Ephesians 3:1-21
Tony Martinez
Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 14 viewsHumility & Duty. Humility of being called out and being invited into the fold. And the duty that brings with it.
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Ephesians, who we are in Christ and what that looks like.
And today more of that. But in a different way.
A revelation is told here in detail.
Revelation…a surprising and previously unknown fact, especially one that is made known in a dramatic way
it happens to us all the time.
learning from a book, garage, failure, wins, ect.
What about revelations from God?
Belief, truth, faith…His Word!
Is it safe to say that there are things we still don’t know about God?
What about His plans?
Adam and Eve (crush his head), Abraham and Sara (the father of many nations), King David (the messianich king to come),
Knew that God was the cure but not how that cure was going to be excuted.
Today is a testimony of sorts on how these truths were revealed.
It’s a testimony to the truths that Paul is always teaching, God’s saving grace through Jesus.
Paul’s testimony in Christ on why he’s where he’s at.
Why he speaks the way in speaks
Why the words he speaks are truths.
All of this in the humlity, love, and admoration for Jesus and the Father brings him to speak and love the lost gentiles.
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—
Paul is a prisoner in Rome.
The very reason he’s a prisoner is because of this revalation that is spoken of here in Ephesians 3.
In the book of Acts we read of Paul going into Jeresaulam to share the truths of Christ to all.
And this happens.
Acts 21:27-36
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”
For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.
And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”
What is going on here?
Why the uproar?
Sounds kinda like the mob scene of Jesus.
Seperation! Jew and Gentile.
Like Chris talked about last week. Jews looked at most Gentiles as the scum of the earth. People created to keep the fires of hell lite.
Where does this come from?
Point blank answer…sin. Pure and simple.
Are the Jews a chosen people? Absolutley.
Were the Gentiles a people without the truths of God? Absolutely
What were the Jews chosen for? To show who God is. To teach the ways of God, to be a holy and blameless people.
Who were they supposed to teach that to? The Gentiles…all that aren’t Jew or who are without the revelation of God.
What is the truth of this matter?
They’re human, they are just as broken and flawed as non-chosen people.
Division over who they were instead of who God is crept in and instead of being a light to the world they become a stench.
Division…republican/democrat, girl/boy, eagles/cowboys, black/white, asian/mexican,
Nothing wrong with being different. It’s when we become the authority and not God is when division is not good.
Honestly there should only be one dividing place…right/wrong.
Choose God’s rightous ways or not. That’s about the only time division is rightous.
You’re either with Him or not. There is a true division there. God is light and in Him no darkness dwells. And thoughout the Bible it is clear on this from cities taken out (sodom/gamora) to the Egyptian Pharo ignoring God. It is God and His ways that are rightious.
Division, yes, there is division and it isn’t a bad thing when it’s for the right thing.
Divison between Jew and Gentile? For sure! Only in this sense. Light/darkness, right/wrong, truth/everything else. The Jews were set apart for this very purpose.
What had the division turned into?
A better than mentality based mostly on who they were and not who God is.
To see Paul walking around with the Gentiles and this thought of letting them into the temple was unsettling to say the least.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are laws about the temple of the old testemant and who are allowed and who aren’t.
But the Jews didn’t even witness that, scripture just says this..
crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.
This is the type of distaste the Jews had for the Gentiles.
We are somebody and you are not. Forgetting what they were chosen for...
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—
So this is where Paul is at, a literal prisoner, but not a prisoner for anything of this world but a prisoner of Christ and His rightous ways.
Oh, how we should be yearning for that. A prisoner of Christ Jesus. A servant to the most high! Bound from ourselves and our fleshly ways! Imprisoned to life and His rightous ways!
assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
How did Paul get revealed to?
Acts 9:1-9
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
The mystery of Christ.
The promise of the Messiah and it’s fullfilment would come through the Jewish nation. But not as a high and mighty King of kings and Lord of lords but as a servant. And not just a servant to one but for all!
How? By first taking care of our sin problem. What good is it to win the battle but lose the war so to speak?
The Jews…we’re expecting something else.
You know how it is when you’ve been rejected, stepped on, dispised and your promised something that stops all that.
Payback! That’s our human flesh! Not servant hood, especially for those Gentitles!
Praise God for His ways and not ours!
He will come back as King of kings and Lord of lords but by His mercy and grace we’ve been given mercy and grace.
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
This savior wasn’t just for the the Jews but the whole world!
They only understood the savior was for them and those that chose to become Jewish in nature. Not seeing the complete picture in Christ!
The Christ, the prophecied Messiah was to redeem all of humanity through the works of Him.
The Jews were an instrument to show God’s ways, soverignty, goodness, and light to the world. But being Jewish in itself is no ones savior.
From the start God has had all mankind in His sights. Again, why were the Jews chosen?
Yes, because of faith, but what were they chosen for? To be holy and blameless, set apart for the world to see truth!
The mystery revealed that all are partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel is indeed a great revelation and one that should bring us to praise and worship.
The old testament fulfilled in the ways of the promised messiah! Praise God!
New testament, the Messiah has come and all that believe have acces to Him!
No longer Jew or Gentile…but one…Christian!
Born again a new creation!
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. 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, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,
God’s grace toward Paul and his real persurcution.
The very least of all the saints. Real remorse on the real blasphemies of God he put onto people.
A humlity here that God still chose to use him to share the truth of God. riches of Christ…light for everyone, a mystery revealed.
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Us the church, through the church the manifold wisdom of God “ “
Intake manifold, exhaust manifold, hyd manifold...
The church is used to show to God to rulers and authorities in the heavly places!
What! Even the angels, demons, satan himself don’t know everything about God. They don’t know his plans. Yep, why would you ever think different.
I just kinda thought since they were with Him phyically they knew more...
They like us are ever learning creatures…created beings…not God!
We mere humans are used by God to show His vastness to those around Him, humbled...
This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
God is in control people! From the very start, to now, tomorrow and forever!
Here’s the proof in Christ and the revealation to go with it since we don’t know everything.
God has me Paul says and it’s for a greater purpose than me.
Which is your glory! You are valued! God’s creation has always been valued.
It’s sin that is not valued and brings seperation and division.
And now that Paul see’s this revealation clearly, he prays.
He prays for God’s loved...
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Lets pray this together...
Ephesians 3:14 “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,”
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
God loves His creation.
Ephesians 3:15 “from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,”
named people are known people, we are known!
Ephesians 3:16 “that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”
in being loved, we love, and we love what He loves. In that love comes care, concern, desires for your well being.
Ephesians 3:17 “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,”
The well being we want for you is Christ dwelling in your heart through faith in Him. Being rooted/grounded, unshakable, a firm foundation in Him.
Ephesians 3:18–19 “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Every measurement known to describe size is prayed for to know the love of Christ!
And that size is limitless, without measure!
Prayers for compreension of that type of love to be made known to us.
And in that knowledge come filling with the fulness of God.
Ephesians 3:20–21 “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Thankfulness to God! Praise/worship.