This is Us // Paul's Preaching Ministry

Paul’s Preaching Ministry

Ephesians 3:1-11 October 4, 2020

I. Introduction:

A. Moraine Valley Church, did you know someone is watching us right now?

1. Note I did say church – which means that those who are watching are not so

much watching what we do as individuals but what we do corporately, how

we do church together

2. And they are not watching to be entertained but to learn!

B. Moraine Valley Church – the way we relate to one another and the way we

operate as a church has a much larger purpose and much more important part of

God’s eternal purposes than we could ever imagine!

C. Turn to Ephesians 3 where we will pick up on this portion of our study of

Ephesians that we are calling “This is us.” Today we will learn a bit more about

us together corporately as a church rather than who we are individually.

D. Joel taught us a few weeks ago God’s solution to the deep tensions between the

Jews and Gentiles was not to fix some of the laws but to create a whole new thing

called the church, a place where Jews and Gentiles are equal, the very dwelling

place of God.

E. Now Paul picks up on this idea and continues by telling us that he specifically had

a ministry to the Gentiles to preach to them about this new way of relating with

God, rather than through the Mosaic Law with Jews, it is now through Jesus

Christ with all peoples, the church!

• Let’s start by looking at

II. The content of Paul’s preaching

A. He starts by telling us that what he preached was a mystery, biblically a mystery

is not something that is mysterious but rather something that was not known in the

Old Testament times before Christ came.

 

1. Note as I read this section Paul says he already wrote to them about this

mystery – I believe that was a reference to chapter 2, what Joel taught us 2

weeks ago and when we consider that it helps us understand the heart of

Paul’s message

2. Read v1-5

B. Then in verse 6, he reveals what that mystery is!

1. Read v6

2. The message that Paul preached is that the Jews and the Gentiles now are

members of a new group - the one new man, the church, the body of Christ -

with equal status and equal privileges and equal responsibilities!

3. Specifically that they are:

a) Fellow heirs of all of God’s promises

b) Fellow members of the body of Christ

c) Fellow partakers in the promise in the Messiah Jesus Christ

C. This was revolutionary truth to the Gentiles and the Jews of that day –the Old

Testament told them

1. That the Gentiles would be blessed by God (Genesis 12)

2. That the Gentiles would bless God (Psalm 73)

3. That they would be saved by the Messiah (Hosea 1:10, Amos 9:11ff)

4. Even that they would receive the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-29)

5. However, no place in the Old Testament were they told that God would

create a completely new vehicle for the Jews and Gentiles, the church where

they are fully equal and equally blessed! That is what was new and

revolutionary to both the Gentile and Jew.

6. That was the mystery that was not known before but now has been revealed

D. Then in verse 8, he tells us about two major categories that he talked about when

he preached about this.

1. Read v8

a) First, the unfathomable riches of Christ – unfathomable means it is

impossible to understand. Simply the riches that God had for the

Gentiles were so great that man can not completely wrap his mind

around them even with the best of preaching

 

2. Listen to the second thing he focused upon – read v9 (note “and” at start of

verse 9 – indicates the second thing he preaches about)

a) Simply how this new man, the church made up of Jews and Gentiles are

to manage their affairs as they walk together and serve the lord together.

b) That is what administration means – simply how you manage your

affairs! Paul preached to them about how the church is supposed to

operate

• Then finally we see

III. The purpose of this preaching ministry of Paul’s

A. Watch for it as I read v10

1. Note “so that” at the beginning – here he is going to reveal to us the purpose

of why he is preaching on these things!

2. Read v10

3. Did you catch it?

B. The purpose of his preaching was so that the many sided and diverse wisdom of

God may be made known through the church.

1. God is using His church to display His wisdom.

2. The way we operate as a church, the way we manage our affairs as a church

is meant to display God’s wisdom.

3. We find out in God’s word the heart of what Paul had to say about how God

wants His affairs managed in the church. The Bible is God’s constitution for

the church.

a) Simply MVC do we run our affairs according to how the Bible says we

should or do we take our lead from some other authority or expert we

look to like: self-help books, the business world, physiological world, the

political world, what other churches are doing what church experts are

saying?

b) That question must be asked regarding our: preaching, worship,

leadership, the way we structure our ministry, roles and relationships

among genders, relationships between one another – especially those

who are different than us

4. Regarding leaders in the kingdom Jesus said this: read Matthew 20:25-26

a) Key words “it is not that way among you”

 

b) In God’s church, the way He does things is different than the world does.

It is not that way among you applies to so many areas of the church life

and the Christian life.

c) God defines for us the unique ways His people and church operate in His

operations manual called the Bible!

C. All of this matters deeply and eternally because of who God is displaying this

wisdom through the church to

1. Read v10c

2. To the angels –

a) Did you catch that?

b) Let it sink in!

IV. Communion

A. This morning God is using MVC as we meet together and also the way we meet

throughout the week, whether here in the building or outside in our personal

mission fields, as an opportunity to be an object lesson to teach His angels of His

great wisdom on how people who are different from one another (racially, gender

wise, financially, looks, etc.) relate to one another and to God!

B. So as you go to communion this morning and remember that Jesus shed His blood

for the church ask yourself this question, “What are the angels learning from me

if I am the one they are watching at MVC today or this week?”

1. What are they learning?

a) The importance of regularly worshiping with the rest of MVC?

b) The way you honor God with your giving?

c) Your commitment to serve others in the body and in your sphere of

influence?

d) Your partnering with others in the church for each other’s spiritual

welfare?

e) The way husbands love their wives and lead their families in the ways of

the Lord?

C. All of these are important things for the church in God’s operation manual

 

1. Are you taking your lead from His manual in these areas and what are the

angels learning as they are watching you and me?

2. Meditate on this before Josh leads us in taking communion together.

D. Josh, lead us in prayer for communion when you feel the time is right!