Ephesians 3 - The Mystery of God Revealed!

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God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles

Paul returns to the topic which got him in so much trouble, the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. You have to remember how deep the dividing line historically was between Jews and Gentiles. Paul's role as the missionary to the Gentiles was a very dangerous one. He certainly would not have expected it given his background as a Pharisee. 

The inclusion of the Gentiles into the church was a huge issue for every one of the first New Testament churches, as it was for the church of Ephesus. Paul knew that unless he helped the church understand why this was God's very specific and strategic plan, the church would never be unified. 

So the mystery that God had revealed to Paul was His plan to include the Gentiles in His plan of salvation for all people. As we mentioned yesterday, this should not have been surprising to the Jews in Paul's day because God's promise to reach all nations is included in many areas of the Old Testament, including God's original promise to Abraham in Genesis 12. 

It is important to know the meaning of the Greek word "mystery" as it is used in the bible. 

“In English a ‘mystery’ is something dark, obscure, secret, puzzling. What is ‘mysterious’ is inexplicable, even incomprehensible. The Greek word mysterion is different, however. Although still a ‘secret’, it is no longer closely guarded but open… More simply, mysterion is a truth hitherto hidden from human knowledge or understanding but now disclosed by the revelation of God.” (Stott)

Since Paul was chosen to reveal this mystery of God's plan, he asked them not to feel sorry for him, as he was imprisoned. Paul was willing to suffer for being counted worthy to be an ambassador for God's plan to reach all people with the Good News of Christ. 

A Prayer for the Ephesians

Paul's closing prayer for the Ephesians is very powerful. Paul literally goes to his knees to intercede for his brothers and sisters in the Ephesian church. Here are some of the important aspects of this exquisite prayer. 

"To know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge." Ephesians 3:9 

Paul wrote of something we can know. This isn’t speculation, guesswork, emotions, or feelings. This is something to know. - Guzik

Paul then attempts to quantify the love of God in Christ. 

What is the width and length and depth and height: This means that the love of Jesus has dimensions and that it can be measured. - Guzik

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  Ephesians 3:17-18

Paul knew that once they experienced the unconditional love of God in Christ, they would never be the same, nor would they look at anybody the same way. Until we fully understand and experience God's unconditional love, we aren't able to love others the way he loves us. In quantifying and giving dimensions to God's love we can conclude: 

- God’s love is wide enough to include every person.

· God’s love is long enough to last through all eternity.

· God’s love is deep enough to reach the worst sinner.

- God’s love is high enough to take us to heaven. - Guzik

Paul's prayer is that the Ephesians would be able to understand this kind of love that surpasses knowledge. It is as we enter into and dwell in God's love that we can be filled to the fullness of its measure. 

Finally, Paul ends his prayer with showing how God is so much bigger than we what we could ask or imagine. We tend to put limits on what God can do, or the way he can do it. How much we ask of God shows what how big we think our God is? 

Paul wants to us have a big vision of our God and what he can do through us, and through the Church. Paul says it this way according to commentator David Guzik, 

You can ask for every good thing you have ever experienced – God can do above that.

You can think of or imagine things beyond your experience – God can do above that.

You can imagine good things that are beyond your ability to name – God can do above that.

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is one I am sure he is still praying for us from heaven. When we pray, we should remember the unfathomable and endless love of God. This will inspire us to pray for others who have not yet experienced God's unconditional love in Christ. It is as we experience and extend this love of God that we will be filled with the full measure of his love. 

Finally, let's remember to pray for things far beyond what we can conceive of or imagine. Let's leave room for God to "blow our socks off".  As we discover the height, depth, length, and width of God's love it inspire to share the gospel. I suppose we will spend our whole lives trying to comprehend how deep the Father's love is for us. But one day we will be face to face with that love after we breathe our last breath here on this planet! 

But until that time, we still have work to do as we make plain the mystery that was kept hidden for ages but know has been made known when our Lord and Savior came to earth!