Ephesians 3:1-21
Monday, 02 January 2023
God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 3:10 [NLT]
The Church is God’s idea! The Book of Ephesians shows us the great mystery of the Church, the body of Christ of which believers are members and Christ is its head.
This mystery is that through the gospel, the Gentiles—the people who are not of the community of Israel—are now
· heirs together with Israel
· members together of one body
· sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus
Paul had written in Eph.2:13, how Gentiles were excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise. But the next verse says: “...now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ members together of one body.” Christ Jesus has brought together the irreconcilable, breaking down the barriers of hostility between Jew and Gentile united them into the household of God! Paul’s excitement about this mystery revealed to him is reflected in the first three chapters of Ephesians.
Our key verse goes further to say how the church in the present age is chosen by God to display God’s manifold wisdom to rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. The manifold wisdom is the new relationship between believing Jews and Gentiles in one body, in Christ! This was unthinkable at one time but made possible through Christ! As the angelic hosts look at the church, they must admit that having Jews and Gentiles in one body is evidence of God's wisdom.* That God would make the Gentiles with the Jews “co-heirs” and “co-members” of His Church was a radical thing and it manifested the wisdom of God!
Paul is humbled by such revelation that he jots down a prayer that all of us in Christ- whether Jew or Gentile should meditate on and pray too:
· God will empower us with inner strength through his Spirit.
· Christ will make his home in our hearts as we trust in him
· our roots will grow down into God’s love and keep us strong
· we will understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
Dear Brethren, great is the mystery of the church- we who are in Christ are brought together into God’s household to manifest His wisdom! Great is the work of the church to bring glory to God in the witness of our unity, love, fellowship and acceptance. Christ the cornerstone of the great building- the holy temple of God (Eph.2:20-22) keeps us connected to one another— big stones or small, round, rough edged or smooth, coloured, gray or white—in all shapes and sizes we fitted to Him and in Him that we may bring glory to God! Hallelujah! What a privilege!
What is each of our responsibility when we understand these truths?
· Be thankful you have been chosen in Christ! His great grace saved you!
· Allow God’s love to soak into you that it may flow to our brothers and sisters in Him
· Accept one another- the new creation in Christ- as Christ has accepted you
· Understand your role as living stone in His building and allow Him to build you
· Be a builder yourself, jointly building one another in Christ!
The Church is God’s idea and His design in these end times to display His power through each of us His chosen children. Would you cooperate with Him?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for your great love displayed through Christ that I am accepted in the beloved. May you empower my life through the Spirit that I may be built in the church I am placed, so we may bring glory and honour to your name. Amen.
Ref: What the Bible is All About- Henrietta C Mears
*The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Ephesians
Listen - 'Build Your Church Lord'
Commentaires