Episode 6: Ephesians 3:1-13: What's the big deal with the church?
What's your view of the church at the moment? And does it measure up with what God's plan for the church is? We're looking at the start of Ephesians 3 today to find out.
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Why are we being told about Paul and his role here?
How does this shape our understanding of how God is at work in the world, through his word, and through the church?
How are these truths both freeing and encouraging?
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This episode is sponsored by Crossway.
Crossway publish gospel-centered, Bible-based content that honours our Savior and serves his church. They seek to help people understand the massive implications of the gospel and the truth of God’s Word, for all of life, for all eternity, and for the glory of God.
Check out their website for all their up-to-date resources.
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The following is an uncorrected transcript generated by a transcription service. Before quoting in print, please check the corresponding audio for accuracy.
Felicity: You're listening to the Two Sisters and a Cup of Tea podcast. The Bible Study podcast for everyday life. We're here for a 20 minute burst of Bible chat over a cup of tea and an English style biscuit as we make our way through a Bible book over the course of the season and drive it to our hearts. This season we're getting into Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Whether you've been listening for a while or you've just found us, we're so pleased you're here.
Sarah: We're grateful to be sponsored by Crossway this season. And since diving into the fruit of the spirit back in season 13, our prayers have been continually shaped by our desire to keep growing in bearing that fruit. Now this resource, Fruitful, edited by Megan Hill and Melissa Kruger, is a 40-day devotional that explores each of the nine fruit of the spirit found in Galatians 5 in greater depth. Every daily reading includes a related verse to ponder, a rich reflection, additional Bible passages to read and a prayer as well. It's a wonderful resource either to kick start some time dwelling on the fruit of the Spirit or to further your understanding as you continue by the power of the Spirit to bear Christ's fruit in and through you. Pick it up at crossway.org.
Felicity: Welcome to Two Sisters and a Cup of Tea. My name is Felicity, I'm in the States. I'm here as ever with my sister Sarah, she's in the UK. And we're excited to be ploughing on with Ephesians. We're gonna be getting into chapter three, the first half of that chapter. I have my cup of tea, my cup of tea actually Sarah, Earl Grey, not just Earl Grey, but Earl Grey Supreme. Harnie and Sons Supreme. I mean it's quite a label, isn't it, for your tea? You're suggesting this is it, the it’s quite fancy. This is the better, the better one.
Sarah: Would you say? It's supreme?
Felicity: To be honest, no. It's like edging towards it but supreme just feels so absolute so I'd give it like you know eight and a half out of ten. Nearly touching supremish on a good day. Right so Ephesians kind of thing Sarah as we've been going through this letter we've been praying that our hearts would be thrilled by Jesus more and more. How is it that your view of Christ has been growing as we've been going through this lesson?
Sarah: Well, I mean, I'd say he's supreme.
Felicity: A good one, good segue from tea to Jesus.
Sarah: Thank you. But he really is, isn't he? I mean, he really is. And the more that we just read of what the cross has accomplished, the more that we just remind ourselves of the blessings that have come through him, the more that we just dwell on his character his abundant kindness and mercy just I think it's just been so good to just have that view expanded isn't it and I've just really really enjoyed it. We're enjoying him and it moves me kind of more to just want to go deeper to know him more because I yeah it's kind of just tasting and seeing that he is good isn't it. How about you?
Felicity: I think that's right. The just reality that without being in Jesus, that none of this is kind of true of me. And so then my dependence upon him, absolute kind of gratitude for him, just marvelling at this being the plan. I think chapter one, verse 10 has just really kind of stuck with me over the years of just that everything is gonna sit under his headship. He rules, he is king. And to really believe that and trust that. And the more I dwell on that, the more I think, yeah, that is where all of this is headed. The course of history is dictated by him and sits under him. So it's kind of both that kind of personal delight in him and the intimacy and the wow to who he is and also just what is happening in the world and throughout history in his hands. I guess Ephesians as a whole is just kind of gradual expansion of everything, isn't it? Yeah.
Sarah: Yes it's just kind of blowing apart isn't it? It's just kind of you can't help but just kind of yeah see the bigger picture and there's no there's no Jesus in a box here is there? There's no meek and mild Jesus here this it's yeah yeah yeah it's good. You're going to read for us chapter three verse one to thirteen.
Felicity: Here I go, chapter three, verse one.
For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, for the sake of you Gentiles, surely you've heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I've already written briefly. In reading this then, you'll be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets.This mystery is that through the gospel, the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body and sharing together in the promise in Christ Jesus. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Although I'm less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery which for ages past was kept hidden in God who created all things. His intent was that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him, we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you therefore not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
Sarah: Brilliant. Thank you, Felicity. What I really enjoy about this part of Ephesians is that it reminds me that Paul is normal. It reminds me that he's writing a letter and sometimes it feels like he's got a little bit off track and I'm just trying to work out where are you going with this Paul? Because we've got this like first bit, for this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, for the sake of you Gentiles, and then it's kind of like he just forgets what he's just said and said, but I just need to tell you and remind you of like where my authority comes from and he's just kind of again just the personal touch here is I just think it's good it's it's helpful.
Felicity: Yeah, I think that's right. And we know that even more because verse 14, the verse after this, for this reason, he seems to kind of rediscover his original track, doesn't he? So it's kind like this is a detour and then he's back for this reason, but not to diminish the importance of what he's saying here and just what that means for then as we read the rest of Ephesians. Because when I first read this, it sounds a bit like not only is he detoured, but he's like, I'm just going to tell you a bit about me and it feels a little bit clunky, like, why do I suddenly want to know about Paul? But as soon as you begin to ask that question and dig into what he's saying about himself, I think that really helps to understand why he's going here.
Sarah: Yes. And what he's saying is that he is a prisoner here, so he's in prison, but he is an apostle. He's being sent and he's been given this revelation. He's been given the mystery of the gospel to then give it to the Gentiles. Like this is his particular mission that's been given to him, isn't it? Just the kind of authority that he has to say what he said so far, the authority to say what he is going to say in the rest of the letter, rests on him actually saying this now, doesn't it?
Felicity|: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And this very idea that he has been given a revelation, revelation, God revealing by his gracious design and intent, revealing that which is made known now to Paul in this timing, the perfect timing of when this mystery is being known. And that the power of this revelation that has been given to Paul as the messenger of the revelation. This is the power by which God is out working the plans and the purposes that we've been reading of in chapters one and two. And just even just simply sitting in that for a moment that the revelation, what is made known is the means by which this, because Paul's in prison, it's not like it's just through his running really fast around everywhere he can get to to tell it like the revelation is being passed on and therefore he is, is he content to be in prison? that is kind of... He's not obviously having the best life ever in that, but...
Sarah: No but he’s saying at the end, isn't he, that you shouldn't be discouraged because of my sufferings, because the Lord is working for His glory, for their glory even, through what's going on there. So that's really striking, isn't it? I think it's really also just helpful, he underlines in verse 6 what this mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel members together of one body share us together it's like in case I haven't just said this last time in case you just missed a trick on chapter 2 here let me just remind you together together together in Christ Jesus and just the underlying of the Gentiles are included in this language heirs members together of one body share us together in the promise all that is kind of the whole of the Old Testament kind of steeped in that sentence really isn't it? They're in it together and this is the mystery that's been revealed, this is the gospel and he then humbly says this is what's being given to me even though I am so unworthy, even though I am the least least of all this is what's been given to me so that I can then bring this boundless riches, these boundless riches to the Gentiles.
Felicity: I love that in verse nine, to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery. like the NIV translation there. I like the word administration there because I think it just has this kind of notion of I'm just administering what God has given me. Like I'm just kind of, you know, sorting it out. I'm just putting it out there. I'm like the organizer. I'm just so, yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Sarah: I'm just serving. Well it's a serving language isn't it? I'm just serving this mystery to those who need to hear it. This mystery that was kept hidden in God who created all things. And then we get this kind of huge verse in verse 10 don't we? His intent was that now through the church the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. And just that again, we're seeing this big view and purpose of the church that it's through the church that God's wisdom should be made known. Through the church that this mystery, this gospel is going to go out to the ends of the earth. Through the church that his intent was that the church would be the kind of centre point of how this beautiful, extraordinary, rich gospel goes out and continues to go out.
Felicity: And it's so significant that this means by which God is doing all that we've been reading of. And even as you read this section here, you see that through the proclamation of Jesus, through the proclamation of the gospel, this revelation, so the church is being gathered, this unity of all the people as we are in Christ, and that same proclamation is the means by which the church is gathered and the gospel continues to go out, continues to be proclaimed. And this idea that the manifold wisdom of God would be on display through the church, I mean, it's so counter to what we would think, isn't it? Like, as humans, just generally, let alone before we get into the actual church, but just humans being a means of displaying God's wisdom is kind of crazy in itself. And then to think that the messiness and the, you know, just kind of we're not perfect church.
Sarah: No, church is weak and church is, yeah, it's an imperfect vision, isn't it? Like it's not what we want it to be. And yet God's saying, even in the midst of all that, I'm gonna use that as my primary means of delivering and accomplishing eternal purposes throughout the heavenly realms. Boom.
Felicity: Yes, throughout the heavenly world. Not even just in the local neighbourhood.
Sarah: No, exactly, like this is like cosmic levels and that just yeah.
Felicity: Yeah, I do think, I think that points us back to the power of the revelation. Like the power is not in which people are kind of being chosen to be part of the church or anything like that. It's that this church is kind of like the vessel of the revelation in a way. And so as we, as we're a body of people who cling to the revelation of Jesus, who hold out the revelation of Jesus, who are then that is the means by which. Which is so freeing.
Sarah: I think so, isn't it? It's really freeing because the emphasis rests on verse 12 here, doesn't it? It's in Christ, in Him, and through faith in Him, we may approach God with freedom and confidence. So it's not to do with the messenger. And Paul makes that really clear here. He's a servant, isn't he? It's all been given by God's grace. He is the least of all the Lord's people. Like, it, It really isn't about who's doing the delivering. It's about the message. It's about, and we're hearing that back in chapter one, weren't we? When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, you were included. It's that simple. The message is this powerful. The revelation is this, this life altering, this life changing that it can bring you from death to life, this power that we've been hearing about, it's all here, it's wrapped up in the proclamation of this gospel and in holding it out. And that is what Paul is doing, isn't it? He's holding it out and he serves, he administers, he serves and he entrusts the results to the Lord, doesn't he?
Felicity: So profound, isn't it really? Because even though, know, as we were saying at the start, it feels like he's just kind of like gone on a little detour and why is he talking about this? And then actually you dig into it and you realise this is fundamental to our understanding of how God is at work in the world and how the church is the central point of that being the ongoing messenger, like the display of that manifold wisdom and
Sarah: And what's at the centre point of your church gathering as well, the word, the gospel, every point of the service being anchored with and kind of grounded on this gospel truth and just rejoicing in that actually, when you see that, that is something to give thanks for, isn't it? And rejoice that this is God's plan. This is for some extraordinary reason, this is his intent that the manifold wisdom of God would be made known in the heavenly realms as we do this Sunday by Sunday, as we gather, as we kind of claim these rich promises for. Yeah, generations gone by, generations to come. And that's a very humbling and beautiful thing to be a part of then, isn't it? I think my awe of wow that he would include us. Wow that he would dare to use us. Wow that in the midst of all the weakness and the messiness that actually he is still at work through us. Like that is just so beautiful and really heartening. It kind of, I think it really kind of stirs you to go, okay Lord, like give us these good works to walk in. Like we wanna serve and we wanna, yeah, keep doing what we're doing, don't we?
Felicity: Yeah and I think it's a good evaluator isn't it of our local church like it is our church holding to the revelation like is the revelation is the gospel the proclamation of this central to what what our church is about but also then as we consider the power of the revelation the power of giving someone Jesus to have conviction that that is sufficient that God is working through this and that is again, gives me greater confidence to get this revelation open actually with an unbeliever because well, this is what God is doing. This is what he's done in me. And we heard it back in chapter one verse 13, didn't we? We heard and we believed. We heard this revelation and we believed and we're swept in to this glorious reality of what God is doing.
Sarah: Yeah, what would you say if someone was questioning whether their church was grounded in this? what's a helpful question to kind of just check that?
Felicity: Hmm, I think that asking the leadership of the church, like how they think God works in the world now, I've always found that to be a helpful kind of just what, because, and then how do the ministries of the church kind of reflect that? So it shouldn't just be that it happens on a Sunday during the sermon, but are the wider ministries there, is the women's Bible study a Bible study or is it doing something else, those kind of, the kids work, are they starting with the Bible in order that this would be the means by which God is at work in young people's lives? So those kind of questions. Yeah, would you add anything to that?
Sarah: Most church websites have their doctrinal basis on their website. And that's a helpful starting point, isn't it? Just to actually, if you haven't, go and have a look and see where the word sits, where God's revelation sits on the doctrinal basis with your church. And then from there, you've got some helpful conversations to ask you if you need to with an elder, haven't you, on I'm just wondering why it's not further up. Whatever that question prompts, I think it's helpful just kind of actually do your due research on what the elders have put in place already and go from there.
Felicity: Yeah well Sarah why don't you pray for us as we as we round off this part of chapter three
Sarah: I would love to. Heavenly Father, we just praise you for this extraordinary truth that your intent is that now through the church your wisdom should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms according to your eternal purpose that you accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. Further we marvel at how you choose to use your church, we marvel at the message that we've been given, that the apostles were given here, that Paul was given to preach to the Gentiles, that we have been able to receive it. We praise you that this word still active and going out and is the centre point of your purposes now and we just pray please would you keep broadening and deepening our view of your purposes in the church and in Christ Jesus, Lord that we would be living in line with what you are doing in this world and living in light of it we pray and we pray that to the praise of your glory amen.
Felicity: Amen, thank you, Sarah. Well, we're looking forward to getting into the second half of chapter three next time around. I don't know whether you've realized that around 70 % of the podcast is funded by you, our listeners. We're just so grateful, both for those who give month by month and every one-off donation that we receive as well. And everyone who gives a donation will receive a pack of Ephesians-inspired postcards as a thank you. I wonder whether you could help us to keep pressing record by giving today. Head to www.twosistersandacuppoftea.com/partner. That's twosistersandacuppoftea.com/partner to partner with us. We're so grateful and we will look forward to seeing you next Friday.
Sarah: See you then bye bye this episode has been sponsored by Crossway.
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