Word of Salvation – March 2010
BECOMING A SERVANT OF THE GOSPEL, Peter Smit
(Sermon 5 of a series on Ephesians (Series title – “Ephesians: Portraits of the living church)
Text – Ephesians 3:1-13
Murray Capill, the principal of the RTC wrote an article recently about the changes in the last fifty years that have impacted every part of life. He said,
“People think differently from 50 years ago: modernist to a postmodernist mindset. Now a person under the age of 40 is not that committed to institutions, is suspicious of authority figures, likes to experiment but questions everything and doubts there is ever one right answer. People do not so much ask “Is it true?”, but “Does it work?” They think and act as consumers. They value relationships but not commitment. They are into spirituality but not Christianity and certainly not the church.”
Many people have given up on the church. How important is the church to you? Is the church just one of many places to get spiritual truth? Does church teaching actually work?
The apostle Paul was completely convinced that the spiritual truths he was teaching worked. He believed that God deeply values his church. Do you value the church as much as God does, and are you committed to serving his church?
If we are to become a holy temple for the Lord’s Spirit as Paul said in 2:21 then it’s vital that we understand what Paul is teaching in chapter 3:1-13.
In fact that’s exactly what Paul says here in verse 2-4
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
He says I want you understand “the mystery of Christ” that God has revealed to me. So powerful was this revelation, so gripping, so amazing, so wonderful and life changing that Paul regarded himself as a prisoner to Jesus.
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles
I’m enslaved, constrained, held fast to this message of Christ. Not primarily for his own sake, or even Christ’s but for the sake of “you Gentiles”. Read “us”. We’re the gentiles. Paul was our apostle. He brought the gospel message to non Jews. He was chained to this calling like Christ’s prisoner.
Why was he so gripped by this calling? God had revealed the mystery of his grace to Paul.
He understood the mystery of God’s revelation and purpose.
So he gave his life to declare it and suffer for it.
Why is the church in the West today so lukewarm? Why do churches struggle with a lack of commitment to worship, service, to building real loving Christian community?
Answer? We don’t understand the depth of our sin or the wonder of our salvation.
We don’t understand God’s purpose for us, his church.
What the church needs is what Paul prayed. 1:17-18
“A spirit of wisdom and revelation that we may know Christ better… That the eyes of our heart may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which we have been called.”
So let’s pray this for ourselves as we discover what Paul discovered.
A) THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST.
Seven times in this letter Paul talks about this mystery.
Eph 1:9 the mystery of his will
Eph 3:3 the mystery made know to him by revelation
Eph 3:4 the mystery of Christ
Eph 3:6 this mystery
Eph 3:9 the administration of this mystery
Eph 5:32 the profound mystery of Christ and the church
Eph 6:19 that he will be given words to fearlessly make known this mystery.
4 of the seven right here in chapter 3. What is the mystery?
Paul reminds us what it is in verse 6.
Ephesians 3:6
6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Paul says that we are now “co heirs” with God’s covenant people Israel, we are “co members” of the body of believers and we are “co sharers” of the promises. We are fellow heirs, fellow members of his body, and fellow partakes of his promises. That means:
Every promise God has given, every blessing he has pledged, the riches of his glorious inheritance for us, the gift of forgiveness, his eternal unending love for us, the riches of grace for our lives today, his unfailing faithfulness, his extravagant mercy for your sin, all these blessings, which were once reserved for the Jews, are yours!
You now can partake of what Paul describes in verse 8 as being “the unsearchable riches of Christ”.
Ephesians chapters 1-2 tell us what this means.
In Christ you are: chosen, forgiven and sealed with the Holy Spirit,
Made alive, victoriously enthroned with Jesus, you have peace with God,
have access to the Father, we are members of God’s family… all this and much, much more, is yours by faith in Jesus Christ.
This is the mystery God revealed to Paul, that he is making one new world wide community of people. God’s church: one united people, Jew and Gentile who believe in Jesus Christ.
Paul says this mystery was not made know to men in other generations as it has now been revealed…
And you and I are the recipients of this mystery of God’s amazing grace.
It is through the church that God’s message of grace reaches the world.
Remember Jesus words.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
Go to all nations. Go to the world. Go to Jew and Gentile. Make disciples.
That is exactly what Paul gave his life to do.
Not only did God give Paul a divine revelation, he gave him a divine commission.
B) THE COMMISSION OF CHRIST.
Verse 7-8
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
So much of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is about God’s grace.
It is by God’s grace that we’ve received redemption through Jesus blood. 1:7.
It is by God’s grace that we were made alive in Christ when we were dead in our sins 2:5
It is by God’s grace that we are saved 2:8 Not by our works not by anything of ourselves.
Now here in Chapter 3 Paul is telling us that even his calling to be a preacher to the Gentiles; even his own commissioning by Jesus to take the gospel to the Gentiles was
“a gift of God’s grace”.
We read about Jesus’ commission of Paul in Acts 26:17-18. Jesus said to Paul
“I am sending you to them (gentiles) 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
Remember as Paul is writing this letter to the Ephesians he’s in Rome held as a prisoner.
Jesus commission has led Paul through great persecution; he was nearly stoned to death, he was whipped, imprisoned, chained, went through ship wreck and storm. He’d been without food and provision. He faced many hardships.
He says
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
This ministry with all its problems and persecutions and hardships has been a gift of God’s grace. He says…
8 Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me : to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
How could Paul say that? What kept him faithful to Christ’s commission?
This one thing: the unsearchable riches of Christ.
It was God’s grace that kept Paul ministering
God’s grace saved him – a sinner who persecuted the church.
God’s grace made this spiritually dead man alive.
God’s grace poured love into Paul’s heart.
God’s grace revealed to Paul God’s plan for his church.
God’s grace commissioned him and filled him with power to preach the message of Jesus saving love.
God’s grace humbled Paul. He spoke of himself as “less than the least of all God’s people”…
Your commission may be a little different to Paul. You may not be a preacher.
God may have called you to be a teacher, a helper, a mercy giver, an administrator, a leader. Is God’s grace captivating you, motivating you and humbling you?
He has a commission for you. He has a task for you. He requires you use your gifts in ministry.
Do you think of your ministry as a gift of God’s grace to you?
If you love Jesus – you are part of something grand and great. You are part of the church.
God has a high calling for the church. That’s what Paul tells us in verse 10-11.
C) THE INTENT OF GOD.
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God’s intent is that through you, all his manifold wisdom is revealed to the heavenly rulers and authorities.
When it refers to rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
That can mean the angels in heaven who love God and serve him.
These heavenly beings are just as amazed as we are at the revelation of God’s mystery.
Or it could also possibly mean
powers of this dark world and the devil against which we wrestle.
Satan and all his demons and evil hosts. To them the revelation of God’s grace must be a fearful thing. Because nothing they do can thwart God’s plan or purpose.
God’s intent is to reveal magnificent wisdom and grace to all these heavenly hosts through you. You, the church, are shining like stars in the universe, displaying God’s grace and wisdom to the heavenly rulers.
God is revealing his glory and grace to the spiritual unseen world through you.
Look at this cycle of revelation.
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God revealed the mystery of his love and grace to Paul.
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Paul declared the mystery of love and grace to the church/ world.
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And the church is revealing the mystery of God’s grace and love back to heaven, the heavenly rulers and authorities.
What does that say about the church? It says we are vital in God’s revelation plan.
We are a central part of God’s intent.
The church is not just an organisation .
The church is God’s agent to reveal his glory and wisdom and grace.
That’s why Paul goes on to pray 14-21 for the church. (Look at that next time).
The church is God’s temple where God comes and reveals his glory.
In the church, the manifold wisdom of God is revealed. You are so important to God.
You are God’s letter written by his Spirit to the world.
Never underestimate the importance of God’s church and your part in it.
Paul closes this passage with two points of application for you and me – us the church.
Two things we must do in response to the unsearchable riches of Christ.
OUR RESPONSE:
i) Boldly come to God with freedom and confidence.
If you are central to God’s intent for the world; and he has given to you the riches of his grace in Christ, to save you, sustain you, and to equip you for ministry; then you need to know that you can come boldly to God with any prayer.
No topic is off limits. God will always be available, listening and ready to respond to your requests in accordance with his good and perfect will.
Through Jesus we have direct access to our heavenly Father.
12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
This verse is God’s open invitation to you to come and approach him freely and confidently. Any trouble, any need, any petition, bring it to God.
ii) Don’t allow suffering to discourage you.
Although Paul saw his ministry as a gift of God’s grace, there were times when he also got discouraged. Truth is we all get discouraged in our ministry and service.
Our expectations and dreams aren’t met. People may disappoint us. Our quiet fears are realized. We suffer or the people we love suffer.
Paul said to the Ephesians. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
He was saying what he said in Romans 8.28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.
You might suffer, others might suffer, but remember one thing, God is sovereign, nothing will stop his good purpose. He can turn anything around to bring us good.
He will bring us to glory.
Despite being a prisoner, Paul refused to lose heart.
He says don’t you lose heart either.
Stay strong.
Rest in the grace of God for you.
The mystery of Christ – is his amazing grace to us.
The commission of Christ – your ministry and task is also a gift of his grace for you.
The intent of Christ – is to use you the church to be a witness to heaven and earth of the wonder of his grace.
So pray boldly and don’t be discouraged.
Jesus’ grace is all you need.