Bold Humility

Ephesians 3:8-10

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.

CENTRAL TRUTH

We are humbled by the Gospel and emboldened to share it.

REFLECTIONS

At this point in his letter to Ephesus, Paul has recognized that the responsibility of sharing God’s redemptive story has shifted to include the Gentiles. The mysteries once reserved for Israel’s prophets and priests are now being shared with outsiders and God has initiated this shift through the cross of Christ, whose sacrifice has made every believer a priest and partaker in the promises of God.

Two thousand years down the road, this message often falls on our apathetic ears. But for the first century Jew, this was blasphemy of the worst kind. In fact, Paul found the message of Christ offensive when he first encountered it even to the point of executing Christians on the spot. As a devout Jew, Paul (whose name was Saul at the time) held the law with the highest regard and found no guilt in slaughtering blasphemers.

It is no wonder that Paul views himself as the “very least of all the saints.” In this letter to Ephesus, the redemption story has already taken root. Paul bears the guilty weight of killing innocents who taught the very same Gospel he is so passionately proclaiming. His encounter with Christ has both humbled and emboldened him. On the one hand, Paul knows the richness of forgiveness. On the other hand, he understands first-hand the hostility the disciples at Ephesus will face when they proclaim Christ as messiah to not only the Jews, but the Gentiles as well.

Paul exhorts fellow believers to be encouraged as they are part of the plan God has for all nations to share his manifold wisdom and the Gospel of Christ. We approach grace with the knowledge that we too were sinners (humility) and are empowered to bright the light to all nations (boldness).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Where you ever hostile towards the message of Christ? If so, reflect upon your personal journey and allow the changes the Holy Spirit has made in you to stir your affections for Christ.
2. Is salvation truly available to everyone? What about murderers (like Paul)? Child molesters? Serial killers & rapists?
3. Perhaps you were “born in church”. Do you bear the same responsibilities as those who were redeemed from worse tragedies?

Note: This is part of a devotional series that I had the privilege of helping write with my local church. To catch the entire series on Ephesians, check out the Crestview Connection Blog.