Summer Index #5: Eph 3:1-21

Ephesians 3:1-21 – “The Mystery and Ministry of the Gospel”

Paul suffers imprisonment for the sake of the ministry of the mystery of God’s gospel.

1) The Mystery (v.1-6)
- “Mystery” here refers to something which was veiled in the Old Testament but which has now been made known; namely, that the Gentiles would be grafted into the tree of Israel and become dominant in the church, while many Jews fell into unbelief for a time. For Jews, who hated Gentiles, this message was of great offence and so they sought to have Paul imprisoned (as seen the in latter portion of Acts).

2) The Ministry (v.7-13)
- “Minister according to the gift of God’s grace” (v.7) is an interesting way to describe evangelism. We see it more as a duty or responsibility (sometimes an unpleasant burden), but here we see Paul imprisoned because of his evangelistic activities describing it as a gift of God’s grace. This is perspective shaping.

- This ministry is done through the power and strength of God (v.7b) and we are not just left on our own to accomplish it, rather we have “boldness and access with confidence through our faith” to the reigning King Jesus to help, comfort and carry us throughout the many hardships and rejections that must necessarily come as gospel ministers.

- Purpose is to “preach” and “bring light to everyone” what is God’s plan and purpose in the gospel

- The theatre for the gospel is i) this-worldly with bringing the gospel to unbelievers who have previously been in ignorance of God’s plans (like the Gentiles), and also ii) other-worldly since now God’s wisdom is being “made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (v.10) so that all the angelic creation might marvel at God’s plan of redemption in His loving grace (something they do not participate in, as those who have fallen have no hope of salvation)

- The focus of this ministry is God’s “eternal purpose” (v.11), not just to save us individually for our own purposes but rather that we might fit into His eternal and cosmic purposes. Let’s not make the gospel so small that it’s just about us!

3) The Ministers (v.14-21)
- Paul prays a long, complex, one-sentence prayer for the individual ministers of the gospel.

- In summary, He prays for their growth in the Christian life (their sanctification) which is made up of being strengthened in their inmost parts by Christ taking up His dwelling/residence within and as they yield to Him daily that He will more and more fill them with His fullness (perfections) and know the incredible, inescapable, incomprehensible, unconquerable love of God. Jesus in our hearts is renovating our being, His dwelling, for Heaven by making us more like Himself through His great power that works within us.

- All the stages that Paul prays for is fuelled and accomplished by an attribute of God’s character and being – we don’t need to make ourselves better by our efforts, we need Him to come and work in us.

- A great reminder in v.20 of God’s incredible power to do more than we can ask or imagine – what a great God we have!

4) Application:
- Paul’s desire to preach the gospel to the Gentiles is still relevant today with many still to hear, but now also there is the need to call to unbelieving Israel to be saved. - -

- What a challenge also to be outward focused and selfless no matter what the cost and consequences to ourselves, just as Paul was in his ministry and imprisonment for the gospel!

- Paul while in chains prays for the Ephesian church that they would grow as Christian believers, which is a challenge for what our prayer life should be like for others and the priorities for prayer!

- We need to be letting Christ dwell in our hearts and be daily surrendering to Him in every area. This also means to cease the many areas of rebellion in our lives which hinder and quench His work through His Spirit, like sin and complacency.

- We need to be heavenly focused on God’s eternal purposes which are the most important, that we might be saved and sanctified. We so easily spend most of our time and energies on things which are far from these purposes.

- A constant reminder of the majesty and awesome love and character of God which is revealed throughout the passage, of His incredible love, strength, grace, abundance, wisdom, purposes, power.