SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 24

TITLE: THE MYSTERY REVEALED, PART III

TEXT: EPHESIANS 3:9-13

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE BIBLE’S CENTRAL MESSAGE FOR BELIEVERS IN ALL AGES, IS SUMMARIZED IN I CORINTHIANS 10:31 WHERE IT SAYS: (READ IT).

* NOW THE GLORY OF GOD AND GLORIFYING THE LORD IS A REPEATED THEME IN SCRIPTURE.

** FOR EXAMPLE, PSALM 50:15 SAYS: (READ IT).

*** THEN READ PSALM 96:3; MATTHEW 5:16, ROMANS 11:36; I CORINTHIANS 6:19&20; EPHESIANS 3:21; II TIMOTHY 4:18; I PETER 4:16; II PETER 3:18 AND REVELATION 4:11.

**** NOW IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT GOD CREATED MANKIND TO GLORIFY HIMSELF AND THAT IS MANKIND’S PURPOSE IN LIFE.

(2) IN FACT, THE FIRST QUESTION AND ANSWER IN THE WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM IS: “WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN?”

* AND THE ANSWER IS: “MAN’S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD AND TO ENJOY HIM FOREVER.”

** AND THE CATECHISM IS RIGHT IN DECLARING THAT THE PINNACLE OF MANKIND’S BEING IS GLORIFYING AND ENJOYING GOD NOW AND THAT WILL BE NATURAL IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE ARE WITH THE LORD IN GLORY.

*** AND BELOVED, THE HIGHEST PURPOSE ANY INDIVIDUAL CAN HAVE IS TO BE TOTALLY ABSORBED IN THE PERSON OF GOD AND TO VIEW ALL OF LIFE THROUGH EYES FILLED WITH HIS WONDER AND GLORY.

**** NOW UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN I USE THE WORD GLORY, IT IS A WORD THAT MEANS “SOMETHING THAT IS WORTHY OF PRAISE OR EXALTATION; BRILLIANCE; BEAUTY; RENOWN.

(3) AND GOD’S GLORY HAS TWO ASPECTS.

* FIRST IS HIS INHERENT OR INTRINSIC GLORY.

** MEANING: GOD IS THE ONLY BEING IN ALL OF EXISTENCE WHO CAN BE SAID TO POSSESS INHERENT GLORY.

*** AND NO ONE CAN GIVE IT TO HIM OR ADD TO HIS GLORY. IT ALREADY COMPLETELY BELONGS TO HIM BY VIRTUE OF WHO HE IS IN HIS BEING.

**** SO IN THAT SENSE IF NO ONE EVER GAVE GOD PRAISE, HE WOULD STILL BE THE GLORIOUS GOD THAT HE IS BECAUSE HE WAS FULLY GLORIOUS BEFORE HE CREATED ANY OTHER BEINGS TO WORSHIP HIM. THIS GLORY IS INHERENT TO HIM IN WHO HE IS AS GOD.

(4) NOW THE 2’D ASPECT OF GOD’S GLORY IS ASCRIBED GLORY AND THERE IS WHERE WE COME IN.

* THE PSALMIST SAID IN PSALM 29:1&2: “ASCRIBE TO THE LORD, O SONS OF THE MIGHTY, ASCRIBE TO THE LORD GLORY AND STRENGTH.”

V. 2 – “ASCRIBE TO THE LORD THE GLORY DUE TO HIS NAME; WORSHIP THE LORD IN HOLY ARRAY.”

** NOW WE ARE CALLED TO ASCRIBE OR GIVE GLORY TO GOD IN THIS TEXT AND IT IS NOT CONTRADICTORY TO WHAT I JUST TOLD YOU ABOUT GOD’S INTRINSIC OR INHERENT GLORY.

*** FOR WE CANNOT GIVE GLORY TO GOD IN THE SENSE OF ADDING TO HIS GLORY ANY MORE THAN WE CAN ADD TO HIS STRENGTH.

**** THE PSALMIST IN PSALM 29 IS SIMPLY URGING US TO RECOGNIZE AND ACCLAIM THE GLORY GOD ALREADY HAS.

(5) TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND WORSHIP AND PRAISE HIM FOR IT, TO ASCRIBE GLORY TO OUR GLORIOUS GOD!

* NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, AS WE COME TO OUR TEXT TODAY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO STUDY THE MYSTERY OF GOD REVEALED IN THE CHURCH.

** AND THE MYSTERY THAT ONCE WAS HIDDEN TO THE O.T. SAINTS THAT IS NOW REVEALED IN THE N.T. IS THAT THE GENTILES (WHO WERE ONCE OUTCASTS, OUTSIDERS, DOGS, KINDLING FOR HELL ACCORDING TO SOME JEWISH RELIGIONISTS) SHOULD BE PARTAKERS ALONG WITH BELIEVING JEWS OF GOD’S GREAT BLESSINGS IN THE CHURCH.

*** AND WE WILL SEE SPECIFICALLY IN OUR STUDY TODAY THAT THE CHURCH, THIS GREAT MYSTERY REVEALED, DOES NOT EXIST SIMPLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING SOULS, THOUGH THAT IS A MARVELOUS AND VITAL WORK OF THE CHURCH ALONG WITH EQUIPPING.

**** BUT THAT THE SUPREME PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS TO GLORIFY GOD BY MANIFESTING HIS WISDOM BEFORE ANGELS WHO CAN OFFER GREAT PRAISE TO GOD, EPHESIANS 3:10&11.

(6) NOW BEFORE I LOSE YOU AND YOU THINK THAT I HAVE GONE MAD, UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHURCH WHICH I AM COMMITTED TO, WHICH HAS PRIMACY IN THE PLAN OF GOD FOR TODAY.

* THE CHURCH IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF, BUT A MEANS TO AN END, THE END OF GLORIFYING GOD, AS EPHESIANS 3:21 SAYS AGAIN: “TO HIM BE GLORY IN THE CHURCH.”

** THE WORD IN EPHESIANS 3:21, THE GREEK WORK EN MEANING BY OR WITH AND IS A PRIMARY PREPOSITION THAT IS TRANSLATED IN, BY WITH, AMONG, AT, ON AND THROUGH IN THE N.T.

*** AND MY POINT IS, CHRIST AS THE HEAD AND FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH, HAS CREATED IT, ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE TO ASCRIBE GLORY AND HONOR AND PRAISE TO HIMSELF.

**** AND I’LL HOPEFULLY MAKE THAT CLEARER AS WE WORK THROUGH OUR PASSAGE TODAY, WHICH I’VE TITLED, “THE MYSTERY REVEALED, PART III.”

(7) AND BY GOD’S GRACE WE’LL FINISH THIS PARAGRAPH ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH TODAY AND START ON PAUL’S PRAYER FOR THE EPHESIANS IN V. 14, LORD WILLING, NEXT SUNDAY.

* AND TODAY WE’LL LOOK AT 3 THINGS: NO. 1 THE PREACHING OF THE MYSTERY, V. 9; NO. 2 THE PURPOSE OF THE MYSTERY, VV. 10&11; AND NO. 3 THE PRIVILEGES OF THE MYSTERY, VV. 12&13.

** AND WITHOUT ANY MORE INTRODUCTION, WE’LL LOOK AT OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE PREACHING OF THE MYSTERY, LOOK AT EPHESIANS 3:9 PLEASE.

I. THE PREACHING OF THE MYSTERY, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW THE GRACE OF GOD GIVEN TO PAUL CONSISTS NOT ONLY IN HIS PREACHING THE UNFATHOMABLE RICHES OF CHRIST TO THE GENTILES IN V. 8, WHICH WE STUDIED LAST WEEK.

* BUT ALSO IN HIS PREACHING TO REVEAL, TO BRING TO LIGHT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE MYSTERY.

** NOW A KEY WORD HERE IS ADMINISTRATION, TRANSLATED THAT WAY IN THE NAS AND NIV. AND IT LIT. MEANS STEWARDSHIP, DISPENSATION OR ARRANGEMENT.

*** AND THIS GREEK WORD IS USED IN V. 2 OF THE CHAPTER WHERE IT IS TRANSLATED STEWARDSHIP IN THE NAS, ADMINISTRATION IN THE NIV AND DISPENSATION IN THE KJV AND NKJV.

**** AND PAUL IS SAYING IN ESSENCE: A PART OF MY PREACHING IS TO GIVE LIGHT, TO SHED LIGHT, TO BRING TO LIGHT, TO REVEAL, TO ILLUMINATE THE TRUTH.

1. TO BRING TO LIGHT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE MYSTERY, WHICH IS THE STEWARDSHIP OR DISPENSATION OF THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH AGE.

* IN OTHER WORDS, PAUL’S PREACHING WAS TO REVEAL THE FULL EXPRESSION OF THE OPERATION OF THIS GREAT TRUTH OF GENTILES AND JEWS BEING ONE, A TRUTH HIDDEN FOR SO LONG IN THE MIND OF THE CREATOR.

** PAUL WAS CALLED TO PREACH ABOUT THE DISPENSATION OF THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH AGE AND THE TRUTHS OF THE CHURCH, GOD’S PLAN.

*** AND GET THIS, THE PHRASE, “CREATED ALL THINGS” APPEARS TO NOT ONLY MAKE REFERENCE TO GOD CREATING EVERYTHING PHYSICALLY ONE DAY, GENESIS 1:1 (READ IT).

**** BUT NOT ONLY DID GOD CREATE EVERYTHING PHYSICALLY, HE ALSO CREATED THE CHURCH. AND WITH ALL THINGS HE CREATED, HE CREATED THEM FOR HIS GLORY.

2. AND SO THE CHURCH WAS NOT A NEW IDEA FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, BUT A PART OF THE PLAN OF GOD FROM THE BEGINNING, HIDDEN UNTIL IT WAS REVEALED BY PAUL AND THE APOSTLES AND N.T. PROPHETS GOING BACK TO V. 5.

* AND IN THIS WAY, THE PREVIOUSLY HIDDEN MYSTERY (DESCRIBED IN V. 6) WAS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN A WONDERFUL MANNER.

** GOD WAS PUTTING INTO EFFECT HIS AGE-OLD PLAN, SOMETHING THAT HAD NOT BEEN SEEN OR IMAGINED BEFORE.

*** AND AS THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES, AS A MINISTER OF THE MYSTERY, PAUL HAD THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF REVEALING THIS MAGNIFICENT, DIVINE ADMINISTRATION, DIVINE STEWARDSHIP TO THE EYES OF GENTILES AND ALSO JEWS.

**** SO ONE OF PAUL’S JOBS WAS TO BRING TO LIGHT THIS MYSTERY THROUGH PREACHING, THE PREACHING OF THE MYSTERY.

- WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE PURPOSE OF THE MYSTERY, LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE.

II. THE PURPOSE OF THE MYSTERY, (READ V. 10)

A. NOW V. 10 BEGINS WITH A HINA PURPOSE CLAUSE, SO THAT, IN ORDER THAT, TO THE INTENT THAT.

* HINA IS THE GREEK WORD AND IT DENOTES PURPOSE, DESIGN AND INTENTION.

** AND THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S REVEALING THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH IS THAT HIS MANIFOLD WISDOM MIGHT BE KNOWN THROUGH THE CHURCH.

*** NOW IN HELPING US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS, I WANT TO LOOK AT THE WORD MANIFOLD.

**** AND THIS GREEK WORD LIT. MEANS VARIEGATED, VARIED, MARKED WITH A GREAT VARIETY, A GREAT VARIETY OF FORMS, MANY SIDED.

1. AND THIS GREEK WORD IS USED IN THE SEPTUAGINT, THE GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE O.T., TO SPEAK OF JOSEPH’S COAT OF MANY COLORS IN GENESIS 37:3, HIS VARICOLORED TUNIC.

* AND IT IS USED TO DESCRIBE A RICH VARIETY OF COLORS IN CLOTHS, FLOWERS OR PAINTINGS AS AN ADJECTIVE. THE MANY COLORS OF THE RAINBOW WOULD COME TO MIND.

** NOW USING THIS WORD WITH THE WORD WISDOM TO TALK ABOUT GOD’S WISDOM, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOD’S MULTI-FACETED, MANY SIDED, MULTI-COLORED WISDOM IN REFERENCE TO GOD’S RICHLY DIVERSIFIED NATURE OF HIS DIVINE WISDOM.

*** AND THROUGH THE CHURCH GOD’S WISDOM IN IT’S INFINITE VARIETY IS TO BE DISPLAYED, THE MANY-TINTED WISDOM OF GOD – IN DIFFERENT MODES OF POWER, DIFFERENT FORMS, HIS DIVERSE WAY OF PERFECTLY WORKING, IN PERFECTLY EXECUTING HIS KNOWLEDGE, IN PERFECTLY EXECUTING HIS PLAN IS BROUGHT FORTH.

**** AND THROUGH THE PLAN OF THE CHURCH THE BRILLIANCE, THE SPLENDOR, THE FULL SWEEP OF THE WISDOM OF GOD IN ALL IT’S VARIED FORMS IS MADE KNOWN.

2. NOW WHO IS IT SUPPOSED TO BE MADE KNOWN TO? WELL, THE ANSWER IS “TO THE RULERS AND THE AUTHORITIES IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES.”

* AND THIS IS A REFERENCE TO ANGELS. IN FACT LATER ON IN EPHESIANS 6:12 WE WILL SEE THIS PHRASE USED TO TALK ABOUT FALLEN ANGELS WHERE IT SAYS: (READ IT) AND REMIND THAT HIGH PLACES MEANS HEAVENLY PLACES.

** NOW ANGELS WHICH ARE MINISTERING SPIRITS ACCORDING HEBREWS 1:14 ARE ENTRUSTED AND WATCH WHAT HAPPENS, AS FAR AS REDEMPTION IS CONCERNED.

*** I PETER 1:12 SAYS: “IT IS REVEALED TO THEM THAT THEY WERE NOT SERVING THEMSELVES BUT YOU IN THESE THINGS WHICH NOW HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED TO YOU THROUGH THOSE WHO PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO YOU BY THE HOLY SPIRIT SENT FROM HEAVEN, - THINGS INTO WHICH ANGELS LONG TO LOOK.”

**** AND ANGELS OBSERVE WHAT GOES ON WITH BELIEVERS. FOR EXAMPLE IN I CORINTHIANS 11:10 WHERE PAUL ADMONISHES THE CORINTHIANS WOMEN TO SHOW SUBMISSION TO THEIR HUSBANDS THROUGH THE CUSTOM OF THAT TIME OF WEARING LONG HAIR, HE REINFORCED THE COMMAND BY SAYING IT WAS GIVEN “BECAUSE OF THE ANGELS”.

3. AND IT APPEARS THAT THE ANGLES ARE LED TO PRAISE THE LORD WHEN THEY SEE A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IN THEIR GOD-ORDAINED ROLES.

* AND THEN IN I TIMOTHY 5:21 IN THE CONTEXT OF ELDERS IT SAYS: (READ IT).

** NOW HERE GOOD ANGELS, CHOSEN ANGELS SEE WHAT’S GOING ON WITH ELDERS, IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD’S CHOSEN ANGELS, THEY SEE THE DISCIPLINE NEEDED TO PRODUCE HOLY BEHAVIOR AND PURE LIVING IN THE CHURCH BY IT’S LEADERS.

*** THEN IN LUKE 15:10 IT SAYS: (READ IT).

**** NOW IN THE PRESENCE OF ANGELS, THERE IS JOY WHEN A SINNER REPENTS.

4. AND MY POINT FROM ALL THESE VERSES IS, ANGELS SEE WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD, EVEN FALLEN ANGELS DO.

* AND IN GOD’S PLAN, HIS MANIFOLD WISDOM IS MADE KNOWN THROUGH THE CHURCH TO ANGELS AS THEY WATCH WHAT’S GOING ON.

** AND THE MORE THE CHURCH FULFILLS IT’S GREAT PURPOSE IN ONENESS OF ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE, THAT IN DIVERSITY THERE IS UNITY, AND I MIGHT ADD AS THE CHURCH FULFILLED IT’S PURPOSE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION, AND PEOPLE ARE REDEEMED AND BECOME ONE IN THE CHURCH, THE FAMILY OF FAMILIES, JEW AND GENTILE ARE ALL RACES, THE MORE GOD’S MANIFOLD WISDOM IN THIS GREAT PLAN IS ON DISPLAY.

*** IN OTHER WORDS, AS I SAID IN MY INTRODUCTION TODAY, THE SUPREME PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS TO GLORIFY GOD BY MANIFESTING HIS WISDOM BEFORE THE ANGELS, WHO CAN THEN OFFER GREAT PRAISE TO GOD.

**** THINK OF IT THIS WAY, AND I AM STEALING THIS OFF OF JOHN MACARTHUR: “IN THE CLASSROOM OF GOD’S UNIVERSE, HE IS THE TEACHER, THE ANGELS ARE THE STUDENTS, THE CHURCH IS THE ILLUSTRATION AND THE SUBJECT IS THE MANIFOLD WISDOM OF GOD.”

5. AND ONLY IN THE CHURCH CAN THE ANGELS COME TO AN ADEQUATE COMPREHENSION OF THE GRACE OF GOD. THEY LOOK AT THE CHURCH TO SEE THE MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION AND THE CHURCH REVEALED.

* AND WE COME BACK TO THE TRUTH THAT THE CHURCH IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF BUT A MEANS TO AN END, THE END OF GLORIFYING GOD.

** SO THE CHURCH DOES NOT EXIST FOR ITSELF, IT EXISTS FOR GOD, FOR HIS GLORY.

*** AND WHEN THE ANGLES IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES BEHOLD THE WORKS AND THE WISDOM OF GOD DISPLAYED IN THE CHURCH, THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS INCREASED AND THE HOLY ANGELS REJOICE AND GLORIFY HIM, AND FALLEN ANGELS SEE GOD’S PURPOSE IN THEIR DOOM.

**** AND THE REAL DRAMA OF REDEMPTION AND THE CHURCH CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD WHEN WE REALIZE THAT THE GLORY OF GOD IS THE SUPREME GOAL OF CREATION.

- AND THIS IS GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE CHURCH, FOR LOOK AT V. 11 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 11. NOW GOD’S MAKING KNOWN HIS MANY SPLENDORED WISDOM THROUGH THE CHURCH TO THE ANGELS IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS WAS HIS INTENTION FROM ALL ETERNITY.

* AND HE HAS NOW ACCOMPLISHED THIS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD FOR CHRIST IS THE LORD OF ALL HIS PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH.

** WHAT GOD HAD PLANNED IN ETERNITY PAST, HE HAS NOW ACCOMPLISHED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.

*** THE CHURCH WAS NOT A NEW IDEA FOR GOD HAS NO NEW PLANS OR SCHEMES, FOR HE HAS NO INTENTIONS WHICH HE DID NOT ALWAYS HAVE.

**** GOD DOESN’T CHANGE OR IMPROVE, HE IS ALREADY PERFECT. HIS KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM CANNOT INCREASE BECAUSE IT IS PERFECT AND COMPLETE.

1. SO HAS IT EVER OCCURRED TO YOU THAT NOTHING OCCURS TO GOD? THINK ABOUT THAT. HE HAS AN ETERNAL UNCHANGED PERFECT COMPLETE PLAN THAT IS UNFOLDING IN CHRIST FOR HIS GLORY.

* WHICH AGAIN BRINGS US BACK TO THE TRUTH THAT EVERYTHING GOD HAS EVER DONE HAS HAD THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF GIVING HIMSELF GLORY.

** AS COLOSSIANS 1:16 SAYS: “ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN CREATED BY HIM AND FOR HIM.”

*** AS I CORINTHIANS 8:6 SAYS: “YET FOR US THERE IS BUT ONE GOD, THE FATHER, FROM WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, AND WE EXIST FOR HIM; AND ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST, THROUGH WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, AND WE EXIST THROUGH HIM.”

**** AND AS ROMANS 11:36 SAYS AGAIN: (READ IT).

2. AND GLORY TO HIM FOREVER WILL BE THE CRY OF EVERYTHING IN THE FUTURE AS HIS PURPOSES ARE FULFILLED.

* AND THE PURPOSE OF THE MYSTERY IS THE GLORY OF GOD, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR LAST POINT TODAY, THE PRIVILEGES OF THE MYSTERY, LOOK AT V. 12 PLEASE.

III. THE PRIVILEGES OF THE MYSTERY, (READ V. 12)

A. NOW WHEN REPENTANT FAITH IN CHRIST COMES ABOUT, THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING IN THE MYSTERY, IN THE CHURCH, IS THIS, WE CAN GO WALKING RIGHT INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH BOLDNESS.

* JEWISH AND GENTILE BELIEVERS ALIKE IN THE CHURCH HAVE ACCESS IN CHRIST TO THE FATHER, TO GOD’S PRESENCE.

** NOW TO A JEW, THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLY SHOCKING THOUGHT BECAUSE IN THE O.T. THE HIGH PRIEST WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO ENTERED GOD’S PRESENCE.

*** AND ON ONE DAY EACH YEAR, THE DAY OF ATONEMENT, HE’D HURRY IN AND OUT OF THE HOLY OF HOLIES.

**** AND NOBODY BUT NOBODY EVER WALKED INTO GOD’S PRESENCE WITH BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENCE.

1. BUT PAUL SAYS HERE IN V. 12, I WANT YOU TO KNOW SOMETHING, IT’S A NEW DAY!

* WE’RE IN THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH, WE NO LONGER HAVE TO HAVE THE VEIL, THE HOLY PLACE AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES.

** IT’S DIFFERENT NOW. IN THIS MYSTERY, THE CHURCH AGE, JEW AND GENTILE AS ONE, HAVE INSTANT ACCESS TO GOD.

*** WE CAN GO WITH BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENCE INTO GOD’S PRESENCE ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE. WE CAN GO WITH CONFIDENCE.

**** CONFIDENCE HERE MEANING THE ASSURANCE AND CERTAINTY WITH WHICH WE CAN ENTER GOD’S PRESENCE, WHAT A PRIVILEGE!

*****AND WE KNOW IN PRAYER NOW, ACCORDING TO I JOHN 5:14, THIS: (READ IT).

2. AND WE KNOW IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT THROUGH CHRIST WE CAN COME BOLDLY BECAUSE OF WHAT CHRIST DID.

* BOLDNESS MEANING WITH CONVICTION, WITH A FREEDOM, WITH A CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST IN CHRIST, AS HEBREWS 4:15&16 SAYS: (READ THEM).

** NOW WHAT A PRIVILEGE THIS IS, THE PRIVILEGE OF CONFIDENT, FREE, UNHINDERED ACCESS TO THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE.

*** BUT THERE’S ANOTHER PRIVILEGE IN V. 13, LOOK AT IT PLEASE.

B. READ V. 13. NOW V. 13 TAKES US BACK TO V. 1 WHERE PAUL COMMUNICATED THAT HE WAS A PRISONER OF CHRIST FOR THEIR SAKE, SPECIFICALLY THE GENTILES.

* AND PAUL UNDERSTOOD GOD’S SOVEREIGN CONTROL OF ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND HE SAW THE UNSEEN HAND OF GOD BEHIND EVERYTHING, SO HE COUNTED IT A PRIVILEGE TO SUFFER FOR CHRIST.

** FOR HE SAW HOW HIS IMPRISONMENT WOULD BE USED FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND FOR THE GREATER PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL.

*** IN FACT, WHILE PAUL WAS IN PRISON HE WROTE TO THE PHILIPPI AN CHURCH AND SAID IN PHILIPPIANS 1:12: “NOW I WANT YOU TO KNOW, BRETHREN, THAT MY CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE TURNED OUT FOR THE GREATER PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL.”

1. AND THEN PAUL SAID IN ROMANS 8:18: (READ IT).

* AND THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS INITIALLY THE EPHESIAN CHURCH MIGHT HAVE BEEN DISCOURAGED AND LOST HEART OVER PAUL’S TRIBULATIONS.

** AND TO THEM HIS ARREST AND SUBSEQUENT IMPRISONMENT APPEARED TO BE A REAL SETBACK TO THE CAUSE OF THE GOSPEL.

*** BUT IT WAS NOT, FOR GOD WAS IN CONTROL AND WOULD USE THAT CIRCUMSTANCE FOR HIS GLORY AND FOR THE EPHESIAN’S GLORY, FOR THEIR GOOD.

**** AND THROUGH SUFFERING AND TROUBLE GOD PRODUCES GLORY FOR HIMSELF AND GOOD FOR OTHER BELIEVERS AND THAT’S WHY ROMANS 8:28 SAYS (READ IT).

2. AND BELOVED, PAUL’S SUFFERING WOULD PRODUCE ETERNAL BENEFIT AND PROFIT AND GLORY FOR THE EPHESIAN BELIEVERS AND FOR THE GOD OF GLORY.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY, (1) I WANT TO MAKE APPLICATION TO A THEME OF OUR TEXT TODAY, GLORIFYING GOD.

* AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME PRACTICAL WAYS OF GLORIFYING GOD THAT ARE GIVEN IN SCRIPTURE, SO THAT GLORIFYING GOD WILL BE THE THEME OF OUR LIVES, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING.

** FOR WE HAVE A DIVINE PURPOSE TO FULFILL THROUGH CHRIST’S CHURCH TODAY; AND THAT IS TO GLORIFY OUR GREAT GOD.

*** HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO DO THAT PRACTICALLY.

**** NO. 1 CONFESSING SIN, JOSHUA 7:19 SAYS IN THE CONTEXT OF A MAN WHO HAD SINNED GREATLY AGAINST THE LORD – “THEN JOSHUA SAID TO ACHAN, “MY SON, I IMPLORE YOU, GIVE GLORY TO THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, AND GIVE PRAISE TO HIM; AND TELL ME NOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. DO NOT HIDE IT FROM ME.”

(2) AND BY ACHAN CONFESSING HIS SIN, HE WOULD GLORIFY GOD

* SO CONFESSING SIN GLORIFIES GOD.

** NO. 2 TRUSTING GOD BRINGS GLORY TO HIM, ROMANS 4:20 SAYS (READ IT).

*** NO. 3 BEARING FRUIT GLORIFIES GOD, JOHN 15:8 SAYS (READ IT).

**** NO. 4 PRAISE GOD AND THANKING HIM ASCRIBES GLORY TO GOD, PSALM 50:23 SAYS IN THE KJV, “WHOSO OFFERETH PRAISE GLORIFIETH ME.”

(3) NO. 5 SUFFERING FOR CHRIST CAN BRING GLORY TO GOD, READ I PETER 4:16&19.

* NO. 6 PRAYING GLORIFIES GOD, READ JOHN 14:13.

** AND FINALLY NO. 7, SPREADING THE WORD OF GOD BRINGS GLORY TO GOD. II THESSALONIANS 3:1 SAYS: “FINALLY, BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD MAY SPREAD RAPIDLY AND BE GLORIFIED, JUST AS IT DID ALSO WITH YOU.”

*** IN CLOSING: I GO BACK TO A VERSE I STARTED WITH TODAY, I CORINTHIANS 10:31, MAY IT BE OUR LIFE VERSE, THE THEME AND PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES.