Ephesians 3:14-21

Ephesians 3:14-21

This has been called the boldest prayer ever prayed. This picks up from where Paul interrupted himself back in verse one. Verses 14-19 are one complex sentence, and for those who love to diagram sentences, this would be a worthy challenge. In short, Paul prays that Christians would be strengthened so that Christ may dwell in their hearts and that they would comprehend the length, breadth, and depth of what Paul purposely omitted saying. We can’t say definitely what he was referring to. He also prays that disciples would know the love of Christ and that they may be filled with the fullness of God. Or to simplify it more and paraphrase it slightly, “I pray that He would grant you to be strengthened so that Christ may dwell in your hearts so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Clearly in this devotion we cannot fully deal with such a sentence, but we can look at it and apply the key themes.

First, in that cultural context, it was thought that the pagan god lived in the temple. The pagan Ephesians believed that their goddess lived in the temple dedicated to her in that city. But there is no structure or building that is the temple of the one true God. Rather, the temple of God is the church, the people. It is important to note that the “your” in verse 17 is plural. Paul is not talking about Christ dwelling in the individual hearts of believers but the collective hearts of all the people of the church. There are no Lone Ranger Christians.

The second key point Paul makes is that the goal of every believer is to be “filled up” to the fullness of God. If a person is a Christian, then their goal is to be like their heavenly Father. Our goal is to be filled with their character and the holiness of God. To accept sin as a given or to tolerate sin in our life is counter to God’s expressed purpose for us. For a person to say, “I know that is what God wants, but I want and will choose something else,” is to defy God. To say, “That is not what God means” is to presume you know more than the Scriptures; you aren’t that smart. God‘s purpose for us is to be like Him; to neglect that purpose or pursue anything else is foolish.

In the context of this conversation about holy maturity, Paul explodes into praise in verses 19–21. These verses are about spiritual maturity and holiness; let us not cheapen them to try to make them about our agenda or pet projects. These verses are not about a great big ministry, a big house, a new car, or some of our enterprises. It is about God‘s work in us to develop in us holiness.

“Lord, be at work in my will so that I conform to Yours. AMEN”

Ephesians 3:1–13

Ephesians 3:1–13

Here Paul explains powerfully and beautifully the culmination of God’s great plan to bring all nations to Himself. Paul may have been a little ADD, or he may have been very excited about the marvel of what God was doing. He begins and then digresses. Verses 2-13 are sort of a parenthetical statement. Note in verse one and in verse 14 he says, “For this reason I…” What is in between these verses is Paul’s digression into the beauty of God’s plan to redeem all mankind. 

Part of our fallen human nature is to assume that those who are different are in some way inferior. The Jews took this to an extreme. The fact that Paul would believe that God loved non-Jews was nothing short of miraculous. This welcoming of all men to God was only possible by grace. The cross is the focal point of all history. Having received that amazing news, Paul was compelled to share the good news with everyone. Paul did not consider himself a prisoner of Rome or of Nero. Rather, he was captivated by the mystery of Christ. That which captivates us we are bound to share. Which may explain why so many believers never share their faith. They know it well enough to live a semi-good moral life or at least to feel guilty if they don’t. But a shallow knowledge of the gospel will never captivate us or be enough to compel us or excite us enough to share it.

This mystery is not something hard to figure out. But something that has been hidden all along and now has been shown. Like a gift in the box, it was hidden, but now it is seen. Paul describes this mystery in three ways: “fellow heirs,” “fellow members of the body,” and “fellow partakers of the promise.” The term “fellow heirs” is from the word, which at its root means “with lot” or we might say “by dice.” Casting lots was a way to decide who would get what in terms of inheritance. Once the lot was thrown, it was settled ownership once and for all. This means that once and for all, Gentiles are inside of God‘s grace. Next he used the term “fellow members”; literally this means “with” or “together body.” Paul may have coined this word. The best description we might have is the Borg from the Star Trek TV show. The interrelationship between Jews and Gentiles is so extreme that it would be impossible to separate one or the other out of the body. If you did this, it would no longer be the body of Christ. The final description is “fellow partakers.” This is in fact a triple compound word from the words “with,” “change,” and “have.” It means, “the change that has come because of what we have shared.” 

The gospel changes everything; it isn’t just that we go to heaven when we die. That is only a part of the Gospel message. It also means that all that was lost in Eden is regained and Christ and we share, Jew and Gentile alike, in Him.

“Help me Lord to have the passion for the Gospel that is captivating.  AMEN”