifies. Here Paul is praying for the Ephesians to gain knowledge so that they can better love God and each other. Paul wanted the Ephesians to understand the hope in which they already lived as followers of Jesus Christ. They live with the promised hope of their eternal salvation being realized. The same power that resurrected Jesus will resurrect those who belong to Him in faith into eternal life. Paul is not saying to work toward receiving that power one day, but that the power already belongs to us when we put our faith in Jesus Christ.

Now Christ is seated at the right hand of God, above everything that was, is, and is to come. Christ is ruling and reigning now and will rule and reign over God’s Kingdom forever. In Romans 8, Paul writes that we are co-heirs with Christ of the glorious inheritance from God that is promised to His children. We have been adopted into His family because of the imputed righteousness of Christ that we obtain by grace through faith.

But before we inherit that glorious eternal gift in Christ, we are under Him within the Church today. Christ is the head of the Church. Just as He is over all creation, He is also over the Church. We trust Him to provide us with unending mercies, grace, and power as we work out our salvation here by remaining obedient to His Word.

Here are some devotional questions as we end today’s passage.

1. Who in your life do you pray for as Paul prayed for the Ephesians? Not just praying for them in thanksgiving, but also that their faith be increased as the draw nearer to Christ.

2. Are you living in the confident hope that exists for followers of Jesus today? Or does your hope that awaits us in eternal glory seem far-off and distant? Pray today for the Spirit to make known to you the hope and power that exists in us today because we are in Christ.

3. Are you living today as one under the headship of Christ? Are you in a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church? Become part of the body of Christ and rely on Him to provide the grace and power necessary to do God’s will.