In the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul goes on depth on what it means for us to be “in Christ,” reconciled to God. In the second chapter, he talks about us as a church, unified within Christ together and reconciled to one another. Now we come to the third chapter, where Paul starts taking about… himself?
He begins by identifying himself as a prisoner – not of Nero, even though he is in a Roman prison, but rather if Christ. In fact, he portrays his imprisonment as a positive thing for his readers.
Paul’s imprisonment is a story that started in Ephesians 21, when he was arrested, ostensibly for bringing a gentile into the temple, though in reality for teaching Christ. Paul is living out Jesus’ blessing in the beatitudes, “blessed are those who are persecuted.”
Then, Paul talks about himself as a steward or manager of God’s grace that was given him for the Ephesians. This is something we can ask ourselves – what have we been given to steward? Our resources, our relationship, our location – God has given all of us things, just as he gave Paul. “Follow me as I follow Christ,” as he wrote to the Corinthians.
He goes on in verses 3 and 4 to talk about the mystery and insight he was given by God. The word for insight implies synthesis, the combining of two rivers running together. This story goes back to Paul’s “origin story” as one of those who disputed with Stephen and held the coats of his murderers. In Philippians, he described his old self in detail:
…circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
Paul got the mandate to go round up Christians in Damascus, and on the road there was met directly by Christ and set on the path of preaching to the gentiles. This is what he is talking about in being a steward, and of the insight and mystery.
“Mystery” here means a truth that cannot be reached by reason or observation, but must be shared by revelation. The insight is a running together of the rivers of revelation by the Holy Spirit and God’s word, which promised that gentiles would somehow, someday meet God. That was the mission God gave Paul, and it’s a mission that reverberates down through the ages to his church full of Gentiles today.
To come to this place, Paul had to go through several steps. First, he needed to establish a spiritual renewal through his encounter with Christ. Second, he had to go through relational renewal with his fellow Christians, which enabled him to go through a missional renewal – loving God, loving others, loving the world.
Do we need to go through this? Even if we have been going to church for a long time, we may need it. Paul is one example himself. So were the Ephesians themselves, called to this renewal by Christ Himself in His letter recounted in Revelation – they had forsaken their first love, and He beseeched them to repent and be renewed.
-Sermon Notes, Bart Hodgson, Seed Church, Lynnwood WA, September 27, 2020