Ephesians 3:8-13 says,...
Today's verses are Ephesians 3:8-13, which read,
v.8-10 - 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.
Paul has been explaining the marriage of the Jewish believers and the Gentiles believers as all equal in sight of salvation in God's family. We are all "fellows" together as heirs, members, and partakers if we are "in Christ" through the grace of God given by Him through the cross of Christ. Paul is now explaining his part in all of this.
He can't believe that God would choose him to do this phenomenal task of sharing the gospel with the Gentiles and also participating in unveiling the mystery that God would have in His family some from every tribe and nation. He was bringing God's gospel to the Gentiles but he was also being used by God to help others know more about their God who saves and even helping those in the "heavenly places."
I would say that many times when you are doing and following God's will in your life it is touching and affecting many more than just the person in front of you that you are serving. Others are watching and observing or maybe listening in on what you are saying. The impact of God is great and so it shouldn't be a surprise that God could use a simple act or word and blow it up into something greater. We should be humbled like Paul when that happens that God would use someone like us to be His instrument.
v.11-13 - 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. Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Because Paul sees God's hand in all of this, even though he is enduring persecutions, sufferings and imprisonments, he presses on. Others may question why or even want him to stop but he sees that this is also for the glory of God, used by God in His way of sharing this authentic gospel of grace. A message of salvation coming even in the midst of suffering and through suffering shows through actions that something greater is behind that message.
I have learned to look not to the guy on the white stallion who comes in to save the day but the little guy who feeds and takes care of the horse. You take the little guy away who day in and day out shovels out the smelly stall and cares for every aspect of that animal and the guy who comes in with fancy clothes has nothing to ride on. The jockey gets all the world's glory but the horse relies more on his servant in the stall who usually smells like him and doesn't have a fancy clothes to wear. If you get to know the guy in the stall you will probably get to know more about the horse than the one who rides him on race day.
We live in a world that puts a high premium on glitz and glamour and therefore our faith is thin because it is based on what we see on the outside usually through a screened device. God provides us "Pauls" who are in the stall with us and that we can know not through a screen but in real life who will care for us with an authentic gospel that we can see and touch. Which one is more important to my life? I take the smelly guy in the stall.
"Lord, may we not bypass those who You have put in our immediately surroundings to care for us as we care for them. May we see the value of those who bring us Your word through word and action on a regular basis. They may not be on a screen somewhere to access at our convenience but You have put them in our lives to show us Your love to us by giving us other Christians to rub shoulders with. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.8-10 - 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.
Paul has been explaining the marriage of the Jewish believers and the Gentiles believers as all equal in sight of salvation in God's family. We are all "fellows" together as heirs, members, and partakers if we are "in Christ" through the grace of God given by Him through the cross of Christ. Paul is now explaining his part in all of this.
He can't believe that God would choose him to do this phenomenal task of sharing the gospel with the Gentiles and also participating in unveiling the mystery that God would have in His family some from every tribe and nation. He was bringing God's gospel to the Gentiles but he was also being used by God to help others know more about their God who saves and even helping those in the "heavenly places."
I would say that many times when you are doing and following God's will in your life it is touching and affecting many more than just the person in front of you that you are serving. Others are watching and observing or maybe listening in on what you are saying. The impact of God is great and so it shouldn't be a surprise that God could use a simple act or word and blow it up into something greater. We should be humbled like Paul when that happens that God would use someone like us to be His instrument.
v.11-13 - 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. Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Because Paul sees God's hand in all of this, even though he is enduring persecutions, sufferings and imprisonments, he presses on. Others may question why or even want him to stop but he sees that this is also for the glory of God, used by God in His way of sharing this authentic gospel of grace. A message of salvation coming even in the midst of suffering and through suffering shows through actions that something greater is behind that message.
I have learned to look not to the guy on the white stallion who comes in to save the day but the little guy who feeds and takes care of the horse. You take the little guy away who day in and day out shovels out the smelly stall and cares for every aspect of that animal and the guy who comes in with fancy clothes has nothing to ride on. The jockey gets all the world's glory but the horse relies more on his servant in the stall who usually smells like him and doesn't have a fancy clothes to wear. If you get to know the guy in the stall you will probably get to know more about the horse than the one who rides him on race day.
We live in a world that puts a high premium on glitz and glamour and therefore our faith is thin because it is based on what we see on the outside usually through a screened device. God provides us "Pauls" who are in the stall with us and that we can know not through a screen but in real life who will care for us with an authentic gospel that we can see and touch. Which one is more important to my life? I take the smelly guy in the stall.
"Lord, may we not bypass those who You have put in our immediately surroundings to care for us as we care for them. May we see the value of those who bring us Your word through word and action on a regular basis. They may not be on a screen somewhere to access at our convenience but You have put them in our lives to show us Your love to us by giving us other Christians to rub shoulders with. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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