March 26, 2023

Ephesians 3:1-13

Big Idea: Following Jesus comes with certain consequences. We all have to ask ourselves if the cost is worth the choice.

I’m probably going to make you mad today.

Paul starts this portion of this epistle as a prayer for the church at Ephesus. For some (clearly God-ordained) reason, Paul goes full ADD and chases a HUGE identity-driven shiny thing...

Paul speaks of his sufferings, the incorporation of the Gentiles into the people of God, the cosmic nature of the church, the proclamation of the riches of Christ, believers’ access to God, and more. In addition to these key themes, we also find powerful personal application for our own lives. Paul’s life serves as an example to believers.

Paul’s mission was one of redemption for both the Jew and the Gentile, but let’s remember the fire that drove Paul: he was CONVINCED Jesus would return in his lifetime. He legitimately felt that if he wavered his course, in any way, Jesus would return, and people would face judgment. Imagine if the church today lives with that degree of URGENCY.

The church is called to a mission. We use the buzzword MISSIONAL, which often gets lost in the idea of cutting checks to missionaries and going on these mission-cations that are more vacation than mission.

This passage speaks to Paul’s desire to see the church fulfill her mission: The Great Commission.

QUOTE: “Every Christian here is either a missionary or an impostor. . . . You either try to spread abroad the kingdom of Christ, or else you do not love him at all. It cannot be that there is a high appreciation of Jesus and a totally silent tongue about him.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

Missional people exhibit certain traits:

I. Submission to The Perfect Will of Jesus Christ (vs. 1-6, 13)

Paul opens and closes this passage by speaking of his present condition and the associated sufferings. He says he is a “prisoner” (v. 1) suffering “afflictions” (v. 13). Paul’s imprisonment illustrates the nature of a Christian missionary.

V. 13 - Paul’s care for his people, even when suffering in prison himself.

We tend to take Christ for who He is, then try to add our own addendums grace, many of them works based. We SUBMIT to Christ, but also __________________.

Christ wants you. He doesn’t need you. He doesn’t need your works. He doesn’t need perfection. He knows you can’t provide it. Yet he WANTS you.

He wants your guilt. He wants you shame. He wants your regrets. He died to get it, we shouldn’t have to die to release it.

He wants your submission to His lordship. 

II. Presence of Mind To the See The Workings of Jesus Christ (vs. 7-9)

Christ did his work on Calvary to put you in position to tell others about Him. He’s woven all of the details of your life to bring you to this moment. He working...what are you going to do about it?

God empowered Paul to proclaim the “unsearchable,” or incomprehensible, riches of Christ. This particular word appears nowhere else inside the biblical Greek.

Some may object that proclaiming Christ every week will get old. Based on Ephesians 3:8, NO WAY! If our preaching is boring, it is not because Christ is boring. His glories are unsearchable!

As long as we are proclaiming Christ, we should never run out of material, we should never be left without something to talk about, and we should never talk about Him without passion. Proclaim the riches of Christ to your own soul daily, and out of the overflow of your communion with Him, declare His glory to others.

III. Love For the Imperfect Bride of Jesus Christ (vs. 10-13)

If you are part of the church, then you are part of a cosmic sermon that is being preached to spiritual rulers and authorities.

QUOTE: “The inescapable conclusion is that the angels watch us because we are part of the mystery! . . . We have a far bigger and more observant viewing audience than any of us realize!” – Kent Hughes

According to verse 11, Jesus came and “accomplished,” or fulfilled, or achieved, God’s plan. Christ is the central character in this plan, and all things will be summed up in Him (Eph 1:10).

The crucified and risen Christ is at the Father’s right hand, and He will soon come to put all hostile principalities and powers under His feet. So, ponder how the church is a witness of the glory of Christ.

If we love Jesus, we should hold a high view of His Bride. She’s not perfect. She’s not even good sometimes. But, Jesus loves her.

That’s why we go across the street. That’s why we go around the world. We are the hands and feet of Jesus. We are the mouthpiece of an unchangeable gospel with unsearchable riches. What a privilege.

Let’s be people that go to the nations, regardless of what the world thinks of us. Regardless of what they say. Regardless of what they do.

The message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. We must get them the gospel.

COMMUNION

1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-26