WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:03.600 Well, if you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Ephesians chapter 3. 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:06.000 We'll be starting in verse 1 in just a few moments. 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:10.400 Our sermon series that we're continuing is called Made for More. 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:13.119 And why do we call it Made for More? 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:14.720 Maybe you've wondered, who am I? 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:16.399 Does my life really matter? 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:19.839 Ephesians answers a powerful, hope-filled answer to that question. 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:21.359 You are made for more. 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:24.480 More freedom, more purpose, more joy. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:28.160 He tells us exactly what our identity is in Christ. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:34.399 The gospel reshapes every part of our lives, our identity, our relationships, our work, our worship. 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:35.920 You were made for more. 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:43.280 And the encouragement from this series is to live the life that you were called to live based on that new identity you have in Christ. 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:45.920 This is actually our whole theme for the year. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:48.000 It comes from Ephesians chapter 4. 00:00:48.640 --> 00:01:05.280 It says, and he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, the teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry that the church, each of us in the church, might grow up in every way into Christ, into the head that we're all connected to. 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:13.040 So as we're all connected, as we're all working together properly, we become more and more like Jesus from one degree of glory to the next. 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:16.159 When each part is working properly, it builds itself up. 00:01:16.319 --> 00:01:18.719 The body of Christ builds itself up in love. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:25.359 So, like you are wanted here, and in that body illustration, you are actually needed here. 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:30.799 It's essential for you to be here, for you to contribute to the causes of Christ together. 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:38.239 As we fulfill the work of Jesus, we're all aspiring to become more and more like Jesus Christ. 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:40.480 Not more and more like James. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:43.040 I'm not an important part of the body. 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:45.200 I'm no more important than any of you. 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:51.760 We all have this purpose that we're working together to become more and more like Jesus Christ, the head. 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:58.000 And so we're these different body parts with different functions, equal in dignity, different in function. 00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:09.840 We have different gifts, we have different roles, but as we're working together properly, we're able to fulfill the labor, fulfill the work, the good work that God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in those. 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:12.000 We should be built up in love. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:14.159 We should be united with Christ the head. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:17.360 We should be growing in maturity, becoming more and more like Jesus. 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:22.560 This happens when we remain connected to Jesus, the head, and his body, the church. 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:28.560 You don't get to be able to say, okay, I'm connected to you, Jesus, but let me just go do that in a silo. 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:31.280 Let me just go do that on my own. 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:38.879 As we're connected with both Jesus and his body, we are equipped to be working properly. 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:52.240 So that was the theme, that was the reason why the elders chose this to be our focus for the year, these theme verses, this idea that we want to see the church grow up in Christ to become more and more like Jesus. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:03:00.639 We want to see the church experience maturity and joy and purpose of knowing that we're made for more and living that out. 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:06.159 So part of where we see how we're made for more in this is in Ephesians 1. 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:30.240 We talked about the first week where we see all of these different identities that we have in Jesus Christ, that we're saints, that we're in Christ, that we're blessed with every spiritual blessing, that we're chosen before time, that we are holy and blameless, that we were predestined for adoption, that we were beloved, that we were redeemed through his blood, forgiven of our trespasses, united in him, inheritors, saved, steal with the spirit. 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:31.439 And there are more of these. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:33.680 We just ran out of room on this slide. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:44.879 Um, and I want to encourage you, if you want to see like what is my identity in Christ, open up your Bible, go to Ephesians and say, where does it say what my identity is in Jesus Christ, and just start writing down. 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:49.439 And if you want an easy win, you can just take a picture of this and start there and build off of that. 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:54.800 But there's a lot more that God tells us about our identity in Christ, and it's important for us to recognize that. 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:05.280 Because in those moments that you might feel inadequate or worthless, this helps us to remember that you were made for more, that in spite of you, Jesus chose you. 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:08.000 He called you to be his own. 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:09.759 He made you for more. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:15.199 If you want to see how much he loves you, walk through Ephesians 1, say, Who am I in Christ? 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:23.120 In Ephesians 2, it talks about how God doesn't just want to take bad people and make them good people, but he wants to take dead people and make them living people. 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:30.399 That we were dead in the trespasses and sins in which we once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air. 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:37.120 But God, because of his great love with which he loved us, makes us alive in Jesus Christ. 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:41.199 Not based on your merit, not based on what you do. 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:54.480 Ephesians 2, 8 through 10, some of the most famous verses in all of Scripture, say, By grace you've been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of work, so that no one may boast. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:59.759 We weren't saved on our own merit, which is great news because you didn't earn it. 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:02.240 That means you can't blow it and lose it. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:04.000 That's our great hope. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:08.959 And in verse 10, it says that we are God's masterpiece, that we're his workmanship. 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:14.399 There's this word poema that where we get the word poem that comes from this workmanship word. 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:21.759 We are his workmanship, his masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:27.120 Like there are good works that you can do that you can walk in that aren't my good works to walk in. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:34.879 God has prepared good works that you uniquely are equipped with, that you uniquely have the opportunities to fulfill. 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:37.600 Would you walk in those good works that he's prepared for you? 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:50.000 That's where you're going to experience his joy as you see him moving through you in power, as the Spirit empowers you to see those good works and then give you the ability to walk in those, to fulfill those, to walk and do those. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:54.879 He saved you not by good works, but for good works that he prepared beforehand. 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:57.920 It's not your good works that you can earn your salvation. 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:00.079 No, it's in spite of us. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:08.399 He saved us, and he's given us this new life, and he's given us good works that we should walk in and fulfill. 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:13.680 Then it talks about there's this other alienation. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:19.360 So we were alienated from God because we were dead, and then we're alienated also because we were Gentiles. 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:21.600 We were outside of the family of God. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:24.639 And in this time, uh, we might not see that as much. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:32.480 You might say, well, as long as I've ever heard the good news of Jesus, I've been welcomed on the inside, yes, but that wasn't God's plan. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:38.319 That wasn't the way that the Gentiles experienced God's plan back then. 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:48.720 See, they knew that there was only so far that they could get into the temple before there was a dividing wall where they couldn't go any further in because they weren't born with the right last name. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:52.319 They weren't born as Jews, so they couldn't get any closer. 00:06:52.480 --> 00:07:09.439 And there was this animosity or enmity between them and the Jews where they would say, okay, there's a Jewish church, there's a Christian church for the Gentiles as well, a Jewish Christian church, a Christian Gentile church, and Paul's saying, no, there's no dividing wall of hostility anymore. 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:10.879 There's no place for that. 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:29.279 And though we may might not experience that separation for being different based on us being Gentiles and not Jewish by heritage, what we do experience is that there are churches that are very different, and that there you could go to a white church or a black church or a Spanish-speaking church. 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:35.040 You could go to these different churches that kind of separate based on ethnicity. 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:43.439 You could go to a church that talks a lot about politics and really uh talks about the donkey and how that's great you should uh vote a certain way. 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:51.600 And there are churches that also will talk about how if you're not um Republican and you're voting, are you even really saved? 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:59.279 And it's weird that we still experience this division that Paul's saying, the dividing wall of hostility has been torn down. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:06.319 Or there are churches that say, hey, spiritual gifts are active, and here's the way that you need to exercise those. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.800 And there are churches that say, Ah, those ceased. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:11.519 Let's not let's not go there, let's not be weird. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:16.720 The church is divided all over all sorts of stupid things that it shouldn't be divided over. 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:24.160 We should make the cross our main thing, and everything else is subservient to that. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:27.680 And we can celebrate differences. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:33.279 We can celebrate that there's diversity in the way that people vote in this congregation. 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:41.600 We can say, we can celebrate that there's differences in ethnicity because our purpose is to reach every man, woman, and child. 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:45.679 That's not every man, woman, and child if there is certain ethnicity. 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:48.639 That's not every man, woman, and child if they vote like me. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:51.360 That's every man, woman, and child. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:58.080 And because every man, woman, and child is important to God, every man, woman, and child is important to me. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:05.440 Because I'm his ambassador, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand that I should walk in them. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:09.519 And so that's why we keep the main thing the main thing here at TBC. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:14.080 And that's why we experience this unity together in Christ. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:16.720 There are people that I have more in common with. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:30.879 I had a friend visit from Morocco, he's a missionary, he and his wife and a few of their kids came over to our house last Saturday, and we had them over for dinner, and there he was telling me stories about some folks in Morocco. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:40.480 Now, if you if you're like an American and you're living in Morocco, you can go and you can sing all the songs, you can preach Jesus and Him crucified. 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:46.960 If you speak in Arabic, you can't sing certain songs. 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:48.799 There's like an approved song list. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:10:03.120 If you start to worship Jesus, you lose your livelihood, you lose every job opportunity that you have because anybody who uh is not following Islam is cut off from work opportunities. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:05.120 They're cut out from their family. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:33.200 And so as he's telling me these stories of uh these tragic, heartbreaking stories of people that are losing everything to be sincere in following Jesus, I'm saying, wow, like it's crazy to me that I have more in common with the woman that I've never met in Morocco that's a grandma that's wanting to just faithfully follow Jesus than some of my believing, my unbelieving family that has the exact same genetic makeup as me. 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:44.559 I have more in common with this person I've never met in Morocco that's a sweet old lady that's giving up everything to follow Jesus than my own unbelieving family. 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:48.639 We're united in Christ, and it's this mind-blowing thing. 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:52.240 And as we look at this, he takes it a step further. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:55.120 And you might be saying, James, it sounds like you're talking about a lot of Ephesians. 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:56.960 You haven't even started Ephesians 3 yet. 00:10:57.039 --> 00:10:58.320 Well, let me tell you why we're doing that. 00:10:58.399 --> 00:10:59.759 It starts off with these three words. 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:01.840 It says, He says, for this reason. 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:08.080 Whatever you see for this reason, you need to look back at what was before to find out what reason he's saying. 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:14.159 So as we're gonna read Ephesians 3, 1 through 13, I want to invite you to stand up for the reading of God's word. 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:22.080 Let's read, and by let's read I mean I will read, and you will stand and hear the word of the Lord. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:24.159 Let's read this together. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:54.559 For this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles, assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly, when you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and the prophets by the Spirit. 00:11:54.879 --> 00:12:03.919 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:14.639 Of this gospel, I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:46.320 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:57.600 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:02.639 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:04.080 This is the word of the Lord. 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:05.200 Thanks be to God. 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:06.480 You can have a seat. 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:13.279 Lord, thank you for your word. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:24.799 Thank you for the ability to proclaim your word in fellowship together without fear of interruptions, without fear of uh intervention from hostile groups. 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:35.679 Lord, I pray uh that your kingdom will move forward in power as we look into your word, that you would hide me behind your cross, that you would speak to your people. 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:41.759 And Lord, as you do, would you meet us here? 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:48.480 Church, I want to invite you at this time to pray for yourself. 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:51.600 Uh pray that the Lord would speak to you through his word today. 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:07.679 And if you would pray for me, that I would proclaim God's goodness in a way that would make sense, that it would be clear. 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:15.759 Well, Lord, we love you. 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:16.879 And we need you. 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:18.879 Would you use this time to build your church? 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:20.240 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:21.120 Amen. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:26.639 So, church, we're gonna have three points from the text, and then we're gonna have one application question. 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:27.679 Three points from the text. 00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:31.279 The first one is verses one and thirteen, the beginning and the end. 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:33.600 These are sort of half thought, half ideas. 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:50.080 The first one is for this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles, he was starting a prayer, and he interrupts his own prayer by going off into this basking in the goodness of God for the mystery of uniting the church into one body. 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:52.480 So you guys have had your prayers interrupted. 00:14:52.559 --> 00:15:01.919 He interrupts his own prayer because he's so excited about the mystery of God bringing the church into one body that he interrupts himself to go off on this discourse to then talk about it. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:04.080 But he introduces himself strangely. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:08.879 He says, I'm a prisoner of Christ Jesus for your behalf. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:14.320 Because he was preaching the gospel of Jesus that he lived the perfect life we could never live. 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:16.159 He died the death on the cross that we deserve. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:21.519 He rose from the dead so that anyone who would call on the name of the Lord would be saved to the Gentiles. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:24.320 And as he's doing that, he gets imprisoned. 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:28.559 But he doesn't call himself a prisoner of Nero, he doesn't call himself a prisoner of Rome. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.480 I'm a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:39.039 I'm compelled by Jesus to share the good news of Jesus with anyone and everyone I come into contact with, and because of that reason, I'm a prisoner of Jesus. 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:46.720 I'm willing to suffer joyfully because of Jesus, because I'm serving Jesus as I serve you, Gentiles. 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:49.120 The Ephesians were Gentiles. 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:50.799 He's speaking to Gentiles. 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:56.559 He's saying, As I share with you, Gentiles, I've been put in prison on your behalf. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:02.879 And then he wraps it up as he starts to go back into his prayer that we're gonna talk about next week. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:10.159 As he pauses, he says, I ask you not to lose heart over what I'm suffering for you, which is your glory. 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:14.480 Hey, I know that I'm the one in prison, but I'm asking that you don't give up. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:19.840 The guy in prison is telling those that are reading the letter, don't give up because I'm in here. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:24.480 Don't give up because I'm in chains, because the gospel is not bound. 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:27.919 The gospel is not in a prison cell. 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:31.759 The gospel is moving forward in power, and we can celebrate that together. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:39.919 And so he says, I'm a prisoner for Jesus, I'm doing this for Jesus, don't give up for what I'm suffering for you, which is your glory. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:45.440 Your glory is in you get the opportunity to hear and respond to the life-changing reality of Jesus Christ. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:49.840 He's saying, Don't lose heart because I'm suffering so that you could hear the gospel. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:55.679 Don't give up because I've done this for Jesus on your behalf. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:17:03.279 So, Paul's ministry, the first part that we're going to look at, Paul's ministry was to joyfully suffer for gospel proclamation. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:07.519 Paul's ministry was to joyfully suffer for gospel proclamation. 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:13.440 As a Christ-centered missionary, followed the will of Christ. 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:20.319 He was a prisoner of the king, he was a shepherd of the people, looking to their interests, not just his own, as he's in prison. 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:24.160 He's saying, I'm in prison for you, I'm suffering for you. 00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:27.279 And I'm the one saying, Don't give up, don't lose heart. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:35.039 Even though he's a prisoner of Caesar, he says, No, I'm a prisoner of Christ. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:40.640 Even though he's imprisoned by Rome, it's for Christ. 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:43.839 On behalf of y'all, the Gentiles. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:49.519 As he's experiencing this tribulation, he's also experiencing divine revelation. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:54.559 As he's going through the hardest of times, he's hearing the clearest from the Lord. 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:59.920 And sometimes when we suffer, we also know this to be true. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:06.160 In the unspeakable, unthinkable, most difficult circumstances, God meets us there. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:14.960 And he's gracious to meet us in that difficult, desperate, hopeless, by the world standard place to remind us of his great love for us. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:17.200 And that's what we see here with Paul. 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:18.480 I'm not worried about me. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:19.759 I'm worried about you guys. 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:21.759 I want to see you grow in Christ. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:23.279 Don't give up. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:28.079 And this idea shouldn't be crazy for us because we we get it. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:34.559 Like we are willing to go through the hard thing for the better part that's on the other side of that. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:40.079 We're willing to go through the difficulty because we know what's ahead is better. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:44.160 For example, we can do hard things when we see the greater good on the other side. 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:47.519 For example, we will joyfully suffer when we see the greater good. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:50.480 Uh, one example of this would be potty training. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:51.839 Right? 00:18:52.319 --> 00:19:00.799 Hey, we will become prisoners in our own home for two to three weeks, depending on how fast your kid can learn, maybe what age they are when you're trying. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:07.759 Uh, we're gonna become prisoners of our home so that on the greater side of this, so that the glory on the other side is what? 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:09.839 Changing a few less diapers. 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:12.880 You're still gonna be changing them, but not as many. 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:17.039 And eventually, hopefully not at all for a while. 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:21.279 A few less diapers, we see the greater glory, we can say, okay, it's worth it. 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:42.240 Uh, or a few weeks ago I tried uh wake surfing, and I was willing to get the sinus rinse, like misery of being baptized by fire and getting all the water all in my nose and uh not being able to breathe, almost feeling like I was gonna die, trying to stand up on the board for the greater good of standing up on the board, which never happened for me. 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:44.319 Never happens, didn't get it figured out. 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:50.799 But I'm willing, we're willing to do the hard thing when we see the better side just on the other side of that. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:56.480 We're willing to suffer joyfully for the hope of what's on the other side. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.640 Childbearing is a great example of this. 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:02.480 Two a days before football season is another great example of this. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:07.039 Uh, going to fire school to prepare to be a fireman is another example of this. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:09.279 I'll go through the difficult stuff. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:16.079 I'll train my buns off so that I can get that job, so that I can have a position on the team. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:22.720 Something hard now that prepares you for something much greater on the other side. 00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:24.400 We're willing to endure that, right? 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:27.680 But are we willing to endure that for gospel proclamation? 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:33.039 Are we willing to endure that so that more people might come and meet Jesus? 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:39.279 Are we willing to invite our neighbors that are on our blessed list that we're praying for every day because we love the bless app? 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:44.400 Are we willing to open up the app or open up the email even if we don't like spam emails? 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:48.720 Because we want to see more people come to know the best news ever. 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:52.079 We want to see more people meet Jesus face to face. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:57.279 We're willing to suffer for something great. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:09.759 And like this is this is a deep part of the text, and so I want to kind of pause and talk about suffering briefly, because Paul's ministry was to joyfully suffer for gospel proclamation. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:13.200 But suffering and affliction, it's part of all of our ministry. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:17.519 Like it's part of all of our ministry to joyfully suffer for gospel proclamation. 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:20.880 Like those in Christ will suffer for Christ. 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:32.559 If you've believed in Jesus Christ, your life is not sunshine and rainbows, it's not all cupcakes and gummy beers, you're gonna go through some hard things for Jesus' sake. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:39.839 And so I want to talk about briefly what the Bible says about suffering, because this is really important for us to get this. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:44.400 Suffering for the sake of Christ is part of the Christian life. 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:50.640 God will use suffering to help followers of Jesus further identify with their Savior. 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:58.319 It's also often the means that God uses to test a believer's faith and prove it to be true and lasting. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:07.519 Anyone can suffer from For a day, will you suffer joyfully, consistently over time to prove that you're genuinely in Jesus Christ? 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:20.480 The word suffering in Ephesians 3 13 is the most common Greek word for suffering, thalypsis, which quite literally means affliction, oppressment, oppression, or harassment. 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:26.960 The verb form of that means to press upon, crowd, to squeeze, to squash, to press. 00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:35.519 This idea of being pressed by negative circumstances of life is what it means when he's talking about suffering. 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:41.599 Suffering is part of being in the ministry or service of Christ. 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:43.920 And Paul writes about it beautifully in other places. 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:50.799 Romans 8, 16 through 18, he says, the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:23:01.680 And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:06.559 Like the suffering with Jesus is connected to being glorified with Jesus. 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:11.519 There is heavenly reward that is tied to our suffering with Jesus Christ. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:19.279 I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:22.319 It's almost identical to the point that we're making from this text. 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:27.200 The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:32.000 Like it's hard today, but there's glory on the other side, church. 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:38.160 Trust him, cling to him, rely on him through the suffering, through the difficult, through the pain. 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:40.240 Because he's worth it. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:44.960 2 Corinthians 4, 16 through 18. 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:52.000 We do not lose heart, though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 00:23:52.240 --> 00:24:04.720 For this light, momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:09.519 For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:12.720 All believers should anticipate suffering. 00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:17.599 Paul saw himself as the least of all these. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:20.880 He rightfully suffered immensely for Jesus Christ. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:24.960 And he's following the example of Jesus in his suffering. 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:30.880 Just as Jesus suffered in the service of the Father, so Paul suffered in the service of Jesus Christ. 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:37.759 I was reading last night to my son Luke, where Jesus is begging the Father, if there's any other way, let this cut pass for me. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:40.559 Nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done. 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:44.559 Jesus is saying, I will go through the hard thing if it honors you. 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:47.680 If it's your will to save the world, absolutely, Father, let's go. 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:48.799 Let's do it. 00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:59.839 He brings his grief, his sweaty blood to the Father, saying, If there's any other way, let's go that way. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:02.799 But not my will, but your will be done. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:09.920 He was being pressed by that moment, bleeding through his sweat glands. 00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:19.759 In the same way, believers should anticipate suffering in the pattern of Jesus as his beloved and his beloved apostles. 00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:23.359 Every believer should anticipate suffering. 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.880 It's not if, but when. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:28.559 We're either headed into, coming out of, or in the midst of suffering. 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:35.119 We should not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon us to test us as though it was some unexpected, strange thing. 00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:36.720 We should be ready for suffering. 00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:40.319 It's not an option or a choice for the spiritually elite. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:43.039 No, it's for all of us who are in Christ. 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:45.519 It is every believer's experience. 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:50.319 It can come externally through persecution, by peers, overseers, family, friends, strangers. 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:54.400 It can come naturally through suffering, through a health issue, catastrophe, accidents. 00:25:54.559 --> 00:26:03.519 It can come internally because you're sad and disheartened or depressed in response to some external events. 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:07.440 Sometimes we limit it to like those big, terrible moments or suffering. 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:13.839 No, we need to grow our view of what suffering is and say, this is an opportunity for me to be conformed to the image of Christ. 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:17.440 This is an opportunity for me to suffer with Jesus Christ. 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:22.000 Our suffering is not arbitrary if we're in Christ. 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:28.480 It leads to glory to those who suffer and those who are being built up by the suffering. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:34.400 Just as each person who's in Christ must share in his suffering, so too will each share in Christ's glory. 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:38.559 The great hope of the return of Christ is joining him in his triumphant glory. 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:42.480 Paul's ministry was to joyfully suffer for gospel proclamation. 00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:46.319 We see that very clearly here. 00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:55.920 And what we're going to see next is, he goes into who they are in this next section, who the church is in this next section. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:57.519 Verses 2 through 6. 00:26:57.759 --> 00:27:05.759 He says, Assuming you've heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I've written briefly. 00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:09.279 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ. 00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:18.480 It wasn't made known before, it wasn't made known in other generations, but now it's been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets, those who wrote the New Testament. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:23.519 They have this new knowledge, this new insight, which is what most of us are used to hearing, right? 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:26.960 But it was news to all of them that we're hearing this. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:34.960 The mystery that Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the same body, fellow partakers of the promise of Christ through the gospel. 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:40.480 The mystery is gospel unity for every man, woman, and child. 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:44.720 The mystery is gospel unity for every man, woman, and child. 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:51.279 And we've sort of talked about this already that every man, woman, and child is important to God, so every man, woman, and child is important to me. 00:27:52.960 --> 00:28:01.119 There's this mystery of gospel unity for groups of people that maybe otherwise had no chance to be united, have a way to be united in Christ. 00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:04.960 The dividing wall of hostility has been broken down. 00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:11.200 We can all come with the same access because the ground is level at the foot of the cross. 00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:14.799 Like it's not like, hey, I'm better than you. 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:17.039 There's no place for that in the church. 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:19.839 Especially not Taylor Bible Church. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:22.640 There's no place for this air of superiority. 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:27.119 No, we're all coming equally to Christ. 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:36.480 Fellow heirs, fellow members, fellow partakers of the promise of Christ Jesus. 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:39.519 The ground is level at the foot of the cross. 00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:46.960 That means we count everything we had before Christ as lost for the sake of knowing him and being found in him. 00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:52.559 We were saved by grace through faith. 00:28:53.039 --> 00:28:54.480 We can't boast. 00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:57.519 The ground is level at the foot of the cross. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:02.799 Man, uh I'll tell a sort of embarrassing story. 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:07.680 Uh I used to, I used to, when I first moved to Austin, we used to play a lot of sand volleyball. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:11.200 And I found that I was better at it than I anticipated. 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:15.680 And so I was winning a lot of games in the sand volleyball and losing a lot of friends. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:19.759 And it was because I was a jerk when I played the sport. 00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:22.240 I was rude to others as I played the sport. 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:25.119 I was knocking people over so that I could take the better shot. 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:34.799 I was not just physically knocking them over, but like the air of like superiority that was in me was not compatible with the spirit of Christ that was in our group. 00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:48.640 And so this was an area that I had to turn and repent and grieve that there was sin in me that was becoming evident in those social fun situations because I cared more about winning than building community. 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:55.920 I cared more about how much fun I was having or how much I was winning than what was going on as a whole in that group. 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:58.720 We were there to build community, not tear it down. 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:00.480 I was missing the whole point. 00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:16.960 And I think that this same idea happens in the church where we have this air of superiority, or this is I've got the right interpretation on this scripture, and you you just don't get it. 00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:28.079 And that same way of maybe you're not knocking them down to hit the better shot, but we tend to tear each other down when we miss having our sights on the main thing of Jesus Christ being the main thing. 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:35.680 And so if we lose sight of that, then we will lose friends, we'll lose the unity that God wants us to experience. 00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:43.759 That gospel unity is precious and beautiful and so important to God, and that's why it has to be important to us church as his ambassadors. 00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:53.839 And it's kind of crazy the way Paul's talking about it because he's talking about him being the least of the saints, but also like, hey, I've got the best news ever. 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:55.200 Nobody else has heard it before. 00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:59.680 God gave it directly to me to give to his church, but I'm the least of these. 00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:01.599 Like I'm the I'm the worst of the worst. 00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:09.359 And and I'm going through the worst and the worst of the times, but God has given me like this incredible mystery to proclaim to all of you. 00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:16.079 This mystery of unity for every man, woman, and child in the gospel. 00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:20.319 That we all are saved by grace through faith in the same way. 00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:26.400 And so there's no room to boast, there's no room to look down on others because they're slow to get it. 00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:31.200 Like we're fellow heirs, fellow members, fellow partakers. 00:31:31.359 --> 00:31:37.279 There's like all of these uh words in the Greek that it's like S-Y-N, the same prefixes on them. 00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:45.839 And we kind of miss it in the way that it's translated, unless it was really literal in the translation where it said, co-heirs, co-members, co-partakers of the promise of Christ. 00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:51.440 There's this three words where he's saying, Hey, we're heirs together, we're members together, we're partakers together. 00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:53.039 Do you see the unity? 00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:57.359 He's trying to get the church to see the unity that we have in Jesus Christ. 00:31:57.599 --> 00:32:03.440 That God broke down that wall of division, he brought us near so that we could be on equal footing before God. 00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:19.759 Um there's a sweet line in uh the book and the movie, uh, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, where uh the teacher or the play director says, There are no small parts, only small actors. 00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:22.079 And the idea is the same in the church. 00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:28.240 There are no small parts in the body of Christ, uh, only smaller individuals. 00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:33.039 Like there's there's no place for an air of superiority in that body of Christ. 00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:39.440 You're not less significant if you're a toe, than if you're a finger, than if you're an eyeball, than if you're a shoulder. 00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:43.279 You don't you don't have an increased significance if you stand on a stage. 00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:46.720 There's no room for that in the body of Christ. 00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:58.000 We've all been brought near in the same way, and it's when we lose sight of that that we become arrogant, insufferable Christians. 00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:07.440 When we lose sight of us being bought by the blood of Jesus, that we become really difficult for a new person to walk in here and say, Yeah, that's my church. 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:09.279 I could belong here. 00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:17.759 And God can use those in any circumstance to advance his kingdom. 00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:22.079 He can take your worst circumstances and use them for his good purposes. 00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:27.680 He can take your mess and turn it into a message, he can take your test and turn it into a testimony. 00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:31.680 He can use anything, even the one who says that he's the least of these. 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:39.359 So if you're saying, I'm too broken, I'm not worthy, he still wants to use you to show his goodness to the world. 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:42.400 He has unique work that you would walk in. 00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:44.880 So don't lose heart. 00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:46.480 Don't give up, don't walk away. 00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:49.039 It's not meant to be easy, it's not gonna be easy. 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:54.480 Our suffering is meant to make us more like Christ, it's meant to shape us to be like him. 00:33:55.200 --> 00:34:02.640 So we've seen the ministry of Paul, gospel proclamation, we've seen the mystery of Paul, gospel unity for every man, woman, and child. 00:34:02.799 --> 00:34:06.640 And now let's see the purpose of the church that's disclosed here. 00:34:08.239 --> 00:34:10.400 What's the purpose of the church? 00:34:12.239 --> 00:34:15.280 To display God's wisdom to the watching world. 00:34:16.480 --> 00:34:21.519 The purpose of the church is to show off God's wisdom to the world that is watching. 00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:28.400 We as a church get to show off Jesus' goodness to the world that is watching. 00:34:31.840 --> 00:34:52.480 Even though Paul was the very least of the saints, he was given this grace to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, to bring delight for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places. 00:34:52.639 --> 00:35:01.840 He's saying, Hey church, you get to show angels and demons the plans and purposes of God that God never told them. 00:35:02.159 --> 00:35:12.000 You get to show through your supernatural, mind-blowing unity the purposes of God, to unite all things in himself through the Son Jesus. 00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:17.280 We saw this in Ephesians 1, 9 and 10, where it says, What's the purpose of all of this? 00:35:18.559 --> 00:35:34.239 To unite all things in himself, making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose set forth in Christ, a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:43.840 Showing this incredible supernatural unity displays God's wisdom to the watching world, both natural and supernatural. 00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:50.320 Like even the angels, even the demons, the authorities and rulers in heavenly places. 00:35:50.559 --> 00:35:53.199 And this isn't like God's surprise plan. 00:35:53.840 --> 00:35:56.079 It's not like a whodunit mystery. 00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:58.880 It's like now it's made visible to you. 00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:01.199 Now it's uncovered so that you can all see it. 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:11.840 It was always his purpose, his eternal purpose that he realized in Christ Jesus, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:17.599 How can Paul speak so confidently if he's really the least of these? 00:36:17.760 --> 00:36:25.440 Because he has boldness and access through Jesus Christ, his perfect life that was imputed on us who believe. 00:36:25.679 --> 00:36:28.880 So now when God sees me, he doesn't see how much of a mess I am. 00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:32.159 He sees his perfect son Jesus and what he's done for us. 00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:37.199 So don't lose heart, don't give up. 00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:42.480 The purpose of the church is to display God's wisdom to the watching world. 00:36:42.719 --> 00:36:51.119 This grace and power are so mighty that Paul, the former Pharisee, said, Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:56.079 I count everything as lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. 00:36:56.320 --> 00:37:06.239 For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, count them as garbage, in order that I might gain Christ and be found in him. 00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:28.239 Nothing on this earth compares with the vastness, the greatness, the unsearchable riches of knowing Jesus and being found in him. 00:37:29.280 --> 00:37:35.599 The incalculable riches are made known to Paul as he shows off the mystery hidden in ages in God. 00:37:42.079 --> 00:37:55.920 God is stitching people from every race, gender, ethnicity together into a beautiful work of art, the church, that masterpiece, to demonstrate to the spiritual world and the physical world what God's kingdom looks like. 00:37:56.079 --> 00:38:04.079 This mosaic of beauty, of bringing all people from all places, every tribe, every tongue together to worship Him. 00:38:04.239 --> 00:38:11.679 People with different worldviews, people with different beliefs prior to meeting Jesus, people that still might vote differently. 00:38:11.840 --> 00:38:20.000 He's uniting in his son Jesus to demonstrate what God's kingdom looks like. 00:38:20.880 --> 00:38:27.280 Showing this picture of Satan to Satan of God's victory and Satan's defeat. 00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:32.639 Demonstrating a world of what it looks like when heavenly values operate in history. 00:38:36.239 --> 00:38:37.920 What does this look like in real life? 00:38:38.079 --> 00:38:41.519 What does this look like when the tire meets the road? 00:38:41.599 --> 00:38:42.239 What does that look like? 00:38:42.320 --> 00:38:49.519 It looks like uh churches partnering together to showcase the wisdom of God. 00:38:49.679 --> 00:38:53.760 Uh this is last week I preached at FBC Taylor, uh, and it was great. 00:38:53.840 --> 00:38:58.079 I preached the same message here as there as I'm preaching now. 00:38:58.239 --> 00:39:03.760 Uh got to practice a week early uh here at FBC Taylor in the morning. 00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:09.280