Ephesians 3:17

Ephesians 3:17

I. It is certain that something will dwell in our hearts. They are not intended to remain empty. If they are not filled with good, some evil spirit will enter in, and he, not Christ, will dwell there. If we are to realise what St. Paul means when he speaks of us as a habitation of God through the Spirit, we may do well to consider what some of those things are which do daily fill our thoughts, and almost literally people our hearts. We shall find that some of these inhabitants are in themselves innocent; that some are unmistakably corrupt; that all become usurpers when they cease to be subordinate to Him who alone has a right to supremacy.

II. We must learn to carry about with us a consciousness of Christ's real presence. We must regard ourselves as working and living for Him. We must look for His sympathy in anything that we have to do. Before doing any new thing we must ask whether He would have it done, and in what spirit He would have it done. Just as we see children or very young persons, if they are asked for an opinion, turn to their father or their mother to know first what they think, so no Christian is too old or too young to turn in thought to Christ to know how far He sanctions and what way of doing or thinking He dictates.

III. Christ dwells in others in spite of much that seems to be at variance with His presence. One great difficulty in the way of our being Christians is that no one appears to imagine that we wish to be Christians. Sympathy is one of Christ's truest messengers. They who refuse it tempt us to distrust Him and to deny Him. Christ dwells, or tries to dwell, in the hearts of all of us. If so, can we tempt one another to sin, and so to shut Him out? If so, can we speak contemptuously or think harshly of one another? Contempt for a soul in which Christ is not ashamed to dwell? Harsh thoughts of a spirit into which Christ is tenderly striving to force an entrance?

H. M. Butler, Harrow Sermons,p. 120.

References: Ephesians 3:17. A. Maclaren, Christ in the Heart,p. 15; J. Culross, Contemporary Pulpit,vol. iii., p. 207; Hannah, Church of England Pulpit,vol. i., p. 313; Homilist,3rd series, vol. vi., p. 340; Herbert, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxvi., p. 94; Spurgeon, Evening by Evening,p. 238; Preacher's Monthly,vol. iv., p. 176; vol. ix., p. 314.Ephesians 3:17. Ibid.,p. 315; Clergyman's Magazine,vol. v., p. 31.Ephesians 3:18. A. Maclaren, Christ in the Heart,pp. 27-41.