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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God tonight we have a meal following the service everybody's encouraged and invited or invited encouraged to participate in that for our call to worship you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 117. psalm 117. I'll begin reading in verse 1 praise the Lord all you Gentiles laud him all you peoples for his merciful kindness is great toward us and the truth of the Lord endures forever praise the Lord amen well please turn with me in your hymn books to number 280 that's 2 8 0 will stand as we sing together foreign [Music] that is [Music] in the glory has made [Music] it happy [Music] is on Saturday [Music] Hallelujah foreign [Music] [Music] let us pray our blessed God and Holy Father it is a joy and a privilege to gather again in your house on your day with your people we come to you tonight to praise and to glorify your great and awesome name we confess that you are the most high even Father Son and Holy Spirit from Everlasting to Everlasting and a God who is worthy to be praised and glorified the prophet the Apostle asks who would not fear thee O King of the Nations for indeed it is thy do we know because of sin and our rebellion in Adam none of us fear you none of us seek you as we ought so we praise you for that grace and mercy revealed by you in the gospel of our Salvation we thank you that in your time you sent forth your son born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those under the law we thank you for justification by faith alone for that forgiveness of sins and that imputed righteousness by which we are accepted in the Beloved we know this is according not to The Riches of our good works or our our Faith or our our movement towards you but it's all according to the riches of your grace so God As we sing as we pray as we consider the Holy Scripture tonight May our hearts be drawn out and worship and praise and adoration to our great and glorious God we ask that you would forgive us for all of our sin we know father that you have called us unto righteousness you have called us to to let our conduct be worthy of that Gospel of our Salvation And yet we have that remaining corruption the Apostle speaks of in in Romans and Galatians and we know that the good that we wish to do we don't always do and the evil that we don't want to do we find ourselves doing yet father we know that there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared as the Apostle tells us my little children I write these things so that you may not sin but if anyone does sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous so we plead his Merit now and his blood and we pray for forgiveness and cleansing and we pray God in heaven that you would cause us to to Rejoice over this blessed truth as well father for any and all who've come here tonight that are still dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that you would awaken them by your power according to your Sovereign Grace and Grant them the gift of faith and repentance that they may close with the Savior God we pray for your blessing upon other churches in our community we thank you that we're not here alone we thank you that your word is going forth and other pulpits here and we pray that you would bless the pastors that are Faithfully heralding the truth as it is in Jesus and not just here in Chilliwack but throughout this country we know these are dark days in many ways and we know that the the the the power of the Gospel is that remedy is that answer for for man's desperation man's sin and man's need so we pray that that word would go forth conquering and to conquer and that you would be glorified in the salvation of Sinners throughout this country bless all the pastors that are serving in the various provinces in Canada and just you use them for your glory and for the extension of the kingdom of Christ here on Earth as well father we pray for the church and Surrey and and Armstrong and in Dryden in particular we thank you for the fellowship that we enjoy with these Brethren and pray father that you would just continue to look with with grace and mercy upon these works as well we pray for the missionary Enterprise we know that as we read in Psalm 117 the call of the Gospel isn't isolated it doesn't just go for the Jews but it's for the Jew and the Greek it's for every tribe and every tongue and people in Asia and our hearts are encouraged as we read the various reports of what you are doing elsewhere in the world you think of Pastor Samuel in in Pakistan and thank you for that work and the ministry there we thank you for our brother naphtally in in Kenya and pray that you would continue to bless his labors and use him for your glory as well God for that compound in Myanmar we know that there is a there is a war-torn nation and yet there is that orange Grove there is that place where the people of God are and where your presence is and where you protect them we pray for Peter that you would use him for your glory and for your honor we know of many Works in China as well and thank you that under that Communist Regime nevertheless Jesus Christ is building his church in the gates of Hades shall not Prevail against it we thank you and we Rejoice that we are part of the church militant here on Earth we look forward to that day when we will be the church triumphant Before the Throne of God most high confessing the power and the glory belongs to the lamb who sits upon that throne for having gathered out of every tribe and tongue and people in Asia a glorious Church a great multitude that no man can number until that day help us to be hopeful help us to be encouraged help us to be persevering and steadfast in the faith and we ask these things for your glory and for your honor and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn with me again in your hymn books to Psalm 47 Psalm 47 a as in Alpha and will stand as we sing together [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] he says [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign [Music] with me in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians Ephesians chapter 3 as we work our way through this letter of the Apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus we're in Ephesians 3. I'll read the chapter and then our Focus will be on verses one to seven so Ephesians 3 beginning in verse 1. 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 all 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 when 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 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 asked he would give us ears to hear and hearts to receive these things may it encourage us to reflect upon the 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 in 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 three the main emphasis is praise and prayer 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 2 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 imprisoned in verse 1 leads him to this digression in verses 2 to 13. notice at the end of the digression verse 13 therefore 4 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 in 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 had over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in 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 six 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 right and afflict at 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 going to see in verses 8 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 1 and then secondly the 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 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 saying 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 in prison 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 second Timothy so the book of Acts ends at the year ad60 uh uh Paul in prison from A.D 60 to 62. while he's in prison he pans what we call the prison Epistles this is one of them Ephesians as well Philippians Colossians and philemma and then as I mentioned there he's released after ad62 this is under Nero 8062 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 second Timothy writes Hebrews and then he's ultimately arrested again and or he's arrested again and he alludes to that in second NSA 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 Gill 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 First Peter chapter 4 at verses 15 and 16. Peter says let none of you suffer as a murderer a thief an evil doer 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 in 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 9 initially Acts chapter 9 initially specifically at verse 15. this is the conversion of Saul of Tarsus and in verse 15 of chapter 9 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 ask the question why is he in prison for the Gentiles well we're going to see why in Chapter 13 he's preaching in presidian Antioch and obviously there is an outrage against what he had preached in terms of Jesus of Nazareth being the the the the the uh 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 believed 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 now again he's in a uh before a Jewish audience notice in verse 22 and they listen to him until this word and then they raise 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 that see Brethren this is what we've seen in chapter two the tension that was there between Jew and Gentile is being a 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 uh 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 your 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 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 Edie says for or his Vindication of such truths has formed the last paragraph of the preceding chapter that Gentiles wit Jews have access to the father through the son in the spirit so he says roused Jewish jealousy and indignation now let's move secondly to the stewardship of the apostle this stewardship that he has received by God this gift given to him and that's the 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 is a demonstration of the power of God so look at verse 2 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 given 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 back 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 2 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 First Corinthians 9 17. so you 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 I remember the call of the Prophet Jeremiah he goes back to the womb in Jeremiah chapter 1. Paul does this same thing in Galatians chapter 1. he separated him from his mother's womb 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 to 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 toe the line and be good people and good citizens and 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 life 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 15 15. chapter 15 15 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 the churches because he's God's Minister he's God's Steward he's God's into trusted agent with the mystery of Christ then as well notice in First Corinthians chapter 3 at verse 10. First 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 9. Galatians 2 at verse 9. he's talking about his poster second post-conversion visit to Jerusalem when he meets the the leading man in Jerusalem and notice in Galatians chapter 6 Galatians chapter 2 verse 7. 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 circumcise 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 robbed 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 going to 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 PR 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 3 to 6. 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 three to five and then the content of the ministry 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 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 GK Beale 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 unpacked us as we move through the passage but notice the fact of God's revelation to Paul verses three and four again the divine origin of the Apostles 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 accept accept it 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 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 one you can turn that Galatians chapter one so there is this Revelation given to him by God Visa 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 men nor through man but through Jesus Christ and God the Father look which side Jesus appears on he's not with man nor man 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 man 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 men 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 be 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 3 we notice how that by Revelation in verse 3 he made known to me the mystery and then when he says parenthetically I 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 sham 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 out 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 raiding the prophet Isaiah he's reading Isaiah 53. he's reading about Jesus in the substitution area 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 opened up the scripture and preached to Jesus to him so there was enough Shadow and enough sort of uh uh uh 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 ministry 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 5 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 2 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 cross 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 uh uh Abraham was Moses was Abraham Isaac Jacob all of the 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 II Peter I'm sorry first Peter First Peter chapter 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 Holy 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 gone 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 5 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 father's Apostles and Prophets I've tell I 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 father's 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 or the content of the mystery the Revelation and now the content in verse 6. and it's everything he's already said in chapter two it's everything he's already said in chapter two in you know more detail in Chapter 2 but look at what he says in verse 6 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 2 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 6 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 the the Jews and we've got this Gentile parentheses once they're raptured then 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 2 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 heat 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 2 they extended to him the right hand to 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 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 7 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 Passage edges 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 and it's the idea is he's a minister and there's a civil or uh uh yeah 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 is 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 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 9 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 tar says 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 whoa 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 I wouldn't be in this no he's happy the Apostle of joy and faith hope and love he's a he's a 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 served not by 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 the uh a house for a meal with Pastor American 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 excuse me 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 Gill 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 excuse me in Acts chapter in Acts and most likely a fourth missionary journey after 80 60 to 62 when he's released from that first Roman imprisonment how does a man do that how does he preach and 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 them so how does he do it God's grace to him God's gifted him God has enabled him I think I've told you before I know I've told you before in second 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 sack Shack says bring you know bring the books especially the parchments when you come to see me bring my cloak I left it in troaz it's a bit nippy in this in this jail cell um and then he starts to tell Timothy where he wants different men I want him here I want him there I want he's he's strategizing he's the general he's he's 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 remember spurgeon's little Quest 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 first Timothy chapter 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 that uh list in first 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 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 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 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 can 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 7 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 First Corinthians chapter 2. First Corinthians chapter well chapter one we see with reference to God's way God's means God's purpose and 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've 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 you're not you're 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'll believe in any of that they think you're nuts so the Apostle says for the master 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 that I mean really you 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 that's 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 wives 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 the people of God are not appealing to the world they think they're not but neither is the preacher look at chapter two 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 in you know skilled in speaking he wasn't you know 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 I am crucified and then in verse three no no church today would hire him I I guarantee you no church would hire them 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 well we'll hire that guy listen to Paul I was with you in weakness and fear and in much Tremblay well well then you must be a good preacher right Paul you 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 4. my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom now 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 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of man but in the power of God oh Paul your oratory Paul your powers are 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 in second Corinthians chapter four Second Corinthians chapter four same sort of an emphasis verse 7. he says we have this treasure gospel treasure going back verse 6 for it is the 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 in Earth and 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 uh uh very much parallel to what we're looking at here in Ephesians 3. look at Colossians chapter chapter one and we're going to conclude soon but notice in Colossians 1 at verse 24. for or 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 similarities same sort of a thing Ephesians and Colossians are somatically 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 and all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus notice in verse 29 to this end I also labor okay gospel Ministry demands labor not lazy Ness not sit in the office until Saturday and hope the word of the Lord comes to you no no no no no stop 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 she'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 the John meaning 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 8 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 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 a 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 want to 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 that it coming 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 and 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 and Paul's message the triunity of God in Paul's Theology and finally the efficacy of the Gospel in Paul's preaching verse 6 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 churches call it 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 and 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 appalled 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 Serene and in Armstrong and in Dryden bless all of our 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