One’s Suffering, Another’s Glory – Ephesians 3:1-13

According to Open Doors, an organization that carries on the work of Brother Andrew, a missionary who sought to get Bibles to those behind the iron curtain, “Globally there are 2.48 billion Christians. Out of these, approximately 215 million or 1 in every 12 Christians in the Top 50 countries of the World Watch List, is considered to be suffering from “extreme” levels of persecution.”

Paul has been suffering for the sake of the gospel but he doesn’t want that to discourage the church.

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. (Ephesians 3:1-13, ESV)

Paul has helped the readers see the hope of their calling, the inheritance they have in the saints and now the power that is at work in them. He is under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial for what happened in Jerusalem, explaining that by the working of Christ’s power he has received the grace of apostleship and a revelation, along with the other apostles and prophets, of how the Gentiles have become fellow heirs of the promise to Israel through Jesus’ gospel.

Paul knows he did not deserve this privilege because he was a persecutor of the church, but God gave the responsibility of preaching this gospel to the Gentiles as a display of God’s wisdom to those non-earthly rulers and authorities, fallen angels who follow Satan, who do not believe that God is good and worthy of worship. Despite Paul suffering for this cause he does not want his readers to lose heart. God’s mighty purpose in Christ is being served and the glory of the gospel is being realized among the Gentiles.

Many Jews and non-Jews are in the fold of the Good Shepherd now because of the preaching and suffering of the apostle Paul. And we must continue his legacy and that of all Jesus’ apostles by keeping purely this gospel revealed through them to the church.

Discussion Questions

1. When was a time you chose suffering for the sake of achieving some greater goal?
2. How often do you associate your salvation with being made a fellow heir of the promise with Israel?
3. Why do you think it is important to God that His wisdom be known to fallen angels regarding the Jew and Gentile becoming one in the church?
4. Do we have anything like the same responsibility to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ?
5. How do you experience the boldness with and access to God provided by Christ to those who believe?
6. What can you do to contribute to keeping the purity of the gospel revealed to Paul and the other apostles?