Ephesians # 11 Eph 3-6 thru 3-10
We’re going to pick up right up where we left off last time. We we’re talking about the “Mystery” that Paul speaks of in (EPH 3:4) in the next 2 Vs. Paul makes it very clear that this Mystery has been revealed to us.
I. Let’s start reading here in EPH 3:4-6
A. What is the Mystery that Paul is talking about here?
1. 1st of all Paul states here in (V 6) and is part of the mystery, that the Gentiles can be fellowheirs with the Lord Jesus Christ.
a. A mystery that goes right along with that is that God is now our Father.
i. This is something that the Jews did not understand.
2. The 2nd mystery which is not spoken of here is the Priesthood of every believer.
a. Peter said in (1Peter 2:9) “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” KJV
i. In the OT only certain men were appointed to be priest, today every believer is a priest unto God.
ii. Meaning that we are the ones that are to come to God, not having someone else doing it for us.
b. 1 big part of the priestly ministry in the OT was to offer up sacrifices to God.
i. Now, as part of our priestly ministry we are to offer up the sacrifice of Praise.
3. The 3rd mystery never revealed until the NT is the “Indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.”
a. Turn to 2 COR 3:16
i. When someone excepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the HS comes and recreates our spirit, and makes our spirit His new home.
ii. You’re a new creation in Christ and the Spirit of God dwells in you.
4. The 4th mystery is the “Infilling of the HS.
a. In the OT a few people would have the Holy Spirit come upon them, but never before was the Baptism in the HS available to every believer.
i. ACTS 1:5, 8 and 2:4
ii. Notice in (ACTS 2:4) that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
iii. This power of the Holy Ghost is available to all believers.
5. The 5th mystery is the “Church.”
a. Turn to MATT 16:18
i. This is the 1st mention of the Church.
ii. Jesus said, “I will build my Church.”
iii. It is built upon the fact that Jesus is the Christ.
b. There is some question to when the Church actually started.
i. In (John 20:22) “And when he (Jesus) had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” KJV
ii. This could be where they were 1st saved.
iii. But on the day of Pentecost is where we really see the Church taking off.
6. The 6th mystery is similarly to the 5th and that is the “BODY of Christ.”
a. Not only are we the Church, but we are also the Body of Christ and each of us members of that body.
b. Part of that mystery is that we are the Bride of Christ.”
7. # 7 is the teaching on the gifts of the Spirit.
a. In the OT we see some of the Gifts of the Spirit and they would operate in a few people.
b. But now not only do we have the teaching on the Gifts, but the Gifts are available to each of us, as the Spirit wills.
8. The 8th mystery is the “RAPTURE” of the Church.
a. 1COR 15:51-52
i. The Rapture of the Church is only found in the EPISTLES.
b. In (MATT 24) Jesus spoke of His return, but in that chapter He as referring to the 2nd coming, not the Rapture.
B. There are some other thing that are spoken of in the OT, but not clearly revealed until the NT and they are…
1. 1st the death of Jesus, His ascension and seating at the right hand of the Father
2. Also the Work of Satan, the Tribulation, Millennium, and the eternal state after the Millennium.
a. These are documented in the OT, so you really can’t call them a mystery, but now we have a greater revelation on them.
II. All right, let’s go back to the Book of Ephesians. EPH 3:7-8
A. It’s interesting here that Paul refers to himself as “Less than the least of all saints.”
1. In 1 sense, we need to see ourselves in this same light.
a. Knowing that we are a servant of all.
b. Paul said in (PHIL 2:3) “Let each esteem other better than themselves.”
2. Something that comes along with this is to know that in our own selves, we are nothing.
a. This is the only way to have the Power of God working in us and through us.
B. The other side to that coin is that we need to know who we are in Christ.
1. We are the head and not the tail, Above only and not beneath, that we are joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ.
a. The Bible even calls us kings, but that’s who we are in Christ.
C. EPH 3:9
1. Again Paul refers back to the “Mystery” which has been hid in God from the beginning of the world until now (the Church age).
2. EPH 3:10
a. I like the NIV translation a little better for this V.
b. The NIV says, (Ephesians 3:10) “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.” NIV
i. To understand what Paul is saying here, you need to understand what Paul means by “Heavenly Realms.” [KJV says, heavenly places] The Greek is actually “Heavenlies.”
c. Look at EPH 6:12
i. The words here “High places” comes from the same Greek word meaning “Heavenlies.”
ii. In this V it clearly tells us that this Heavenly Realm is the place of Satan’s authority.
3. In (2COR 12:2) Paul talks about 3 heavens.
a. In the Word of God we see the 3 different heavens or HEAVENLIES, 1 being the place of God throne, the 2nd being the place where the stars are, and 3rd the place where Satan is.
b. Now go back to EPH 3:10
i. God has chosen you and I to reveal the Wisdom of God to every demonic principality and power.
ii. God has chosen man to be above every demonic principalities and power of this world.
c. Without Christ we are defeated by Satan, but with Christ, Satan is under our feet.
i. (2 Corinthians 2:14) Says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” KJV
Ephesians #11 Eph 3:6-3:10.docx
WOLCC Thurs. 5/2/96