Ephesians 3

Ephesians 3:1-13

3:1-13 THE SECRET CHAMBER Parenthetical Explanation (3:1-13)

1. The Mystery, the Product of Revelation (3:1-6)
2. The Minister, Appointed to Proclamation (3:7-13)

Welcome to the Secret Chamber explore it and let the Spirit of the house enlighten you. The Secret Chamber is a place where God reveals His secrets, mysteries, times, seasons and wisdom to His chosen ones, no one is allowed in here but by His invitation.

1. The Mystery, the Product of Revelation (3:1-6)

V.1 Paul was in house arrest because of his ministry to the Gentiles. He walked all the way.

V.2 a) Stewardship -

I. (Gr. Oikonomia) means dispensation or stewardship (management of someone else’s business). God had given Paul the responsibility to steward the message of the Gospel to the Gentiles.

II. Dispensation - Some see 7 of these dispensations of grace:

1. Dispensation of Innocence Creation to Adam’ s sin. (4004? B.C)

2. Dispensation of Conscience Adamic covenant to the flood of Noah. (4000? - 2350 B.C)

3. Dispensation of Human Government Noahic covenant to Abraham. (2350- 2000 B.C)

4. Dispensation of Promise Abrahamic covenant to Moses. (2000 - 1500 B.C)

5. Dispensation of Law Mosaic covenant to the new covenant of Jesus. (1500 B.C - 32 A.D)

6. Dispensation of Grace (Grace upon grace - All dispensations are grace) The new covenant of Jesus to His 2nd coming. (32-?)

7. Dispensation of Kingdom The 2nd coming of Jesus to the end of the Millennium. (1000 years) V.3 b) Secret -

“ Mystery” This secret of the mystery of the grace of God that was hidden before is now made known, it reveals that the Gentiles are included in His promise and inheritance. There are many mysteries in the New Testament: The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Matt.13:11

1. The mysteries of the kingdom of God. Luke 8:10

2. The mystery of Israel’ s hardened heart. Rom.11:25

3. The mystery hidden in ages but now revealed. Rom.16:25-26

4. The entrusting of the servants of Christ with the mysteries of God. 1.Cor.4:1

5. The mystery of His will. Eph.1:9

6. The administration of the mystery of God’s grace. Eph.3:2-3

7. The mystery of Christ. Eph.3:4; Col.4:3

8. The mystery kept hidden for ages. Eph.3:9

9. The mystery of Christ and the church. Eph.5:32

10. The mystery kept hidden for ages and generations. Col.1:26

11. The mystery of Christ in you. Col.1:27

12. The mystery of God, the Father and Christ. Col.2:2

13. The mystery of lawlessness already at work. 2.Thes.2:7

14. The mystery of the faith. 1.Tim.3:9

15. The mystery of godliness. 1.Tim.3:16

16. The mystery of the seven stars. Rev.1:20

17. The mystery of God that will be finished. Rev.10:7 Follows the 7 thunders that is a mystery for all Christians.

18. The mystery of Babylon the great. Rev.17:5 V.4 c) Scope -

Paul wanted all who read to understand this mystery of Christ.

V.5 d) Spirit -

I. All revelations comes from the Holy Spirit. Eph.1:17-18; Is.11:2; Col.1:26 II. The Holy Spirit revealed this not only to Paul but also to other spiritual authorities: Apostles and N.T prophets.

V.6 e) Sharing -

This mystery (v.1-5) was that the Gentiles and Jews should be fellow heirs of the same body of Christ and the same promise in Christ. (v.12-16) 1.Cor.12:13; Gal.3:29; 4:7 f) Scripture -

Through the Gospel we discover all the wonderful covenant promises of God, as we learn and believe we can enjoy these promises. 2.Cor.1:20; 2.Pet.1:2-4

Ephesians 3:7-13

2. The Minister, Appointed to Proclamation (3:7-13) V.7 a) Working -

The Gospel of the mystery of Christ made Paul a minister, it released 2 dynamic blessings:

I. The free grace of God. 1.Cor.15:10; Heb.2:9 II. The power that worked efficiently. V.20; Acts 19:11-12 V.8 b) Wealth -

As we come nearer the light the more dirt we will see in our lives, the farther away we are from the shining light the less dirt we will see.

I. After 18-20 years of being a Christian Paul declares to be the least of all the apostles. 1.Cor.15:9 II. After 23-26 years of being a Christian Paul declares to be the least of all the saints. V.8

III. After 26-28 years of being a Christian Paul declares to be the chief of sinners. 1.Tim.1:15 1. True humility is to see yourself (not others) as you really are, to see your poverty and evil and then allow God to amplify it - this is to have a broken heart.

2. The other side to true humility is to see all what you have not and then see God as the answer for all your needs, to understand that we are complete dependant upon God - this is to have a restored heart.

3. When we have true humility and faith then the grace of God truly overwhelms our lives and we begin to know (experiencing) the unsearchable riches in Christ. Jam.4:6,10; Heb.11:26 V.9 c) Witness -

I. Paul were called to witness about this mystery that was hidden. We are also called to be witness about this fellowship of the mystery.

II. This mystery were not another so called mystery that arose according to the spirit of this age, no it had its beginning in the very beginning.

III. The Father created with Christ “ Let us make” Gen.1:26; Col.1:16-17 V.10 d) Wisdom -

Not only were the Church declaring this wisdom of God to man but also to the demonic principalities, not in words alone but also through lives.

V.11 e) Will -

This purpose of God were not made at Adam’ s fall but were planned in eternity. 1.Pet.1:20

V.12 f) Way -

Because of the blood of Jesus we can appear before God with boldness and faith. Heb.4:14-16; 10:19 V.13 g) Wellbeing -

He ends this section with how he began in v.1, like parents that suffers hardship for their children in the same way they should glory. 2.Cor.4:16; 1.Cor.4:9-13

Ephesians 3:14-21

3:14-21 THE ROOM Prayer for Realization (3:14-21)

Welcome to the Uttermost Room explore it and let the Spirit of the house enlighten you. The Uttermost Room is a place where God reveals His love, in this room you can’ t see the ceiling, neither the walls, nor the floor and you are lifted up by the Spirit. In here God says drink in my love and the more you receive, the more you see in this room.

Prayer for Realization (3:14-21) V.14 a) Prayer -

I. This section is soaked with prayer, nothing in here will be experienced without prayer, prayer is the key to these experiences, that’ s why Paul began it by prayer.

II. This is his 2nd and last prayer in Ephesians.

1. His first prayer were about enlightenment.

2. His second prayer is about enablement.

V.15 b) Possession -

Every family were created with a father because that God is a Father. He is the prototype father and He possess all families as the ultimate Father. Heb.12:9 V.16 c) Power -

I. Until now Paul had mentioned: “ the riches of His grace” . 1:7; 2:7, “ rich in mercy” 2:4 and “ unsearchable riches in Christ” . 3:8

II. But now he mentions “ the riches of His glory” for manifestation is in view here, it’ s a preparation to the practical section of Ch. 4-6. Let us remember that our Father is rich and our inheritance abundant.

III. God wants to strengthen our spirits with might by His Spirit. Col.1:11; 1.Thes.1:5

1. First he prayed for our enlightenment concerning this power. 1:19

2. Then he testified how this power worked in his ministry. 3:7

3. Now he prays that we may experience this power. V.16

4. V.20 says don’ t limit the power for it’ s beyond our understanding. V.17 d) Presence -

All believers have Christ’ s Spirit in their hearts. 1.Cor.6:17; 12:13; Col.1:27. But it’ s not in every believer where he receives a dwelling fellowship. Rev.3:20 I. We should be rooted and grounded in love. V.17 To fellowship with Jesus establish love in our lives.

II. We should be grounded in truth. 1.Tim.3:15 To fellowship with the Church establish truth in our lives. “ Truth is when word and deed become one”

III. We should be grounded and steadfast in faith. Col.1:23 To fellowship with the word of God establish faith.

IV. When these “ 3 pins” as on an electrical plug are attached to our lives, then we can plug our understanding into the socket and begin to comprehend His greatness.

V.18 e) Proportion -

I. It takes all the saints to comprehend the full love of Christ. When we are founded in these 3 areas: love, truth and faith can we begin to see the frame, light begins to appear and the picture becomes clearer and clearer “ from glory to glory” . 2.Cor.3:18 II. Width and length - How wide and long His arms are to save and embrace man.

III. Depth - How deep He was willing to go to save us, even by empting Himself and suffering for us.

IV. Height - How high He was willing to take man even by setting us beside Himself in Christ. V.19 f) Potential -

I. The love of Christ that passes knowledge means that we need the Spirit’ s revelation to see and experience it. 1.Cor.2:6-16 II. God has put within the Church a potential to know the full love of Christ and to be filled with the fullness of God.

III. God wants to fill His Church with the Triune filling of God.

1. The fullness of God (The Father). V.19

2. The fullness of Christ. 4:13

3. The fullness of the Spirit. 5:18

V.20 g) Providence -

I. Paul concludes the doctrinal section with a doxology in v.20-21

II. It’ s the climax of this section and ends with a praise to God.

III. Not only is God able, He is able above what we can ask and even what we can think is possible. Phil.3:21 If we still doubt His ability, then he says that God is able abundantly above all, if we still doubts it he then adds: exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think.

IV. This ability of power has He put within us in Christ, He just has to release it from within us.

V.21 h) Praise -

This glorification is through Christ who has given us all the reasons to praise.