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Paul Reveals The Mystery
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. Ephesians 3:1-7 NKJV
Paul’s introduction to this chapter reminds us that Paul has been a prisoner of Christ, literally. We know that many of his writings and letters come from a physical prison. He is there for his faith. He is in bonds, and in such, he tells us of his joy in the Lord. It is his great pleasure to tell Gentiles, and eventually all of us, about the grace God gave through Christ. The Holy Spirit is now revealing this to the apostles to share.
Paul is a prisoner.
Paul is in prison for his faith, but God will use that circumstance for the good of the Gentiles. From that prison cell, Paul can continue telling the wonderful news of Christ. His letters are shared and continue to be shared down through two thousand years. He explains that the Grace of God was given to him, SO THAT he could share it with the readers of his epistles. Lastly, he goes on to say that God let him know, and now we can understand too, of God’s promise in Christ. Paul says that he became a minister by the power of God.
There is Purpose to the Mystery
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Ephesians 3:8-13 NKJV
Paul goes on to say that he is the least of all the saints to be in this position, preaching about the unsearchable riches of Christ.
He is fully aware that he was a sinner saved by grace.
He knows the many times that he persecuted early Christians before he came to know the truth.
Paul realizes that the eternal purpose of God was fulfilled in Jesus our Lord.
With boldness and confidence in faith, Paul tells US not to lose heart due to HIS tribulations and troubles! There Paul is in prison, telling the Gentiles of the day, and readers today, not to lose heart due to his trials. Paul reminds us that his trials were for our glory. In other words, Paul was not bemoaning his lot or the poor situation he found himself in.
He realized that God had him in the prison to write words that would shake the world, millenium later.
Paul is the perfect example of God using a saved sinner to help change the world.
His job was to tell others of Jesus.
Do you ever feel that you are in a place where you are not desiring to be? Perhaps, not in a prison, but in a job you didn’t want. Maybe it is in a situation that you find yourself that is far removed from the career that you wanted. Maybe you are in a prison of pain due to an illness that you never dreamed would find you. Perhaps, you understand that the prison might be quite different than Paul’s, but gives you the same opportunities to serve God and share Jesus from that prison of your own.
Appreciating Christ
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
Christ in our Hearts
What a glorious gift. Having Christ, the Son of God, dwell within our hearts and help us do the work that God has for us and His Kingdom.
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Paul is on his knees here thanking God.
Paul is praying that God would grant to us, His riches. He prays that WE be strengthened with the Spirit of God and that Christ may live in our hearts through our faith in Him.
Paul prays that we be rooted and grounded in His love.
A plant puts down roots deep into the soil. It gives stability.
The storms don’t uproot that plant.
It is grounded.
Similiarly, we are held firm in the Love of God.
We are connected to our Father.
Paul concluded this passage with the idea that we partake in the immeasurable dimensions of the vastness of Christ’s love that passes human understanding. Paul wants us to be filled with All the fullness of God.
Can you even get your mind around that idea at all?
We are to be FILLED with ALL the FULLNESS of GOD!
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-20 NKJV
Lastly, God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. The power of God is working in us bringing that to be. We can’t even grasp God’s goodness and ability.
Exceedingly Abundantly
The very phrase “exceedingly abundantly” tells us that it is far MORE than we can grasp mentally, yet God is doing these miraculous things in our faith life as we believe and become part of His family.
May all glory and praise in the church of believers be given to God now and forever and ever. Amen.
May we allow this chapter to touch our souls and may we live in such a way that our lives are lived to bring praise to our wonderful God and Father, Who gave us Jesus.