Transformed in Christ: Divine Enlightenment (Ephesians - Part 12)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is a privilege to analyze the divine insights presented to the congregation through Pastor Sam Merigala's sermon on "Divine Enlightenment," which expounds upon the great intercession of the Apostle Paul found in Ephesians 1:15-23. This sermon beautifully lays out the foundation of Christian intercession, the absolute necessity of the Holy Spirit’s illumination, and the glorious realities awaiting the enlightened believer.

I. The Foundation of Grace: Thanksgiving and Intercession

Pastor Merigala rightly situates Paul's prayer within the broader structure of the Epistle, noting that it serves as a great intercession (1:15-23) following a great benediction (1:3-14). The Apostle first blesses our God for the multitude of blessings we have already received in Christ, and then, immediately, he prays that the Father will open our spiritual eyes to truly grasp the fullness of these spiritual realities.

The intercession is rooted in profound gratitude. Paul continuously gives thanks, having heard of two essential characteristics of God’s people: their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love toward all the saints. Pastor Merigala reminds us that faith and love are foundational Christian graces, necessarily accompanied by hope, completing the essential triad. It is impossible to be united with Christ and not find oneself drawn to Him in trust and to His covenant people in love, embracing all the saints without distinction, be they Jew or Gentile. This authenticity, whereby the community truly lives out what they profess, is acknowledged by the Apostle as honoring to God, prompting his thanksgiving.

However, Paul recognizes that there is always room for the deepening of spiritual maturity. Paul is not entirely satisfied, yet his request is not for the reception of some 'second blessing,' but rather that the believers might fully appreciate the immense implications of the blessing they have already received in their initial calling. The very essence of this sacred request is distilled into the petition, "that you may know (verse 18)".

II. The Necessity of Spiritual Illumination and the Knowledge of God

The heart of Paul's prayer is focused upon receiving "the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him" from "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory".

A. The High Calling to Knowledge

Pastor Merigala emphasizes that this "knowledge" is not merely academic or factual - it transcends the common Greek concept and aligns with the more profound Hebrew understanding, adding the dimension of experience to understanding. This search for wisdom is centered on "the knowledge of him (verse 17), of God himself personally," which provides the ultimate context for grasping the subsequent truths about Him (verse 18).

Indeed, the Pastor Merigala proclaims that there is no greater knowledge than the knowledge of God Himself. This growth in knowledge is not a luxury, but is indispensable for growth in holiness, the two being intimately linked. The depth of this requirement is underscored by the citation of D. A. Carson, who views a deeper knowledge of God as the greatest need of Western Christendom. The Christian life, from its beginning, through its middle, and to its end, is inextricably bound up in knowing God. As the Lord Jesus Himself declared, eternal life is knowing the true God and the One He sent.

B. The Ministry of Revelation

Because such transcendent knowledge is utterly impossible apart from divine intervention, Paul prays specifically for the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation. The Holy Spirit, being the "Spirit of truth," is the appointed agent of revelation and the divine teacher of God's people. Pastor Merigala carefully distinguishes between receiving the Holy Spirit (which believers already possess, being "sealed" with Him) and praying for His necessary and ongoing ministry of illumination. If inspiration defines the divine nature of the sacred Scripture, illumination defines how we accurately and deeply understand that Scripture. We are shown the need for "Holy Spirit glasses" to accurately grasp divine meaning.

This illumination is described as "having the eyes of your hearts enlightened". The biblical understanding of the heart encompasses the whole inward self, including the mind and emotions; thus, "the eyes of the heart" are our "inner eyes" which must be opened by God to grasp His truth. This necessary work of opening the mind to understand the Scriptures is witnessed in Christ's action on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:31-32, 45) and the Lord opening Lydia’s heart to respond to the gospel (Acts 16:14).

A crucial pastoral admonition is offered: we often fail to seek the Spirit’s illumination due to an inflated sense of self-sufficiency, leading to a temptation to believe we do not require God's help. Therefore, the essential first step to becoming a student of the Holy Writ is cultivating a heart of humility.

C. Confidence in the Glorious Father

Paul directs his prayer to "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory". By invoking this title, the Apostle affirms God's majesty and competence, reminding us that the God of glory who appeared to Moses at Sinai is fully capable of opening our spiritual eyes. Paul consistently ties "glory" and "power" together, emphasizing that God is the divine source of both. He is the omnipotent "glorious Father" - intimate and gracious like a good father, yet glorious in His transcendence and power. Because He is the one who spoke the universe into existence, Paul has the confidence to ask Him to turn the light on in our hearts to see the glory of God revealed in the face of Jesus Christ, affirming the union of glory and illumination.

III. The Three Great Truths of Enlightenment

The Apostle specifies three magnificent truths that believers, through spiritual enlightenment, must come to know experientially, bridging the past, present, and future of salvation history.

1. The Hope of God's Call (1:18)

The call of God is fundamental, pointing back to the inception of the Christian life, where our human response was predicated upon His prior, purposeful divine call. The "hope of his call" represents the rich, varied, and massive expectation that we enjoy as a direct result of being called by God.

This hope encompasses manifold blessings: we are called to belong to Jesus Christ, called to fellowship with Him, and called to be saints, reflecting His own holiness. We are liberated from the condemnation of God’s law, called to freedom. We are summoned to harmonious fellowship and peace within the "one body," even though we must endure suffering and opposition from the world, following Christ’s example. Beyond this present suffering, we look forward to glory, for we have been called into His eternal kingdom. This is a call to an altogether new life of knowing, loving, obeying, and serving Christ, with a glorious future hope that sustains us amidst all dangers.

2. The Riches of His Glorious Inheritance in the Saints (1:18)

If God's 'call' looks back, then His 'inheritance' points us forward to the glorious consummation of the Christian life. Paul prays that we may know "what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints".

Pastor Merigala adheres to the interpretation that this refers to the inheritance God bestows upon His people, who are "fellow heirs with Christ," rather than simply referring to God’s possession of His people. This final inheritance is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit. It is characterized as imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved for us in heaven.

While the full nature of this blessing exceeds our current capacity to comprehend, certain aspects are revealed: we anticipate the visio dei (Latin for "the vision of God,") - the beatific vision - where we shall see God and Christ, resulting in transformation, making us like Him in character and body. This inheritance is not a private matter but is shared corporately "among the saints," joining the great multitude before the throne. The depth of this rich treasure forms the very core of a stable, Christian identity: we belong to the Creator God and are precious to Him.

3. The Greatness of God's Power (The Agent of Fulfillment)

The necessity of God’s ‘power’ is what spans the interim period between the call and the inheritance, ensuring the expectation of the call is fulfilled and we safely arrive at the final glory. Paul is convinced of God's sufficiency, praying that we may know "the immeasurable greatness of it".

The ultimate public demonstration of this power is the resurrection and exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Merigala outlines three successive events that reveal this divine might:

1. God raised Christ from the dead.
2. God made Him sit at His right hand in the heavenly places, exalted above all competitors, with all things placed under His feet.
3. God made Him the head over all things for the church.

This decisive demonstration of divine power conquered death and evil - the two inescapable bondages of fallen humanity. Because God conquered these ultimate foes in Christ, He possesses the power sufficient to rescue us and bring us into the fullness of the promised inheritance.