Read Ephesians 3:1-13.

Introduction⤒🔗

The local newspaper carried the following story on its sports page on Sunday,

April 25, 1993, JABBAR TELLS FANS OF HIS APPRECIATION

Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, who turned the Milwaukee Bucks from an expansion team into a world champion in just three years, was honored Saturday night when his first NBA team retired his number “33” jersey.

Do you appreciate being appreciated? Or does it not matter to you if your gifts, your contributions, your services are taken for granted? Do you really mind when your one mistake is pointed out, but your many contributions are ignored?

We appreciate being appreciated. We are encouraged when our contributions are recognized. We are uplifted when our work is acknowledged.

Did these Ephesian Christians appreciate all that was done for them? They certainly did. They were very much aware of what the Apostle Paul was going through on their behalf, and they were distraught for him. To comfort their hearts, he writes: “I ask you not to be discouraged because of my tribulations on your behalf, [for] they are your glory” (vs. 13).

The Apostle Paul explains that his hardships, (he is writing as, “Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles”), are a part of his divine calling, and they are the church’s glory, (i.e. it is a great honor that someone would undergo such hardships for us).

May the Holy Spirit grant us to learn from these Ephesian Christians to be appreciative. Rather than take for granted all that we have received by grace and at great expense, like the Ephesians, may we possess and exhibit a deep sense of appreciation.

Let Us Appreciate the Great Blessings God has Bestowed upon Us in Christ←⤒🔗

In this passage, the Apostle Paul is sharing with the Ephesians Christians, many of whom are of Gentile origin, “the mystery that was made known to me by revelation” (vs. 3). It is “a mystery ⁵that in previous generations was not made known to mankind as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (vs. 5). This “mystery,” (i.e. this purpose of God that had remained obscure throughout the Old Testament dispensation), pertains to the divine blessings conferred upon the Gentiles as they respond to the gospel. Having expounded these blessings in more detail in the previous chapter of this epistle (cf. Eph. 2:11-22), Paul now summarily reiterated them: “the Gentiles are fellow-heirs [with Israel] and members of the same body and fellow-recipients of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (vs. 6).

As Christians, we are heirs of the eternal inheritance: “the Gentiles are fellow-heirs [with Israel]” (Eph. 3:6a). The New Testament believer joins with the original covenant community and with Christ Himself in being an heir of God’s kingdom promises, as Paul informs us, “if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17a). Do we appreciate the inheritance that is ours in Christ; or do we complain because God has not seen fit to immediately give us all we desire in this world?

As Christians, we are members of the body of Christ: “the Gentiles are...members of the same body” (Eph. 3:6b). As such we are exceedingly precious to Christ:

...Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her; ²⁶so that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷so that he might present the church to himself in glory, without blemish or wrinkle or any other such thing, but being holy and blameless... ²⁹No one ever hated his own flesh; rather, he nourishes and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church, ³⁰because we are members of his body.Eph. 5:25-27,29-30

Do we appreciate our membership in the spiritual body of Christ; or do we complain about a lack of membership in the elite groups of the society that forms a part of this present world?

As Christians, we are the recipients of “the promise” (Eph. 3:6c). That is to say, we have an interest in the awesome promise God made to Abraham: “I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be your God and [the God of] your descendants after you” (Gen. 17:7). Do we appreciate the awesome relationship with God we enjoy in Christ; or do we complain that He does not permit us to any longer live like those who are without hope and without God in the world?

In verse ten, Paul reveals God’s purpose in revealing this mystery at this time: “[God’s intent was] that now through the church the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.”

As Christians, we are a living display of God’s wisdom: His ability to reconcile Jew and Gentile to one another and both of them to Himself in Christ Jesus and by means of His atonement offered upon the cross of Calvary (2:14-18). As we live in fellowship with God and with our fellow believers, we are displaying to the world, and especially to the spirit world (composed of angels and demons), God’s wonderful ability to bring about true reconciliation and restoration. Do we appreciate the fact that as we live out the Christian life, we are displaying God’s ability, (His wisdom and power), to the whole spiritual realm; or do we complain because our own (God-given) abilities are not being recognized by a handful of mortal human beings?

In verse twelve, Paul reveals the great benefit of Christ’s work of reconciliation: “in [Christ] we have boldness and confident access through our faith in him.” The writer to the Hebrews exhorts us to not only appreciate this wonderful blessing, but also to avail ourselves of it: ”Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God...¹⁶let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:14,16).

As Christians, we have the right and privilege of coming with confidence before God and gaining access to His throne. Do we appreciate our privilege of having direct access to the throne of God; or do we complain because we are denied access to some of the more desirable things of this present world: such as a “paradise vacation,” because of lack of funds; or membership in an exclusive club, because of lack of social status?

Let us appreciate what God has bestowed upon us in the Beloved; that being nothing less than, “the unfathomable riches of Christ” (vs. 8).

Let Us Appreciate the Means God has Used to Bring Us His Blessings←⤒🔗

Paul reminds the Ephesians that they “indeed have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God that was given to me for you” (vs. 2). Likewise, on another occasion, he informed the Corinthians that he and the other apostles are “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1). As an apostle to the Gentiles (cf. Gal. 2:7-8), Paul was entrusted with the task of ministering “the grace of God” to them; namely, Christ and His divine riches, as proclaimed and offered in the gospel.

In verse thirteen, Paul exhorts the Ephesians, “I ask you not to despair in of my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.” The Ephesians were aware of the fact that Paul was “the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles” (vs. 1). Throughout his ministry, many times at the instigation of the unbelieving Jews, Paul would come into conflict with the Roman authorities as he proclaimed the gospel with its demand that believers give their ultimate allegiance to Christ the Lord. Consider, for instance, the opposition the apostle encountered to his gospel preaching in the city of Thessalonica:

⁵...the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men [i.e. the rabble] from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason [a believing Jew and his family], and sought to bring them out to the people...⁶they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, 'These who have turned the world upside down have come here, too...⁷[they] are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another King, Jesus! ⁸And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. Acts 17:5-8

Writing to the Philippians from his Roman imprisonment, Paul reports: “Some are preaching Christ out of envy and for the sake of strife...[they] are proclaiming Christ out of selfish ambition, not with a pure motive; [they are seeking] to stir up trouble for me in my imprisonment. ¹8What about all this? My only concern is that in every way, whether from false motives or in sincerity, Christ is being preached; and in this I rejoice” (Phil. 1:15-18). In these verses Paul relates that even though there are those who are preaching the gospel from ulterior motives, they are nevertheless preaching the gospel, and thus, inadvertently are helping to advance the cause of Christ despite their true intentions. These men were apparently hoping to incite Roman opposition against Paul by publicly proclaiming that Paul is preaching that Jesus, not Caesar, is the true Lord over all.

This was just some of the demonically-inspired opposition the Apostle Paul and the other apostles of Christ would face as they carried out their God-given stewardship of bringing the gospel to the Gentiles.

Writing to the Corinthian church, Paul testifies:

From the Jews, five times I received forty stripes, minus one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶in journeys often, in perils of waters, in peril of robbers, in perils from my own countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, [all this] ²⁸besides the other things, what comes upon daily: my deep concern for all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? 2 Cor. 11:24-29

Not only were the Ephesian Christians aware of the Apostle Paul’s present condition, and the fact that he encountered that condition and endured it for their sake, but they were deeply concerned about him. Upon receiving the news, the Ephesians were in danger of despairing. the Greek word (εγκακεω) bears the meaning, “to lose heart,” or, "to despair.” The Ephesians feared what would happen to Paul. The fact that these Ephesian Christians were concerned for Paul’s present predicament, (as a prisoner for Christ), indicates their appreciation for him and what he even now was enduring for their sake. The fact that Paul urges the Ephesian Christians not to despair “in my tribulations on your behalf,” reveals the depths of their love for him and their empathy with him in his tribulations, which were, indeed, being encountered and endured for their sake.

Do we appreciate those people whom God has used to bring Christ to us and to minister the grace of God to us?

• Perhaps there were godly parents and grandparents who told you of the Savior, who prayed for you and taught you how to pray, and who lived lives in whom you could see Christ.
   
• Perhaps there were faithful ministers of the Word who preached the whole counsel of God, who diligently sought to expound and apply the Word of God to your life, who carried on a consistent ministry of prayer on your behalf, and who sought to minister the grace of Christ to you.
   
• Perhaps there were faithful Bible teachers who taught you some of the first Bible stories you ever learned, and who encouraged you to seek Christ, trust in Him as your Savior, and grow in your relationship with Him and service to Him.
   
• Perhaps there were elders and/or deacons who sought to minister to you and care for your soul on a personal level and in a practical way.

Paul acknowledges the hardships he endured for these people who were precious to God and to him; he was presently addressing them from the confinement of Roman imprisonment (vs. 1). The Ephesians were well aware of the manifold tribulations he endured for their sake (vs. 13).

Do we appreciate the sacrifices, the labors, the hardships, of those who minister Christ and His grace to us?

• Perhaps it is our own parents with their daily earnest prayers, with their effort to set a godly example, with their struggle to discipline their children in love, and maybe even with their sacrifices to provide Christian education.
   
• Perhaps it is our Bible teachers with their labors to first understand and then communicate and apply the Word of God to our lives; and their continued efforts to do so even when at times they encounter indifference or resistance to their teaching of God’s Word.
   
• Perhaps it is our elders who spend sleepless nights grappling with problems in our lives that are not their own, out of love for Christ and for us, seeking to minister the truth in love.

Paul emphasizes the fact that it was the Lord who sent him. As he points out in verse two, he was entrusted with a divine stewardship. Note, also, verse seven, speaking of the gospel, Paul writes, “I became a minister of [the gospel] by the gift of the grace of God that was given to me by the working of his power.”

Do we appreciate the fact that it is God Himself who has provided those godly people who have ministered to us? In some cases, they were godly parents, or faithful preachers and teachers, or diligent and devote elders and deacons. Whatever Christian influence and training we have received, it was God in His mercy to us who ultimately provided it for us by bringing into our lives the godly people who ministered Christ and His grace to us.

Let us appreciate all those who minister Christ and His grace to us; and let us appreciate the fact that God Himself has provided each one of them because of His love for us.

Conclusion←⤒🔗

May the Holy Spirit help us to be more appreciative of what we have, all that we have, in Christ Jesus. As the Apostle Paul expresses it in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ.”

May the Holy Spirit help us to be more appreciative of all those, and each of those, whom God in His providence and love has seen fit to use to minister to us Christ and His unfathomable riches.

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. What is Paul’s situation at the time of writing his epistle to the Ephesian church? See Eph. 3:1; also, Eph. 4:1. Although he found himself in Roman chains (cf. Eph. 6:20a), to whom is Paul ultimately bound by the “chains” of redeeming grace? How are we as Christians to view ourselves? See 1 Cor. 7:22b; 6:19b-20a. Prior to becoming bound to our loving Lord and Savior, in whose service did we previously find ourselves? See Rom. 6:17, 19,

I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles... Eph. 3:1

So then, I, the prisoner for the Lord, exhort you to walk [in a way that is] worthy of the calling unto which you were called... Eph. 4:1

Also [pray] for me, that words may be given to me, [together] with boldness, whenever I open my mouth to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰on behalf of which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may speak boldly for it as I ought to speak. Eph. 6:19-20

...he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise, the one who was free when he was called is Christ’s slave. 1 Cor. 7:22

Do you not realize that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You do not belong to yourself; ²⁰you were bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God with your body. 1 Cor. 6:19-20

...thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted... ¹⁹...just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to iniquity, resulting in further iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. Rom. 6:17, 19

2. Why did Paul find himself to be a prisoner of Rome; was he a dangerous criminal, or was he in some other way a danger to a pagan, hedonistic society and a man-centered totalitarian government? See Phil. 1:13. How does the Christian’s confession conflict with the worldview and claims of such a society? Note Rom. 10:9. What type of and what degree of persecution have you experienced because of your Christian life and confession?

It has become evident to the whole Praetorian guard and to everyone else that I am a prisoner for Christ. Phil. 1:13

...if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved... Rom. 10:9

3. How did Paul’s chains affect his relationship with many Christians? See 2 Tim. 4:16. What exhortation does Paul, “the prisoner of Christ Jesus,” give young Timothy? See 2 Tim. 1:8. Will you give your support to fellow Christians who face persecution or ostracism for the sake of Christ? If you were the persecuted one, what would you want them to do for you? If you are the persecuted one, and no one supports you, what do you need to do (cf. 2 Tim. 4:16b); and on whom can you always depend? See 2 Tim. 4:17a,

At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. 2 Tim. 4:16

...do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God... 2 Tim. 1:8

But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth. 2 Tim. 4:17

4. What does Ephesians 3:13 tell us about the degree of concern and empathy the Ephesian Christians felt for Paul in his present situation? Note 1 Cor. 12:26-27. When we learn of fellow Christians suffering tribulation on behalf of Christ, do we sympathize with them, and even, to a degree, personally feel the weight of their burden; or, do we remain unmoved by such reports? Is it possible that we should be callous and indifferent to such brethren, given the fact that we, together with them, are living members of the spiritual body of Christ? Note, again, 1 Cor. 12:26­ 27,

I ask you not to despair in my tribulations on your behalf, [for] they are your glory. Eph. 3:13

When one part [of the body] suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the [other] parts rejoice with it. ²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Cor. 12:26-27

5. Why must the Ephesians not “despair” in the apostle’s tribulations? See Eph. 3:13b—Do you appreciate what others have endured to minister Christ unto you: Christian parents, faithful pastors and teachers, godly elders and deacons? Do you realize the honor it is to be the recipient of such spiritual ministries?

I ask you not to despair in my tribulations on your behalf, [for] they are your glory. Eph. 3:13

Rather than being overwhelmed unto despair, the Ephesian Christians must appreciate that it is an honor to have Paul endure such tribulations on their behalf.