2015.11.29 Ephesians 3:
1-21
First Advent
Privilege and Prayer
Good morning everyone……. We´re glad you´re here!
Today is First
Advent…. More than 2000 years ago…. The most important event in World History
occurred….. It was the “Advent”…. The Coming of the Lord Jesus into the
world… It was and is potentially anyway… A time of great joy… One of my
favorite Christmas songs is Joy to the World… The Savoir is come… God
incarnate…. Jesus is the source of Everlasting joy… He came to save us from our sin and rebellion….
The Scriptures tell us
that Jesus was filled with compassion
for the lost… Matthew records that
Jesus said… The people were like sheep without a shepherd… Matthew 9:36… Lost
and helpless…
Jesus
was …. As always… moved with compassion for the lost and dying sinners… He sent
us out too… Go and preach the GOOD News…
Advent is the perfect time of year to reach out to
our friends and neighbors…. It is a time of
celebrating and giving… What greater gift could we give than the Good news of
the Gospel... Jesus said… there is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner who repents… Luke 15: 10.. As we also saw last week from Ephesians 2:8-10... We have been saved to serve...
We have been given a great
Privilege as believers… We have the blessing of being able to Proclaim the Good News… There is mercy and
grace for all who will confess their
sins and cry out to the Lord Jesus…
Many years ago…. My mother’s
pastor challenged the congregation to tell at least one person about Jesus
every day during Advent….. My mother was really upset about this command…. She
was stuck at home and couldn´t get out of the house without help…. Well she
landed in the Hospital…. She had a captive audience… She was able to tell
someone about Jesus every day…. She was
so happy!... It gave her great joy to tell others about Jesus… That is exactly
the way it should be…
The
salvation of lost sinners is the source of the Fathers joy… and as believers it should
be the source of our joy too! We saw that great truth as we studied the
Gospel of Luke together… There 2 sermons on the Fathers joy in the Archives of
Luke on the website…
Many of us have also celebrated
Thanksgiving this week... My mom loved this time of year….. Having her
family together for the holidays was so important….
We have so much to be Thankful
for…. Family…. Friends….. health…… When things are good it´s pretty easy to be
thankful….. Today we´ve gathered here to worship and thank the LORD for his
goodness to us….
In the last few weeks…. As we studied Ephesians we took a good look at the Lord's Unfailing love and mercy…. We were reminded again that we were
saved by Grace through faith… Grace is
such a big word.… Unmerited and undeserved favor…
Grace is God´s love that says...
even though you don´t deserve it…. I am never going to stop loving you… Two
weeks ago we looked at the Miracle of
Redemption and Reconciliation... as seen in the parable of the two prodigals…
And although the Apostle Paul was speaking specifically to Gentiles at Ephesus… we saw how in the
Miracle of Reconciliation… The cross
has united us all into one body… verse 19 says that we "are no longer
strangers and foreigners… but fellow citizens with the saints and members of
the household of God…
This morning… Paul continues
that discussion by explaining the equality that all Gentiles have in Christ… I
think that we are all Gentiles here today…
Paul is using the reality of the church as an example of the Miracle of Reconciliation…
Because we are in Christ... We have been given forgiveness and Mercy….
We have received grace...
Because we are in Christ... He has
reconciled enemies…
Ephesians
2: 11-22 One in
Christ
1 peace…
v14… peace between Jews and Gentiles…. Peace with God… Peace with each other…
2
Reconciliation… v16 with mankind….
3
Access…v18
Let´s continue in the text…. And read the first few verses of
Ephesians 3… v1-5…
Ephesians
3: 1-5 NKJV
1 For
this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed
you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me
for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have
briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my
knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known
to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy
apostles and prophets:
Ephesians 3: 1-5 slt 2000
1 Deshalb [bin] ich, Paulus, der Gebundene Christi Jesu
für euch, die Heiden.
2 Ihr habt ja gewiß von der Haushalterschaft der Gnade
Gottes gehört, die mir für euch gegeben worden ist,
3 daß er mich das Geheimnis durch Offenbarung wissen
ließ, wie ich zuvor kurz geschrieben habe.
4 Daran könnt ihr, wenn ihr es lest, meine Einsicht in
das Geheimnis des Christus erkennen,
5 das in früheren Generationen den Menschenkindern nicht
bekanntgemacht wurde, wie es jetzt seinen heiligen Aposteln und Propheten durch
den Geist geoffenbart worden ist,
v1... I,
Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles...
for you Gentiles... Just to remind
us… The reason he was under arrest was because of his missionary efforts on behalf of
the Gentiles…
Paul suffered for the very truth he would explain to the Ephesians... He taught that it was not necessary for Gentiles
to become Jewish before becoming a Christian…
v2… If
indeed you have heard
of the dispensation of the grace of God… This phrase IF Indeed… in the Greek reads… If
and it is true… Paul knew his particular calling to the Gentile world was well
known among Gentile Christians….
The word dispensation speaks of the fulfilled Plan of God in the birth of the church…
v3… How
that by revelation … He made known to me the mystery… Paul is
saying Listen… I'm not making this up… God
gave me this revelation… and I am only His messenger of this truth…
Paul described himself as a Hebrew of the Hebrews… a Pharisee… and
a persecutor of the church… Paul was amazed
that God would choose him to take this message of the Grace of God to the Gentiles… He used to hate them…
Now he is the one who
demonstrates that the Good News of the Gospel
is also for the Gentiles… They don´t
need to become Jewish proselytes first… This was indeed an amazing mystery…
Now "In modern English a 'mystery' is something hard to see… obscure and puzzling…. What is 'mysterious' is
thought of as almost incomprehensible… The Greek word “mysterion” is different… Simply put… A Mysterion is a truth that had been hidden from human understanding…
but now has been disclosed by the revelation of God…
God used Paul to declare specifically how Jews and Gentiles would
be joined together into one… Through the cross… all genuine believers become
part of the Body of Christ… That is the Mystery that was not made known...
The union of Jews and
Gentiles into the body of Christ… In the Old Testament… the salvation of
Gentiles in the Messiah is prophesied… But the coming together of Jew and
Gentile into the Church is not spoken of before now… Let´s continue in the
text… Eph 3.. v6,7…
Ehpesians
3: 6,7 NKJV slt 2000
6 that
the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His
promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according
to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His
power.
6 daß nämlich die Heiden Miterben und mit zum Leib
Gehörige und Mitteilhaber seiner Verheißung sind in Christus durch das
Evangelium,
7 dessen Diener ich geworden bin gemäß der Gabe der Gnade
Gottes, die mir gegeben ist nach der Wirkung seiner Kraft.
v6a…
That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body... And Partakers of
His promise in Christ… This describes the mystery itself - that
believing Jews and believing Gentiles are joined together into one Church…
The truth of this mystery means that Gentiles are now full
partakers of His promise… This privilege no longer reserved only for the
believing Jewish person…
v6b…
Through the gospel… This could only happen through the gospel…
where all men are equal in the Lord Jesus… Paul says… What a gift…. That I
should preach this good news… It is all because of the gift of grace given to him by the working of God's power... First
in his own sin filled and rebellious heart… And then in the spread of the
Gospel like wildfire through the Gentile World…. Paul sits in this prison and
says… This is amazing… I can´t believe this has happened… What mercy and
grace!...
Paul calls himself a minister here… but that is not a title of
Honor… In classical literature of ancient Greece… the minister (diakonos) is a Servant… In fact he is a table waiter who
is always at the bidding of his master…
It is often translated Deacon today… All leaders are meant to be servants… and not lords over the church… He humbly describes himself in these next
verses… v8,9…
Ephesians
3: 8,9 NKJV
8 To me,
who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I
should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to
make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of
the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
Ephesians
3: 8,9 slt 2000
8 Mir, dem allergeringsten unter allen Heiligen, ist
diese Gnade gegeben worden, unter den Heiden den unausforschlichen Reichtum des
Christus zu verkündigen,
9 und alle darüber zu erleuchten, welches die
Gemeinschaft ist, die als Geheimnis von den Ewigkeiten her in Gott verborgen
war, der alles erschaffen hat durch Jesus Christus,
v8… To
me, who am less than the least of all the saints… Paul
marveled at the grace given to him… He was humbled and amazed that was called
to preach the gospel to the Gentiles… He knew that he did not deserve the
privilege to proclaim the Good News contained in this mystery…. Salvation to
all who would repent and cry out to the Lord for forgiveness and mercy…
v8b…
That I should preach… The ancient Greek word translated "preach" euaggelizō yü-än-ge-lē'-zō… literally means "to proclaim good
news…
v8c… The unsearchable riches
of Christ… This mystery means great riches for the Gentiles… They…. We… can now come before God as sons and daughters…
God's riches are unsearchable… Think about it… We have been forgiven our sins and set free….
Delivered and redeemed… All because we are in Christ… God Himself has poured
Grace and mercy out upon us…. Even though we did not deserve it… We will never know the greatness of these
riches completely…
v9… To
make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery... Which from the beginning
of the ages has been hidden in God… In other
words…. This part of God´s awesome plan was unknown… But now it is clearly revealed to the World… Having been entrusted
with such unsearchable riches… Paul's passion was to make this gospel known to everyone
who would listen… He wants everybody to see and share in the fellowship of this mystery… He wants everyone to discover the riches of
the grace and mercy of God for themselves…
This great truth - the fellowship of the mystery - was hidden
before it was revealed in the finished work of Jesus on the cross… This
reinforces the idea that there is genuinely something new in the New Covenant…
Ephesians
3: 10-12 NKJV slt 2000
10 to
the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the
church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to
the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom
we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Ephesians 3: 10-12 NKJV slt 2000
10 damit jetzt den Fürstentümern und Gewalten in den
himmlischen [Regionen] durch die Gemeinde die mannigfaltige Weisheit Gottes
bekanntgemacht werde,
11 nach dem Vorsatz der Ewigkeiten, den er gefaßt hat in
Christus Jesus, unserem Herrn,
12 in dem wir die Freimütigkeit und den Zugang haben in
Zuversicht durch den Glauben an ihn.
v10… now
the manifold wisdom of God might be made known… God is
infinite wisdom and glory… He wants His creatures to know something of His
great and manifold wisdom…
This word manifold…. In the Greek is polupoikilos… It has the ideas of intricacy, complexity, and
great beauty...
v11… according to the eternal purpose which He
accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord… here again we see the fact that
everything is being done according to God´s
great plan and purpose…. Its
fulfillment in Christ is absolutely
certain… And so… Paul can speak of it as already finished… We are
already in Christ…
v12… in
whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him… Ephesians
2: v8,9… saved by grace through faith… Now we have boldness and confidence before God…
We have full access…
All because it has nothing to do with us at all… It is only our
faith in Him…
The word for boldness has the idea of freedom to express ourselves
before God… without fear or shame… Now
Paul has an encouraging word for them… And for us…
Ephesians
3: 13 NKJv slt 2000
13
Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is
your glory.
13 Darum bitte ich, daß ihr nicht mutlos werdet wegen
meiner Bedrängnisse um euretwillen, die euch eine Ehre sind.
v13a…
Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart… Though Paul is under arrest
for the sake of the gospel… Paul didn't want them to be discouraged for his
sake… Paul asks his readers to not lose heart... Because Paul knew that he was
in God´s will and perfect plan…. He was still being used by the lord to
proclaim the Good News of the Gospel…
v13b… My
tribulations for you… Paul wrote the Letter to the Ephesians from
prison… Let´s remember why Paul was in prison... He lived his whole life with
the passion to bring salvation to his own people… He wanted his own people to
receive the long promised and long
awaited Messiah… the Jews
Romans 9:1-3...
On his last visit to Jerusalem he had the opportunity to preach to
a huge crowd on or near the temple mount Acts
21:39-22:22… Unfortunately the Jewish crowd could not stand the idea of
the good news of the Messiah being extended to the Gentiles… Acts 22:21-22… The result was that Paul
was imprisoned in Rome… He knew God wanted Gentiles to share in the good news
of the Messiah… and he wasn't afraid to preach that truth… No matter what the
cost… He was determined to finish his race… That´s exactly what Paul said… Remember he called the Elders from Ephesus to
come to him as he was on his way to Jerusalem… That was just before he was taken
prisoner to Rome… Turn with me to Acts 20… v21…
Acts 20:
17-24 NKJV
17 From
Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18 And when
they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I
came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19 serving the Lord with
all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting
of the Jews; 20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to
you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews,
and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus
Christ. 22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the
things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies
in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of
these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may
finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus,
to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20: 17-24 slt 2000
17 Von Milet aber sandte er nach Ephesus und ließ die
Ältesten der Gemeinde herüberrufen.
18 Und als sie zu ihm gekommen waren, sprach er zu ihnen:
Ihr wißt, wie ich mich vom ersten Tag an, als ich Asia betrat, die ganze Zeit
unter euch verhalten habe,
19 daß ich dem Herrn diente mit aller Demut, unter vielen
Tränen und Anfechtungen, die mir widerfuhren durch die Nachstellungen der
Juden;
20 und wie ich nichts verschwiegen habe von dem, was
nützlich ist, sondern es euch verkündigt und euch gelehrt habe, öffentlich und
in den Häusern,
21 indem ich Juden und Griechen die Buße zu Gott und den
Glauben an unseren Herrn Jesus Christus bezeugt habe.
22 Und siehe, jetzt reise ich gebunden im Geist nach
Jerusalem, ohne zu wissen, was mir dort begegnen wird,
23 außer daß der Heilige Geist von Stadt zu Stadt Zeugnis
gibt und sagt, daß Fesseln und Bedrängnisse auf mich warten.
24 Aber auf das alles nehme ich keine Rücksicht; mein
Leben ist mir auch selbst nicht teuer, wenn es gilt, meinen Lauf mit Freuden zu
vollenden und den Dienst, den ich von dem Herrn Jesus empfangen habe, nämlich
das Evangelium der Gnade Gottes zu bezeugen.
Through all of the hard times in Paul´s life…. He was being used
tremendously… Probably in a greater way than he ever imagined… This Roman
imprisonment produced the letters of Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and
Philemon… These letters have ministered to uncounted millions over the
centuries…
In the same way… Each of us has a special place in the service of
God's eternal plan… Knowing this and working towards it… is a great protection
against losing heart in the midst of hard times and tribulation…
Ephesians
3: 14,15 NKJV slt 2000
14 For
this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom
the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
14 Deshalb beuge ich meine Knie vor dem Vater unseres
Herrn Jesus Christus,
15 von dem jedes Geschlecht4 im Himmel und auf Erden den
Namen erhält,
v14… For
this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… The
basis of Paul's prayer was his knowledge of God's purpose… Paul was a man of
prayer and a man of Action…. Just like Nehemiah that we are studying on Tuesday
nights…This means that Paul confidently prayed according to God's will…
Paul prayed and bowed his knees… This demonstrated Paul´s humility…
v14b… To
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… Paul directed his prayer to the Father… Prayer is usually directed to the Father…
through the Son… According to the direction of the Holy Spirit in our hearts…
v15… From whom the whole
family in heaven and earth is named… In remembering that all God's family
is called after His name… Paul showed that God is Father of both Jew and
Gentile…. Let´s look at his short
powerful prayer… v16-19…
Ephesians
3: 16-19 NKJV
16 that
He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened
with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in
your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may
be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and
depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that
you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3: 16-19
slt 2000
16 daß er euch nach dem Reichtum seiner Herrlichkeit
gebe, durch seinen Geist mit Kraft gestärkt zu werden an dem inneren Menschen,
17 daß der Christus durch den Glauben in euren Herzen
wohne, damit ihr, in Liebe gewurzelt und gegründet,
18 dazu fähig seid, mit allen Heiligen zu begreifen, was
die Breite, die Länge, die Tiefe und die Höhe sei,
19 und die Liebe des Christus zu erkennen, die doch alle
Erkenntnis übersteigt, damit ihr erfüllt werdet bis zur ganzen Fülle Gottes.
v16… To
be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man… Paul
asked that they would be strengthened through the Holy spirit…
v17…
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith… Paul prayed
that Jesus would live in these believers… That´s exactly what Jesus promised in
John 14:23…
John
14:23
NKJV slt 2000
23 Jesus
answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My
Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
23 Jesus antwortete und sprach zu ihm: Wenn jemand mich
liebt, so wird er mein Wort befolgen, und mein Vater wird ihn lieben, und wir
werden zu ihm kommen und Wohnung bei ihm machen.
The Greek phrase translated make
Our home here… has the idea of settling down in a place to make it your
permanent home… Jesus wants to settle down in your heart… And make it His
permanent Home…
v17b…
Through faith… This has the idea, "through your
faith." This is how Christ dwells in our heart… it is the sovereign gift
of God…
v17c...
Being rooted and grounded in love… Paul prayed that all this would take place as
they were rooted and grounded in love… rooted
and grounded in their love for one another… And in their love for God Himself…
v18… May
be able to comprehend with all the saints… What is the width and length and depth and height… Paul asked that
they might be able to understand together, in community every dimension of the
love of Jesus… Paul wanted them to know it by experience and not just in words...
v19a… To
know the love of Christ… Paul wanted us to truly know the love of Jesus
in our lives… This isn't only emotions, or feelings…. This is something we can
handle and understand in His Word and in our own life experiences…
v19b…
That you may be filled with all the fullness of God… Paul
asked God to fill these Christians unto all the fullness of God… Paul wanted
Christians to experience life in Jesus Christ… He wants us all to experience
the fullness of God… Colossians 2:9…
and to be filled to our maximum capacity with Jesus… v20,21…
Ephesians
3: 20,21 NKJV slt 2000
20 Now
to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by
Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3: 20,21 NKJV
slt 2000
20 Dem aber, der weit über die Maßen mehr zu tun vermag,
als wir bitten oder verstehen, gemäß der Kraft, die in uns wirkt,
21 ihm sei die Ehre in der Gemeinde in Christus Jesus,
auf alle Geschlechter der Ewigkeit der Ewigkeiten! Amen.
As Paul closes His prayer…. He gives us this famous Doxology…. This proclamation of Worship and Blessing toward God… His is breaking out in Praise and
Worship as he reflects on all of the things that he has written the church….
This Doxology belongs to every glorious privilege and blessing
spoken of the first three chapters… We have a Great and Awesome God… And with the Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ… Circumstances have changed…. The
eternal darkness has been obliterated… turn with me to Isaiah 9… v1…
Isaiah
9:1-2 ; 8:23 and 9: 1 NLT
1
Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The
land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the
future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs
between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
2 The
people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a
land of deep darkness, a light will shine.
23 Doch diese Zeit der Dunkelheit und Verzweiflung wird
nicht für immer andauern. Wurden früher auch das Land Sebulon und das Land
Naftali gedemütigt, so wird später das Gebiet der Völker, die Gott nicht
kennen, die Straße am Meer jenseits des Jordan, zu Ehren kommen.
1 Denn das Volk, das in der Dunkelheit lebt, sieht ein
helles Licht. Und über den Menschen in einem vom Tode überschatteten Land
strahlt ein heller Schein.
The Light of the World is here! During this Advent season the
church will be filled with candles…. Some little ones… Some big ones… We are
being reminded that each of us is called to be salt and light… in this dark and
dying world… One little candle can really pierce the darkness…
If the area is flat enough… On a dark night, you can even see a
candle flame flickering up to 30 mi. (48 km) away….
We have received unsearchable gifts and Blessings…. Our forever is
certain… We have nothing to fear… We have every reason to rejoice…. Even if at
this moment we are in great sorrow and difficulty…
Everything that Paul is teaching us… All of this Theology is to
teach us and equip us…. To help us to walk worthy of the great truth that we
are in Christ… turn with me to the first verse of Eph 4…v1… to finish our time today and point us to the next
chapter…
Ephesians
4: 1 NKJV
slt 2000
1 I,
therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling
with which you were called,
1 So ermahne ich euch nun, ich, der Gebundene im Herrn,
daß ihr der Berufung würdig wandelt, zu der ihr berufen worden seid,
Let´s pray…
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