Chosen Messengers

Ephesians 1:1a

Paul, an apostle: As discussed a couple of weeks ago, we saw in who Paul used to be, a persecutor of the Jews, a man who did evil against the Jews, and how he was miraculously saved by Jesus.

And we see in verse 1 that Paul describes himself to the churches in Ephesus as an apostle. What is an apostle? Answer: it means a messenger, one sent forth with orders. And more specifically, invested with the authority to speak on His behalf.

apostle n. — an envoy of Jesus Christ commissioned directly by Him or by other apostles; normally someone who has been taught directly by Jesus and who is invested with the authority to speak on His behalf.

You are messengers! In your lives, you will be pulled toward things, toward college, school dances, friends, etc., but remember that above all that if you Christians, you are messengers.

of Christ Jesus, by the will of God: so we know that Paul is a messenger sent forth with orders, but by whom? Christ Jesus. This is of utmost importance, not that Paul was a messenger, but more so that he was messenger sent on a mission by God himself! And what’s great about this is that this was all happening because it was by the will of God. What do you think it means when Paul says that he was an apostle by the will of God? Answer: it means that Paul was who he was because of the determination and desire of God.

Remember that you are who we are because of God’s will in our lives. And His will for you as Christians is to disciples of Him. Those who belong to, and are devoted to Jesus.