Andy Gemmill – Ephesians
session 3 - Ephesians 3:1-13
A big question always there in the Christian life, under the
surface: God, is your heart really in this enterprise? Why don’t you do some
more visible reigning supreme and save a few more people, help your people
more, defend your cause more powerfully? Is God really committed to this?
Are we doing something wrong?
Pl’s imprisonment at the heart of this letter, the reason
for his writing
No longer like Acts 19. Has it all gone wrong?
Acts 20 warning that things will change after Pl’s
departure: he is going to prison – Pl goes to jail at the hands of his Jewish
Ephesian opponents
4 or 5 yrs on, Pl in prison in Rm
Had Pl been prevented from writing before?
6:21 - Tychicus – has he brought news from Eph which has
provoked Pl to write?
Human conflict – those who call themselves the circumcision
Pl’s imprisonment – for longer than he had been in Eph – Pl
no longer looks like the victorious minister of the risen and reigning X
Pl’s message is relatively new. The Ephesians have only been
Xians for about 5 yrs.
The Judaizers seem more impressive than Pl and seem to have
tradition and history on their side
3:1, 13; 4:1
3:13 the key purpose statement of the letter – the second
imperative of the letter
Pl wants them not to lose heart because of his sufferings
but rather be strong in the Lord and in his might, standing firm in the gospel
he gave them.
This is fundamentally a do not lose heart letter. This is
the do not lose heart passage.
Pl’s message seems a new-fangled novelty.
Where is the power in Pl and his message?
Contrast
V8 unsearchable
Manifold wisdom of God
Immeasurable love
Big bold expansive language of God and his love; weak
language about Pl: the prisoner, the sufferer, the leaster of all the saints –
constraint
These things are not just juxtaposed but linked. He is a
prisoner for their sake, suffering for them which is their glory.
His sufferings are linked to the wonder of what God has done
for them
(1) Pl’s message is new, but its always been in God’s plan
Mystery – not a puzzle to investigate – a secret that was
kept hidden – v5, not made known before but now revealed to the Apostles and
especially to Pl vv3-4
V9 newly revealed but not new
Just cos my middle name hasn’t been revealed doesn’t mean it
hasn’t always been there
V6 – the inclusion of the Gentiles through the gospel – not
news that Gentiles can be in God’s plan
Is 2 – nations flooding to Zion, law going out
How the gentiles can be in – through the gospel – is newly
revealed
1v13 – the Ephesians were included by hearing and believing
the gospel and sealed by the HS – God sets up his dwelling when someone hears a
message over the garden fence – not becoming Jewish etc.
Pl the Apostle to the Gentiles
(2) Yes, I am in prison, but it remains a powerful message,
even though it doesn’t seem so
The power seems to have gone but it remains v8 – progression
of ideas: Pl is responsible to preach X to the Gentiles and to bring to light
for all the plan of the mystery of the creator – by Pl’s preaching to the
Gentiles the plan of God is made visible – through the preaching of the gospel
the church comes into being and the plan of God is revealed, v10, even to the
powers in heaven
Who is this who can do this?
The power and plan of God will be fully revealed on the
final day, but the powers can see the seed and sign of it now
Cf. Tsunami – the sign of the coming Tsunami is the sea receding,
going out
Jew and Gentile sitting down for tea together doesn’t seem
earth shattering to us, but to the powers, it shows 1:10 is coming: Christ is
unifying humanity and all things
Every time you behave together in a 4:2 way etc., no
stealing, lying, loving wife etc., the power of God is displayed to the powers.
Jesus is Lord he has delivered people from slavery. He will be seen to be Lord
of all.
Reflections:
(a) Be reassured by faith not by sight. God’s power may not
seem obvious. 1:18 – we need the eyes of our hearts open to God’s power
How often do we look for reassurance in visible things
rather than the invisible but soon to be revealed victory of J?
(b) The presence of an invisible audience – the powers –
makes very action significant. The Lord sees and the powers see. The unseen is
worth keeping going at. Every small unnoticed thing done for the building of
the body is part of a bigger battle.
Vv11-13 sum up this argument. God’s eternal plan is being fulfilled.
Bold confident access to God. Real if not yet fully seen. It looks bad now, but
don’t lose heart.
The prisoner of X Jesus / the Lord – visibly Pl is the
prisoner of Rm. He is the prisoner who belongs to the Lord and endures
imprisonment for the Lord. But he is also the Lord’s captive. He has been
imprisoned by J. Pl has himself been conquered, defeated, taken prisoner, set
free – no longer enslaved by sin but now by Jesus. Pl’s imprisonment flows from
his ministry. Pl’s preaching has got him in to trouble. His suffering is for
the Gentiles, from his Gentile ministry. But further his sufferings are
congruent with him having been humbled by a conquering king whose prisoner he
is. Not just the prisoner of Caesar but of the Lord. Humbled.
End of the book of Acts – Pl humbled and imprisoned. As for
Jesus, faithfulness means suffering, false accusations, imprisonment.
Why doesn’t God stand up and fight?
This is how he fights with humility and gentleness. X and
all X’s people. Cross then glory. Life through death.
This pattern overflows to all X’s servants.
4:1-8, 11-2, psalm 68 – psalm of procession to temple,
journey from Egypt to promised land, warfare and victory, conquered enemies,
celebration of triumph centred on the temple sanctuary, tribute from all the
world, praise from all the nations
Who is this warrior? Ps: Yahweh - V8 – X
Who are the conquered? Pl is head of the list
The ones the Lord gives to his people are themselves the
conquered: apostles, prophets, but also evangelists and pastor teachers, and no
doubt youth workers and women’s workers too
We are conquered enemies of J. Humbling’s and sufferings
should not surprise us.
Pl sufferings are for them, their glory.
If we are suffering in ministry, we are in such good
company!
God’s power is on display in ordinary church life and
relationships. The humiliations of the Apostle show the power of God.
J God’s conquering king is supreme.
We are part of a much bigger unseen battle. God is fighting.
All that goes on really does have significance.
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