The Mystery and Wisdom (3:8-13)

Introduction:

As we continue in our glorious trek through this epistle to the Ephesian saints, we have uncovered the mystery that God had hidden in ages past, that the Gentiles were and are included in God’s eternal plan, to save a people for his own possession, along with redeemed Jews to make one new people, the true Israel of God! We learned that we, like Paul, are stewards of God’s grace as we serve the gospel to the world around us, as God’s people reach God’s people.

In this morning’s message we will again see the mystery of God explained concerning the inclusion of the Gentiles in the body of Christ, but also we are given a deeper understanding of the mystery and wisdom of God’s plan, from Ephesians 3:8-13, and how it unfolds through the body of Christ, his church.

Text: Ephesians 3:8-13

Ephesians 3:8–13 ESV

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.

Main Idea: Since God’s wisdom is revealed in Christ, the declaration of that wisdom to all creation is done through his body, the church.

I. The Purpose of Paul’s Preaching (8-9)

A. Paul’s proper understanding of himself (8a)

(8a) To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given,

To me...this grace was given - What grace? This refers backward to verse 7

Ephesians 3:7 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.

though I am the very least of all the saints - This is not false humility on Paul’s part, since he is acutely aware that he had once been a persecutor of Christ and his church, and has a proper understanding of what the grace of God can do.

Compare the progression of Paul’s self-description from 1 Cor. 15:9 to Eph. 3:8 to 1 Tim. 1:15, 16.

1 Corinthians 15:9 ESV

9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Ephesians 3:8 ESV

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,

1 Timothy 1:15–16 ESV

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Paul saw himself as the worst of sinners yet confidently moved froward in the grace of God to fulfill all that God had called him to do.

This understanding of the grace of God never excuses are past and its sin as if it didn’t happen, but instead with an honest assessment of our sin, we contrast that past with the enormous, miraculous forgiveness and grace of God through Jesus Christ. This contrast manifests itself in the good works that we now do as a result of God’s grace, and are now on display for His glory. Therefore, the past, no matter how evil or horrible, is never to be a hindrance or impedance to the present work of God’s grace in our lives.

B. Paul’s proper understanding of his calling (8b-9)

(8b) to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

This is the good works to which God had called Paul, to preach to the Gentiles, and declare the unsearchable (anexichniastos [adjective] - marked by being impossible to plot, travel, or trace to the end; inexhaustible) riches of Christ, which would not have been knowable had God not revealed them to Paul, as part of his grace to him.

Note: God’s grace will always be miraculous, and will always exalt 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,

Paul continues with the conjunction and to add to what his preaching is doing by God’s grace...

to bring to light (photizo [aor, act, inf] - verbal-noun that means to shine light in order to make something visibly clear)

for everyone - Jew and Gentile alike

what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God - Paul’s preaching of the unsearchable riches of Christ would bring to light for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, that which was hidden in the past but now revealed

who created all things - this mystery was created by the creator, and is now being brought to light in, the purpose of Christ’s church:

II. The Purpose of Christ’s Church (10-11)

A. Christ’s Church declares God’s wisdom (10)

(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.

so that (hina [conjunction of purpose]) - in order that, or as a result

through (dia [preposition of means]) the (definite article) church (ekklesia [noun] - called out of) - by means of those who have been called out of the world, the one true church universal, exist so that...

the manifold (polypoikilos [adjective] - many-sided; like an intricately cut diamond) wisdom of God (the source of all wisdom; James 1:5 “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” ) might...be made known (gnorizo [aor, pas, sub] - to reveal) now (nyn [adverb] - in the present time)

The church is a living, unshakable monument, built by God himself to be a mouth piece, in the midst of darkness and evil, that makes known God’s wisdom, which is, in context, God’s wisdom to include all peoples, Jew and Gentile alike in His church.

This is made known not just to the little people of all humanity, but to the supernatural realm as well...

to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. - who are these rulers in heavenly places? The use of this phrase or phases like it, point to two different supernatural groups:

Satan and his kingdom which Paul mentions back in Eph 2:2 and will return to in Eph 6:12

Ephesians 2:1–2 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Note the similar wording...therefore, the establishment of peace between Jews and Gentiles in the church is a signal to all powers in the universe. For Paul, as a Jew, there is no deeper division in the human race than that between Jew and Gentile. That they could be united with each other in Christ, displays the profound wisdom of God, and proves even to supernatural powers that Jesus is Lord of the universe (1:20–23).

The Heavenly angelic beings - God’s redemptive purposes are of interest to angels (1 Peter 1:12 , speaking of angels... “12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” ) and the whole host of heaven, who are better able to glorify God when they behold in wonder what God has done and does in creating the church (Psalm 148; Rev. 7:11; 19:1–8).

To sum it up, the church is the means by which Satan and his minions realize defeat as Jesus, Lord of all, unifies a people unto himself over which evil has no power, and the church also is the catalyst for worship in heaven as the angelic beings perceive in a greater way God’s infinite wisdom (Luke 15:10 “10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”” ) . Of course this was no after thought, for we see next that,

B. Christ’s Church was eternally purposed in Christ (11)

(11) This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, - Again we are reminded that this was no contingency plan, or Plan B, but this was God’s original plan from eternity past and realized in these last days in Jesus Christ our Lord!

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As a result of this eternal plan, we the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, have a confidence in both life and death, and everything else in between, which is not paralleled by anything this world has to offer; this confidence is what we shall see next:

III. The Confidence of Christ’s Saints (12-13)

Because of the eternal purpose of God, we are not to cower in our access to God, but are to have...

A. Confident access to God through Christ (12)

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

in whom - Christ Jesus our Lord (11)

we have (echo [pre, act, ind]) - we have presently

boldness (parresia [noun] - two Gr. words, “all” & “tell”, which means telling all) - the trait of being willing to bring it all, and tell it all, in the context, this bringing all and telling all is in reference to the Father, and our ability and privilege to unload all to him.

access (prosagoge [noun] - to have availability to one more superior then oneself; a transcendence one) - the confidence comes from having access to one who is superior that is stationed outside of whatever circumstance I find my self.

Ephesians 2:18 ESV

18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

with confidence (pepoithesis [prepositional object] - a state of hopefulness that comes from someone or something)

So, this confidence to be bold and risk it all is based on the confident access we have,...

through (preposition of means) our faith in him - it is our faith in him (Jesus Christ) that provides this confidence to risk all since having access to him, we have the eternal God who is all powerful and all wise.

Note: Since, then, Christ Jesus is ours and we are his, bought with his blood, indwelt by his Spirit, we know that we have free and unrestricted access to the Father. Cf. 2:18. We can and should approach him without restraint, telling him all our troubles, asking him to help us in all our needs, and we have confidence to know that he will welcome us most heartily.

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This is why we can have...

B. Confidence in God’s providence in trials (13)

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

So (dia) - for this reason, in other words, because this is our new reality

I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you - since the church is God’s display of his eternal wisdom, and since, we now have confident boldness to risk everything because of our confident access by faith to the transcendent one who is above all else, we are not to lose heart!

which is your glory. - even my suffering, Paul says, is factored into God’s glorious wise plan and will bring about your glory as Gentiles with your Jewish brothers in our glorious eternity together.

So What?

Do we realize that our sin in all of its horridness has provided a means by which we can measure God’s miraculous grace?

When through the miracle of the new birth, we are made alive and begin to show God’s grace by the good works he performs in and through us, a contrast is seen between who we were and who we now are. Thus God’s glory is declared!

Do we understand that the church exists to declare the victory of Jesus Christ over Satan and his kingdom, and to provide a catalyst for the heavenly angelic beings to worship?

This is done by shinning our light to the dark world, and making disciples as God has commissioned us.

When we obey the Lord’s commands and make disciples, Satan’s kingdom is plundered, and the angels rejoice!

Do we see everything in this world, both blessings and trials as ordained by God and through faith in his divine providence, we have confident boldness and access to him, thus risking our whole lives to his care?

This means we say, come what may, you are in charge God and the outcome is in your hands since you have the bigger picture and greater perspective.