Paul’s Prisoner Prayer

Paul’s Prisoner Prayer Ephesians 6:19-20 Review/Preview • Paul’s closing theme: Stand Fast in God’s Power through Prayer. • Last time, we noted Paul’s command to comprehensive prayer: prayer for every occasion all the time. • Today, Paul humbly asks prayer for himself: Boldness, Facility, & Resolve. Boldness • The repeated request of 6:19-20 is boldness – once in noun form (v. 19) and once in verb form (v. 20) – freely, fearlessly; often bold preaching to Jews that resulted in persecution (see Acts 9:27; 13:46; 14:3; 18:26; etc) • Paul was in prison because of his previous bold proclamation: Ephesians 3:1; see Acts 22:21-30. • Paul’s great temptation would have simply been to hedge the truth – freedom of the tongue meant imprisonment of the body Facility • Paul’s Request: “that a word may be given to me in opening my mouth in boldness ...” (see Exodus 4) • Paul’s Limitations as a Speaker: see 2 Corinthians 10:10 • Paul’s Purpose: “to make known the mystery of the gospel” – Paul’s commission was equal parts education and proclamation Resolve • Paul’s Commission: 1. “I am an ambassador” is one Greek word, a present tense verb describing what Paul is doing there in prison. 2. Roman Ambassadors: officially recognized servant; convey a message without alteration from one sovereign to another; expectation of hazardous working conditions; Paul’s location hadn’t changed his commission • Divine Necessity: Paul uses a special verb tandem to describe the importance of his mission – it is of divine necessity to speak boldly Applications 1. For the people called to frequent public proclamation of the gospel, we need this same request made for us and we need it frequently. 2. Every believer bears Paul’s commission to be ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). 3. The manner in which people receive our message is not our concern; we must remain faithful to our Sovereign and to his commission (see 1 Corinthians 3:6).