“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles
– if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God
which was given to me for you”
– Ephesians 3:1-2 –
In Ephesians 3, seven ideas are highlighted:
- Credentials. Paul presents himself as a prisoner of Christ, for love of His children in faith.
- Mystery. It is a mystery how the Gentiles, who lived far from God, could participate and enjoy the blessings of the gospel of Christ.
- Privilege. Paul, who considers himself the least of all the saints, was given the grace to preach to the Gentiles the gospel of Christ’s unfathomable riches.
- Freedom. In Christ, we have access to God with full confidence, through faith in Him.
- Strengthened. In Christ, we are rooted in the Father’s pure love.
- Purpose. God dwells within us so that we can understand the width, length, height, and depth of the Father’s love, and understand Christ’s love, which surpases all understanding. It is also so that we maybe filled with all the fullness of God.
- Power. God is powerful enough to do infinitely more than all we ask or think, according to His power which works in us.
A parable tells that the donkey that carried Jesus brought his whole family together and said, “From now on you cannot treat me like just any donkey.” His mother asked him to clarify a little more. And he said, “As I was entering the city, people laid down palm leaves and sang when I passed by. It was a great party, the people all recognized who I am, all of you don’t value me enough.”
The family, realizing what happened, told the donkey to enter the city again. Happy, the donkey did so. This time, without Jesus, he did not receive any honor and was even hit so he would leave.
Paul was hidden in Christ. He was not the center of the gospel. The center was Christ. It is wonderful to serve and worship a God who offers us salvation; transforms us from the inside, and before waiting for a change in our lives, empowers us with His power and grace.
“Your hope is not in yourself; it is in Christ. Your weakness is united
to His strength, your ignorance to His wisdom, your frailty
to His enduring might. So you are not to look to yourself,
not to let the mind dwell upon self, but look to Christ…
It is by loving Him, copying Him, depending wholly upon Him,
that you are to be transformed into His likeness”
(Steps to Christ, p. 70)
Allow Him to transform you from the inside. May the Lord be with you…