The Gospel Minister in Focus

Today as we study this first half of chapter 3, we are unpacking the nature, identity and mission of a minister of the Gospel.

People from time to time will ask me ‘so what is it that you actually do?’ Not just non Christians either! “What do you actually do for six of the seven days a week?!”

Paul would say that a Christian minister is a ‘steward of the grace of God, called and empowered by God to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, in order that the manifold wisdom of God would be known through the Church.”

Paul interupts his own train of thought in verse 1 and doesn’t pick it up again until verse 14. He interrupts himself because he thought it essential to tell the Ephesians about his ministry.

Paul’s ministry as an Apostle was unique and unparalleled today, but we can learn a lot from what he says about what it is to be an ordinary minister of the Gospel.

A GOSPEL MINISTER IS...

A Prisoner for Christ Jesus (v1, 13)

A minister of the gospel is a prisoner of Christ Jesus. Once they were a prisoner to the world, the flesh and the devil until God freed them in Christ. But now they have become a prisoner of Christ, they are not free to do their own bidding, their life is not their own, it belongs to another.

The truth is, no one in this world is truly free in an autonomous sense; we are all either a prisoner of sin or a prisoner of Christ. Which are you?

Paul was in prison when he wrote the letter to the Ephesians. His ministry was the reason for his imprisonment.

Suffering for Christ, or ‘losing freedom’ for Christ is not a reason to lose heart. It is glorious.

A Steward of God’s Grace (v2)

A stewardship or ‘administration or dispensation’ is a responsibility that the gospel minister is given by God.

What is this stewardship of God’s grace? - It is the mystery of Christ, that through the good news about Him, the gentiles are made fellow heirs with Christ.

How is this mystery revealed? - Not through intellect, endeavour or private interpretation, but through the revelation of the Spirit given to Christ’s Apostles and Prophets.

This mystery was hinted at in the Old Testament through the prophets, but it was made known after pentecost.

This administration of God’s grace is given to the minister for others, not for themselves.

A Humble Servant of God (v7-8)

Paul says he was MADE a minister (v7). Word for Minister here is Diakonos (servant). Ministry wasn’t a career path he picked out for himself, it was something that God made him! Every true Gospel minister is a man who has been made a minister by God. He couldn’t be any other way.

Paul was made a gospel minister according to the gift of God’s grace. Despite elsewhere listing his credentials as a former Pharisee, Paul wants to show that he wasn’t chosen to be a minister because of his training or his intellect, but according to grace. He had been an enemy of Christ previously! Every minister is made a minister according to grace - no minister is deserving of that call.

This gift of God’s grace was given by the working of God’s power on the Damascus road, it had nothing to do with Paul’s power of will or his choosing. Paul’s life was turned completely on its head by the power of God. A gospel minister is someone who has had an encounter with the power of God! Have you encountered His power?

Paul was humbled by the call of God on his life, not puffed up. A Prideful Gospel Preacher is an oxymoron.

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.

1 Timothy 1:15 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.

A Preacher of Christ (v8-12)

Paul was made a minister to preach to the gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. A Gospel minister is first and foremost a preacher of Christ or he is nothing at all.

A gospel minister sheds light on the plans and purposes of God set forth in Christ Jesus. His focus is on God, he is concerned and taken up with preaching the counsel of God.

He does this so that through the Church the manifold (many sided) wisdom of God might be made known to rulers and authorities in heavenly places.

Through the preaching of this gospel access is given to approach God with boldness and confidence to all who believe!