What Do We Ask?
God's power and ability exceed our limited understanding and requests, and we should make good use of His doctrine by casting ourselves on His love in times of distress.
John Bunyan emphasizes the boundless ability of God to provide for our needs, as expressed in Ephesians 3:20. He encourages believers to cast their burdens upon the Lord, especially in times of distress, reminding them that God can do far more than we can ask or even think. Bunyan highlights the importance of asking for salvation, faith, and preservation in a troubled world, assuring that God's love and grace exceed our expectations. He urges the faithful to trust in God's promises and to rely on His abundant power during temptations and trials. Ultimately, the sermon reassures believers of God's willingness to bestow blessings beyond their comprehension.
Text
"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Eph. 3:20).
It is a text made up of words picked and packed together by the wisdom of God, picked and packed together on purpose for the succour and relief of the tempted, that they may when in the midst of their distresses, cast themselves upon the Lord their God. He can do abundantly more than we ask. Oh! says the soul, that he would but do so much for me as I could ask him to do! How happy a man should I then be.
Why, what wouldest thou ask for, sinner? you may be sure, says the soul, I would ask to be saved from my sins; I would ask for faith in, and love to, Christ; I would ask to be preserved in this evil world, and ask to be glorified with Christ in heaven. He that asketh for all this, doth indeed ask for much, and for more than Satan would have him believe that God is able or willing to bestow upon him; but mark, the text doth not say, that God is able to do all that we can ask or think, but that he is able to do above all, yea, abundantly above all, yea, exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. What a text is this! What a God have we!
God foresaw the sins of his people, and what work the devil would make with their hearts about them, and therefore to prevent their ruin by his temptation, he has thus largely, as you see, expressed his love by his word. Let us therefore, as has been bidden us, make this good use of this doctrine of grace, as to cast ourselves upon this love of God in the times of distress and temptation.
Sermon Outline
- The Power of God's Ability
- The Tempted Soul's Desire
- The Limitations of Our Asking
- The Good Use of God's Doctrine
- Casting ourselves on God's love in times of distress
- Making good use of God's doctrine in our lives
Key Quotes
“He can do abundantly more than we ask.” — John Bunyan
“What a text is this! What a God have we!” — John Bunyan
“God foresaw the sins of his people, and what work the devil would make with their hearts about them, and therefore to prevent their ruin by his temptation, he has thus largely, as you see, expressed his love by his word.” — John Bunyan
Application Points
- We should have faith in God's ability to do more than we ask.
- We should not let Satan's lies limit our faith in God's ability.
- We should make good use of God's doctrine by casting ourselves on His love in times of distress.