Please read the passage carefully before reading the sermon!

Ephesians 3:1-13

• THROUGH THE CHURCH THE WISDOM OF GOD IS DISPLAYED

  Paul has just painted two vivid and startling pictures of Christian conversion. In the first (chapter 2:1-10) he describes mankind as dead and in need of resurrection, a miracle which Christ performs for us. In his second picture Paul pictures humanity as alienated from God and without hope. But Christ finds us, brings us home and restores us to our father. “It makes me want to pray” says Paul (3:1). But even as he falls to his knees to pray his heart and mind are refilled with the wonder of what God is doing.

• THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL

  God’s very great and gracious purpose to save is a mystery. Who can know the mind of God? Even the angels of heaven who look directly into the face of God do not understand the mysterious depth of his desire to save. As individuals we “wonder that he should choose me.”

  Throughout the history of the Old Testament this mystery has been hidden. True, it was revealed to Abraham and the prophets had regularly reminded us that the whole earth would be blessed by God and the nations would come to worship on God’s holy hill. But this promise had been forgotten, distorted and perverted until it was commonly believed that God was limiting his salvation-blessing to a tiny ethnic minority – the truth became a shrouded mystery that was not known in other generations (v5).

  But the mystery is made known. In the bible such mysteries are revealed secrets, rather like the great detective’s dénouement at the conclusion of the murder mystery; the whole point is that you find out the truth and in the bible you find out the truth because God reveals the mystery. Paul says it is made known by revelation (v3), in Christ. In fact the mystery is Christ (v4), now revealed by the Spirit (v5).

  The mystery is that God opens the Christ-gate to heaven (v6) so that anyone who trusts him may go in to the presence of God – what a glorious mystery; salvation has come to the whole world! Nothing and no-one is more glorious than Jesus Christ – unveiled as the mystery man who will save the world.

MADE KNOWN TO THE GLORY OF GOD

• THROUGH PAUL (v2-6)

  Paul is the preacher of the gospel to the gentiles. He has travelled the eastern Mediterranean explaining the good news and planting churches; he makes the mystery known to the world – he has insights from God and he makes known the unsearchable (meaning that people couldn’t work this out for themselves) riches of Christ. Indeed, in the first two chapters of this letter Paul has summarised his gospel teaching. The world knows the gospel through Paul.

  This is a ministry that we can copy. Christians today can be truly apostolic in proclaiming to the world that the way to God, hidden to human sense and logic, is open in Christ. Gospel ministry is apostolic ministry, revealed by God to the apostles and prophets, it is the very foundation (2:20) of our new life in Christ and of the church in which we live out that life.

  Paul considered that salvation was grace from God (v7) and that his imprisonment or service was grace from God as well. What an extraordinary attitude; double-graced!

  Jesus is the Saviour of the world. Jesus is the rescuer who re-unites us with our father in heaven – that is the mystery that is now revealed through the gospel.

• THROUGH US

  We have been saying already that the gospel mystery is made know through us when we join in with Paul’s missionary ministry. But the church makes this mystery know to the heavenly universe

  In making known the administration (v9) or outworking of this mystery through gospel declaration and explanation to the world Paul is (and we are) really only paving the way for something even more extraordinary:

  “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms “ (v10)

  It is our job in the church to make the iridescent, unbelievably glorious, blinding-bright, brilliant-from-every-direction wisdom of God known to spiritual powers in the heavenlies; cherubim and seraphim who stand before God, demons and fallen angels will learn more about God from us that from anything else.

  It’s worth breaking into Paul’s flow here to say that these “heavenlies” are home ground for us. They are the reality in which our real lives are played out. Through this letter Paul has been stressing this truth. We are blessed in the heavenlies (1:3), Christ is enthroned in them(1:20), we are with him in there (2:6 and the wisdom of God made known in them (3:10) while our real opposition is in the heavenlies(6:12). Our reality is found not here but there, in spiritual realms. That’s why we need to be reminded that the gospel is a revelation of power (see chapter 1:19 and Rom 1:16)

A WONDERFUL CONSEQUENCE

The consequence of all this is that we know God better, grow closer to him and relate to him more freely. Paul has laid down the foundation for the exalted prayer he will pray in the second half of the chapter. Perhaps the letter so far has been one long prayer: ch 1:15-23 and 3:14-22 are simply the intercessory parts of a great prayer of praise.

The great consequence of all the work that Christ has done, the plan that God has worked out and the fact of our conversion through Jesus Christ and our inclusion in the church is … we can approach God with freedom and confidence.

Hebrews 10:19 “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”