Skip to content Unraveling the Mystery of God's Grace from Ephesians 3 Nov 4 · 15 min ...more
Unraveling the Mystery of God's Grace from Ephesians 3
November 4, 2025 · 15 min
Explore Ephesians 3: the revelation of God's grace and inclusivity for all through Jesus Christ.
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The Mystery of Christ Revealed 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Well, I just finished my a morning swim, and so now we can dive into the word of God as we look at Ephesians chapter 3, which is the closing of the first half0:21 of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Verse 3, how that by revelation he made known to me the mystery, as I have briefly written already. So what mystery0:38 instructs believers in the mystery that God revealed to him. But as we've seen before, his teaching is combined with prayers and intercessions for those to whom he is writing. So we're0:50 gonna look at that this morning as well. Verse 1. For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles. Now notice Paul does not say that he is a prisoner of Rome. It is1:02 in his service and obedience to Christ that led him to this imprisonment, and he was not ashamed of the gospel or the consequences of proclaiming that1:13 truth so that people might be made free. Verse 2, if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which was given to me for you, by which when you read, you may1:25 understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. Now this is not a mystery to be solved, but it's a mystery1:37 revealed. This was a mystery because it was unknown until it was revealed in Christ Jesus after his death, burial, and resurrection. Verse 5, which in1:48 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. So what was2:00 this mystery that was made known? Well, at Pentecost, with the start of the church age or the age of grace, which is the dispensation that Paul rest referenced in2:12 verse 2, What is the mystery? Well, that the Gentiles, look at verse 6, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in2:24 Christ through the gospel. So here's the mystery. It is the redemption of Gentiles and Jews into the same body through the grace of God extended2:36 through Jesus Christ. Well, some Gentiles did follow God in the old testament. We talked about that before. They were not 1 with Israel. In fact, they were separated in the temple. There was a2:48 barrier between Jew and Greek. That barrier was removed in Christ Jesus. Now this was the mystery that was kept in the council of3:00 God from before the foundation of the earth. Look at verse 7. 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.3:12 To me, who am less than the least of the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.3:24 Again, notice Paul talking about grace, that he was given this grace. He didn't earn it. He didn't accomplish it. It was given to him, this ability to be the apostle, to the Gentiles, to3:36 preach the grace of God, this mystery. So why was this mystery revealed? Look at verse 9. And to make all see what is the fellowship of the ministry,3:47 which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Christ Jesus. So this mystery was3:59 revealed to make known the grace of God, but it also did more. Look at verse 10. To the intent that now the manifold wisdom, the4:17 principalities and powers in the heavenly places according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our lord. So the revelation of the this hidden plan, this mystery,4:28 makes known the multisided unsearchable wisdom of God to both the angels of light and the angels of darkness through the church. God is showing all of creation4:41 his wisdom through the church. You and I, as followers of Christ, God is using that to display his wisdom to all of creation. So how can the church possibly,4:53 given our fact that we're human, how can we possibly be a witness to all of creation? Through Jesus Christ. Look at verse 12. In whom we have boldness and5:05 access with confidence through faith in him. We have access to the father through Jesus Christ. The church has the ability to boldly access God through Christ.5:17 Why? Because our sins have been atoned for, and we have been adopted as sons and daughters into the family of God. Now just5:29 meditate upon that for a moment. You know? There's nothing more I mean, if my children call me in fact, the other day, I had,5:41 my got a phone phone call from my daughter-in-law. I was I'd missed it. I was on the phone headed to actually a pastor's event in DC. And, I saw it, and I immediately called even though I was walking5:52 into this to speak at this event, but it was 1 of my children calling. And, it happened to be that when my grandson pushed the button and and and called, and so I got a chance to talk to him for a moment.6:04 But when my children call, I answer. I'll stop what I'm doing. Whenever my children call, I will answer, and I may have to get back to them because I'm in the middle of something, but I will answer. Same thing is true6:15 with God. If if we, and Jesus talked about this, if if we as human fathers will do these things for our children, won't our heavenly father do that much more who sent his only son to die6:27 for our sins? And so what what he's saying is that we have access to our father. We're adopted into the family of God. And Jesus, again, we've talked about this before, but in the old testament,6:40 God was not referred to as the father of individuals. But Jesus, when he taught his disciples to pray, our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. There's a personal relationship6:51 made available through Jesus Christ. Verse 13, therefore, I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Paul said, don't feel7:04 Paul was not looking for sympathy. He said, I I don't want you to lament my situation because this is the consequence of declaring the truth, which is what makes you as Gentiles7:16 free from the bondage of sin and death. So, again, I I know there's a lot of Christian persecution going on, alright, around the world. When I was chair of the US Commission on International7:28 Religious Freedom, I went to many of these places. I and we've continued. I've continued to advocate. And just recently, we saw that the president declared Nigeria as a country of particular concern because of their7:39 persecution of of Christians. We need to realize, even here in this country when we're, you know, the persecution is a different level. We're not7:51 losing our lives here. We might lose our jobs, might be ridiculed. We've seen that happen. Jobs. We might be ridiculed. We've seen that happen, but that's a small price to pay so that others might come to know Jesus8:02 Christ as their lord and savior. When we stand up to this nonsense, the the the demonic lies, for instance, that that you can declare your gender or that, you know, whatever8:14 that we see happening on the left. That's probably 1 of the most prominent examples because it's shaking their fist in the face of God saying you didn't create me. I created myself. I'm I'm I'm whoever I declare I'm8:24 going to be. Well, when we stand up and and lovingly say, no. That's not the case. God created male and female. Well, that truth is what sets people free. Now there may be a price to pay for8:36 that, but Paul's saying here that, look, don't don't feel sorry for me because of my obedience and the consequences of that, you are being accepted before God8:48 because you have accepted him. Him. Alright. Here in verse 14, Paul goes back to where he actually started in verse 1. I mean, verses 2 through 13 are9:00 almost kind of a parenthetical qualifying statement about whom he was speaking to. So in verse 14, he prays for the gentiles who know Christ Jesus.9:12 Look at this, verse 14. For this reason, I bow my knees to the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now look at this. I don't think he's just using this as a, you know,9:24 an illustration. I think he's actually talking about his posture of prayer. I bow my knees to the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was praying in his confinement on his knees. Now9:35 the Bible does not prescribe how to pray. In fact, there's people in different ways. You know, Daniel, he bowed before the window and prayed. Some people stand. Some people are prostrate.9:50 It it it I don't think there's any 1 particular position, but I I think Paul was a man of prayer. There's no question. We see this throughout his letters, throughout his writings. He was praying. And10:02 here he says he's on his knees praying. You know, for me, I pray different ways, but I've discovered years ago that the posture of private prayer was on our knees, was both helpful in eliminating distractions, and I10:14 think appropriate in showing reverence to God. Now this was his posture, the posture of approaching the father through the lord Jesus Christ, but Jesus has provided the10:25 access. So his posture was on his knees, but the position, or the the the what provided him the access was Jesus Christ. Verse 15, from10:37 whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you according to now he's praying this for now. Okay? So understand he's praying this for the Ephesians or for those who are10:49 reading this letter to the churches. 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 inner11:01 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,11:13 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. AW Tozer stated this. He said, we must11:25 be illuminated by the Holy Spirit, which invades the human intellect. You will never you are never the same after you have encountered the presence of God. See, to communicate11:37 to the world the power of God, we have to have an encounter with God that goes beyond what intellectual insight can provide. So look what Paul prays for here.11:49 He prays for God to grant them the following, according to the riches of his glory, which by the way is infinite. Spiritual strength through the spirit, that Jesus12:00 would be completely at home in their hearts by faith, that they would be rooted and grounded in love, and to know the expanse of Christ's love, of God's love for them,12:12 which passes knowledge. We can't understand it. We can only experience it. And be filled with the fullness of God. Then he closes with this benediction as the first half of12:24 this letter comes to a close. Now to him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that12:36 works in us, To him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. We have access to12:48 him through Jesus Christ, and he says he's able to do exceedingly, abundantly what we ask for. Wow. This is, this is13:00 great stuff. Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word. Lord, what a blessing, it is to us. And, Lord, I pray that13:12 you would, you would birth within in our hearts, stir within our hearts a desire to spend more time in your word and understanding your word. And and and and, Lord, through the Holy Spirit,13:24 open our eyes and our understanding that we might walk in the fullness of all that Jesus Christ has provided for us. So, Father, we thank you, and we ask for your guidance and13:36 direction upon each of us this day. That, lord, we might have the boldness to proclaim that truth that others might come to the freedom that is found only in Jesus Christ. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.13:48 Alright. Thanks so much for joining me this morning, and, let me remind you, we're coming up, on the end of this journey through the bible, the end of the year. But lord willing, we're gonna start it again. We're gonna14:00 start another 2 year journey through the bible. So I wanna encourage you to be thinking of individuals you could invite to join you. I would encourage you to do it again. I know many I've heard14:12 from many already that they're going to go through the journey again, but be thinking who you could invite to join you on this journey as we begin again in Genesis in January of next year. Alright. Until14:24 next time, keep standing on the word.14:28 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at frc dot org slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you14:40 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 The Mystery of Christ Revealed94K followers
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