CHAPTER 3

1-7
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few
words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
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;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of
his promise in Christ by the gospel:
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.

Now THAT's a LONG sentence!
My grammar teacher always told us to keep it simple, direct and clear.

Paul is saying that BECAUSE he "was made a minister" of the Gospel, he
preaches the GOOD NEWS that ANYONE ("the Gentiles") can be
saved through Christ.

Salvation draws a believer into the "same body" as the Jews.
And, they become "partakers of His promise" of eternal life!

They had heard or read of Paul's ministry in the former two chapters of this
letter.

The "mystery" is revealed in Christ, though it was not really withheld in the Old Testament.
For instance, Isaiah 11:10 says, "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,
which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and
His rest shall be glorious."
Salvation is not limited to a nationality.
Salvation is not limited to a religious affiliation.
ALL mankind may come to JESUS!

Through Christ's entrance to the world; and by His vicarious atonement for
ALL man's sins, the mystery is NOW revealed!
It is revealed by the "Spirit" of God, and to Paul "by the effectual
working of" Christ's "power."

8-12
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
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,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Paul identifies himself with "the least of all saints."
But, God has given him the grace to preach.
And, he preaches the "unsearchable riches of Christ."

We can see that it is Paul's desire (by the Holy Spirit) that "ALL"
mankind come to know this revelation.
Note that (vs 9) Paul says it was by Christ that God created all things.
(See John 1:1-4, Hebrews 1:1-3)

This mystery now revealed, is to those who believe.
And, those who believe are spreading the Gospel across the world.
By THEIR teaching, the "principalities and powers in heavenly places"
have learned MORE of the "manifold wisdom of God!"

Did you ever realize that by living your faih in Christ, and by teaching the
Gospel you were revealing God's "manifold wisdom" to the world?
THAT is some more of the POWER of God in the Gospel of Christ.
Paul says in Rom. 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for
it is the POWER OF GOD unto salvation to EVERY ONE that believeth; to
the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

The "eternal purpose" of God in Christ is to SHARE the Gospel.
Through that, salvation is GIVEN by God to those who BELIEVE.
And, by believing Christ, we have "boldness and access" by the
FAITH He gives us.

Let me repeat: Those who "believe" in Christ are those who have
repented from sin and asked Jesus to lead them in their lives.
When one does that, then Christ gives them FAITH, which is the ability
to cling to Him always!

13
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Paul had endured hatred, beatings and stoning because he preached the
Gospel of Christ.
It was his "desire" that the Ephesians (and any others) would NOT
allow those "tribulations" to deter them from the faith in Christ.

And, it is for THAT CAUSE that he offers the following prayer.
I consider that prayer as not only for the Ephesians, but for YOU and ME!

14-19
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened
with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded
in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and
depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled
with all the fulness of God.

ALL the creation of heaven and earth was MADE by Christ, and is therefore
NAMED for Him.

And, Paul asks that Christ may "dwell in your hearts by faith;."
Remember, faith is GIVEN by Christ to those who repent and believe in Him,
because of the grace of God which reveals Christ as LORD.
(See Eph. 2:8-9)

The prayer continues with the desire that Christ Himself will cause believers
to be "rooted and grounded in love."
It was the LOVE of Christ for mankind that kept Him on the cross!
It was NOT the nails in His hands and feet.
He Who created all things by the Word of His mouth, could have SPOKEN
Himself OFF that cross at ANY time!
Instead, His love for mankind EMPOWERED Him to stay for the benefit of
ALL believers in Him!

THAT love is the FOUNDATION of believers!

The prayer continues to express Paul's desire that believers will KNOW the
"breadth, and length, and depth, and height" of Christ's LOVE!
That love reaches from glorious heaven, which is WITHOUT sin, to the dirty
sinful man on earth!
THAT Love passes ANY intellectual comprehension man can achieve on this
earth!

The prayer continues asking that believers might "be FILLED with all the
FULNESS of God!"

WHAT A THOUGHT!!
WHAT an ending to a prayer!

Barnes, in his commentary writes the following:
"It means here, that you may have the richest measures of divine consolation
and of the divine presence; that you may partake of the entire enjoyment of
God in the most ample measure in which He bestows His favors on His people."

As a believer:
*Take REST in the FACT of God's eternal PRESENCE in your life;
*ENJOY the FULNESS of His love, mercy and grace, all of which He
is constantly pouring out of Himself for our benefit!

20-21
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world
without end. Amen.

The benediction lifts the prayer up to God Who is ABLE!!
He is ABLE to "do exceeding abundantly ABOVE all we ask or think!"
What tremendous information is revealed to us here!
God is ABLE to anwer our prayers, no matter how IMMENSE they may be!
In the world today, there are SO MANY problems!
But God is ABLE to answer our prayers for them to be ENDED!
Can we BELIEVE it?
Can we EXERCISE what we believe in prayer?

Now, God is ABLE "by the power that worketh IN us."
He is not only able in Himself, but able THROUGH believers!!
Remember, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead RESIDES
in believers today!!

If you believe it is in God's WILL,
And you believe He will answer genuine, earnest prayer,
Then, GET TO WORK for the ACCOMPLISHMENT of it!

BECAUSE, it is to the "glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout
ALL ages!"

Remember this statement from God in the Old Testament.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves,
and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then
will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land!"

It is God's REVEALED mystery that He desires for ALL to be saved!
If that is YOUR desire, SEEK Him, TURN AWAY from sin, be HUMBLE, and PRAY!!
God may answer by giving YOU the opportunity to lead someone to Christ!

PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.