Grace: God's unfathomable mystery
Spiritual Warfare • Sermon • Submitted
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· 119 viewsBook study into Ephesians to get a greater grasp of God's unfathomable riches to those that love him, and his divine protection of those that are his
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Review from
-Paul says I am a prisoner(duty bound to Christ)
-Paul says you may not have heard but a stewardship or responsibility was given to me
-Paul says that before I was commissioned I needed to head off to seminary and be taught by the dean of NT studies Dr. Jesus in the wilderness
-Paul says one of the mysteries that he revealed to me was that the Gentiles would be fellow heirs, fellow partakers, and fellow members of his body
-Paul then reaches down and in the next several verses and puts more meat on the bone for us to partake of:
Always—The Grace of God was given to us to astound the supernatural world and to bring Glory to God..
7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 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. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
I. Grace given to minister
I. Grace given to minister
I. Grace given to minister
I. Grace given to minister
I. Grace given to minister
I. Grace given to minister
Eph 3:
7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
(v.7) “I was made a minister” notice in this text Paul says that his calling was not self appointed but that it came from another source. The verb “made” is in the passive meaning it was something given to him by someone else.
(v.7) “according to the gift of God’s grace” You can see that Paul considered his calling a “gift” that word means: a free gift with emphasis on its gratuitous character. Paul calling was something that he embraced rather than considered a burden. The things we call burdens Paul calls gift. “According to the gift of God’s grace” we need to take quick at this word “grace” in this first chapter:
(v.7)
,&7 & 8 & 7-8 This word has been used 9X in the first three chapters of this Letter. Clearly Paul is trying to communicate something magnificent and powerful by this term: Let’s define: GRACE: Charis--
A favor done without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and benevolence of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor.
Zodhiates, Spiros. The complete word study dictionary: New Testament 2000 : n. pag. Print.
7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
(v.7) “according to God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of his power” Paul wants us to know that not only was our Salvation by grace, our divine calling is by grace, but also the power to complete our mission is a gift of God’s grace.
(v.7) “which was given to me according to the working of his power” That word working is “energea” Paul says this grace was given to me according to the energizing dunamis(able power) of God. Paul focus in this text is his ministry to the Gentiles. This grace is given for the expressed purpose of giving Paul the strength to endure trials from the people, trials from the Jews, trials from the Roman Authority, who are all being strengthened by Satan himself. Notice this text back in Chapter 2:
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
(v.2) That same word is used in (v.2) underline that word “working” guess what word that is: it is “energea”
This grammatical structure is used by Paul to highlight that in the same way Satan is working in his sons God is also working in his sons to produce his desired result. Isn’t it Good to know that “Greater is he that is in you is greater than he that is in the world” so when the Devil meets a blood bought spirit filled individual he knows that the fight is unfair and the only thing that he can do is try and convince you that he is stronger, smarter and better than you through deception.
Transition Statement: Not only was Grace given to minister but also to reveal profound mysteries
II. Grace given to reveal mysteries
II. Grace given to reveal mysteries
Eph 3:
8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 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.
(v.8) “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given(bestow)” Paul is not showing false humility in this passage. He is keeping it real. He recognized that he is the last person that should be preaching the Gospel to anyone let alone the Gentiles because of his previous life. He keeps talking about “this grace was given” his focus is to magnify the power of the ministerial call on his life in relationship to his old life. After laying some foundation Paul thens “makes it plain”
(v.8) “This grace is given to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ” Paul tells the calling and the grace given to complete the calling was given so that he could:
a. To preach to the Ethnos(Nations)
-Paul is in awe of this calling from God.
What was the message?
“The unfathomable riches of Christ”
Unfathomable—Impossible to trace out, untraceable, unsearchable. We might say beyond comprehension. This word is only found in the greek manuscript of the bible. Meaning this word was not used in any greek literature. It is used 5x in the bible. I will show you two places
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10 Who does great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number.
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33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
(v.8)
(v.8) Paul is basically saying that he has been given grace to “proclaim” to the Nations that God’s ways are beyond human comprehension, he can’t be solved like a puzzle, He can’t be caught, He can’t be summarize or truly understood without his help. The only way we understand the Lord is because he reveals himself to us.
(v.8) “unfathomable riches of Christ”
What are these riches? is he talking about wealth?
Paul uses this same phrase in & 2:7
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
(v.8) Paul is using “riches” in a figurative sense to describe precious gifts given in surplus: Those gifts: He chose, He predestined, He adopts, He redeems, he calls, He reveals, He sanctifies, He provides(sacrifice), He glorifies. These are the riches that he will be bestowing on the Nations.
(v.8) Paul is using “riches” in a figurative sense to describe precious gifts given in surplus: Those gifts: He chose, He predestined, He adopts, He redeems, he calls, He reveals, He sanctifies, He provides(sacrifice), He glorifies. These are the riches that he will be bestowing on the Nations.
9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;
eph 3:
(v.9) In this verse we see Paul telling us that besides preaching the unfathomable riches of Christ my responsibility is to also show you from a detailed exegesis of OT passages that it was always God’s plan to open up salvation to the nations, and that they would not come in as lesser, but on the same level. Let’s take a quick look:
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1 Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. 2 It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4 They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” 5 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 The Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. 7 “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.
genesis 11:
-Separated because of their desire to save themselves according to their own wisdom. In this text the Tongue was more important than the ethnicity. I imagine when the Lord did this instead of One language he sent several languages and the people congregated based on familiar tongues then they began to migrate away from each other
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1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. 5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 “And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? 9 “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.”
acts 2:
-Separated in but brought back in but this time instead of them trying to get to God the HS has come to them manifested by the Galilean disciples preaching the gospel in Tongues that they had not learned or known. Just like in Genesis tongues where given to separate in Acts tongues where given to Unify. This time underneath the Blood of Christ.
-Paul says that I was called to connect the dots from the OT to the NT to reveal this divine mystery to the world since the beginning of this age.
9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 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.
(v.10) “So that” “to the intent” Paul is about to give us the reason God did it like he did.
(v.10) “So that the Manifold wisdom”
a. Manifold—diverse, various, multi-colored
-Manifold is an adjective used to describe “God’s wisdom”
-This tells us that the primary reason that God keeps things hidden and chooses to reveal things progressively is to magnify his “multi-colored, greatly diversified, wisdom”
(v.10) “So that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church” Paul says that “the church” is the supernatural organism that reveals the mystery of God.
a. Organization-a body of people with a particular purpose, business, or societal assoc.,…ex. Frat, Sorority, Freemason, Football team
b. Organism-A whole with Interdependent parts, likened to a living being......ex. Centipede, Heart, Body
-The Church is both an organization, but more importantly it is a collection of interdependent parts that make up a living organism, which Eph calls later “The Bride of Christ” like a centipede legs that work together with his torso, like the veins, capillaries, and valves work together to form the heart, and how the vascular system, the central nervous system, the musculoskeletal system, endocrine system all functions together to make up a living being. This is the Church. The Church is the means and avenue through which God displays his manifold wisdom.
(v.10)
Then he tells us who he is manifesting his wisdom too:
10 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.
eph 3:
(v.10) “might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places” Who a glorious truth in this text. Paul tells us that not only is God revealing his truths to the church his second audience are heavenly beings both Evil & Holy. In the Heavenly places the Angels & Demons are in awe of his plan to save both Jew and Gentile by grace. And watch this he is using people with: Allergies, viruses, infections, birth defects, terminal illnesses, who can’t see two feet in front of them without glasses. To walk in the victory of Jesus finished work on the cross and to do warfare in the spiritual realm and win real victories against “The God of this world and his Demons”
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The Church has become the University for the Angels and every saint is a professor.....Holman Commentary
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.
-Like a 3d movie on IMAX the Angels watch from the Spirit world the events going on in this world and they are mesmerized watching the story of Salvation play out in the natural world. I Imagine that they are so intent on watching the events of this world that God has to call them twice sometimes to get their attention when he wants them to come to the natural world to complete a task.
-As the Angels see us endure trials, love the saints, be obedient when it cost, preserver through obstacles they don’t glorify us they glorify the Father, even the Demons can’t help but give him his due.
Transition Statement---Grace was given to minister, grace was given to reveal and then grace was given to Give God Glory
III. Grace given to give God Glory
III. Grace given to give God Glory
III. Grace given to give God Glory
III. Grace given to give God Glory
11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
(v.11) “This was in accordance” We need to identify what the pronoun “This” refers too. It refers back to the truths found in (v.10).....He is about to answer the “Why of everything?” Why did God put that tree in the garden? Why does God allow Satan to roam around tempting people? Why does good allow sickness & death? Why did God take my father, mother, husband, wife or child before their time? all of those serious philosophical question can be summed up in the “This” the revealing of the mystery of this incomprehensible salvation delivered not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. The reason that God allows/ordains evil to exist is to magnify his Manifold Wisdom and to bring greater Glory to himself. God uses darkness and opposition to make his self to shine brighter. To truly understand and make sense of life you must understand this immutable(unchanging fact) You and I exist to bring God Glory(Your happiness is secondary).
(v.11) “This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord” This plan of salvation was all a part of God’s plan before even sin entered the world. His plan is one that maximizes his glory and is of greatest benefit to us.
Transition Statement: I would be remiss if i didn’t tell you one more thing that grace give us
Conclusion: Grace given to give us access
Conclusion: Grace given to give us access
12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
(v.12) “in whom” who is the whom?? he is mentioned in the previous verse.
What do we have based on what he has done for the Church?
a. Boldness---Open and frank discussion
b. Confident---Fully persuaded
We have divine access to throne room of God???
Skylar access to our bedroom boldly in comparison to the Other Girls
-We have access to the one who can bring the Supernatural to the Natural.
-We have access to the one who can change a darkened heart
-We have access to the one who can heal a diseased body
-We have access to the one who can forgive our sins and throw them into the sea of forgetfulness
-We have access to the one who can open doors that no one can shut.
-We have access to the one who can gives us peace when our lives are in chaos!!!!
-Notice the text....We can come to God’s bedroom and sit on the bed and just be real with him and be confident that he wants to know your deepest fears, struggles, and pains and that he is balm in gilead to your deepest pains.
-Praise God Today for Divine Access to the one who is able to do exceedingly above all that we could ask!!!