Bulletins - A Place Of Grace

I think some of you had a difficult week. Some of you may have more questions than answers as this week closes…
I read an interesting quote this week that has stuck with me as I prepared for my message this week… When Charles Swindoll was asked by a student what is the most impacting thing God had taught him over his more than seventy years of life and ministry he responded this way…
Galatians, Ephesians (Chapter 18: The Mystery, the Ministry, and Me (Ephesians 3:1–13)) Nothing touches us that hasn’t first passed through the fingers of God. Nothing. As we live our lives as children of God, submitting all things to His mighty hand, nothing happens to us that He hasn’t allowed. And because we know that God is all good, all just, all knowing, and all wise, we can trust that what comes our way is meant for good, not evil—even when we can’t understand it.
As I looked at our scripture, thinking through God’s Plan For Us and In Us, and what that really entails and as I saw where Paul was at as he wrote this, I have to admit this is a difficult yet necessary truth to grasp.
The letter to the Ephesians is an interesting study when we look at it’s grammatical structure…
Paul starts a thought in vs 3:1
Then vs 3:2-13 are ONE SENTENCE (1 of 8 long sentences in this letter)as Paul interjects an explanation of the Mystery
Then in vs 3:14 we pick up Paul’s thought from vs 3:1
Combine 3:1 and 3:14 to give general idea… Paul wants to make sure we get it!… Ephesians 3:1-13
Ephesians 3:1–13 NLT
When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles … assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.
Paul’s Role
Ephesians is one of four letters Paul writes while he is in prison in Rome. (Philippians, Colossians, & Philemon) PAUL IS IN PRISON!!!
To the Ephesians, he stated that he was a prisoner “for serving the Lord” (Ephesians 4:1)
To the Philippians, he writes “I am in chains because of Christ” (Philippians 1:13)
He told the Colossians that Christ, “is why I am here in chains” (Colossians 4:3)
To Philemon he declared he was “a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus” (Philemon 1)
I find it interesting Paul’s perspective… he sees his imprisonment not as imprisoned by man but for the Lord, for the stewardship God gave him… to share this mystery, this plan of God’s!
Rome did not like his message because the emperor was a god
Jews did not like his message because they despised Christ and they did not like that Jew and Gentile were considered one new person now in Christ!
Paul embraced the chains and the trials that came for the joy set before him to share this message God gave him!
Paul focused not on his difficulties but on the honor of this message, revealing the mystery!!!
Paul has been writing about this mystery… revealing it
MYSTERY: Something not known… now made known to a person or group.
This mystery was given to Paul to REVEAL, PREACH, and also to SUFFER FOR
he is humbled that he has this privilege
he counts himself the least in light of this magnificent GRACE and GIFT
Paul was comfortable trusting God that everything that occured to him went through the very hands of God. So deep was his belief this way that he does NOT call himself a prisoner of Rome but a Prisoner of Christ Jesus… right where God wanted him!
God’s Plan
God’s plan or Mystery has been being laid out in chapters 1-2. This plan of God’s made known through the Apostle Paul to Jew and Gentile is for us! Note this: it was hidden, now made known, and it was always Plan A.
God’s Plan Was Hidden
The creator hid this from the beginning
This is NOT hiding gentiles believing… this was somewhat understood
The past generations did not know this… but “now”
Even the heavenly host (angelic beings) did not know
Now Revealed (made known)
Now it is revealed in Christ… through the church! Vs 4
The church started at Pentecost
The ones giving this message were the apostles and prophets writing the New Testament Scriptures
Jews and Gentiles are heirs
Jew and Gentile are one body
Jew and Gentile are in Christ
The mystery is NOT something mysterious but rather sacred… precious MADE KNOWN!
Jews don’t become gentile and gentile do nowt become Jews… rather those who believe in the gospel message of Jesus Christ “for which Paul is a prisoner of” these who believe are joined together made into something NEW, a new creation!
It all centers on Christ and in Christ!
Vs 6 “because they belong to Christ
Always Plan A
God had this plan Paul writes from the beginning
Verse 11 states from eternity past
God’s plan is unfolding… He does not EVER have to resort to Plan B… there is no plan B!
If God is working out His plan perfectly then what is our role and how do we live in light of this truth?
Our Role
Declare & Display… We get to allow God to point to us… His work. Not so much the redemption but the UNITY in Christ through the church!
We get to point others to God’s great work
This is the great commission... as we go tell others, make disciples
We get to be on display showing “the manifold wisdom of God”
God’s wisdom in His working I so many wonderful ways
Demonstrate what God does in a life and in a church
The unity of the the church as One bride, One body… is on display for the world
No one would ever thing Jew and Gentile would be one
But also the “unseen rulers and authorities in heavenly places”
The angelic beings (fallen ones too) watch in amazement
They are amazed at the church
They are fascinated how God is using His church as One
It is no wonder that we as the church face spiritual warfare
For our role in God’s plan and the attacks we will face Paul speaks about our armor and tactics in chapter 6
Paul faced prison “a prisoner of Christ Jesus”
We face spiritual attacks and hardships too
Yet… even through the attacks, the struggles of this life we live in great expectation of ALL GOD IS DOING in us and through us as His Church as His People as His Children!
Now Approach God!
Paul as he closes this long sentence and interjection tells his readers to approach God in BOLDNESS and CONFIDENCE.
They may have looked at Paul’s trials and lost heart…
Is it worth it, the struggles, trials, hardship, the OPOSITION!!!
Did Paul upset God? … should we really face hardships?
I love that Paul does not preach a prosperity gospel
He preaches the truth and says “look I get to be God’s prisoner”!!!
Why the trials and hardships?
James teaches that they produce in us endurance
Jesus stated He was hated and abused so will we be
Paul here states that we are being watched… how do we shine for the Lord?
There are few things noticed in this world like a child of God who is going through suffering and hardships and praises God!
Don’t lose heart… and APPROACH GOD CONFIDENTLY!!!
Nothing touches us in this life that does not first pass through His hands…
He knows what you are going through
He knows what is coming
He wants you and me to approach Him confidently as we do…
It is there in His presence that we find, HOPE, PEACE and as Paul would write to the Philippian church we find JOY!
- - Ephesians 3:1–13NIV2011

Paul’s Role

God’s Plan

Our Role

Now Approach God!

Ephesians 3:1–13NIV2011