10/6/24 - Through the Church - Ephesians 3:1-13 - Pastor Bob Drew

"This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,  in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him"
- Ephesians 3:11-12
 

The moment we became Christians, our lives were beautifully transformed. First and foremost, we became Christ’s, new creations in Him, and are continually being shaped into His likeness every day! Even more exciting, we became part of a new humanity—a Body of believers, chosen to follow and boldly proclaim the love and hope of Christ. Yet, the Bible reminds us that many of us underestimate the power of this calling. Friends, you and I have a far greater role in God’s eternal plan than we often realize, and something incredible happens when we actively live it out together!
 
In Ephesians 3, the apostle Paul moves from unpacking the unifying mystery of Christ in Chapter 2, Jews and Gentiles brought together in Christ, to prayer. However, he couldn’t get past his first line. Due to the incredible importance of this new humanity, Paul was moved and compelled further to expound the implications of this divinely anticipated occurrence. It was crucial for the unified believers to understand their eternal and collective role in Christ’s plan!
 
Paul starts off by emphasizing his ministerial calling. What he brings to the people of God is not something contrived from his own thoughts. It is wisdom directly from God. As a steward of their faith, Paul feels responsible for helping them understand this wisdom on their own. By utilizing what he shared in Chapters 1 and 2, any believer can understand the mystery of the new humanity. However, from that understanding, they will realize they have a responsibility to actively steward this mystery themselves, but not on their own. Utilizing language that accentuates belonging and fellowship, Paul showcases God’s eternal plan to reveal Christ to the world through the Church. In one moment, faith moved from personal to corporal, a solo sport to a team sport.
 
All are invited, and no one is excluded. But all must play, and they must do it together.
 
Paul reminds believers that being a Christian means being a part of the Church called to an eternal purpose. The stakes are too high. People are watching, and so are the angels. Preaching, ministering, and bearing witness to the eternal wisdom of God are hallmarks of the Church. Since we are the Church, they are meant to be hallmarks of our lives. This is not an option. As if it needed to be hammered home further, Paul uses his own circumstances in prison to showcase how to do it. Suffering for one another is giving glory to Christ. We are not our own, friends!