Empowered by the Spirit

October 26, 2025 homily on Ephesians 3:16 Pastor Galen for Laity Sunday

“I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit” – Ephesians 3:16

The Strength of the Spirit

In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul prayed that the Christians in Ephesus would be “strengthened in [their] inner being with power” through the Holy Spirit.

Throughout the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), the Spirit of God would fill individuals for a particular period of time to empower them to accomplish specific tasks.

People like Moses, Joshua, the judges, and kings were strengthened by the Spirit of the Lord to accomplish specific leadership tasks or to lead military campaigns. Prophets such as Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, and Ezekiel were empowered to deliver God’s messages to the people.

I think of it a little bit like a superpower. These were regular people, everyday people, going about doing regular, everyday things, until a need arose, and all of a sudden, the Spirit of the Lord overcame them and empowered them to meet that need.

One stark example of this was Samson. Samson was a regular person like you and me — although perhaps he was more muscular than most of us to start with. But the Bible makes it clear that it was the Spirit of God that gave him his superhuman strength. For example, in Judges chapter 14, we read about a time when a young lion roared at him. The Bible tells us that “The spirit of the Lord rushed on him, and he tore the lion apart barehanded” (Judges 14:6). 

Bezalel: Empowered By the Spirit of Creativity

But do you know who was the first person that the Bible tells us was filled with the Holy Spirit? Interestingly enough, it was not a king, a judge, or a prophet. Rather, it was a craftsman, an artisan by the name of Bezalel, who was empowered by the Spirit to design the tabernacle — the dwelling place of God, during the time that the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness.

In Exodus 31,

The Lord spoke to Moses, [saying] “See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with a divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge, and every kind of skill, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every kind of craft.  Moreover, I have appointed with him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and I have given skill to all the skillful, so that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of the covenant, and the cover that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, and the finely worked vestments, the holy vestments for the priest Aaron and the vestments of his sons, for their service as priests, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. They shall do just as I have commanded you.”

So the first example that we see in the Scriptures of the Spirit of God filling someone and empowering them to accomplish a specific task was not a prophet declaring the word of the Lord, or a priest offering sacrifices in the temple, but rather an artist, a craftsman, who was empowered by the Spirit to design the structure and the furnishings for the house of God. 

This highlights a reality that we see throughout Scripture: that the Spirit of God empowers regular, everyday people to do things that might otherwise appear ordinary. But because they are filled with the Spirit, these everyday, ordinary tasks become supernatural. Things like speaking, teaching, working with our hands, building, designing — these everyday, seemingly mundane things become spiritual tasks when we are filled with the Spirit, because now we’re not just speaking our own words, we’re speaking the words of God. We’re not just using our own creative powers and abilities; we’re channeling the power of the Holy Spirit. 

And what’s amazing is that when we fast forward to the New Testament and we turn to the book of Acts, we see that after Jesus died and was raised to life and ascended to Heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to empower all believers. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just fill one person at a time for one particular task like we saw in the Hebrew Bible, but now the Holy Spirit lives inside each and every one of us, and empowers us all the time to do the ministry that we have been called to do.

And we see throughout the Scriptures that it’s not just priests or clergy who are empowered by the Spirit to do ministry — it’s the laity as well. Ordinary people, people who have not been ordained, or called or set aside to be full-time ministers of the Gospel are still called to minister. Every believer, every follower of Jesus, is empowered by the Holy Spirit, and given supernatural gifts and abilities to serve both within and outside of the Church. Because it is not just the things we do here inside the walls of our church building that are sacred. Even our everyday, “secular” work and tasks, the work we do at home and at school and at the office or jobsite can be spiritual tasks if we do them for the honor and glory of God.

Dorcas/Tabitha

I’m reminded of a story that we find in the book of Acts about a woman by the name of Dorcas, also called Tabitha, who is described as a disciple. The word “disciple” in the New Testament refers to followers of Jesus — not just the 12 disciples who were called “Apostles,” but also the broader community of Christ-followers who sought to live out Jesus’s teachings and follow the example that Jesus set for us. 

Acts 9:36 and following tells us,

Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them, and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. (Acts 9:36-42).

What is striking to me here, along with the fact that Dorcas was raised back to life (which is pretty amazing!) is the description of the way that Dorcas lived her life. The Bible tells us that she was “devoted to good works and acts of charity.” When we look further down in the story, we gather that her good works and acts of charity involved making clothing and garments for widows. 

On the surface, making clothes may not seem like a very spiritual task. It doesn’t fit into the category of things that we would typically refer to as “ministry.” But when done for the glory of God, and particularly when used to bless those who are in need, even seemingly everyday, ordinary activities are imbued with the supernatural and become sacred, spiritual tasks. 

The Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary

When I think of Dorcas using her God-given talents and abilities to create garments to bless those in need, I’m reminded of Michele, who knitted scarves and hats to be given away at our church’s food pantry to those who were in need. Michele has a demanding job, but she often spends what little free time she has knitting for other people. A while back, she posted this on Facebook: 

I knit. Usually for other people. Often people I don’t know and never will. It’s helpful to focus on others and their needs. Puts life into perspective.

Recently, Ms. Lee’s quilting group that meets here in our church building two Tuesdays a month has been making “port pillows,” which are cushions that attach to a seatbelt to protect the chest area from pressure, providing comfort for people who have medical ports, pacemakers, or are recovering from surgery. Michele, and Lee’s Tuesday quilting group, are modern-day Dorcases, knitting and sewing items to bless those who are in need. Michele shared with me that when she knits, with each and every stitch, she prays. 

When we use our God-given gifts and talents for ministry, to bless others, the secular becomes sacred, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. 

And it’s not limited to sewing or knitting or crocheting, either. When Maria uses her musical talents and abilities to play beautiful music for our worship service each Sunday and helps children and adults hone their musical talents throughout the week the Spirit of God is flowing through her. When India and Galena use their technological abilities to switch between the various cameras and run our livestream, the Spirit of God is flowing through them as the Word of God is proclaimed through the airwaves. When Christina writes out checks to pay the bills for the church and when Sharen updates her spreadsheet with the list of donations and when Bruce drains the boiler to help keep the church’s furnace running properly, the Spirit is empowering them to do the work of ministry. Seemingly everyday, ordinary activities become sacred, even supernatural, when we allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us and empower us to do God’s work.

This, I believe, is what the Apostle Paul was referring to when he prayed that the Christians in Ephesus would be “strengthened in [their] inner being with power through his Spirit” – Ephesians 3:16. 

Strengthened to Comprehend the Love of God

But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the next few verses. Because Paul’s prayer doesn’t end with a request that God would empower us to do God’s work. Rather he goes on to pray that we would be “rooted and established in love” and empowered to comprehend just how wide, and long, and high and deep is the love of Christ — a love that surpasses knowledge, and that we would be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19). 

We are not mindless robots, programmed merely to just do the work of God. We are deeply and profoundly known and loved by God. The work of ministry, the work of God that we do in this world, flows out of the love that God has for us. And the Spirit of God strengthens us not only to do God’s work, but also to know and understand the deep and profound love that God has for us.

Conclusion

And so this morning, on this Laity Sunday, I pray, along with the Apostle Paul, that:

…out of [God’s] glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19)

Amen!

Questions for Personal Reflection in Response to Today’s Sermon:

1. Have I ever dismissed my gifts as “not spiritual enough”? What would it mean to see them differently?
2. What inspires me about Bezalel’s creative craftsmanship being called and empowered by God? In what ways does Dorcas/Tabitha’s quiet ministry of compassion challenge or encourage me?
3. What might it look like for me to pray as I work — turning routine tasks into acts of worship?
4. In what ways is God inviting me to grow in my understanding of “how wide and long and high and deep” Christ’s love truly is?
5. What step could I take this week to let the Spirit turn something ordinary in my life into something extraordinary?