Ephesians 3:1-13
Gregory Bishop
(Audio: English)
SUMMARY: The Apostle Paul goes on a tangent in his letter to the Ephesians, explaining why he is in jail and how he has been given a special grace from God for the gentiles. He talks about a mystery of Christ that has been revealed to him and other holy apostles and prophets, which was not known before. This mystery is that through the gospel, the gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paul was given the grace to preach this gospel to the gentiles and make known the administration of this mystery, which was kept hidden in God for ages past. Through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authority in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Apostle Paul reveals a mystery in Ephesians 3, that through the gospel, gentiles (non-Jews) are now heirs together with Israel and members of one body, sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. This was a radical concept at the time because previously, salvation and knowing God were mediated only through Israel. The Apostle Paul was called to administer this mystery on earth, and it took preachers, ministers, and Christians to help this new community of Jews and gentiles come into being. The church is not an institution or organization, but a living, breathing organism that brings together people from radically different backgrounds. God will be glorified by every different type of person and nation that he has created on the face of the earth, and becoming a Christian changes you into being more and more yourself, more and more the person that God has created you to be.
In this sermon, the speaker talks about the importance of multi-ethnic churches and how they reveal the wisdom of God to angels and demons in the spiritual realm. He discusses the difference between culturally specific churches and multi-ethnic churches, saying that both are important in fulfilling God's intention for people from different cultures to come together and worship Him. He also acknowledges that being part of a multi-ethnic church can be uncomfortable and messy, but ultimately worth it because it declares a new kingdom is coming on earth with a new king. The speaker encourages the audience to embrace their cultural identity while also recognizing their new spiritual identity in Christ, and to be willing to pay the cost of building a multi-ethnic Christian community on earth.
The speaker thanks Jesus for other multi-ethnic churches and prays that this new church will thrive and bear fruit. They ask for the community to be prophetic and pioneer in their faith. They pray that future generations will benefit from the commitment made before God tonight. They end by praising and worshiping Jesus.
The Apostle Paul reveals a mystery in Ephesians 3, that through the gospel, gentiles (non-Jews) are now heirs together with Israel and members of one body, sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. This was a radical concept at the time because previously, salvation and knowing God were mediated only through Israel. The Apostle Paul was called to administer this mystery on earth, and it took preachers, ministers, and Christians to help this new community of Jews and gentiles come into being. The church is not an institution or organization, but a living, breathing organism that brings together people from radically different backgrounds. God will be glorified by every different type of person and nation that he has created on the face of the earth, and becoming a Christian changes you into being more and more yourself, more and more the person that God has created you to be.
In this sermon, the speaker talks about the importance of multi-ethnic churches and how they reveal the wisdom of God to angels and demons in the spiritual realm. He discusses the difference between culturally specific churches and multi-ethnic churches, saying that both are important in fulfilling God's intention for people from different cultures to come together and worship Him. He also acknowledges that being part of a multi-ethnic church can be uncomfortable and messy, but ultimately worth it because it declares a new kingdom is coming on earth with a new king. The speaker encourages the audience to embrace their cultural identity while also recognizing their new spiritual identity in Christ, and to be willing to pay the cost of building a multi-ethnic Christian community on earth.
The speaker thanks Jesus for other multi-ethnic churches and prays that this new church will thrive and bear fruit. They ask for the community to be prophetic and pioneer in their faith. They pray that future generations will benefit from the commitment made before God tonight. They end by praising and worshiping Jesus.
The Book of Ephesians. We’re working through this Letter of Paul to the Christians in Ephesus which is a city in, what is it? Greece, Asia Minor, somewhere around there. A city where there were some of the first Christians, one of the early, early churches and the Apostle Paul wrote to them
We’re going through this letter and I believe God guided pastor Roberto to choose this letter to be the first sort of scripture as a whole that we worked through; because it’s a book that talks in many ways about what it means to be a church, what it means to be a Christian community. And so he’s touched on issues of Jesus’ death for us, of bringing people together, of us being made alive in Christ, being one in Christ. You’ll find in it so many topics are addressed in this letter that are part of the foundation of what it means to be a church.
We’re going through this letter and I believe God guided pastor Roberto to choose this letter to be the first sort of scripture as a whole that we worked through; because it’s a book that talks in many ways about what it means to be a church, what it means to be a Christian community. And so he’s touched on issues of Jesus’ death for us, of bringing people together, of us being made alive in Christ, being one in Christ. You’ll find in it so many topics are addressed in this letter that are part of the foundation of what it means to be a church.
