• That you be rooted in and know the immensity of His love
Eph 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—
that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
Eph 3:19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge
Having Christ dwelling in your life means being rooted and grounded in love. Jesus Christ is love personified. He is the man of love. The Bible says, in 1 John 4, that God is love and that we know his love in that God sent Christ to be the propitiation of our sins, which means he dealt with it decisively; at the cross, he removed the wrath of God believers deserved. Without the cross, without Christ paying the price, there would only be judgment for us. The pinnacle of his love is seen in Jesus coming to this earth and laying down his life so that we may have life, eternal life, abundant life, and holy joy in his presence. Jesus reconciled us to Himself. That is love. And our text says Paul prayed that we be grounded and rooted in this love, love that sacrifices for others, love that lays down their lives for others, love that walks the extra mile with others, love that turns the other cheek. He says that this love surpasses knowledge. And that we should know the length and breadth and height and depth of it. We should know how far it extends, to the ends of the earth; it makes people go to other countries and learn languages and even die to make it known. This love compelled Paul to suffer for Christ to preach the gospel where Christ’s name was unknown. This love made him suffer for Jesus and layed down his life in Ephesus. This love is patient; it is kind; it does not envy. It does not boast, it endures all and bears all, and it never fails. It never will pass away, and therefore Paul says in 1 Cor 13 it is the greatest of all. Faith, hope and love. Love is the greatest of all. Brother and sister, let us pray for more of this love in our hearts. May it control us. May it make us love others enough to tell them about Jesus.
INTERETHNICMISSIONS 