Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20130421.htm

THE PRISON EPISTLES: NURTURE FOR OPPRESSED BELIEVERS
I. Ephesians: Nurture In Living Focused On God's Eternal Purpose For Christians
B. Nurture In Focusing On The Believer's Spiritual Position For Earthly Life And Ministry
3. Nurture In Focusing On God's Priceless Work In The Body Amid Formidable Ministry Opposition
(Ephesians 3:1-21)
  1. Introduction
    1. When Paul wrote the "Prison Epistles" of Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon, the fact that he was in prison troubled believers, Philippians 1:12-13; Colossians 2:1-2; 4:7-8 and Philemon 22; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, p. 1672, "Intro. to the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians."
    2. One challenge revealed in Paul's Ephesians 3:13 call was that his readers could "lose heart, despair" (egkakeo, Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., 1967, p. 214) over his imprisonment because of the sharp opposition to his efforts from Paul's Jewish opponents, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 630.
    3. Ephesians 3:1-21 develops Paul's response to this challenge, revealing why we believers today should similarly not lose heart or despair if we face strong opposition to our ministry efforts as did Paul:
  2. Nurture In Focusing On God's Priceless Work In The Body Amid Formidable Ministry Opposition.
    1. In Ephesians 3:1, Paul noted he was a prisoner for Christ in behalf of Gentile believers to whom he wrote.
    2. He explained this claim in Ephesians 3:2-12, describing the ministry God had given him that had been opposed by his Jewish foes, opposition that had caused him much suffering and landed him in prison:
      1. Paul's introductory words "for this cause" in Ephesians 3:1 KJV "specifically point back to 2:11-22, which dealt with the Jewish and Gentile believers being raised to a new plane" of unity in a single body in Jesus Christ, Ibid., Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 628.
      2. The apostle then focused on the fact that he was a prisoner of Jesus Christ specifically for the cause of his Gentile Christian believers: God had assigned Paul responsibility in the dispensation of the grace of God, the Church era, a dispensation previously not revealed in Scripture, to proclaim that Gentile believers in Messiah Jesus should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of God's promise in Christ unto Jewish believers by faith in the Gospel, Ephesians 3:2-6.
      3. Though he considered himself the least of all saints, Paul was made a minister and empowered by God to preach to the Gentiles Christ's unsearchable riches of this fellowship in the Church, Ephesians 3:7-9.
      4. This program exposed even to the angels God's manifold wisdom in line with His eternal purpose in Christ, in Whom all believers have access to God with confidence by faith in Him, Ephesians 3:10-12.
    3. Since this teaching on the union of Gentiles with Jews was so greatly opposed by many of Paul's Hebrew countrymen, he urged his Gentile Christian readers not to "lose heart, despair" (egkakeo, cf. I, B) over what he was suffering for proclaiming such truth, for he suffered for their gain and glory, Ephesians 3:13.
    4. Paul added that he had a heartfelt prayer for the spiritual edification of his readers, Ephesians 3:14-19:
      1. Deeply moved by considering this great fellowship of Jew and Gentile in Christ, Paul expressed his prayer that God would grant His readers to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in the inner man, that Christ might dwell in their hearts and lives in a life of faith, that is, in being rooted and grounded in love, they might be able to comprehend with all saints the vast love of God expressed in this revealed program of God, the Church, Ephesians 3:14-19a.
      2. The effect of this insight would be to fill believers with God's fulness, that is, to experience God's "moral excellence and perfection," causing all believers to love one another, Eph. 3:19b; Ibid, p. 632.
    5. Overcome with appreciation for the great work being performed by God through his ministry though that effort led to his great suffering, Paul ended his prayer with a doxology of praise to the Lord, Eph. 3:20-21:
      1. Paul acknowledged that God was able to do far more toward developing God's love in believers than anything we could ask or think according to the power of the Holy Spirit Who works in us, Eph. 3:20.
      2. To this God, Paul ascribed glory in the dispensation of the Church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages, world without end, closing with the fitting expression, "Amen." (Ephesians 3:21)
Lesson: Paul wrote to encourage other believers as he was encouraged regardless of being persecuted for his ministry, for his greatly opposed ministry was spiritually extremely valuable in the plan of God.

Application: If facing opposition in ministry, may we take heart from the value God places on our work.