After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases:

Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means Luke 8:1-2

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:16-23

Initial Thoughts on Resurrection 1)The resurrection is the public display of this mighty power that has been true since before all things. 2)Jesus is not inaugerating a new reality. He is revealing a fuller reality that preexisted before.

Initial Thoughts on Resurrection 3) The response of the church should be the affirmation of the fullness of Him who fills everything in everyway.

Images in the Passage All things under His feat The riches of His glorious inheritance The fullness of Him who fills everything Incomparably great power Mighty strength

Images in the Passage Power and dominion Be head over everything for the church

Key words Riches, great power, dominion, under His feat, the Head.

History of Ephesus *Ephesus was a major power center. *Artimus had her world headquarters there. *The temple of Artimus.

History of Ephesus *It was the ancient banking center *It was the head of the arts and theater. *Domitian and the epicenter of political power *These people understood power.

Paul says I want to write to you about real power. It wasn’t voted in and cant be voted out. Nothing gave it power, so it can never be taken away.

It is the real deal. The meaning behind everything…. Lets get tapped into that

“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:36

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:3,4

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church;

he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross Colossians 1:14-18

Implications 1.Jesus is already at work in any mission field we could possibly serve in. 2.Our job is not to deliver belief in Jesus. It is to proclaim what has been there all along and name Him. 3.The church’s response to resurrection power is to affirm it everywhere and invite people to connect with that.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1: 22

What is church? It is the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.

Counter Pictures 1)More denominations and factions 2)More separation 3)More us and them 4)Are we shrinking Jesus to meet our expectations instead of embracing all He us up to?

A Big Jesus Requires a Big Church. A Church that can hold all that Jesus is up to require big people. A Church that holds Jesus is a church that affirms what you are already. A church that holds what Jesus is up to names what is already true and invites you to participate.

How to Know You are a Huge Capacity Church 1)There are people you can name whose experience with Jesus changed their life dramatically.

How to Know You are a Huge Capacity Church 2) I met _______________ and their story is ___________ before their awareness of Jesus. They became aware of Jesus here and now their story has changed to __________.

How to Know You are a Huge Capacity Church 3) Your community can disagree and discuss without disgrace. 4) You are at times troubled with how big and powerful the power of Jesus is.

A Lion doesn’t make a good housecat. *If you cage it, you don’t love it. *If you domesticate it within your own boundaries, it will tear everything up. *The only environment for the Lion is the wild.

Application 1)What is your story of how you encountered the resurrected Christ and it made a radical difference? 2)What was your emotional response to the last baptism you saw? 3)What was your emotional response to the last time you saw someone experience the power of God?

Application 4) Would we rather attempt to contain Christ to our own ideas and values, or would we rather see the experiences of people encountering the fullness of Him who fills all things? 5) Are we willing to hunger for the experience of God for people?

Where are you today? The church is here to point you and remind you of this preexistent power that manifested in the resurrected Christ and now it is looking to touch you.

Where are you today? At our church, the lion is roaming about in full power.