Eph 3:1-7 “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.”
I realize that I have more before me than I could adequately cover in a few short paragraphs, but I felt that the way Paul wrote this statement needed to be kept whole. Paul is telling them that were afar off but now made nigh by the blood of Christ that there is a purpose behind all that he has expounded to them. He feels the call of his ministry to these brethren so strongly that he refers to himself as a prisoner. Paul is telling them that, although he was born a Jew and of the Circumcision, he is bound to them (the Uncircumcised) by the power of Jesus.I pray for all of God’s servants that we might feel our call to serve God’s children, wherever He sends us as, as strongly as Paul felt it!
Paul also desired that they should understand the administration of God’s grace that was given him for them. As servants of God’s children, do we recognize that the grace God has given us to speak of Jesus Christ is for those we serve? That is not to say that we are not partakers of this grace, but our desire should be to declare Him to those to whom He has sent us. We should, as Paul did, joyfully confess that we are prisoners bound to His children by His amazing grace. We need to readily declare that our understanding is not of our own doing, but that it is given by revelation through the Holy Spirit. We should never seek to impress God’s children by allowing them to believe that we are in some way superior, but rather that we are bound to Jesus and by His power and majesty we deliver that which we have been given for their sakes.
There was a time when the Gentiles (those who were afar off) were not partakers of this kingdom. We were once counted among those that were not partakers of this kingdom. God has multitudes of children in the world today who are not yet partakers of this kingdom. When God gives us the grace to bear His word to those who in the past (whether decades ago or five minutes ago) were not reckoned among the household of faith, we should gladly affirm to them that something that was hidden in times past is now vital to them.Through the Spirit, both we and they are made to understand that they are fellowheirs. They are members of His body and recipients of all His promises in the gospel. What we all once were is lost in the mighty grace and love of God that makes us what we are now!
Paul says he was caused to be (made) a minister. If we live the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are also made ministers. It is not about our lineage or our personal desire. We are ministers according to the gift of God’s grace; not a reward, but a gift. How did we receive this gift? It came because God’s mighty power is effectual in the lives of His people. His word will always accomplish what it was sent out to do. It will never return unto Him void!
May we gladly bear His gospel wherever we are sent and share it with all who He will draw unto Jesus according to the working of His mighty power!
