EPHESIANS 3:8-13
CHRIST GIVES US CONFIDENCE TO BE BOLD BEFORE GOD
Ephesians 3:8 Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
I cannot think of anyone more unworthy to this cause than I, the least of the least of the saints. But here I am, a grace-made man, privileged to be an echo of His voice and a preacher to all the nations of the riches of the Anointed One, riches that no one ever imagined
Ephesians 3:8 (VOICE)
SUSAN: Paul describes himself as less than the least of the believers. He felt God’s grace in allowing him to proclaim the good news of Jesus was unmerited favor. However, of all people, he seemed to have the best of pedigrees.
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless. But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
Philippians 3:3-9
SUSIE: Paul knew that everything we do in our own strength rather than in the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling us, is worthless. He went so far as to call his achievements “dung.”
SUSAN: Poo-poo!
SUSIE: None of us are worthy of the gift of salvation God bestows on us by his grace. Much less are we worthy to be used of Him to share the Good News. But God chooses to use weaklings to demonstrate His strength.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.…
1 Corinthians 1:25-27 (BSB)
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (BSB)
SUSAN: In our utterly complete weakness, He is shown perfectly strong.
SUSIE: As Stephen Curtis Chapman sings, “His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.” You can listen to it here:
SUSIE: What does Paul mean by “the unsearchable riches of Christ?”
SUSAN: Even living forever, there will always be more richness, more wealth of relationship, to be mined out as we increase in knowledge of Jesus. His gifts to us, our inheritance, are like the stars—without number.
SUSIE: In his letter to the Romans, Paul describes God’s ways as unfathomable. To fathom is to measure the depth of a body of water. We are completely unable to reach the bottom of God’s ways.
Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
Romans 11:33 (NASB)
Ephesians 3:9 . . . and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
SUSAN: Paul’s aim was to shine a light upon the mystery of fellowship or as I like to describe it, “familyship,” between Jews and Gentiles as they are united in the belief in salvation through Christ Jesus. Redemption of people from every nation was always God’s intention and design from the very beginning.
SUSIE: Before the Jewish nation even existed, long before Abraham was born, the Lord told Eve that her Seed would crush the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15). Eve was not a Jew, but this promise of the Messiah was made to her. Paul, like the Apostle John, identifies Jesus as the Creator of the world (John chapter 1).
“And I will put enmity (open hostility) Between you and the woman, And between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, And you shall [only] bruise His heel.”
Genesis 3:15 (AMP)
In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being.
John 1:1-3 (AMP)
Ephesians 3:10-11 His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
SUSIE: We looked up verse 10 in a couple of different translations to help us unravel what was being said. The Complete Jewish Study Bible expressed the idea well:
This plan, kept hidden for ages by God, the Creator of everything, is for the rulers and authorities in heaven to learn, through the existence of the Messianic Community, how many-sided God’s wisdom is.
Ephesians 3:9b-10 (CJB)
SUSAN: We also explored study Bible notes and commentaries to have a clearer understanding of “rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.”
The angels before God’s throne beheld God’s face, but they did not know of the unfolding plan for the church until God revealed it to them (Eph. 3:9–11). The Bible reveals the angels’ keen interest in what goes on in the church (1 Cor. 4:9). Nothing, however, stirs their interest more than a peek at the plan of salvation (1 Pet. 1:12).
Vine’s Expository Bible notes
We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.
1 Corinthians 4:9b (BSB)
It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
1 Peter 1:12 (BSB)
3:10 principalities and powers. Angels, both holy and unholy (1:21; 6:12; see note on Col. 1:16). God, through the church manifests His glory to all the angels. The holy angels rejoice (see Luke 15:10; cf. 1 Pet. 1:12) because they are involved with the church (see 1 Cor. 11:10; Heb. 1:14). Although they have no desire or capacity to praise God, even fallen angels see the glory of God in the salvation and preservation of the church. in the heavenly places. As in 1:3; 6:12, this refers to the entire realm of spiritual beings.
MacArthur Study Bible
SUSIE: The note in the John MacArthur Study Bible made it clear that “principalities and powers in the heavenly places” or “rulers and authorities” refers both to angels serving the Lord and fallen angels (demons) and the heavenly places denotes the entire spiritual realm. Observing the church enables spiritual beings to have a better understanding of the multi-faceted wisdom of our God. Imagine that!
SUSAN: Angels are fascinated with the intricacies of God’s salvation plan for humankind and are learning by observing believers and their interactions with God and others.
SUSIE: I love the term “Messianic Community” because this is what we have been trying to describe as a “new man,” not Jew or Gentile. We are united in our belief that Jesus was and is the promised Messiah of the Old Testament scriptures.
SUSAN: God’s forever family, His church, the Bride of Christ, the Messianic Community are all synonymous terms describing the unity of believers in Jesus.
Ephesians 3:12 In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence . . .
His faithfulness to God has made it possible for us to have the courage we need and the ability to approach the Father confidently.
Ephesians 3:12 (VOICE)
SUSAN: Jesus’s faith is imparted to us by the Holy Spirit.
SUSIE: Because of Christ’s faith and our reciprocal faith in Him, and His faithfulness to us by redeeming and sanctifying us, we have complete access to the Father and can approach Him boldly.
SUSAN: Jesus was faithful to obey God’s plan to redeem His chosen ones, and He continues to be faithful in His current position as our intercessor. He is faithful to advocate on our behalf, to make our case before the Father, that we have been saved by our trust in the Son by God’s grace.
SUSIE: When Jesus’ flesh was torn on the cross, the veil separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple was torn from top to bottom symbolizing our freedom to come with confidence into the presence of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:19-22 (NASB)
Ephesians 3:13 So I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
SUSAN: Paul does not want the Ephesians to be distracted and detoured from their pursuit of Christlikeness due to his sufferings in prison.
SUSIE: He wants them to understand that even the trials we go through are designed to bring us and others who observe God’s working in our lives closer to Jesus. Our trials are helping to shape us into who we are to be as children of God.
SUSAN: For believers, trials are meant to shape us, not to break us.
SUSIE: In Romans, Paul pointed out that our present trials are nothing compared to the glory we will experience and share in when we are perfected in Heaven.
I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 (BSB)
SUSAN: It is not comfortable, but it is comforting to know that God is molding me into the image of Jesus the Son through all of my difficulties on this journey in my earth-suit.
[But what of that?] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!
Romans 8:18 (AMPC)
APPLICATION:
1. None of us are perfect or in any way worthy of God’s grace, but He offered it even when we were His enemies.
2. Once we receive the gift of salvation, once we have surrendered our right to ourselves, God can use any and all “circumstances” to shape us into who He intends us to be.
3. God’s wisdom, grace, and love are all things we can never completely understand; but we can enjoy exploring the depths of them forever when we become a part of His family through faith in Jesus Christ.
4. Believers are being observed by God’s messengers—angels—and their fallen counterparts—demons.
ASSIGNMENT: Try to imagine what heavenly beings might learn by observing your life. List positive and negative examples of behavior you have displayed in the last week. Write down how it makes you feel to know your life is on display. Pray asking the Lord to strengthen your witness to people and angelic powers.