Ephesians Chapter 3
Paul’s Stewardship
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
- For this reason?
o What reason
o Because of what we learned in Chapter 2
§ We were saved by grace not of works (it was what Christ did)
· He chose us
· He saved us
· He completed the work on the cross
§ We are now citizens of heaven
§ We are part of the family of God
§ We are seated in the heavenlies with Christ
- I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles
o Jesus paid for Saul to become Paul with His blood
o We are not our own, we have been bought with a price
o In Paul’s case, it was for the sake of “you Gentiles” (those without hope)
- If indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
o Which was given to me for you (God expects Paul to give it out)
o That by revelation there was made known to me the mystery
§ That Christ died for sinners (including the Gentiles)
4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
- When you read you can understand my insight
o Into the mystery of Christ
o Which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men
o As it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit
- To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body
o Fellow heirs (those who receive an inheritance)
o Fellow members (those who belong in the club chosen by God with full benefits)
o All the promises of God’s word are for the Gentiles too (not just Jews)
o Of people who religious people think are worthy (but the unworthy)
7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
- I was made a minister
o A minister means “a servant to serve the meal of truth daily”
- According to the gift of God’s grace (Grace is a gift; it cannot be earned)
- Which was given to me according to the working of His power
o Notice its was given (past tense)
§ Dunamis power (Dynamite; the lame walk, the blind see, the sick are healed)
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