Amazing Grace!
By Pastor Matt Black
11
March 2007
Lord's Day morning
Ephesians 3:1-6
Introduction: Open your Bible to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. The title of this morning’s message is “Amazing Grace!”. Let’s stand together and read Ephesians chapter 3:1-6.
Ephesians 3:1-6, “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you–ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 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; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”
Introduction: I must confess this morning that this is a passage of Scripture that has fascinated me for a long time. This morning we are going to see God’s plan for us in all of its glory. We have to take a journey in order to see it the way that Paul sees it.
Paul has already hinted at it. He talks about something that has been hidden since the beginning of the world, but that is now being unveiled before our eyes by divine revelation. He calls it something that was once a “mystery”.
Illustration: Have you ever seen the unveiling of a new make for a car? They have the car somewhat hidden, but you can see the shape of it. The car is covered with a covering, but you can see something amazing is underneath.
Paul says, the “sons of men” had not ever seen what you and I take for granted here today. What we today see through the apostle’s writings (i.e. the New Testament) is something that the Old Testament prophets and people of God had hints of, but never knew in all its fullness.
Today we are going to take a journey with Paul through how God pours out His grace onto all people.
I. The Outpouring of God’s grace “the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you–ward” (verse 2)
A. The outpouring of God’s grace to Paul.
1. What is a Dispensation? The word Dispensation (oikonomia) has the idea of an administration or stewardship of something that was dispensed to Paul. Look at the word, and it is easy. We are all familiar with what it is to dispense something. So a dispensation is something that was dispensed to Paul.
In other words, this dispensation was Paul’s calling and commission.
2. What was Paul dispensing? What was Paul to be a steward and a manager of? Look at it here: He speaks of “the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you–ward” (verse 2). Dispensing the Grace of God! Imagine Paul is said to be given a special dispensing of the grace of God to give to Gentiles. And in this verse we are going to see first of all that Paul was called by God to be a dispenser of God’s grace—he was to be a manager, a steward of God’s favor toward men. Wow! Imagine all the things people manage today—restaurant managers, sports team managers. They all have so much to think of to make sure everything goes right. Paul says he’s been made the manager of something completely different. He says God has dispensed to me His grace—His unmerited favor in Christ, i.e. the Gospel—I’ve been given the grace of God, and I am to give it out freely.
B. The Outpouring of God’s grace to the Gentiles.
Illustration: I think it was Albert Einstein who said for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Paul was given God’s grace, but he gave it out freely to all who would listen, and God’s grace found a positive reaction in thousands and thousands of Gentiles who came to know Christ through Paul’s preaching!
Paul speaks of “the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you–ward” (verse 2). Paul is to dole out the Gospel to all the world. He says to “you-ward”, and he is speaking of the Gentiles. He is speaking specifically to the Ephesians, but actually he is speaking to all the world—to all the nations—to the Gentiles.
Paul said in Romans 11:13, “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:”
Paul was amazed at the amazing gift he had. Listen to Paul in 1 Timothy 1:12, He says, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
Application: Think about how God has dispensed his grace to you! He has poured it out to you abundantly! Do you have a testimony that you were once the “chief of sinners” but now you have been given God’s mercy and grace?
Are you dispensing God’s grace to others by giving them the Gospel? “Go ye!”
Transition: We see this great outpouring of God’s grace!
II. The Revelation of God’s grace “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 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;” (verses 3-5)
As we come to these verses we need to ask ourselves a question…
A. Explanation of the mystery. What is the “mystery” Paul is talking about? Verse 3, “by revelation he made known unto me the mystery”…
When Paul talks about this “mystery” he is talking about the unfolding of God’s plan over the time of human history.
We see the unfolding of the mystery of the church. We see the time before the flood, and there were very, very few people who God gathered to Himself in His Son. We know that Adam and Eve, Able, and Seth were those who walked with God. Methuselah knew and loved the Lord. Enoch walked with God in such a way that God translated him to heaven without dying!
We see by the time of Noah, the only believing people are Noah and his family. After the flood, the earth once again turns evil, and we have the tower of Babel.
Not long after that we have a few believers in the land of Mesopotamia. One we read about is Job. We read his story.
But the big figure is Abraham. The majority of the Old Testament is about bring a heathen named Abraham and his family to repentance and faith in Christ.
Only heathens come to Christ whether OT or new. There is no problem with the Gentile harlot Rahab and the Gentile Moabitess Ruth being in the geneology of Jesus Christ because all who are saved are heathens!
Abraham himself was originally a heathen called out from being a heathen to being a follower of the one true and living God (Joshua 24:2, “And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.”)
The Bible says in Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
In both Old Testament and New, God was calling out repentant Gentiles.
You know that in the Old Testament, the people came to know the Lord through the types and shadows.
Ø They had a physical temple,
Ø They had Levitical priesthood
Ø Sacrifices
Ø A sign of the covenant (circumcision)
Ø An earthly king
Ø A city
Ø And a nation
But we read throughout the OT that all this would come to an end. All of the types and shadows would be set aside. This was the mystery. Paul says in verse 4 that “ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 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; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”
What was a mystery is that the types and shadows of being Jewish and part of the nation of Israel would all be set aside.
Listen to Jesus in Matthew 21:43. Jesus says to the unbelieving Jews, “Therefore say I unto you, ‘The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.’”
Look at what Peter says in 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
B. Paul’s Revelation (we call this illumination, awakening). Of all people, Paul was the most surprised to be saved! Paul had to come to the understanding of the Gospel through divine revelation!!
Look at Galatians 1:11-16, “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen…”
Application: Paul was the least likely candidate to be a Christian! You and I can say the same thing! Did you think five or ten years ago, or whenever it was before you were saved, did you ever think you would be spending your life “growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”? (2 Peter 3:18).
Listen to Paul’s testimony—Luke tells us in Acts 9:15, “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
Paul’s own testimony before King Agrippa…
Acts 26:15ff, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
C. Personal Revelation. The only reason you or I or Paul is saved is because of a divine appointment! Look back at our text in Ephesians 3:2, “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you–ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
What was it that Paul “wrote afore in few words”? Look back at chapter 1 and verses 8 and 9: Paul says that God has “abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:”
Then look down a few verses to verse 17. Paul prays “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened”.
D. This Revelation was predicted by the Lord!
CHRIST SAID IT REALLY WASN’T A MYSTERY IN THE SENSE OF BEING HIDDEN COMPLETELY, IT JUST WASN’T UNDERSTOOD.
Jesus said to those on the road to Emmaus: Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
John 5:46, Jesus told the religious leaders who knew the writings of Moses so well, “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.”
Yet Paul says in Ephesians 3:5, that “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; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”
E. Predicted indeed by the prophets.
Gentiles
Ø Genesis 12:3, “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
Ø Genesis 22:18, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
Ø Genesis 26:4, “And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed”
Ø Genesis 28:14, “And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”
Ø Psalm 72 “All nations shall serve him [Solomon, typifying Christ]…”
Ø Psalm 87:4-5, “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. 5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.”
Ø Isaiah 11:10, “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.”
Ø Isaiah 49:6
Ø Isaiah 54:1-3
Ø Isaiah 60:1-3
Ø Hosea 1:10, “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.”
Ø Amos 9:11-12, “In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.”
Ø Malachi 1:11, “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Finally we see…
III. The Magnitude of God’s grace “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:” (verse 6)
The Gentiles are going to be on the same plain as Jews. Called to be God’s children.
They are of “the same body”. They are partakers of his Promise in Christ by the gospel.
Conclusion: