Ephesians 3.8-21 (1)
Pray Psalm 46.10, 11.
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
Sing Psalm 46.10, 11.
(St. Chrysostom: We Have Not Known Tee As We Ought)
Rest in the LORD and be at peace, all who are mired in sore travail.
Lift up our God, praise Jesus our Lord; proclaim to all the earth His Word!
God is our stronghold, never to fail; thus may our hope and joy increase!
Read Ephesians 3.8, 9; meditate on the phrase, “fellowship of the mystery” (v. 9).
Who is included in this “fellowship”?
Preparation
1. How did Paul regard himself?
2. Why was he given the grace to preach?
Meditation
Paul uses the word οἰκονομία, oikonomia, “household” or “economy” (NKJV, “fellowship”), to describe the new realm of existence we now inhabit because of the revelation of Jesus Christ. This is an economy of “unsearchable riches”, yet only such riches as would appeal to those who know the mystery of Jesus.
Christ is the treasury of all wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2.2, 3). These are the true treasures because they empower us with the effective working grace of God to live according to His original plan. From the beginning of time, God was preparing Jesus to bring us into His household, make us citizens in His city, adopt us as His children, and begin unpacking the mystery of His eternal promises in our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we can see Jesus with the eyes of the heart, so we know how magnificent, how beautiful, how kind, and how powerful He is. No mystery there, not anymore.
But there is more to come and more revelation with it for those who make their way in life according to the divine economy.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians as a servant of the servants of God (v. 8). His calling was, by the grace of God, to preach Christ among the Gentiles and to reveal to them the mysteries of the Creator which through all the ages He intended to accomplish through Jesus (v. 9). He calls us to imitate him as he imitated Jesus (1 Cor. 11.1), and this means that there is power in the mystery of knowing Jesus to instill us with a calling to make known the riches of Jesus to the people in our world. What God had been pleased to keep hidden for ages He is now revealing through us: Jesus Christ, the hope of glory.
How will He make the mystery known through you today?
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
We, too, should see ourselves as blessed, yet humble, “less than the least of all the saints”.
It is only by God’s mercy and grace that we have been given this glorious gift and work “to preach among [our Personal Mission Field] the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3.8). We are called to “make all see what is the fellowship/stewardship of the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3.9).
Since this is the major calling of our lives, we must do it well. Imitating Paul, who imitated Christ (1 Cor. 11.1).
In the book of Second Kings there is a litany of kings who did sort of well, but not completely.
Amaziah “did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet…however…” (2 Kgs. 14.3, 4).
Azariah “did what was right in the sight of the LORD…except that…” (2 Kgs. 15.3, 4).
Jotham “did what was right in the sight of the LORD…however…” (2 Kgs. 15.34, 35).
Their intentions were noble, but their actions didn’t follow suit. This was the outcome of not following God’s Law completely.
The instructions for kings was this: “that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book…and it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left…” (Deut. 17.18-20).
We are now “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” to proclaim the praises of God (1 Pet. 1.9); and should hold ourselves to the same standard set for the kings of old.
If we are not in the Word of God daily, studying, learning, meditating, and praying, we will end up with mysterious results—and not in a good way.
We do not want it said of us, “they did what was right in the sight of the LORD…however…except that.”
We have the best news to live and talk about. But we will only do it well when empowered by the Holy Spirit and meditating in His Word day and night.
It is the most important work ever given, which must be done by good stewards.
We dare not squander the “unsearchable riches of Christ.”
Reflection
1. Why was God’s grace “given” to Paul? Why does He give it to us each day?
2. What can we do to help “all see” the fellowship of the mystery?
3. Are you growing in “the fellowship of the mystery”? Explain.
The publication of the gospel is called a fellowship, because it is the will of God that his purpose, which had formerly been hidden, shall now be shared by men. There is an appropriate metaphor in the words φωτίσαι πάντας, to enlighten all men, ― conveying the thought, that, in his apostleship, the grace of God shines with the brightness of noon-day. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Ephesians 3.9
Pray Psalm 46.1-9.
Praise and thank the Lord for His protecting grace. Call on Him to give you power and opportunities to proclaim His grace today.
Sing Psalm 46.1-9.
(St. Chrysostom: We Have Not Known Thee As We Ought)
God is our refuge and our strength; He is our help in times of need.
Thus though the earth beneath us should change, the sea engulf the mountain range.
Waters may roar with raging speed; yet God will rescue us at length.
God’s everlasting, joyous grace gladdens the city where He dwells.
Safely in Him, we will not be moved; when morning dawns, His love will be proved.
Fears and distresses Jesus dispels for His beloved, chosen race.
Kingdoms arise and rage and roar, threat’ning the earth with sore distress.
Nations may fall, earth melt away, His Word is yet our hope and stay.
God is among us, ever to bless; He is our stronghold evermore.
Come see the works of God’s Right Hand! He breaks the nations of the earth,
shatters their foolish weapons and pride, sets all their sinful strength aside.
Them He will show His infinite worth as they before His judgment stand.
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).
Other columns of interest this week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we continue looking at ways the Law of God applies to our lives. This week in our Read Moore podcast we consider the question of what it means to know Jesus Christ. Our Crosfigell teaching letter continues our study of the life of Brigit, a contemporary of Brendan. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
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.
