Preaching/Teaching: Ephesians 3:1-13
Notes
Transcript
Great Mystery deserves Great Sacrifice
Great Mystery deserves Great Sacrifice
EOT-Paul Lived as a prisoner to bring the gospel to the Gentiles
EOS-We must live sacrificially
DDS-Pray this week that we would live sacrificially
Jesus connection-That we would see the sacrifice that Jesus made in such a way that we want to live sacrificially.
A Burning Passion
Who Paul is: A Prisoner of the Lord (1)
Why he is a prisoner (2-7)-they mystery
How he lives as a prisoner (8-12)
Introduction:
When I played college basketball sacrifice was not optional it was expected.
When I got my Doctorate from New Orleans Theological Seminary Sacrifice was not optional it was a necessity. [Story of Heather proofreading my paper]
But we know this if we want to become successful in the medical professional it takes years of schooling.
If we want to become a CPA it takes hours and hours of study and sleepless nights just to have a chance to pass a test.
If we want to be great parents… Well it takes a lifetime of laying our lives down for our kids.
However when it comes to our Christian faith we have made sacrifice living OPTIONAL.
We have made Christianity convenient.
When it comes time to spending time with God even when we are busy we make excuses
When it comes time to share about God’s love we stay silent
When it comes time to love someone who is unloveable we hold it back
When it comes time to share a hard truth, we don’t do it
When it comes time to give sacrificially we settle for comfort.
Christianity has become comfortable
When I first became a Christian sacrifice was not just something I did it was something I counted as Joy.
But the longer I have been a believer there are times when I would rather live a life of comfort instead of a life of Sacrifice.
There is no doubt that God wants to bless us. But he blesses us not to be comfortable but to be significant.
Today Paul wants to give us three motivations that are essential for sacrificial living.
The first motivation for sacrificial living:
1. We must sacrifice our lives because of who we are [We are prisoners of God] (1).
1. We must sacrifice our lives because of who we are [We are prisoners of God] (1).
Paul knew who he was: A prisoner of Jesus
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
Paul knew who he was.
Paul knew who he was.
Most people go to jail for something bad. Paul went to jail for sharing the good news with the world.
We have an identity.
We have an identity.
Paul knew whose he was. He knew he was loved by God. We have seen who we are in Jesus in the first two chapters of this book. Paul tells us that we are chosen, that we have every spiritual blessing that we are predestined, that we are sealed, that we are loved even when we are caught up in our sin and that we are not only saved by grace but that God is going to continue to show us his grace in the ages to come we have seen that we have become part of something new when we believed in Jesus, we are His church. When we become believers in Jesus Christ our identify changes 100%.
Because of what God has done for Paul, I willingly declares I want to serve this God, I am his prisoner, and Paul is saying this in a real way because he was in a physical jail, but it was even deeper than that Paul saw this opportunity to say I am a prisoner for Jesus. God is so good and what he did for me was so great that I am willing to say that even though I am in jail unjustly that I am the Lord's prisoner.
How would you look at this situation?
OT example of a slave who willingly signs his life away to his master. When you become a prisoner you sign your rights away, you are saying I Lord I will go anywhere for you at anytime and do anything for you. Being Jesus prisoner was not a chore it was an honor. And Paul was saying the same thing, I want to Serve God with the rest of my life.
Paul was in jail a terrible situation and Paul remembered who he was.
Like Paul: We need a perspective change!
Three men who were helping build St. Paul’s Cathedral were asked what are you doing. One of the men responded I am doing my job. The next man responded I am earning a paycheck. The last man responded I am helping Christopher Wren build St. Paul's Cathedral.
Maybe like Paul we need a perspective change. That we are God’s.
We can say like Paul that I am the Lord‘s I am willing to go anywhere for God, say anything for God, and do whatever he asks me.
Ephesians 3:1 (TCENB): This imprisonment had resulted from his service for Christ, specifically his ministry among Gentiles for which the Jews had mobbed him in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 21:21, 18; 2 Tim. 1:11–12).
Because of Paul’s calling he was willing to go to jail for Jesus?
Application:
Each morning when we wake up we can serve ourselves, we can serve others or we can serve God. Paul chose to live his life in such a way that he served God.
Do you know who you are in Christ?
Would you be willing to see yourself as a prisoner for Jesus?
2. We must sacrifice our lives because of what we are: we are the church (2-7).
2. We must sacrifice our lives because of what we are: we are the church (2-7).
The Church is not this building we are in, it is not me, the church is anyone who has placed their faith in what Jesus Christ has done on the cross of Calvary. If that is it you are in a real way the church.
The very reality is that the church was formed on the back of a dying messiah, who sacrificed his life for the world.
We don’t sacrifice for the Church because God needs it we sacrifice because the very essence of what the church is, what you are is sacrifice.
Grace is the fuel for the Church runs on
Grace is the fuel for the Church runs on
if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;
I want you to think about the grace Paul recived. He was literally persecuting Jesus and killing Jesus’ followers and it was in that moment that he recieved God’s grace and it forever changed his life.
Do you remember when your really comprehended and experienced the grace of God?
The word “administration” (oikonomia; cf. v. 9) has the sense of stewardship or a trust to be dispensed (in 1 Cor. 9:17 oikonomia is trans. “trust” and in Col. 1:25 it is rendered “commission”). Paul
v.2-God’s grace was never meant to be kept to yourself it was always meant to be recieved and then give to others
Paul had recieved God’s grace so he could give grace.
The grace that God gives you is supposed to be given to others.
How are you giving away grace to those who are in your life.
I can almost guarantee it will be in direct proportion to how well you are receiving grace.
We need to receive the grace of God regularly.
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
Isn’t it amazing that God reveals himself to man. The creator of the universe makes himself known to his creation.
Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible 2. Past ignorance 3:1–13
“God’s principles do not change, but His methods of dealing with mankind do change over the course of history. ‘Distinguish the ages,’ wrote St. Augustine, ‘and the Scriptures harmonize.’”
Right after he created Adam and Eve he initiated with them in the garden.
God makes himself known to us in creation
He made himself known to a man through a donkey
He has made himself known in dreams
He has made himself known in a burning bush
He has made himself known through the Bible-[Should I talk about the guy who tried to destroy the Bible and now a printing press that prints Bibles is the house he lived in]
But the greatest thing about his revelation is that he has made himself known through his son. This is his greatest revelation.
We are the Church
We are the Church
Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible 2. Past ignorance 3:1–13
Traditional dispensationalists have understood the mystery to be the church, the body of Christ.
Before Paul became a Christian he was persecuting the Church and Jesus said to Paul
Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
4-Paul has an insight into the mystery [We should probably take note of this]
which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
5-Was not made known-God’s heart for reaching the world had always been known. I could point out to you throughout the entire Bible that God has always had a heart to reach the entire world. The Abrahamic Promise is living proof of this, Genesis 12:2-3. God was making this even clearer now. How did he do this:
Psalm 86:9 “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And they shall glorify Your name.”
New Testament 3:1–13—The Mystery of a Unified People
There it means especially God’s plan for history, encoded in the Scriptures but understandable only to the wise or to those with the Spirit’s insight. Because most of Judaism believed that full-fledged prophets had ceased after the Old Testament prophets died, Paul’s claim that God has now actively unveiled his truth through “apostles and prophets” would underline for his hearers the uniqueness of the Christian claim.
to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
Ephesians 3:6 (TCENB): The mystery is not that Gentiles would enjoy salvation and enter into blessing along with Israel. God revealed that in the Old Testament (Gen. 12:3; Isa. 42:6; et al.). It is that God has joined Jews and Gentiles as equals in one body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:13).
Paul before he became a Christ follower-Hated Gentiles. He would not even eat with a gentile. And doesn’t God have a sense a humor now he is ministering to the gentiles.
This led to a people who thought they were better than others because of what they did.
Illustration in Paris TX
Parisite vs. Peresian
of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
3. We must sacrifice our lives because we have a calling: something bigger than ourselves (8-12).
3. We must sacrifice our lives because we have a calling: something bigger than ourselves (8-12).
To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;
so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
We have something greater than ourselves to live for.
We have something greater than ourselves to live for.
But the longer I have been a believer there are times when I would rather live a life of comfort instead of a life of Sacrifice.
We are blessed not to be comfortable but to be significant.
Every Christian is called to love God, Love others and make disciples. But in these big commands we are all called to something specific. Paul knew his exact calling.
His calling was to take the gospel to the Gentiles so that they could believe it and live out the Gospel message. This man who used to be a Jew who and hated gentiles, who thought the gentiles were unclean. So unclean that’s he would not even share a dinner with them ,[draw this out] now was called to the very people he despised. Does God have a sense of humor or not.
Paul had a specific calling on his life.
Ephesians 3:1 (TCENB): This imprisonment had resulted from his service for Christ, specifically his ministry among Gentiles for which the Jews had mobbed him in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 21:21, 18; 2 Tim. 1:11–12).
The Ukrainian President knows who he is and what he is called to do. I have no idea if he is a believer or not.
Zelensky-(His identity is tied up in his country)
He heard from his parents and grandparents what communism is like. Under a democracy he was able to become a famous actor and now the president.
When things got difficult and he could of evacated he said, I need ammunition and not a ride!
There are people who want to come and fight for the Ukraine right now who are being turned back because they don’t have enough ammo. I think a big part of this is because this president is willing to do anything, at anytime and go anywhere to keep the Ukraine in this fight, to keep their country.
"We will fight till the end, at sea, in the air. We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost," he continued. "We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets."
“I would like to add that we will fight on the banks of different rivers... we are looking for your help, for the help of the civilized countries," Zelenskyy said.
In the same way Paul, a man who knew his identity and who knew his calling his life is living on in an even greater way, his life is still impacting lives for eternity.
When we know whose we are and what God has called us to do our life will make an eternal difference.
When you know who you are and what God is called to do the natural overflow is going to be is that we will passionately pursue it with everything we have. We will go to sleep thinking about it, sacrificing for it will be an privilege and not burden.
Do you know what God has called you to do?
If you are not sure that is fine, I think it starts in your home and at your work.
The amazing thing about this is that it could look totally different for everyone in here.
For some of you it may be to stay home with your kids and change their diapers as you are growing them up in Jesus.
For others of you it could be starting a discipleship group through RCC or at your job.
Are you willing to say to God, I will go anywhere, and do anything at anytime?
This could entail so many things, but the question are you willing to sacrifice for God?
EOT-Paul sacrificially preaches the gospel to all people {Mystery]
New Testament 3:1–13—The Mystery of a Unified People
By reminding his readers of what he their apostle had suffered for the ideal, multiethnic people that God was building,
EOS-What are you willing to sacrifice for?
Church principle-Reach people far from God
DDS-Will you commit to sacrificially living for God?
2 people
Either 2 people into our church-service, small group event
The Church cannot be the church if we are not willing to live sacrificially for the mystery!
New Testament 3:1–13—The Mystery of a Unified People
The universal church should be all that it is called to be, a united interracial people in all its glory.
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
God has always loved the Gentile what was the mystery is that now God has made a new body from Jew and Gentiles and he is doing this in every age.
How do we come to know God-Through his revelation-
Paul’s Revelation
Do you remember when God revealed himself to you. The mystery is something that we experience personally and corporately.
Mystery is concealed in the past revealed presently.
Yesterday’s mysteries are today’s truths-Example of this.
EXAMPLE-People in the US say there are two americas-Some people in America will not even have holidays with their families over political beliefs. But regardless of your political persuasion, you are either an a American or not-If you are an American you are an American, doesn’t matter if you just migrated here, or your wealth or skin color, if you are an American citizen you are an American citizen. These Jews who believed in the true God before Jesus went from being in but outsiders to Full insiders. Would an example be of a slave before and after slavery and then before and after segregation.
Application: Are you being a faithful steward of God’s grace.
paul had a specific ministry
Every believer has a specific ministry that only they can fulfill.
Paul’s perspective: I am here to serve others and God.
Heard a great illustration of three guys who were helping with St Paul’s Cathedral.
Three of the workers were asked what are you doing
1-making a living
2-
3-I am helping Christopher Wren build Saint Paul’s Cathedreal ...
v.3
When was this revelation made known to Paul?
Where did he speak about it before? 2:11-22
What is the mystery?
New Testament 3:1–13—The Mystery of a Unified People
There it means especially God’s plan for history, encoded in the Scriptures but understandable only to the wise or to those with the Spirit’s insight. Because most of Judaism believed that full-fledged prophets had ceased after the Old Testament prophets died, Paul’s claim that God has now actively unveiled his truth through “apostles and prophets” would underline for his hearers the uniqueness of the Christian claim.
God does not want his truth to only be known to certain people he makes it known to all his followers.
Ending-The prayer is the fuel for the Church. Ephesians 3 doesn’t happen without prayer.