3. ENLIGHTENED WITH GREAT DESCRIPTIONS (Ephesians 3:1 - 4:16)

In God's purposes adversities can become advantages to assist body growth.

Ephesians 3:1 "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles -"

"For this reason" is referred to again by Paul in Ephesians 3:14, where because of their spiritual blessings he prays for them in a special way. But before he actually prays for them he relates an explanation of his special calling and the secret of his abounding zeal in performance of it. His being a prisoner directly resulted from faithfulness to his calling. The Ephesians knew about the dispensation (literally - stewardship) (Ephesians 3:2 ) entrusted to Paul, his arrest and appeal to Caesar had resulted from his obedient preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles.

Indeed it was upon suspicion that he had taken Trophemus, an Ephesian, into the Temple that brought about his arrest (Acts 21:29 ). Faithfulness to God's call upon our lives can bring misunderstanding, even misrepresentation and miscarriage of justice. Even when enemies of the gospel think they have disadvantaged God's servants, they often advance the usefulness of such servants. Certainly from the pen of Christ's prisoner Paul, we have the Holy Spirit inspired prison epistles that continue to strengthen and establish the Church. It is exciting in the midst of adversity to look for the way the Lord will turn it to advancement and blessing.

Being members of the church makes us fellow heirs of the same body.

Ephesians 3:3 "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; ..."

The word "mystery" that occurs in verses 3-6 does not of course, mean something that is obscure, enigmatical, or unintelligible. The word 'musterion' is used in the New Testament sense of a divine secret which is known only to those to whom it is revealed. Paul would not have understood the dispensational significance of the Church without revelation. So we would not know or experience the life and intention of God for us as members of His body the Church, without the illumination of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 3:4; 6:19; 1 Timothy 2:7; 1 Timothy 3:9; 1 Corinthians 15:51 ).

	BY REVELATION it is known that the church is not a building of bricks and cement, but is composed of born-again people (Ephesians 3:6 ).
	BY REVELATION the Church is proclaimed to be the body of Christ on earth (Ephesians 3:6; 4:12; 4:15-16; Colossians 1:18 ).

As the body of Christ the Church is composed of Jews and Gentiles, this is the mystery referred to here. It was never hidden that Gentiles were to be saved (Romans 9:29-33; 10:19-21 ). The revelation that Jew and Gentile were to be united in one body was indeed an entirely new thing. All who are convicted, born-again, washed in the precious blood of Christ whether Jew or Gentile, are true members of the Church which is His body. Being heirs together of the same body describes how close to the Lord each member is drawn, and we are to be drawn in love close to our fellow members.

Revelation of one body, the church was made known to the Lord's set-apart Apostles and Prophets.

Ephesians 3:5 "Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;"

Paul was privileged as the apostle of the Gentiles to announce their oneness in the body of Christ - but he was not the only one to obtain revelation. It was fully granted to all the Lord's set-apart apostles and prophets. We have endorsement of this revelation by the gathering of the Church and its God-given Leaders in Acts 15. The truth is authenticated in the mouths of many witnesses.

All gift ministries in the body are first and always servants of the Lord and His church.

Ephesians 3:7 "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power."

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Became A Minister, That Is, A Servant

The Greek word is 'diakonos' - a deacon, acting as one under authority, serving the Church as the Lord's bondslave. The more gifted a servant is, then the more service will be expected, and should be given with much joy, to the Lord.

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Service Flows From Grace Given

Our commission comes by grace, but more, we are aided through grace. As with Paul we should recognise with humility that we are privileged to be used by the Lord, and that any success we enjoy is through the effective working of Holy Spirit power through us. A powerless ministry was never the Lord's intention (1 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 ). God's servants are to readily acknowledge that the body of Christ the Church, grows through supernatural increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7 ). Wonder that we are saved and serve by amazing grace. Ephesians 3:8 should never leave us and should keep us from thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought (Romans 12:3 ).

There is a practical response that each member of His body should make. These verses describing the Church as His one body on earth calls for:

	OUR COMMITMENT as bondslaves of the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 3:1 ).
	OUR SHARING as fellow-heirs in Christ in true fellowship (Ephesians 3:8 ).
	OUR HUMILITY as recipients of His grace (Ephesians 3:8 ).
	OUR ACTIVITY as proclaimers of the good news (Ephesians 3:8 ).
	OUR DEPENDENCY as channels of the effective working of His power (Ephesians 3:8 ).

It is the intent of the eternal, divine purpose. Part of Paul's stewardship was to show how this truth in the heart of God for so long was at last revealed.

Ephesians 3:9 "... which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:"

Our great Creator had in mind from the beginning, our recreation through Christ Jesus, that the born-again of both Jews and Gentiles would be His one body on earth. It is our privilege to fellowship in the stewardship of showing His body in our community, and fulfil the divine intent (Ephesians 3:10 ).

Ephesians 3:10 "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,"

The one body of redeemed, both of Jew and Gentile, is an exhibition to the angels, of the "manifold wisdom" - Greek 'polyoikilos' meaning "much varied": that the angels desired to "look into" the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 1 Peter 1:10-12, reveals their desire to learn and increase their knowledge about God. In creation angels acknowledged with joy the much varied wisdom of God (Job 38:7 ). No doubt they beheld divine wisdom in God's control and His maintaining of creation through Christ (Colossians 1:16-17 ). But angels find a deeper revelation and instruction about God, in contemplation of God's manifold wisdom as made known by the Church.

	God reveals His eternal wisdom through the Church (Ephesians 3:10 ).
	God accomplished His wisdom in the Church through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:11 ).
	God's treasure house of wisdom is in the gathered people of the Lord (Ephesians 3:10 ).
	God displays His wisdom in making Jew and Gentile one in the same body (Ephesians 3:6 ).
	God's heavenly world marks with wonder the wisdom of the united body of Christ.
	God's eternal wisdom is seen in the provision of Jesus as the only Saviour.
	God's wisdom unites all under the one Headship of Christ (Colossians 1:18 ).
	God's wisdom plan includes the desire of the Son to have every member of the Church with Him in glory (John 17:24; 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ).
	God's wisdom determined that when His redeemed see the Lord they shall be like their Lord (1 John 3:2 ).
	God's intention in wisdom is, through the Church, to display unity to the world (John 17:22-23 ).
	God's wisdom found action and is actual through Jesus.

Remember, in considering aspects of God's manifold wisdom concerning the Church, that His eternal purpose is an accomplished fact in Christ Jesus our Lord (Ephesians 3:11 ).

Expressed in a freedom of all outspokenness to God.

Ephesians 3:12 "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him."

Through faith in Christ Jesus we not only have boldness to enter into the holiest of all (Hebrews 10:19 ), we have a freedom to speak out our hearts before God. "We" refers to Jew and Gentile who through faith are part of the same body. Having free and fearless access to such an awesome God makes the Church the mighty instrument of God in the earth.

Faithfulness by leaders in the face of persecutions for the truth, brings honour to the church.

Ephesians 3:13 "Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. "

The right view of the price being paid for the truth will prevent us becoming overwhelmed by wrong thoughts that evil has got the upper hand.

Ephesians 3:6 "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:"

Paul's sufferings were honourable. They were incurred through insistence on the Gentiles being fellowheirs, and of the same body (Ephesians 3:6 ). The glory of his tribulations for the truth were reflected upon the Ephesian believers. He exulted their privileges in Christ and willingly suffered in support of those privileges. Their glory was to continue in the truth of the one united body of Christ, the Church of God.

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. Can you relate to the statement that in God's purposes adversities can become advantages that assist body growth? (Ephesians 3:1 ).
2. What was the revelation made known to the apostle Paul, and how important was the granting of the same revelation to the other apostles and prophets? (Ephesians 3:5- 6 ).
3. What does the term "minister" mean to you, and what is the power that is effective? (Ephesians 3:7 ).
4. What lessons are being given to rulers and powers in heavenly places by His body the church? (Ephesians 3:10 ).
5. What reason keeps you from losing heart when leaders are suffering? (Ephesians 3:13 ).