9_17_2023 - Ephesians 3:7-13 - Implications of God's Grace

(Opening Prayer)

(Sermon Introduction)

Today we continue our “Ephesians” series.

(AG Reminder)

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(Ephesians Context)

The books of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon are what we call the “Prison Epistles.”

Paul is writing Ephesians during his first imprisonment in Rome around 60 AD (recorded in Acts 28).

Like Colossians, this letter was carried to the province of Asia by Tychicus (Eph. 6:20-21).

This explains the similarity of doctrinal content, the same ideas being fresh in the apostle’s mind as he wrote these letters.

On Paul’s second missionary journey he planted the church of Ephesus (Acts 18:19).

On his third missionary journey Paul pastored the church of Ephesus for three years (Acts 20:31).

Paul finishes his third missionary journey and stops in Ephesus to say goodbye as he made his way to Jerusalem and ultimately to prison in Rome where he is writing this letter to them.

(Series Recap and Sermon Title)

In Ephesians 1 we focused on the calling of Paul and the nature of the gospel.

In Ephesians 2 we focused on the impact of God’s love, mercy, and grace upon us and the people around us and how being “in Christ” changes us.

Last week in Ephesians 3:1-6 we focused on the mystery of Christ.

Today we are in Ephesians 3:7-13 and continuing Paul’s thoughts about the mystery of Christ, focusing on the purpose of God for the church.

We have entitled the message today, “Because of God’s Grace.”

Ephesians 3:7–13 (ESV)

7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.

8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

(Mercy Definition)

Mercy is not receiving what you deserve.

(Grace Definition)

Grace is receiving what you don’t deserve.

1. Believers Can Preach the Gospel

Ephesians 3:7–9 (ESV)

7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.

8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

That Paul of all people should have been chosen as a minister of the mystery of Christ was something which made him marvel the more, the more he thought about it.

In an earlier epistle he had called himself “the least of the apostles, … not meet to be called an apostle” (1 Corinthians 15:9); but here he takes a still lower place in his own estimation, and is well on the way to the language of 1 Timothy 1:15—“sinners; of whom I am chief.”

Scholars believe that Paul could be making a playful reference to the latin meaning of his name which means, “little” (F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Ephesians, 3:8).

That he of all people should be chosen for this service was to him a matter for unending wonder and praise; it was a manifest token of the working of God’s power—and he uses language similar to that which he used in Ephesians 1:19 when he spoke of the display of God’s power in the raising of Christ from the dead.

This “mystery” which Paul has been charged to reveal in word and action was something which God had purposed and cherished from all eternity, until it was unfolded in the fullness of time.

The use of the title “God who created all things” reminds us not only that he is the One who fashions everything in accordance with his sovereign decrees, but also that it was before all creation that he chose his people in Christ (Eph. 1:4).

2. The Church Can Display the Gospel

Ephesians 3:10–12 (ESV)

10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

Manifold / Pŏlupŏikilŏs / πολυποίκιλος

G4182. pol-oo-poy´-kil-os; from G4183 and G4164; much variegated, i.e. multifarious:— manifold.

G4183. πολύς pŏlus, pol-oos´; incl. the forms from the alt. πολλός pŏllŏs; (sing.) much (in any respect) or (plural) many; neut. (sing.) as adv. largely; neut. (plural) as adv. or noun often, mostly, largely:— abundant, + altogether, common, + far (passed, spent), (+ be of a) great (age, deal, -ly, while), long, many, much, oft (-en [-times]), plenteous, sore, straitly

G4164. ποικίλος pŏikilŏs, poy-kee´-los; of uncert. der.; motley, i.e. various in character:— divers, manifold.

James Strong, The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996).

While the material universe presents ample evidence of the wisdom of God, the Church of the new creation (Ephesians 2:10) is the masterpiece of his wisdom—his diversified, “many-colored” wisdom, as Paul calls it, using a rare poetical adjective (Gk. pŏlupŏikilŏs).

We who by faith are united with Christ and incorporated in him are caught up in a divine purpose which spans eternity, the purpose of the ages, and the One to whom we are thus united is himself the center and circumference of this purpose: it was made in him and it attains its fulfillment through him.

If the One through whom, as Paul has already said (Ephesians 2:18), we have access to the Father is the One in whom God’s eternal purpose is bound up, then our coming into the presence of God may be marked by the fullest confidence.

Commentary Quote

“Boldness,” here as in 6:19 (cf. Hebrews 4:16; 10:19), is a rendering of Gk. parrhēsia, a word which normally denotes freedom of utterance or “plainness of speech” (eg in 2 Corinthians 3:12).

In classical Greek it signified the free speech which was the right of every citizen of a democratic state; when the word is “baptized into Christ” it indicates the liberty of believers to approach God directly with no intermediary apart from Christ, who embraces Godhead and Manhood in his one person.

The word translated “confidence” (Gk. pepoithēsis) is a rare word, used in the New Testament by Paul only (six times).

“Our faith in him” is literally “the faith of him”; but the genitive “of him” is objective, denoting the One in whom the faith is placed.

The Epistle to the Ephesians: A Verse-by-Verse Exposition (5b. Paul’s Stewardship of the Mystery (3:8–13))

3. Believers Can Be Encouraged by the Gospel

(Instrumental Music)

Ephesians 3:13 (ESV)

13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Paul, knew too well the One whom he had believed.

But his friends and converts might be tempted to think that, if Paul were really in the path of God’s will, he would not have so many trials to endure.

Paul therefore tries to convey to them his own assurance that his tribulations are the direct consequence and a certain token of his obedience to God’s eternal purpose.

Since that purpose includes the blessing of the Gentiles, the hardships which befall Paul in the course of his ministry are hardships which he suffers for them (Ephesians 3:1).

If they can be brought to appreciate that, far from finding cause for discouragement in the spectacle of Paul’s sufferings, they will glory in them as he himself had learned to do, seeing in them the proof that God’s purpose was advancing towards its consummation.

In Colossians 1:24 Paul regards his own sufferings as something which he is called upon to endure for the sake of the Church, the body of Christ, and as his filling up of “that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ.”

That the sufferings of Christ’s people are Christ’s own sufferings Paul had learned on the Damascus road; now it is his desire to absorb as much as possible of these sufferings in his own person.

(Sermon Recap)

Because of the Grace of God

Believers Can Preach the Gospel

The Church Can Display the Gospel

Believers Can Be Encouraged by the Gospel

(Closing Tension)

(Response Card)

(Closing Challenge)

(Response)

(Invite Prayer Team)

(Closing Blessing)

Numbers 6:24–26 (ESV)

24 The Lord bless you and keep you.

25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.

26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.