Ephesians 3:1-21
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
CHAPTER 3
Paul describes himself as:
The ____________ of Jesus Christ
For the ____________.
We are living in the _________________ of the grace of God. A dispensation is a period of _______ given to certain events.
The ________ which saves has been reveled to Paul to share with others. ______________ means to make known. The grace of God is a ___________ until it is explained. Then we _______________ and have _____________.
In previous ________, or dispensations, this information was not made known. Through Paul, and the ____________ and ___________, it has been revealed. The work of revelation is a task that belongs to the _________.
This revealtion is not limited to one nation. The ____________ can:
1. Share as __________ - ________.
2. Be members of the same ________.
3. Partake of the ____________ in Christ.
This is why Paul was made a ____________. He had a _______ to share the grace of God. This work was given by the _____________ working of God's _________.
Paul demonstrates his ____________ by realizing that he is the ________ of all saints. His ability is not from himself. It was _________ to him from God. His work: Preach to the ___________. His message: The unsearchable _________ of Christ.
He wanted to help all men see the _____________ of the ___________. Since the ______________ of the world, this mystery has been hidden. God, who __________ all things, knew what the plan of salvation was.
It was the __________ of God to make known the ____________ wisdom of God through the __________. God wanted all to know:
1. ___________________.
2. Powers in _____________ places.
3. To both Jews and _____________.
NOTE: The only _________________ authorized to preach the gospel of grace is the church. All evangelism is to be done thorugh the church.
This is part of the ___________ of God. This plan was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. It was in the __________ plan. God had already decided to send Jesus Christ.
In Christ we have many rich blessings, including:
1. ______________.
2. ___________.
3. ______________.
4. And _________.
With all these _____________, we should not ________. These _________________ should not cause our faith to be weak.
Paul explains his reason for rejoicing. He states that there is a ________. He describes worship as bowing the _________.
The __________ is a family. Families wear the _______ of the Father. This is the name of all in the ___________ of God, both those in __________ and those on _________.
Our Father is ______. He will __________ to us:
1. The riches of his _________.
2. Strengthened with __________.
3. Indwelling of his ____________.
4. An __________ _______ of strength.
To those who are in God's family, _________ dwells in our hearts. This dwelling is by ________. The purpose of this indwelling is two-fold.
1. That we might be ____________.
2. That we might be ____________ in love.
Paul prays that we might be able to _______________ the four directions of love.
1. _____________. 2. _______________.
3. _____________. 4. _______________.
Also, we must _______ the love of Christ. His love ___________ our knowledge. Christians will be ___________ with the fulness of God.
Here is a __________________, a closing prayer. God is able to:
1. ____________. 2. _____________.
3. ________________. 4. _____________.
5. All we ________. 6. All we __________.
All of this is done _____________ to the power that is at _______ in us.
All our praise and ________ belong to God. This praise is to be found in the _________. This is the plan of God for all ________. Even when the _________ ends, the glory of God will continue.