Ephesians Chapter 3
This chapter speaks of the mystery of God that has been revealed to us. This mystery is seated in the prophecies of the Old Testament that bare the truth of a Messiah that was promised for all mankind. You would be correct in thinking that this mystery has been revealed since we know that Jesus Christ came to this earth as our Messiah. The part of the mystery that mankind still does not understand is that the Messiah came for all people not just certain religious groups. Enveloped in that great mystery is the love of God. This is the part of the mystery that is difficult for anyone to fully comprehend, that God loved all sinners so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for them all. Thankfully the story does not end there. We know that our Messiah rose from the dead, conquering sin and death, and He is seated at the right hand of the Father.
Let's Reflect
1. Paul understood the mission. The gospel needed to be shared with the whole world not just the Jewish people. For so many hundreds and hundreds of years the Bible had been all about the faith of the Jewish nation, but now God was revealing a mystery – that His love for all mankind had always been present and He was sending a Messiah for all people, Jews and Gentiles. Paul viewed his life as a _________________ of God’s grace to be shared with the Gentiles.
2. Was the mystery revealed to men in previous generations according to Paul?
3. Who was the mystery of the gospel first revealed to?
4. In verse 6 Paul spells it out clearly for the reader. What was it that the mystery revealed?
5. Paul felt the weight of his responsibility to share the gospel, to share the grace of God, to share His working power, to share the riches of Christ, and to share the plan of the mystery revealed from our Creator. While Paul feels the weight of this responsibility, he also admits feeling what?
6. There are still many things that are mysterious about God that we will not understand until we are home in glory with Him, but we can know that the mystery of God’s salvation plan has been revealed. Paul says that because of this knowledge he has boldness and ______________________ in his faith in God. This also gives Paul courage to persevere despite the hardships he suffered.
7. Paul saw his life as meaningful because he knew that he was fulfilling God’s purpose for his life. His sharing the gospel with the Gentiles brought about their salvation and this was something to praise the Lord about. Paul calls it “their glory.” The Gentiles were getting to share in the glory of God. Who do you know who needs to hear the truth of the gospel?
8. Paul is having a praise party when he thinks about what God has done for us. He wants the believers reading his letter to be strengthened in their faith. This strengthening occurs through the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He wants them to recognize the great love God has for them which is difficult to define. How does Paul attempt to describe the greatness of God’s love for us?
9. Paul ends this portion of the letter with a great summary of how great God is. God can do for us things that are abundantly greater than what?
