Eph 6:19-20
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Notes
Paul has called the Ephesians to take up the fight, to put on the full armor of God, and in vv. 19-20 he asks the Ephesians to pray for him as he fights.
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(ME) pray on my behalf
(OPPORTUNITIES) that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth,
to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
for which I am an ambassador in chains
(BOLDNESS) that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly,
as I ought to speak.
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Introduction
Introduction
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
[PRAYER]
[TS] ...
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
First, Paul says, “Pray for me.”
First, Paul says, “Pray for me.”
[EXP] Paul knew that despite his physical chains he was in a spiritual battle—a battle that he could not win unless he had the prayers of his brothers and sisters in Christ.
[ILLUS]
[APP] There is nothing wrong with asking people to pray for us. It is not selfish or prideful. In fact, it is the prideful person who insists that no one need pray for them. This often comes out as, “Oh don’t worry about me. I know other people are dealing with really serious stuff.” If it’s happening to you, its serious stuff, and it requires prayer. Don’t be too ashamed or too prideful to ask for it. It is right to ask others to pray for you.
MacArthur, “God cannot used the self-sufficient person, because such a person feels no need for God. It is the humble believer who knows his own need and is genuinely poor in spirit whom the Lord can use and bless.”
[TS]
Second, Paul says, “Pray that I would have opportunities.”
Second, Paul says, “Pray that I would have opportunities.”
[EXP] On this point and the next we need to remember that Paul is “an ambassador in chains”. Paul wrote to the Ephesians while imprisoned, under a type of house arrests (?), perhaps while chained to a Roman guard. Some people think that Paul got his analogy for the armor of God while looking at the armor of the Roman guard standing next to him as he wrote.
But despite his imprisonment, despite his chains, Paul doesn’t ask the Ephesians to pray for his release, his safety, or his comfort.
He asks them to pray for opportunities.
He asks them to pray that he would have opportunities to open his mouth, but its important that we see how he would open his mouth—and we see that in how Paul refers to himself. He doesn’t refer to himself as a “defense attorney in chains” but as an “ambassador in chains.”
An ambassador was usually an older, more experienced man who represented his king to other countries. This is how Paul saw himself even though he was in chains—he was an ambassador, a representative of Christ to everyone, and especially in his present situation to the members of the Roman government.
Because he was an ambassador, Paul asked the Ephesians to pray for opportunities to open his mouth so he could make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.
We’ll get to boldness in a moment, but notice the mystery of the gospel.
The mystery of the gospel refers to the good news of God’s grace that God’s people always knew was coming, but the specifics of its coming was shrouded in mystery.
But now the shroud has been swept away and God’s grace has been clearly revealed in Jesus Christ who came to live perfectly as we should have lived, to die sacrificially on the cross to pay the price for our sins, and to rise triumphantly as proof that the we will have life in His name if we trust Him.
This mystery has many aspects.
One aspect is the union of Jew and Gentile in Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:4).
Another is our transformation when Christ returns (1 Cor. 15:51).
Another is Christ dwelling within us (Col. 1:27).
Another is the godliness that is ours in Christ Jesus who was revealed in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, and taken up in glory (1 Tim. 3:16).
The mystery of the gospel is the shadow of God’s grace through the ages now clearly revealed in Jesus Christ.
Paul asks the Ephesians to pray that he would have opportunities to proclaim this mystery now revealed.
[ILLUS]
[APP] As Christians, we must see ourselves as ambassadors. When Ephesians was written Paul was an ambassador in chains. At other times he was an ambassador with freedom. He was an ambassador at sea. He was ambassador at work making tents. Wherever he was—whatever situation he was in—he was an ambassador for Christ.
Wherever we are—whatever situation we are in—we must see ourselves as and live as ambassadors for Christ.
We are ambassadors in Christ in our work, in our vacations, in our sufferings, in our joys, in our homes, and in the community.
Wherever we are—whatever the situation—we should be asking others to pray that we would have opportunities to proclaim Christ.
[TS]
Third, Paul says, “Pray that I would have boldness.”
Third, Paul says, “Pray that I would have boldness.”
[EXP] boldness = openness, frankness, candor in proclaiming the Gospel
Not long after he wrote to the Ephesians, Paul also wrote to the Philippians. God said yes to Paul’s request for boldness and his God-given boldness led to boldness in others as well.
12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
[ILLUS]
[APP]
[TS]
Conclusion
Conclusion