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Ephesians chapter three, as we 
work our way through this letter of the apostle Paul to the church 
in Ephesus. We're in Ephesians three, I'll 
read the chapter and then our focus will be on verses one to 
seven. So Ephesians three, beginning 
in verse one. For this reason I, Paul, the 
prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles, if indeed you have 
heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which was given 
to me for you, how that by revelation he made known to me the mystery, 
as I have briefly written already, by which when you read you may 
understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. which in other 
ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been 
revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets, that 
the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers 
of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became 
a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to 
me by the effective working of His power. To me, who am less 
than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I 
should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 
and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which 
from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created 
all things through Jesus Christ. to the intent that now the manifold 
wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities 
and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose 
which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have 
boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Therefore 
I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which 
is your glory. For this reason, I bow my knees 
to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family 
in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according 
to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might through 
his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your 
hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in 
love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the 
width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ 
which passes knowledge. that you may be filled with all 
the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do 
exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according 
to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church 
by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, we 
thank you for this wonderful letter of the Apostle to these 
Ephesian believers, and by extension to us, the people of God in this 
21st century setting. We ask that you would give us 
ears to hear and hearts to receive these things. May it encourage 
us to reflect upon the blessedness of redemptive history, to focus 
upon that mystery of Christ, the reality that it's in Him, 
that we have redemption through His blood, both Jew and Gentile, 
as one new man. And may you be glorified in this 
time, and may you cause us to walk in a manner that is, in 
fact, worthy of this gospel. And we pray again for the forgiveness 
of all of our sins and for leading and direction by your Holy Spirit 
now. And we ask through Christ the Lord, Amen. Well, as we saw 
last time, in chapter 2, the apostle celebrates the grace 
of God. First, in verses 1 to 10, in 
the salvation of individual sinners, and then in verses 11 to 22, 
in terms of Gentile inclusion in the covenant of grace. Now, 
when he comes to chapter 3, the main emphasis is praise and praise. If you look specifically at verse 
1 and at verse 14, you will see they start off the same. Verse 
1 of chapter 3, for this reason, and then in verse 14, for this 
reason. Most commentators, and I agree 
with them, see verses 2 to 13 as a digression. So having exalted 
the glory of God and his free grace in chapter two, Paul wants 
to go to the throne to praise him, to adore him and to glorify 
him. But the message or rather the 
reference to him being in prison in verse one leads him to this 
digression in verses two to 13. Notice at the end of the digression, 
verse 13, therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations 
for you, which is your glory. So he knows, and as he says, 
he's a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ. As I mentioned this morning, 
if you look back for just a moment to chapter one, you see the exalted 
position of our blessed Savior. In Ephesians 1 at verse 19, and 
what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe 
according to the working of his mighty power, which he worked 
in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him 
at his right hand in the heavenly places. far above all principality 
and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, 
not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. And 
he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over 
all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of 
him who fills all at all. One might conclude with that 
exalted position of the Savior, of the head of the church, then 
certainly those that make up the body of the church would 
go unscathed in this present world. They would be able to 
just enjoy the great things of life without any sort of influence 
by the exterior world. Well, that's not the case. If 
you look specifically at chapter 6, the apostle is going to tell 
them to be strong in the power of God's might. Notice in chapter 
6 at verse 10, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in 
the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God 
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against 
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness 
of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly 
places." So even though Christ is exalted at the right hand 
of God Most High, that does not mean that everything is going 
to be hunky-dory in this world. There is still sin. We await 
the consummation. We await the second coming of 
our blessed Savior. We await that eternal state. 
But until that time, good men go to prison. Until that time, 
good men suffer. Until that time, good men are 
often tried and afflicted. So Paul spends verses 2 to 13 
to explain the reason for that. And the first thing that he highlights 
is the stewardship that he has received, the stewardship of 
the mystery of Christ. We see that in verses one to 
seven. And then secondly, next time 
we're gonna see in verses eight to 13, how this all works according 
to the eternal purpose and plan of God most high. So with that 
introduction, let's look at our text, verses one to seven, under 
two considerations. First, the imprisonment of the 
apostle in verse one, and then secondly, the stewardship of 
the apostle in verses two to seven. If you notice in verse 
two, if indeed you have heard of the dispensation, that word 
would be better translated as stewardship, and we'll get to 
that in just a moment. But in terms of his imprisonment, 
we need to remember the background of his imprisonment. Remember 
way back in the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul caused a stir 
in a Jewish synagogue. When they were not responding 
to the preaching of Christ as the Messiah, Jesus as the Messiah, 
he said that he's going to turn and go to the Gentiles. And on 
the heels of that particular announcement, this is in Acts 
chapter 22, there was an uproar. They wanted him to be beaten. 
They wanted him to be flogged. They wanted him to be imprisoned. 
They wanted to get rid of him. They did not respond favorably 
to this particular thing. And then in chapter 23, the apostle 
stands before the Sanhedrin and basically makes his defense. 
And toward the end of chapter 23, Paul learns from a nephew 
that there is a plot, a conspiracy to murder him. As a result of 
that, he's moved over to Caesarea. And there in Caesarea, he stands 
before Felix, a Roman magistrate, and he presents his case there. 
Well, at the end of chapter 24, in verse 27, it says that he 
was detained for two years. Now, at the end of that two-year 
period, he still had to face other civil magistrates, and 
in the course of that, he appeals to Caesar. And Agrippa makes 
the observation, we would have let him go if he hadn't appealed 
to Caesar. But that he appealed to Caesar, 
he must then go to Rome. So he spends this two-year detention 
in Caesarea, and then the Book of Acts ends with a two-year 
imprisonment in Rome. Now there is a second imprisonment 
in Rome that the New Testament speaks of, specifically in 2 
Timothy. So the book of Acts ends at the 
year AD 60, Paul in prison from AD 60 to 62. While he's in prison, 
he pens what we call the prison epistles. This is one of them, 
Ephesians, as well Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. And then, as I mentioned, he's 
released after AD 62. This is under Nero. AD 62, Nero still had enough 
of his sense to allow the apostle to escape, or go, rather, at 
that particular time. He goes and he ministers. It's 
at that time that he writes 2 Timothy, he writes Hebrews, and then he's 
ultimately arrested again, or he's arrested again, and he alludes 
to that in 2 Timothy. Now, if we look specifically 
at our text, for this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ 
Jesus for you Gentiles. He says he was a prisoner of 
Christ Jesus. I mentioned this morning, not 
in an active sense. Jesus didn't come down out of 
heaven, arrest the apostle Paul, take him to jail, and put him 
in jail. But in the passive sense. It is for the work that he did 
on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gil says, who has made a prisoner 
for Christ on account of preaching Christ and his gospel. But I 
want to suppose or I want to suggest that probably there is 
an active sense as well. Again, not that Christ came and 
arrested him, but he's not the prisoner of Caesar. He's not 
the prisoner of the unbelieving Jews. He's not the prisoner of 
any sort of human authority. He is ultimately under the control 
of the sovereignty of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Because he 
preached, because he labored, and because he directed his attention 
to those Gentiles, he was ultimately put into jail as a result of 
Christ's plan for him. And the Apostle experienced what 
Peter would write of in 1 Peter 4, verses 15 and 16. Peter says, 
let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a 
busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, 
let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. So the apostle is conscious of 
the fact that he's in this prison cell because ultimately of his 
commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ, but then notice for the 
Gentiles, he's not in prison for, you know, the money that 
he tried to make and the bank robbery. He's not in prison for 
any crime that he himself had committed. He's in that prison. 
for the Gentiles. That's what he says. I, Paul, 
the prisoner of Christ for you Gentiles. Now, if you go back 
to the book of Acts, you can see how this is fleshed out. 
Acts chapter nine, initially. Acts chapter nine, initially. Specifically at verse 15, this 
is the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. And in verse 15 of chapter 
nine, the Lord said to him, to Paul, for he is, or rather to 
Ananias, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name, notice, 
before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. Turn over 
to chapter 13, verses 46 to 48. chapter 13, verses 46 to 48. We asked the question, why is 
he in prison for the Gentiles? Well, we're going to see why. 
In chapter 13, he's preaching in Pisidian Antioch, and obviously 
there is an outrage against what he had preached in terms of Jesus 
of Nazareth being the the Messiah of Israel. And notice in verse 
46, then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, it was necessary 
that the word of God should be spoken to you first, but since 
you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, 
behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded 
us, I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should 
be for salvation to the ends of the earth. Now, when the Gentiles 
heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. 
And as many as had been appointed to eternal life, Turn to chapter 
22, a passage I alluded to in the introduction. Chapter 22, 
as I mentioned, verse 21, then he said to me, this is Christ's 
words to the apostle, depart for I will send you far from 
here to the Gentiles. Again, he's before a Jewish audience, 
notice in verse 22. And they listened to him until 
this word. And then they raised their voices 
and said, away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not 
fit to live. Then as they cried out and tore 
off their clothes and threw dust into the air, the commander ordered 
him to be brought into the barracks and said that he should be examined 
under scourging so that he might know why they shouted so against 
him. See, brethren, this is what we've seen in chapter 2. The 
tension that was there between Jew and Gentile is being eradicated 
by the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. And now Paul is rehearsing 
that in chapter 3, and he calls it the mystery of Christ. We're 
going to see that as we proceed. But again, why is he in jail? Because of the Gentiles. Turn 
to chapter 28. Chapter 28, he arrives in Rome for that two-year 
detention, that first Roman imprisonment, and some Jews come to visit him. 
And notice what he says in chapter 28 specifically, we'll pick up 
at verse 17. It came to pass after three days 
that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when 
they had come together, he said to them, men and brethren, Though 
I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our 
fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem 
into the hands of the Romans, who, when they had examined me, 
wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting 
me to death. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled 
to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse 
my nation. Now notice in verse 20, For this 
reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak 
with you, because for the hope of Israel, I am bound with this 
chain." Now, these unbelieving Jews didn't get this, but what 
Paul is saying sort of summarizes God's redemptive plan. The hope 
of Israel is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to save His 
people from their sins, not just Jews, but also Gentiles. So when 
we go back to this particular epistle, when he says, for this 
reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, for you Gentiles, 
he's not making this up. He is there because of unbelieving 
Jews and their outrage against him for having this ministry 
to the Gentiles. John Eady says, for his vindication 
of such truths as formed the last paragraph of the preceding 
chapter that Gentiles with Jews have access to the Father through 
the Son and the Spirit, he says, roused Jewish jealousy and indignation. Now, let's move secondly to the 
stewardship of the apostle, the stewardship that he has received 
by God, this gift given to him. And that's the sort of trajectory 
of the outline this evening. We notice first the stewardship 
as a gift of God, verse two, the stewardship of the mystery 
of Christ, specifically in verses three to six. And then finally, 
the stewardship as a demonstration of the power of God. So look 
at verse two, if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of the 
grace of God, which was given to me for you. Notice the structural 
parallel. He's in prison for you. He has 
been given this gift for you. Paul is a servant, Paul is a 
deacon, Paul is a minister, Paul is not only a blood-bought child 
of God, but he is a servant at the beck and call of the triune 
majesty. And he's always aware of that, 
he's fully conscious of that, and he appreciates that blessed 
reality. So notice, the affirmation of 
his stewardship. Verse two in the New King James 
almost sounds uncertain. If indeed you have heard, the 
NIV renders it better. Surely you have heard. It is 
an affirmation. It is a certainty. It is something 
that they were well aware of in terms of his ministry unto 
them. And then he describes the office. 
If indeed you have heard of the stewardship of the grace of God, 
which was given to me for you. The particular word means responsibility 
of management. And Paul applies the idea of 
administration to the office of an apostle. He does this in 
1 Corinthians 9, 17. So you've got to see the flow 
of thought. I'm a prisoner of Christ Jesus 
for you Gentiles. This didn't happen because Paul 
thought, you know what? I want to be a prisoner of Christ 
Jesus for the Gentiles. No, it happened because of the 
divine plan. It happened because of the divine 
purpose. It happened because of the sovereignty of God Most 
High. Remember the call of the prophet Jeremiah. He goes back 
to the womb in Jeremiah chapter 1. Paul does the same thing in 
Galatians chapter 1. He separated him from his mother's 
womb. It doesn't mean he was converted 
then. It doesn't necessarily mean, well, it doesn't mean he 
was an apostle, you know, when he was a toddler. But God had 
his sights upon the Apostle and set him apart for this particular 
mission. And he gives this ministry to 
him that Paul identifies here as a stewardship. And in terms 
of the stewardship itself, it was given to him by God and it 
was given to him for the Gentiles. Turn over to Romans 12, where 
you see the same recognition on the part of the Apostle Paul. 
And brethren, I think this is very important because it not 
pretty much too recently, but in the history of the church, 
there have been those who have tried to put a wedge between 
Jesus and the apostle Paul. You know, Jesus had this super 
high ethical teaching and just wanted people to be obedient 
and tow the line and be good people and good citizens and 
social justice warriors. And then the apostle Paul comes 
along with this doctrine of justification by faith alone. Paul never lets 
us forget that the message he preached, the message he spoke, 
the message he delivered was of God. And when it comes to 
this, we need to appreciate that he saw himself in that particular 
light. Notice in Romans 12, 3, for I 
say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among 
you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to 
think, but to think soberly as God has dealt to each one a measure 
of faith. So he says, the grace given to 
me. He doesn't think that he is an 
island unto himself. Look at 1515. Chapter 1515. Nevertheless, brethren, I have 
written more boldly to you on some points as reminding you 
because of the grace given to me by God. He doesn't throw his 
weight around in the churches because he's the Apostle Paul. 
He throws his weight around in the churches because he's God's 
minister. He's God's steward. He's God's 
entrusted agent with the mystery of Christ. Then as well, notice 
in 1 Corinthians 3 at verse 10. 1 Corinthians 3 at verse 10, 
according to the grace of God, which was given to me as a wise 
master builder, I have laid the foundation and another builds 
on it, but let each one take heed how he builds on it. And 
then Galatians 2, Galatians 2 specifically at verse nine, Galatians 2 at 
verse nine. He's talking about his post or 
his second post-conversion visit to Jerusalem when he meets the 
leading man in Jerusalem. And notice in Galatians chapter 
six, Galatians chapter two, verse seven. On the contrary, when 
they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed 
to me as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter. For he who worked 
effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised 
also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles. So Galatians 
2.8 is the text I meant to call out. He has been given this stewardship 
by God, and that's the emphasis again in Ephesians 2. And you 
can see the connection. I'm not in jail because I'm a 
criminal. I'm not in jail because I rob banks. I'm not in jail 
because I like to bury hatchets in people's heads. I'm in jail 
because God Most High called me. He separated me from my mother's 
womb. On the way to Damascus, he saved 
me. I saw the enthroned, the risen, the blessed Christ. He 
gave me life eternal, and then he laid this job at my feet. He said, you are gonna be my 
chosen vessel to go to the Gentiles, to kings, and then to the children 
of Israel. That's the flow of the book of 
Acts. So in this passage, he wants us to know that his imprisonment 
is due to the fact that he's obedient to God most high in 
carrying out this work. Now notice, secondly, the stewardship 
of the mystery of Christ. Look at this bit in verses three 
to six. He says, how that by revelation 
he made known to me the mystery, as I have briefly written already, 
by which when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the 
mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the 
sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the spirit to his 
holy apostles and prophets, that the Gentiles should be fellow 
heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ through 
the gospel. So the revelation of the mystery 
is in verses 3 to 5, and then the content of the mystery is 
in verse 6. Now this word mystery sounds 
pretty mysterious, doesn't it? What's Paul doing here? Is he 
a secret agent on behalf of God? Well, I think the text pretty 
well answers what a mystery is. Something that was at one time 
hidden and now is revealed. Something that was at one time 
hidden and that now is revealed. In fact, G.K. Beal describes 
it that way. The revelation of God's partially 
hidden wisdom, particularly as it concerns events occurring 
in the latter days. We're going to unpack this as 
we move through the passage, but notice the fact of God's 
revelation to Paul, verses 3 and 4. Again, the divine origin of 
the apostle's message. He did not concoct this. He did 
not originate this. He did not fabricate this. He 
did not make up the doctrine of justification by faith. Justification 
by faith makes its first appearance in Genesis 15. We see it carried 
all throughout the scripture. I mentioned Zechariah chapter 
3 this morning, that high priest standing before Yahweh with the 
devil there to accuse him. How is he justified? How is he 
accepted? Is it based on the works of Joshua? Is it based on the works of Israel? 
No! Joshua is filthy before the living 
and the true God. He's justified by grace through 
faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. That message is consistent throughout 
scripture. The Apostle didn't originate 
that, and the Apostle highlights the fact that he was the recipient 
of divine revelation. The book of Acts records six 
Six visions that Paul was given. Six visions. We looked at one 
there in chapter 9 at verse 15. That's Christ appearing to Ananias, 
but then we have Christ appearing to Paul or Saul of Tarsus prior 
to that. And there are six times that 
Jesus does appear to the apostle to give him information. but 
I think he's referring to what he says in Galatians chapter 
1. You can turn there. Galatians chapter 1. So there 
is this revelation given to him by God vis-a-vis visions, but 
then there is this specific revelation concerning the gospel of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Now, if you look at Galatians 
1, specifically at verse 1, he says, Paul, an apostle, Not from 
man nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father. 
Look which side Jesus appears on. He's not with man nor men. He's on the side of God the Father. Yes, Jesus was in fact true humanity, 
but Jesus is divinity. He is God from God, light from 
light, true God from true God. This is a strong adversative, 
this word but. Paul, an apostle, not from men 
nor through men, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father 
who raised him from the dead. In other words, Paul's authority 
did not originate with any body of men. Paul's authority originated 
with God Most High, with our blessed Savior. Now drop down 
to verse 11. I make known to you, brethren, 
that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 
For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but 
it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have 
heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the 
Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And 
I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in 
my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of 
my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my 
mother's womb and called me through His grace to reveal His Son in 
me, Notice, "...that I might preach him among the Gentiles, 
I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did 
I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, 
but I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus." See, for 
the Apostle Paul, he wants to make sure that the readership 
knows this isn't his message. He didn't make it up. He didn't 
originate, he didn't develop it. It was rather given to him 
by revelation from God most high. So going back to Ephesians chapter 
three, we notice how that by revelation in verse three, he 
made known to me the mystery. And then when he says, parenthetically, 
as I have briefly written already, that refers to chapters one and 
two in this particular epistle. Remember, this was a letter that 
was read and they were hearing it. This was a letter that was 
read and they were hearing it. So when he says, as I have briefly 
written already, by which when you read again and again and 
again, because that's what we're supposed to do with divinely 
inspired epistles, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of 
Christ. Now, notice what he then goes 
on to say concerning this mystery of Christ. He says, which in 
other ages was not made known to the sons of men. What does 
he mean by that? He means simply this. that the 
Gentiles will be included in the covenant of grace is made 
manifest in the Old Testament scriptures. How the Gentiles 
will be made partakers of the covenant of grace awaited the 
coming of the Messiah. Now, there are types and shadows 
and things that on this side of redemptive history, when we 
see the Lamb of God, we look back at that Levitical system, 
we say, oh yeah, it all makes perfect sense now. So in the 
former times, it was revealed that there would be Gentiles 
included in the covenant promises of God. Psalm 117, what does 
the psalmist say? Under inspiration of the Spirit, 
he calls upon the Gentiles to praise Israel's God. You have 
that Genesis 9 oracle of Noah speaking about Jephthah finding 
solace in the tent of Shem. You find these promises made 
to Abraham and to Isaac and Jacob, that in them all the nations 
of the earth would be blessed, not because they were great guys, 
but because of their seed. You see this message developed 
all throughout the prophets, all throughout the Psalter. You 
see it vividly in Isaiah 53. But again, on that side of the 
cross, it wasn't as clear. Remember that scene in Acts chapter 
8 when Philip comes upon that Ethiopian eunuch? And the Ethiopian 
eunuch is reading the prophet Isaiah. He's reading Isaiah 53. He's reading about Jesus in the 
substitutionary atonement. And Philip asks him about it, 
and the eunuch says, well, how can I understand? Is he speaking 
about himself? Is he speaking about somebody 
else? So it says that Philip took this scripture and he opened 
up the scripture and preached Jesus to him. So there was enough 
shadow and enough sort of typology that they didn't see vividly 
the blood atonement wrought by the second person of the Trinity 
who took on our humanity. That's Paul's point. So the mystery 
isn't something that has never been communicated. The fact of 
Gentile inclusion was communicated in the Old Testament, but the 
manner in which Gentile inclusion would come to pass came with 
the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. So notice he makes that 
observation. Verse five, which in other ages 
was not made known to the sons of men. Notice, as it has now 
been revealed by the spirit to his holy apostles and prophets. 
Vis-a-vis the things that he's just said in Ephesians chapter 
two at verses 13 to 18, right? That's his point. In the former 
ages, there was information. But in this present age, we have 
the full-blown manifestation of God's redemptive plan of Gentile 
inclusion in the covenant promises of God. Is everybody with me? 
Because that's what he's speaking about. He is that steward of 
that mystery of Christ. Christ was promised in the Old 
Testament. Christ was typified in the Old 
Testament. Christ was foreshadowed in the 
Old Testament. Christ was believed on in the 
Old Testament as well. So it's not to say that there 
was no salvation by grace through faith in Christ. Abel was saved 
by grace through faith in Christ. Abraham was, Moses was, Abraham, 
Isaac, Jacob, all of the brothers in the Old Testament were saved 
in the same way. They were looking forward to 
the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but they did not have 
the same sort of perception that we now have. Peter speaks to 
this very same issue. You can turn to the book of 2 
Peter. I'm sorry, 1 Peter. 1 Peter 1 at verse 10. Of this 
salvation, the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, 
who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching 
what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them 
was indicating when he testified beforehand the sufferings of 
Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed 
that, not to themselves, but to us, they were ministering 
the things which now have been reported to you through those 
who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent 
from heaven. Things which angels desire to 
look into. So going back to Ephesians, he 
says, which in other ages has not been made known to the sons 
of men, as it has now been revealed by the spirit to his only apostles 
and prophets. There is this anticipation and 
realization motif. The Old Testament anticipates, 
the New Testament realizes. The Old Testament promises, the 
New Testament fulfills. That's progressive revelation. 
God didn't just drop everything all of a sudden at everybody's 
feet. There is this beginning in Genesis, 
and then this movement through the prophets, and movement through 
the Psalter, until the fullness of the time had come, when God 
sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law. So Paul's 
stewardship was as a minister of that mystery of Christ. And 
then notice what he says in verse 5. He says, as it has now been 
revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets. So the revelation is given to 
God, to God's holy apostles and prophets, likely New Testament 
prophets, not the Old Testament prophets, because there's this 
contrast between ages before and what's happening now. Old 
Testament prophets prophesied concerning Jesus. Nobody disputes 
that. But in this particular situation 
in chapter five, the Spirit makes known to the apostles and to 
the prophets this blessed mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ. And 
notice that. Sometimes people wonder, are 
the scriptures really divinely inspired? Yeah, they are. It 
was given by the Holy Spirit to the apostles and to the prophets. And notice the Trinity. We've 
got the mystery of Christ revealed by the Spirit to the fathers, 
apostles, and prophets. I'm trying to tell you over and 
over again that Paul speaks of the Trinity over and over again. Chapter 1, verses 3 to 14. Chapter 
2, verses 11 to 22. Chapter 3, verses 5 and 6. It's 
the mystery of Christ revealed by the Spirit of Christ. to the 
Fathers, Apostles, and Prophets. It is a most blessed emphasis 
by the Apostle. Matthew Poole says, by the Spirit 
instructing the Apostles and Prophets and immediately acquainting 
them with this mystery. So that's the stewardship. Now 
notice the content of the mystery, the revelation. and now the content 
in verse six. And it's everything he's already 
said in chapter two. It's everything he's already said in chapter 
two in more detail in chapter two, but look at what he says 
in verse six, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the 
same body and partakers of his promise in Christ through the 
gospel. Just like he says earlier in 
verse 14 of chapter two, he himself is our peace who has made both 
one and has broken down the middle wall of separation having abolished 
in his flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained 
in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the 
two, thus making peace, and that he might reconcile them both 
to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death 
the enmity. And he came and preached peace 
to you who were far off and to those who were near, for through 
him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." So notice 
in verse six, the Gentiles are fellow heirs. not second-class 
citizens in the kingdom of God. Notice that they are of the same 
body, not two peoples of God. We've got the Jews and we've 
got this Gentile parentheses. Once they're raptured, then God 
will get back to the Jews. That's not it. They're of the 
same body. There's one new man created in 
Christ Jesus. Anybody who would try to separate 
the people of God into two is going backward in redemptive 
history. The scriptures are clear at this 
point. Dispensationalism as a hermeneutical 
grid or system is wrong. it simply yields bad fruit at 
the level of the people of God. You are not to separate what 
God has joined together. And God has joined them together 
under the banner of our blessed Savior. So they are fellow heirs, 
they are of the same body, and they are partakers of his promise 
in Christ through the gospel. So not second-class citizens, 
not second-class members, not second-class participants. And 
notice that this is by virtue of their union with Jesus Christ. No spiritual blessing comes apart 
from Him. And it's received through the 
gospel. That gospel of the Lord Jesus. Now, gospel does not mean my 
response to the Christian message. The gospel does not mean the 
warm feeling that I get. Gospel doesn't mean my ethical 
standard. The gospel is a message. It is 
good news. And that good news is that Christ 
Jesus came into this world to live, to die, and to be raised 
again the third day. That's the gospel. Whoever believes 
on that gospel has everlasting life. That's the vehicle or the 
means by which God draws the elect unto himself. and all the 
benefits they receive, whether Jew or Gentile, come by virtue 
of their union with our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember in chapter 
two, at verses 11 and 12, we saw that they had been homeless, 
churchless, hopeless, and godless, but now they had been blessed 
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ 
Jesus, and as a result of Israel's Messiah, they have a home, they 
have a church, they have hope, and they have God himself. That's 
Paul's function in redemptive history, to be the steward of 
the mystery of Christ. That's why he says he was called 
as the apostle to the Gentiles. That's why he took heed from 
unbelieving Jews. That's why there was a bit of 
a difficulty when he comes to Jerusalem to even meet James, 
the leader of the church in Jerusalem, in Acts chapter 21. James meets 
him and says, you know, we've been hearing about your preaching 
out there, that you're telling people they don't need to keep 
the ceremonies of Moses. Of course, they meet, they talk, 
they discuss and all that sort of thing. And as Paul rehearses 
in Galatians chapter two, they extended to him the right hand 
of fellowship. When Paul does come to Jerusalem 
and he meets those men, they find out that he's preaching 
the same Christ. He's preaching the same gospel. He's preaching 
the same truth. And he has been given a particular 
venue in terms of the Gentile people. So that's his function. That's his role. And then notice 
finally ends on the power of God. For the Apostle Paul, everything 
is about God. And in verse seven, he says, 
of which, that goes back to the gospel, of which I became a minister 
according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the 
effective working of his power. the ministry given to Paul. We've 
already seen a few of those passages. The particular word that he uses 
here, minister, it's the word we call deacon. Deacon has a 
few different sort of shades of meaning, and it's the idea 
is he's a minister. And there's a civil, sort of 
a deacon, he is the civil magistrate. And then we have deacons in the 
church which function as ministers or servants in terms of the various 
things that need doing in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
It's not uncommon for the Apostle Paul to call himself a minister, 
a deacon, a servant. One who does the bidding of another, 
and in this case, it is God. Now, I want to just run through 
this briefly because I think there's a lot to consider here. 
He says, of which I became a minister, notice, according to the gift 
of the grace of God. Now, this is going to at least 
appeal to one of us here, so just indulge me. I'm part of 
the church, I need to be preached to as well. First, there's the 
grace involved in his conversion to Christ. The grace involved 
in his conversion to Christ. Acts chapter nine, he didn't 
come to Christ on his own. I mean, he was, everything about 
him was going the other way. Why was he going to Damascus? 
Because he wanted to go to the revival meeting? Because he wanted 
to give his heart to Jesus? Because he wanted to say the 
sinner's prayer? Because he wanted that old time religion? No, he 
was going to Damascus because he had extradition papers. He 
was going to go seize believers from there, take them back to 
Jerusalem and have them punished. That was his mission in Acts 
chapter 9. Saul of Tarsus wanted to exterminate 
the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. So what happens on that 
road? Christ comes to him, Christ conquers 
him, Christ saves him. So we see the grace of God given 
to him in terms of his own personal salvation. But then Christ separates 
him as a particular instrument to go and to testify to Gentiles, 
kings, and the children of Israel. So it was a grace given to him 
to be a gospel minister. It was the grace given to him 
to engage in this particular activity. That's what he says. 
Of which I became a minister, gospel, according to the gift 
of the grace of God given to me. Now, the point that I want 
to make is that the consideration of gospel ministry as a gift 
and not as a drudgery. Paul doesn't look at his calling 
as something to be bemoaned. Paul isn't sitting there saying, 
oh, woe is me. I'm languishing in a prison. Everybody's forgotten about me. 
No, I'm the prisoner of Jesus Christ. He's not saying that 
in a bad way. He's not saying, for you Gentiles, 
like you dirty, rotten scoundrels, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't 
be in this. No, he's happy. He's the apostle 
of joy, faith, hope, and love. He's a man who is given over 
to the service of God and to the service of the church of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Peter says that elders 
are to serve not by compulsion, but rather eagerly. If any man 
desires the office of a bishop, it's a good thing. We don't push 
men into it. We don't force men into it. We 
don't make men do it against their will. As far as the apostle 
is concerned, this is a gift given by God wherein I get to 
go preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to these Gentiles 
so that they can meet God through Christ and thus fulfill that 
redemptive plan. The gospel ministry is a gift 
given by God Most High. It's not drudgery. It's not a 
heartache. It's not a hardship. I made this 
application last Sunday night in Surrey. It was based on something 
that Pastor Merrick had said when he had visited here a month 
ago, two ago. I don't have any concept of time 
anymore. But we're at a house for a meal 
with Pastor Merrick, and one of the things that he re-encouraged 
me to think about is encourage young men to pursue ministry. Encourage the youth in the church 
to consider this as a calling to be pursued. We don't want 
to die out after a generation. We'd rather see successive generations 
rise up, be identified, be vetted, make sure they're qualified, 
they're gifted and enabled to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. 
It is a high and noble calling. And as Paul says, it is gifted 
by God to his servants. It's not drudgery, it's not hardship, 
it's not something that he wants to cease and desist from, but 
rather he is encouraged about it and he loves it. But one other 
observation of which I became a minister, and Gil helps me 
here, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the 
grace of God given to me. How does a man, Paul, for instance, 
go and canvas the amount of miles that he does in three missionary 
journeys that we have recorded in Acts, and most likely a fourth 
missionary journey after AD 60 to 62, when he's released from 
that first Roman imprisonment? How does a man do that? How does 
he preach tirelessly in all those cities, in all those places? 
How does he bear up under the whipping? How does he bear up 
under the imprisonment? Excuse me one more time here. 
How does he deal with the discouragements that come from the churches themselves? 
How does he do it? God's graced him, God's gifted 
him, God has enabled him. I've told you before, I know 
I've told you before, in 2 Timothy chapter four, he knows he's going 
to die. He announces that very clearly. 
This is one of the reasons why Timothy is supposed to preach 
the word. For the time of my departure is at hand. How does 
he end that section? He says, bring the books, especially 
the parchments when you come to see me, bring my cloak, I 
left it in Troas, it's a bit nippy in this jail cell. And 
then he starts to tell Timothy where he wants different men. 
I want him here. I want him there. He's strategizing. He's the general. He's conducting 
battlefield strategies from a prison cell in terms of the extension 
of Christ's kingdom. How does the apostle do that? 
He had been uniquely gifted by our blessed God. When God calls 
a man to a particular task, he fits the man for that task. Remember 
Spurgeon's little quip. If God means for, you know, behemoth 
to fly, he's going to put wings on him. He obviously hasn't meant 
for Behemoth to fly because he hadn't put wings on him. There 
is a gifting and a qualification that is requisite. Paul speaks 
to this in 1 Timothy 3 at verse 2. He must be apt to teach. All of those qualifications are 
things that every man and every woman should aspire after. None 
of us should be drunkards. None of us should be greedy for 
money. None of us should have lawlessness in our homes. None 
of us should have a bad testimony toward those on the outside. 
The one thing that makes that list in 1 Timothy 3 unique in 
terms of eldership is that he must be apt to teach. He must 
have received a gift from God in order to be able to make known 
the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, if a man does not have that 
gift, that doesn't mean he's a bad man. It doesn't mean that 
at all. Sometimes I've seen that in pastoral 
experience. People want to be in ministry, 
but they're not fit. They're not qualified, not at 
the level of virtue, not at the level of characteristic, but 
at the level of gift. If God is going to use you in 
the gospel ministry, he's going to equip you to engage in gospel 
ministry. If he intends for Behemoth to 
fly, he'll slap some wings on him so that he can go airborne. 
Gil makes the observation with reference to the gifting of Paul 
specifically, but a gift of interpreting the scriptures and of explaining 
the truths of the gospel to the edification of man. That's absolutely 
positively what we see in Paul. Yes, he had the steadfast determination 
to bear up under lashings. Yes, he had the steadfast determination 
to bear up under difficult trials. Yes, he had the ability to be 
in perils often from his own countrymen. He had the constant 
burden of the church. All of that, he was fitted by 
God. But in the final analysis, Paul was Paul because he could 
preach. Paul was Paul because he could 
write. Paul was Paul because he could 
expound the mystery of Christ so that he could make known this 
glorious message for subsequent ages. We're 20 centuries removed 
from him and we are studying his letters in great detail. Why? because they smell of Christ, 
they reek of our blessed Savior, they ooze the glory of redemption. And so therefore we give ourselves 
to this because the Apostle Paul had been given the gift of interpreting 
the scriptures and of explaining the truths of the gospel to the 
edification of men. but it wasn't his own native 
ability, it wasn't his own gift. He sees the gift as given by 
God, but it's ultimately a manifestation or a demonstration of God's great 
power. Of which verse seven, I became 
a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to 
me, notice, by the effective working of his power, by the 
effective working of his power. Turn back to 1 Corinthians chapter 
two, First Corinthians chapter, well, chapter one, we see with 
reference to God's way, God's means, God's purpose in the salvation 
of sinners. Not many wise, not many noble, 
but the base are called by God. You look previous to that, the 
message itself in chapter one, beginning in verse 18, notice 
the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, right? Brethren, you got to know that, 
right? People that are not Christians think you're nuts. They do, if 
they haven't told you, that's kind of what they think. They 
think you're just off your nut. You're weird. Really? You're 
going to go to heaven because of what somebody else did? Are 
you kidding me? They don't even believe in heaven. 
They don't believe in hell. They don't believe in God. They 
don't believe in creation. They don't believe in any of 
that. They think you're nuts. So the Apostle says, for the message 
of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. He's 
right, isn't he? And yet, it is the power of God 
unto salvation for everyone who believes. And then, the recipients 
of that message. I mean, look at the kind of people 
that are in the church. I mean, come on. It's not the 
best and the brightest, is it? I mean, really? You're going 
to tell us you're the noble, dignified servants of God Most 
High? Yeah, that's what we're going 
to tell you. They're going to laugh at you. Paul's addressing that. The message looks like foolishness 
to the world, but so do the recipients of the message. They look like 
foolishness. Look at verse 26. For you see your calling, brethren, 
not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many 
noble are called, but God has chosen the foolish things of 
the world to put to shame the wise. So the message isn't appealing 
to the world. They think it's nuts. The people 
of God are not appealing to the world. They think they're nuts. 
But neither is the preacher. Look at chapter 2. And I, brethren, 
when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or 
of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God." He wasn't 
an orator, he wasn't skilled in speaking, he wasn't powerful 
in that regard. In fact, listen to what he says 
in verse 2, 4, I determined not to know anything among you except 
Jesus Christ, named crucified. And then in verse 3, no church 
today would hire him. I guarantee you, no church would 
hire him. You know, if they knew he was 
Paul, if he fell out of heaven, well, yeah, we're obligated to 
hire him. But I tell you, if somebody sat in a ministerial 
interview and actually said to them, you know, I'm very weak, 
I'm very fearful, I tremble a lot, I got some issues. Okay, next. All right, we want the guy that's, 
you know, robust. We want the guy that's got the 
big chest and the big guns and he's got a commanding presence. 
The real alpha male. We want that guy. We'll hire 
that guy. Listen, Paul, I was with you 
in weakness and fear and in much trembling. Well, then you must 
be a good preacher, right, Paul? You don't have the persona or 
the characteristics. You're not the alpha male that's 
going to go out there and conquer Corinth for Jesus. No, my preaching 
ain't really anything to write home about. Notice verse four. 
My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of 
human wisdom. Now here it comes, okay? This 
is what every minister of the gospel leans on. But, he says, 
in demonstration of the spirit and of power. So the fearful, 
trembling, weak man who doesn't have the oratory or the persuasion 
gifted, enabled, called, and vetted by the church, doing what 
God has called him to do, that is a demonstration of the spirit 
and of power. And notice the purpose in verse 
five, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of man, 
but in the power of God. Oh, Paul, your oratory, Paul, 
your powers of persuasion. Paul, you're such an amazing 
speaker. Paul, we're going to give our 
hearts to Jesus. No, that's not what the purpose 
is. Paul is Paul so that Christ can 
be Christ. Notice what he says in 2 Corinthians 
chapter 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, same 
sort of an emphasis. Verse seven, he says, we have 
this treasure, gospel treasure, going back, verse six, for it 
is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has 
shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the 
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure 
and earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be 
of God and not of us. When sinners get converted, it's 
not because of the persuasive ability of the orator. When sinners 
come to the Lord Jesus Christ, it's not because of the alpha 
maleness of the man in the pulpit. It's because of the glory of 
God Most High, and His sovereign grace, and the effectual call, 
and the beauty of our blessed Savior. That's the emphasis of 
the apostle. He leans on the power of God. Turn to Colossians in a passage 
that is structurally very much parallel to what we're looking 
at here in Ephesians 3. Look at Colossians chapter 1, 
and we're going to conclude soon, but notice in Colossians 1 at 
verse 24. For I now rejoice in my sufferings 
for you and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions 
of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the church, of 
which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God, 
which was given to me for you to fulfill the word of God." 
You see the parallel. You see the similarity. Same 
sort of a thing. Ephesians and Colossians are 
thematically parallel in a lot of ways. Notice, verse 26, the 
mystery, which has been hidden from ages and from generations, 
but now has been revealed to the saints. To them God willed 
to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery 
among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. And then he says, him we preach, 
warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that 
we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Notice in verse 
29, to this end I also labor. Gospel ministry demands labor, 
not laziness, not sit in the office until Saturday and hope 
the word of the Lord comes to you. No. No, no, no, no, no. Study to show yourself approved 
unto God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly 
dividing the word of truth. Notice, to this end I also labor, 
striving according to His mighty working, which works in me mightily. He's not lazy, he's diligent, 
he uses and employs the gifts that have been given to him by 
God, but he leans on God every step of the way. He knows it's 
not his persuasiveness, he knows it's not his oratory, he knows 
it's not his ability when sinners are saved or when persons are 
knowledgeable now of the mystery of Christ, but it is because 
of God's power at work in and through him. So back to Ephesians, 
John Eady says, he was a minister of the gospel through the gracious 
power of God. This reflection ever produced 
within him profound wonder and humility. That is a great observation. You see it fleshed out in verse 
eight. God willing, we'll look at that next week. To me who 
am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given 
that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches 
of Christ. Brethren, a practical observation 
from my vantage point. If God's going to give Spurgeon 
the ministry that he gives Spurgeon, he's going to give Spurgeon the 
humility for the ministry he gave Spurgeon. Not every man 
can handle celebrity. Not every man can handle that 
big-headedness. Not every man can get out of 
the lane of local church ministry and be recognized as an evangelical 
celebrity. May God protect those men that 
are in those places. May He grant them the grace to 
be able to deal with that kind of high profile. As for me and 
my house, I prefer obscurity. I am not calling you brethren 
obscure. I am simply saying, I want to stay in the land where 
God has placed me. I want no truck whatsoever with 
that kind of a mindset. I wanna seek by the grace of 
God to be faithful to the word of God and to the flock of God 
here. This brother is a model. This 
brother is a paradigm and an example. And I'm sorry, but it's 
coming out here. I love the man. I love what he 
says. And I want to be what he calls us to be. In conclusion, 
we have the divine origin of the gospel. We have the presence 
of Christ in Paul's suffering. Even though he's the prisoner 
of Christ, he is not abandoned by the Savior. You have the power 
of God in Paul's ministry, the glory of Christ in Paul's message, 
the triunity of God in Paul's theology, and finally, the efficacy 
of the gospel in Paul's preaching. Verse six, that the Gentiles 
should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of his 
promise in Christ through the gospel. That's the church's job. That's the church's mission. 
That's the church's calling. It's to preach the gospel. It's 
to be about Christ and Him crucified. It is to be about the whole counsel 
of God. We teach the law. We certainly 
engage in old covenant study or Old Testament study. We go 
through the book of Exodus, try to preach on stuff that is, you 
know, in the text of Scripture, but the primary focus of the 
church of the Lord Jesus in the 21st century is to preach the 
gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. Pray, God most high will grant 
grace to me, to Mike, to Ryan, to the brothers in Dryden, the 
brothers in Honduras, the brothers locally that we know and love, 
that we have alliance with, brothers all throughout Canada, and to 
the uttermost parts of the earth, that they would never tire and 
never shrink back from proclaiming Christ and Him crucified. That 
is the need for the day. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you very much for your word. We thank 
you very much for this epistle of Paul to the Ephesians and 
for what it contains concerning the glory of Jesus Christ, the 
blessedness of our triune God, and that mercy and riches of 
grace that you dispense upon your church. We ask God that 
you would bless this local body, bless the brethren in Surin and 
in Armstrong and in Dryden, bless all of our brothers and sisters 
in our local community here, and cause us to be faithful, 
to be steadfast, and may the church make much of our Lord 
Jesus Christ and Him crucified and resurrected. And we ask this 
in Jesus' name. Amen. We'll close with a brief 
time of meditation, then I'll come back up and we'll pray and 
give thanks to God for food. And then we'll go sadly rejoice 
for our brother Lucas, who I don't want to leave.