Ephesians 6.13-24 (6)
Pray Psalm 71.1-3.
In You, O LORD, I put my trust;
Let me never be put to shame.
Deliver me in Your righteousness,
and cause me to escape;
Incline Your ear to me, and save me.
Be my strong refuge
To which I may resort continually;
You have given the commandment to save me,
For You are my rock and my fortress.
Sing Psalm 71.1-3.
(Solid Rock: My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less)
In You, O LORD, I refuge claim; O let me never be ashamed.
In righteousness deliver me; incline Your ear and hear my plea.
Refrain v. 3
A Rock of habitation be; command Your Word to rescue me;
my Rock and Fortress ever be!
Read Ephesians 6.13-24; meditate on verses 20-24.
Meditate on “ambassador in chains”. Can you see the irony in this?
Preparation
1. How can you see that Ephesians ends where it began (cf. Eph. 1.1, 2)?
2. How are we to love Jesus?
Meditation
Paul began this epistle by describing himself as an “apostle”, that is, a “sent one”. But where had God sent him? Into a prison in Rome! Why? To be an ambassador for Christ!
And was he ever. As he wrote to the Philippians at about the same time he wrote Ephesians: “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil. 1.12-14).
Paul was in chains, but he was an ambassador. He wrote to his friends, not to find some way to spring him, but that they might know the grace and peace of the Lord. Roman chains could not hinder his work as an ambassador. He simply adjusted to the situation and pressed on. He knew he needed the prayers of his friends to support him (v. 20) and that it would be important for them to know what was happening with him (vv. 21, 22). But his main goal was to wrap them up in the grace and peace of Jesus, which he did by instructing and exhorting them in sound doctrine (Eph. 1-3) and guiding and encouraging them with practical steps of faith (Eph. 4-6).
Love Jesus, he says at last (v. 24). Love Him in all sincerity. For this is the measure of true faith.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The message of the early Church differed greatly from the message we pass around now.
“Get saved, get health, wealth, happiness, and then on to heaven!”
Get, get, get; I, me, mine! All about me.
But the first Christians heard a much different story, and still signed up for the Kingdom.
“Trust in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and then off to prison, the lions, or crucifixion.”
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; for His honor, glory, and praise! All about Him.
“From Miletus [Paul] sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.
And when they had come to him, he said to them:
‘You know, from the first day that I came to Asia,
in what manner I always lived among you,
serving the Lord with all humility,
with many tears and trials
which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews;
how I kept back nothing that was helpful,
but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house,
testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks,
repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem,
not knowing the things that will happen to me there,
except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city,
saying that chains and tribulations await me.
But none of these things move me;
nor do I count my life dear to myself,
so that I may finish my race with joy,
and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus,
to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
And indeed, now I know that you all,
among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God,
will see my face no more’” (Acts 20.17-25). All about Jesus.
Putting on our Jesus-Battle-Gear and Prayer will lighten the load when the chains are foisted upon us. It will happen, none of us will escape the onslaughts of the enemy. But “since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind…” (1 Pet. 4.1). “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Pet. 4.12, 13).
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4.17, 18).
“Fear not, for I AM with you;
be not dismayed,
for I AM your God.
I will strengthen you, yes,
I will help you,
I will uphold you with
My righteous Right Hand” (Is. 41.10).
Dress blessed with the honor of being an Ambassador in Chains with Christ Jesus.
Reflection
1. To whom will you bring the grace and peace of Jesus today? How?
2. What does it mean for you to be an ambassador in chains? Whose “chains”?
3. Where do you need to improve in wielding the full armor of God?
By peace, understand all manner of peace; peace with God, peace of conscience, peace among themselves. And the grace of the Spirit, producing faith and love, and every grace. These he desires for those in whom they were already begun. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Ephesians 6.20-24
Pray Psalm 71.3, 12-18.
Pray for the Lord’s help today, that you might be His ambassador to resist the devil, encourage the saints, and bring grace and peace throughout your Personal Mission Field.
Sing Psalm 71.12-18, 3.
(Solid Rock: My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less)
O God be not too far from me; my ever-present Helper be!
Consume and shame my enemies; let them reproached and humbled be.
Refrain, v. 3
A Rock of habitation be; command Your Word to rescue me;
My Rock and Fortress ever be!
But as for me my voice I raise to sing in hope and constant praise!
With saving grace my voice will swell Your never-ending grace to tell.
Refrain
O LORD, I praise Your righteousness Who me from youth have taught and blessed.
Forsake me not when I am old, ’til I Your mercies all have told!
Refrain
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
