The Gift of God's Grace

I remember as a little kid insisting I could do something by myself that really required more strength than I possessed, whether it was getting the lid off a jar or lifting a box. My parents offered to help me, but I was stubborn, continuing to struggle rather than admit I wasn’t strong enough. I’m not convinced we change much as adults. Our pride and desire for independence drives us to still say, “I can handle it.” When I was in middle school, the big cartoon was “He-Man, Master of the Universe.” His famous line was, “I have the power!!!” Times I think I have the power is when my husband is gone and some chore needs doing that he would usually do. My efforts to shovel the snow in the driveway is a dazzling display that I don’t actually have the power. I end up sore or pulling a muscle and exhausting myself to the extent I can barely walk or lift my arms.

This thought that we can do it (whatever “it” is) on our own shows up in other ways too. I’m a planner, an organizer. I have certain ways of doing things. Along with that, it is easy to think that I can host a party or execute a youth group event or teach at our women’s retreat by myself, in my own strength. I don’t want to depend on others, and I don’t want to depend on God. But this morphs into, I don’t need to depend on others, and I don’t need to depend on God. We rarely will voice this allowed, but when we don’t invite others to help or pray for us, we are being independent, self-sufficient, and working in our own strength. When we don’t pray, trusting God with our activities and relationships, don’t spend time in His Word and fellowship with Him, or seek His will and glory, then we are being independent, self-sufficient, and working in our strength. This is not how God created us to be. He created us to be dependent on Him and others as the body of Christ.

It's been two months since we left off in Ephesians. Paul began Chapter 3 as a prayer (vs 1), but he broke off to reemphasize previous truths and affirm his God-given authority to teach these truths (vs 1-13). Paul also introduced “the mystery” – The Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel (vs 6).

For this reason, I Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles- (2) assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, (3) how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. (4) When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, (5) 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. (6) 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.

(7) Of this gospel I was made a minster according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. (8) 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, (9) and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, (10) so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (11) This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, (12) in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. (13) So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is for your glory.

Ephesians 3:1-13 (emphasis added)

As we pick-up Chapter 3 again, verse 7 is a transitional verse. Paul closes his remarks on the mystery of Christ and begins to share his role.

Paul writes: “Of this gospel I was made a minister.” The gospel (vs 6) is summarized in Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). People cannot believe and receive the Gospel if they have not heard the Gospel, and they can’t hear it unless someone shares it (Romans 10:14).

The word minister (diakonos in the Greek) means servant. Servant originally referred specifically to one who waited tables, but it’s use broaden to a general sense of serving.  Diakonos was used to describe Paul  in other places (1 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 6:4; 11:23) and several of Paul’s co-laborers (Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 1:7; 4:7; 1 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 4:6).

A servant obeys and submits to the authority over them. Paul did not see himself as a prisoner of Rome but as God’s servant. This perspective made a defining difference is how Paul responded to circumstances. Paul’s friends told him not to go to Jerusalem, knowing trouble likely awaited him (Acts 21:4), but Paul, constrained by the Spirit, obeyed and submitted to God’s will saying: “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:22-24).

Paul did not appoint himself a minister. God appointed him (Acts 9:1-18) but not because of Paul’s ability, character, education, position, or gifts. In fact, when Jesus confronted Paul on the road to Damascus, Paul was on his way to arrest believers in Damascus, and he had approved of Stephen’s stoning. Paul was not a poster child for the Gospel. Paul calls himself “the very least of all the saints” (vs 8). Paul emphasizes that his ministry is not his own doing when he states, “which was given me” (vs 7b).

Paul was made a minister “according to the gift of God’s grace.” This may be better understood as “the gift, which is God’s grace.” In other words, grace itself is the gift Paul received. Yes, Paul was a minister or steward of God’s grace, but he was dependent on that same grace himself. God’s gift of grace to Paul did not make him better than those he served (1 Corinthians 9:27). From beginning to end and everything between, God’s grace is at work in and through Paul (and us), for which He is worthy to be praised (vs 1:6). Paul shared with the Corinthian church: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10, emphasis added).

Paul was made a minster according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given him “by the working of his power.” God’s power equips us. “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29). Paul recognized that he was utterly dependent on God for everything he did, and he saw this as gain, as good.  He understood his weakness apart from God (2 Corinthians 11:30).

An important note in how Paul viewed his weakness is found in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10: “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

First, Paul shows us that independence and reliance on our own strength is rooted in pride and conceit. God gave Paul a thorn in his flesh to keep him from becoming prideful over the knowledge God had revealed to him. The revelation was from God, but Paul was tempted to make that revelation about himself like we so often do when we serve. God has gifted us in different ways, but we are prideful of our abilities as if it was our doing.

Second, God’s grace is sufficient. His power is made perfect in our weakness, and in this, Paul was content because he wanted the glory and praise to go to God alone not himself.

All believers are Jesus’ ambassadors, called to represent His character and His message, the Gospel (2 Corinthians 5:20). We share His message of grace by the gift of His grace and His power at work in us.

Reflection

1.    Functionally, is your life characterized by humble, dependence on God or striving for independence? Be specific with examples in your job, ministry, family, surprise situations, suffering, etc.

2.    Often we don’t depend on others because we don’t want to share the glory. We want it all. How do you need to grow in being dependent on others in the body of Christ?

3.    Give an example of a time you tried to act in your own strength. How did it turn out? Give an example of when you rested in God’s grace and strength instead of your own. What was the result?

Where are you most tempted to seek your own glory? In what practical ways can the gift of God’s grace shift your mindset to God’s glory?