Today we begin our consideration of Ephesians 3. So ... read Ephesians 3 and then come back to these thoughts.......
We will stay in this chapter for all three days of work in Lesson 5. I want us to reflect on 1) the man, Paul; 2) the mystery revealed; and 3) the prayer offered.
Today, let's think about Paul - this man of giant-sized faith. Notice from verse 1 that Paul describes himself as "a prisoner of Christ Jesus". We know from previous study that Paul is in Rome, as a prisoner, waiting a trial before Nero. He did have certain privileges. He was in a house that he had rented. Friends and supporters could come and go for visits and interaction. But do not forget that he was chained to the wrist of a Roman soldier who was his guard. As he wrote these words, I wonder if the chain continually swept across the parchment. I wonder if it made noise. I wonder how tight it was and if movement rubbed and hurt. I wonder if the soldier read as Paul wrote. But what I find most curious is that Paul does not describe himself as a prisoner of Rome. Why does he describe himself as a prisoner of Christ?
I believe we see a man for whom Christ was all and in all. Christ was his very life and his work. Listen to William Barclay as he says, "If a man is in prison for some great cause he may either grumblingly regard himself as an ill-used creature, or he may radiantly regard himself as the standard-bearer of some great cause. The one regards his prison as a penance; the other regards it as a privilege. When we are undergoing hardship, we may either regard ourselves as the victims of men or as the champions of Christ. Paul is our example ..." Paul is faithfully fulfilling the work that Christ called him out to do. And his steadfastness and faithfulness is indeed a model for us. It is why he can say in 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ."
What is it that Paul would have us imitate? In what arenas does he link himself with Christ? Listen to Jesus in John 17:4 ...
"I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." (NIV)
Read Paul's own words in 2 Timothy 4: 4 - 8.
Paul was unyielding in faithfulness. He would not allow set-backs, hardships, conflicts and controversies, mean-spirited people, opposition, tiredness, imprisonment ... he would not allow anything to lure him off course. He was singularly driven to share the message of grace and inclusion to the Gentile world.
Is there application for you and me? Remember what we read in Ephesians 2:10 ... "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." What have you been "called" by God to do? What good works do you believe that God has laid out before you? You won't earn your salvation through them ... Paul is painfully clear on that point! But are you faithful to them? Am I? Do you persevere in the face of hard times? Do I? Are you persistent? Or do you get discouraged easily? (I am writing for myself, believe me!) Let's learn from Paul.
We are indeed all prisoners of Christ Jesus ... if we are "in Him". So the challenge I leave with each of us today ... walk faithfully. The message, the good news, of the grace of God and the inclusion into the family of God is worthy of hardship and struggle ... it is worthy of perseverance and pain.
Keep telling the story!
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