— Ephesians 3.1-13 —

Ephesians: God’s Charter to the Church

“Stewardship of the Mystery”

[1] For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—[2] assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, [3] how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. [4] When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, [5] which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. [6] This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

[7] Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. [8] To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9] and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, [10] so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [11] This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, [12] in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. [13] So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

 As Scripture unfolds, we consistently see new Adam’s arise who become principal actors in God’s purpose to build a worldwide ________ for His ________.

 In verses1-3, Paul ___________ and ___________ his stewardship of the mystery.

Acts 9:15-16 - But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

 For Paul, the circumstances of his life matter far _______ than being faithful to His Lord, no matter what may come.

Galatians 1:11-12 - For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

 In verses 4-6, Paul describes the __________ and ___________ of the mystery of Christ.

1 Peter 1:10-12 - Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

 And God always ____________ on His promises. The problem that constantly arises is that these men and Israel as a whole ________ in holding up their side of the covenant.

 Solomon ends up breaking all of the commandments that are given for Israel’s kings in Deuteronomy 17 – acquiring __________ from Egypt, taking many _________ for himself (especially pagan ones), and acquiring for himself _______________ silver and gold. We see all of this play out in 1 Kings 10 and 11.

The mystery that is now being revealed is the ________ Christ, Jew and Gentile alike forming one new humanity.

Proverbs 25:2 - It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.

Numbers 15:15-16 - For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the LORD. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

Deuteronomy 23:3 - “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the LORD forever.”

 There are at least 4 ways that the mysterious _______________ of God’s plan requires divine revelation and spiritual insight to understand it.

The ________ by which the Messiah would fulfill all of God’s promises was unexpected.

1 Corinthians 1:22-23 - For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.

The way the Messiah ____________ and _____________ the Mosaic law.

The ___________ to which the Gentiles have been brought would have been shocking.

Hebrews 10:19-22 - Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

The ___________ of the new creation.

 In verses 7-9, Paul repeats his calling, this time calling himself a minister or better yet, a __________.

1 Corinthians 4:1 - This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

 We should hear Paul pleading with us to meditate upon the immeasurable _____________ of God’s power and for it to be a great source of _____________ in whatever season of life we are in.

 The mere existence of the church, this new ___________, proves to these dark and evil forces that they are ______________.

 Having this type of direct access to Almighty God should not make us timid and fearful, but confident and ________, knowing that God is pleased to work through us and our petitions to bring everything in _______________ to His Son.

Colossians 1:24 - Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.

2 Corinthians 4:10-12 - … always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

 As we willingly take up our cross, offering up ourselves as ___________ sacrifices to God and for others, it is a carrying around in our bodies the death of Christ, which results in the ______ of Christ being manifested in us and becomes life and glory for our brothers and sisters. It is a potent ____________ of the love and grace of the head that goes ____ the body, ___________ the body.

Ephesians 4:12-16 - … until we all attain to the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children… but rather we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.