Paul's Imprisonment: A Radical Commitment to Christ - Eph 3:1-3

Good morning, and welcome to the Preaching Ministry of Dillingham Moravian Church.

My name is Pastor Simon. It is our privilege and joy to be able to share with

you today this passage in God's Word.

Johan, Leonard, Dober, and David Nietzsche, two young Moravian brethren from

Heronhut, Germany, who were called in 1732 to minister to the African slaves

on the islands of St. Thomas and St.

Croix in the Danish West Indies.

Dober and Nietzschean attempted to sell themselves into slavery in order to

reach those already enslaved.

However, a Dutch law that was in place prohibited the enslavement of white people.

They were able to find work and a place to sleep as a Dutch planter hired them

to complete work on a house.

While in St. Thomas they lived frugally and preached to the slaves,

and they had a certain amount of success.

By 1734, they both returned to Germany, but other Moravian missionaries continued

the work, establishing churches on St.

Thomas, St. Croix, St. John's, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbados, and St. Kitts.

Moravian missionaries baptized 13 converts before any other missionaries arrived on the scene.

I have used this illustration before, but there are very few stories in the

history of the Western world of Christians who, like Paul.

Truly understood the radical concept of being a prisoner or slave of the Lord

on behalf of others, as these Moravian missionaries did. Let's pray.

Father, we are so eminently grateful for the love, the mercy that you have bestowed

upon us. And Lord, as we go to your word, would you open our hearts?

Would you convict us by your Spirit?

Grant us your power to be able to understand and know your truth,

and not only know it in a mind and knowledge way, but in an experiential way

that leads to our action.

Lord, we pray, may we act as your slaves and prisoners of Jesus Christ,

our wonderful and great Master.

And we praise you and bless you, Father. In your wonderful Son's name,

Jesus Christ, we pray, in the power of the Spirit. Amen.

Here at Dillingham Moravian Church, we have been going through a preaching series

in Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

Last time we studied in Ephesians 2, we learned that Paul taught the Ephesian

congregation that non-Jews who believe in Christ are now fellow citizens and

part of God's family with Jewish believers in Christ.

Secondly, we have learned that God's household has been founded upon the apostles

and prophets upon which Jesus Christ is the cornerstone that holds God's house together.

Moreover, Paul taught that we as Christ's church are being built together to

be the dwelling place or temple of God on earth, and God's temple is still growing

as more people come to Christ.

And today we're going to continue in our study of Ephesians in Ephesians chapter

Ephesians 3:1–3

3, verse 1 through 3, where Paul taught,

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles,

if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace, which was given to me for you,

that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote in brief.

There are three essential and foundational truths in this passage that I want

to point out to you today.

The first principle I'd like to show you is that as believers in Christ,

we are prisoners of Christ on behalf of others.

In Ephesians 3, verse 1, Paul began this chapter by writing,

Ephesians 3:1

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles.

Paul started off this chapter by stating, for this reason.

This is important for us not to skip over because God, through Paul,

wanted the reader to understand that what Paul was going to say next was in

the context of what Paul had written previously.

For us to understand what Paul was getting at, we need to turn to Ephesians 2,

Ephesians 2:19–22

verse 19-22, where Paul wrote, in verse 19, So then you are no longer strangers

and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God's household.

Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building,

being joined together, is growing into a holy sanctuary in the Lord.

In whom you are also being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Paul explained to the Ephesians, congregations in Ephesians chapter 2 that God,

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,

united believers in Christ from the nations with the Jewish Christ believers

in the church of Christ as one holy nation, as one family of God,

and as a temple of God that is still continuing to be built.

And I want you to see here in Ephesians chapter 3 that Paul was explaining that

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

he was a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of the Gentiles for the purpose

of seeing more of the nations being saved by Christ and becoming part of God's

ever-growing holy temple, the church.

The word that Paul used in Ephesians 3, verse 1 for "prisoner" meant "a person

Ephesians 3:1

who is confined, especially in regards to crimes or as a prisoner of war."

And this is important for us to understand because from an earthly and Roman

legal perspective, Paul being a prisoner of Rome did not need to happen.

Previous to his writing of this letter from prison in Rome,

Paul was in prison for over two years in Caesarea in Judea and was about to

be sent to Jerusalem for trial because Governor Festus, who wanted to please

the Jews, desired to bring Paul to Jerusalem for trial.

Paul knew that if he stood in Jerusalem, he would be found guilty and executed

under numerous false charges.

Paul had no problem dying for Christ, but he would not die for lies if he could all help it.

And so Paul appealed, as was his right as a Roman citizen, to be tried by Caesar in Rome.

Now, right after Paul appealed to Caesar, King Festus judged Paul and was going

to let Paul go free, except that Paul had already made the appeal to go to Caesar.

And at this point, Paul, as a Roman citizen, could have changed his appeal and been set free.

Yet Paul was under orders from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself to go to Rome as

a prisoner and bear witness in Rome.

In Acts 23, verse 11, previous to Paul making his appeal to go to Rome.

Acts 23:11

Luke recorded Christ's instructions to Paul,

"But on that very night, the Lord stood at His side and said,

Take courage, For as you have solemnly borne witness to my cause at Jerusalem,

so you must bear witness at Rome also."

Now, how did Paul bear witness to Jesus in Jerusalem?

Mostly on trial and prison! He was only in Jerusalem a very short time without

being in prison or on trial.

Thus, Paul was commanded to go and bear the same type of witness in Rome that he had in Jerusalem.

Later on, when the ship was transporting Paul to Rome, was about to be wrecked

in a storm, Paul promised God's protection to the Roman sailors and soldiers on that transport ship.

Let's look at Acts chapter 27, verse 23 to 24.

Acts 27:23–24

"For this very night, an angel of God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood

before me, saying this, Do not be afraid, Paul.

You must stand before Caesar, and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you."

I share this bit of Paul's history to you to demonstrate that although Paul

was in Roman custody, and from a human standpoint, he didn't need to be.

Paul had always been, whether he was free or imprisoned or tortured,

a prisoner of the one who truly controlled him, his divine master, Jesus Christ.

Paul in Philemon 1 proclaimed this about his identity and who his real master was.

"Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus."

Again, in 2 Timothy 1, verse 7-9, Paul not only explained that he was a prisoner

2 Timothy 1:7–9

of Christ Jesus, but also where he got his power and purpose from to be Christ's

prisoner and slave, no matter the circumstances.

Let's look at verse 7. "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity or fear,

but of power and love and discipline.

{Some translations say self-discipline or sound mind.

It is our self-discipline that leads to sound mind.

Let's go on. Verse 8}. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me,

his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the

power of God, who has saved us and called us with His holy calling,

not according to our works, but according to His own power, or His own purpose,

rather, and grace, which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.

Back in Ephesians chapter 3, Paul declared to the Ephesians that although he

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

was in a Roman prison, he was under the mastery of his beloved Lord Christ Jesus.

Basically, under the orders of Jesus, Paul sent himself to prison so that God

could reach more people from the nations through him in Rome.

It's more than possible that the early Moravian missionaries took their example

from the Apostle Paul when they tried to sell themselves into slavery in the

Caribbean in order to reach the slaves with the gospel.

Now, I'm not suggesting that we all go out and sell ourselves into slavery or

orchestrate becoming a prisoner in prison to reach the prisoners.

Yet the Lord through Paul is calling

us to the same kind of abandon of our personal comforts, our rights,

even our desire to rule ourselves, which we all struggle with,

as Paul and Jesus had, in order to reach the people around us with the gospel of Christ.

Our extended family members, neighbors, co-workers, villages,

communities, and regions, and state nations need Jesus.

They need the saving gospel of Christ communicated with them.

Our children and spouses need the discipleship of God's Word,

in the sanctifying gospel of God's,

precious Bible, all of this calls for surrendering to Christ's control and power

over our lives as we continually deny ourselves and joyfully, in the love of God,

take up the cross of carrying the gospel of Christ to those around us.

God, through Paul, is asking us, including me, who is our Master?

Do our own desires and wants and comforts rule us?

Or is our good and faithful Lord Jesus, truly our Master.

Listen to what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 14 to 15.

2 Corinthians 5:14–15

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for

all, therefore all died, meaning to ourselves.

Verse 15, and he died for all so that they who live would do what?

No longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose again on their behalf.

Another important question that you and I need to ask is, how do we take and

share the gospel of Christ to those around us as we are on mission for the Lord?

Paul answers this question in verse 2 of Ephesians chapter 3.

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

This brings us to the second point that I want to show you today.

That truth is that as Christ's disciples, we are to be stewards of God's grace for others.

Paul continued on in verse 2, Ephesians chapter 3, "If indeed you have heard

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

of the stewardship of God's grace, which was given to me for you."

In verse 2, Paul explained to the Ephesians that he was given the stewardship

of God's grace for the Ephesians.

And what did Paul mean by this statement? The word that Paul used for stewardship

or administration meant the responsibility of management in the management of a household.

Paul applies the idea of administration to the office of an apostle.

Meaning that Paul was given gifts and talents by God in order to accomplish

the gift and purpose of being an apostle to the Gentiles or non-Jewish world.

Paul was given the gifts of preaching and teaching, probably the gift of administration

in organizing his mission trips and people to spread the gospel.

Paul also understood and knew the Jewish law very well so that he could speak

and communicate to the Jews in every city.

God also gave Paul the gift of being a citizen of the Roman Empire and being

from Tarsus in Spain rather than from Israel so that he could be able to bridge

the cultural gap between Jew and Gentile for the gospel.

Remember, Paul, although a Jew, He was actually from a Gentile country, Spain.

All these gifts and more were given to Paul so that he could use them to manage

the orders of his Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul in 1 Corinthians 4, verses 1-2 explained, "Let a man consider us in this

1 Corinthians 4:1–2

manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mystery of God.

In this case, moreover, it's required of students that one be found,

{and here it is} faithful."

Peter very helpfully taught in 1 Peter 4.10-11, "As each one has received a gift.

Employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

{Verse 11} Whoever speaks as one speaking the oracles of God,

whoever serves as one serving by the strength that which God supplies,

so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,

to whom belongs the glory and might forever and ever. Amen."

So how can we apply this to us as Christians today? By using the gifts that

God has given us to be stewards of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

Thankfully, there are those in the body of Christ who have the gift of teaching

and preaching that use their gift to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

But what if you do not have the gift of teaching or preaching?

Maybe you have the gift of service or mercy or hospitality or helps.

Use your gift of mercy or helps. And while doing so, share your testimony of

what God in Christ Jesus has done for you.

Just because someone doesn't have the gift of preaching and teaching does not

take away the responsibility of that believer to share the hope of Jesus Christ to others.

You don't need to preach a sermon or teach a Bible class, but every single believer

in Christ must be able to give an account for the hope that we have in Jesus.

God has given you and I as believers gifts so that we can use them to be able

to share Christ to those around us.

As we read Ephesians 3, verse 2, another question is brought to light.

Ephesians 3:2

And that question is, what was Paul specifically a steward of God's grace for

in regards to the nations?

Paul's task was that he was to manage, to communicate to the Gentiles or non-Jews

that God has made known to us the mystery of his will.

Ever since I was a kid, I have been fascinated with unsolved mysteries.

Maybe that's because I had a dad who was a really big conspiracy theorist.

Maybe that's also why I love cozy murder mysteries so much.

And the Bermuda Triangle is one of the most famous unsolved mysteries of them all.

In the last hundred years, over 182 planes and boats, including pilots and passengers,

have disappeared from within this region, never to be seen again.

The Bermuda Triangle is a region of the Atlantic between Bermuda,

Florida, and the San Juan, or Puerto Rico.

Many have vanished within sight of land While on radar or while just about to

touch down at runways Others have vanished over shallow water Some have been

in radio communication Saying their equipment was acting erratic.

Or that a weird object was harassing them. Sometimes an unusual object was seen

in the aftermath of a disappearance.

On a few occasions, a minor piece of debris was found, in one case containing

an unexplained magnetic particle.

One thing is the same for them all. They vanished without reason.

Now, I'm not saying that we are all to believe in aliens, but this mystery is

still a mystery today. the answer has not been yet revealed to us.

A mystery not being revealed is not the same as God's plan for God's people

in the world, for that has been revealed in God's Word through the Apostle Paul

and the apostles and prophets.

Paul went on in Ephesians 3, verse 3, "that by revelation there was made known

Ephesians 3:3

to me the mystery, as I wrote in brief."

I want you to see that the stewardship or administration of God's grace that

Paul was given by God for the nations was the good news that God was revealing

the mystery of the Jew and Gentile Christ believers having equal status in the church of Christ.

I'd like to show you two words that will help us understand what Paul is teaching us in this verse.

The word that Paul used for revelation referred to the "communication of knowledge

that was previously hidden to man by a divine or supernatural agency,

especially communications that proceeded from God or Christ."

Mystery", in this case, meant "a divine secret, a secret whose concerned party

is deity alone and those to whom he chooses to share the information,

especially concerning the method and history of God's redemption or other supernatural information." 00:19:52.629 --> 00:19:57.089 From before the creation of the world, God had a plan for the salvation of the world.

Yet God only gave in detail certain parts of His plan.

And then in other parts of it, there were clues or glimpses that God gave throughout

the whole Old Testament.

It was only in the divine person of Jesus Christ that God's plan was completely

fulfilled and then revealed in the apostles and the prophets.

Paul, in Colossians 1, verse 24-27, wrote,

Colossians 1:24–27

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and I fill up what is lacking

of Christ's affliction in my flesh on behalf of His body,

which is the church, of which I was made a minister according to the stewardship

from God given to me for you, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the Word of God.

{Here it is, verse 26}. That is the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations,

but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known

what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles,

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

This concept of mystery hidden and then revealed is similar to the mystery writer

who writes about the deed that someone has perpetrated, and yet that action,

let's say a murder, was done in secret and covered up.

Yet a clever mystery writer plants clues throughout the novel to point who the real culprit is.

Then at the end of the story, the detective reveals who that culprit was and why and how it was done.

About the inclusion of the Gentiles in God's plan of salvation,

God planted clues through the Old Testament and then revealed His plan through

Paul and Peter and later on in John.

Ephesians chapter 3, Paul taught that God had used him to reveal part of God's

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

plan of salvation in regard to the inclusion of the nations who believe in Christ

together with the believing Jews.

Because of the revelation that we now have through Paul and the apostles,

we now as believers in Christ do not need to be trying to discover the truth

about what God has done in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

The gospel of Christ in regards to salvation in Jesus is crystal clear.

Trust His truth in His Word. And if you're here today or listening,

and you have never put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your only Lord

and Savior, I strongly urge you to do so even now because Christ is the only

way to salvation for all people everywhere!!

Christ has paid the blood debt that you and I owed to God for our sins!

Our debt has now been canceled!

It has been nailed to the cross!

Repent of your sins. Trust in Christ. Surrender your life under His Lordship

as your new Master and God.

Trust in Christ today, and you will be brought into the family of God as a citizen

of God, or a citizen of God's kingdom.

What then have we learned from this passage today?

The first truth that we have been taught by God through Paul is like the Apostle

Paul is to surrender ourselves to the Lordship of our wonderful Master and God,

Jesus Christ, so that we can reach in the Holy Spirit the people around us with the gospel of Christ.

Secondly, like Paul used his

gifts to manage his God-given responsibility as Apostle to the nations,

So also, you and I, as Christ followers, are called to use the gifts that God

has given us to be stewards of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

Lastly, we were taught that God has brought salvation to those of us who believe

in Christ as Lord, but we're not Jews.

And this is amazing news.

We, you and I, who were once illegal aliens from God, and we were denied citizenship

with God are now part of God's holy nation.

We who were denied relationship with God have now been adopted into the family

of God Most High, the ruler of all the universe.

We who had no hope now have the greatest hope of all, Jesus Christ our Lord, our precious Master.

May we follow Him, trust Him, and obey Him, and as we surrender to Him,

do His will in all things.

Let's pray. Father, we pray thank You for the mercy that You have bestowed upon

us, that You have lavished on us in Jesus Christ through Your Holy Spirit.

Thank You, O precious God. May You work on us.

May You help us, Lord, as all believers who are listening to your message,

may we truly understand your word.

May we truly understand that we are all disciples of you, that you are our master,

and that we are your prisoners, we are Your bond slaves,

and that You love us so much, that you are good.

You're not tame, but You are good!

Help us, O Lord. to follow you and obey you and trust you and be able to share

the gospel with our lives in our everyday situations.

In Your precious Son's name, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

I'll leave you with this blessing from Colossians 3, verse 15,

Colossians 3:15

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called

in one body, and be thankful."

Have a wonderful Sunday, and may the Lord bless you.