They had waited years for it.
The coastline was infamous—jagged rocks just beneath the surface, unpredictable currents, ships torn open in storms or dashed to pieces on clear nights when the tide betrayed them. Everyone knew the stretch of water. Everyone feared it. So when construction finally began, it felt like hope.
Stone by stone, the lighthouse rose. Massive foundation blocks sunk deep into the bedrock. Thick walls built to withstand wind and wave and time. A tower tall enough to stand sentry for ships still miles away.
They were building survival. When it was finished? A massive celebration. Speeches, ribbons, applause! This was a banner day for the small, seaside town.
That first night was a glorious one, the moon was full, the stars were plenty, the sky was clear. A ship approached the coast under starlight. They didn’t know this water, only her reputation. But they did know there was a lighthouse. Which made it all the more shocking when they impacted the craggy coastline.
The sound was unmistakable. Metal tearing and grinding. Panicked shouts from the bowels of the ship Lanterns scrambling to the upper deck. Water rushing in faster than it could be stopped. By morning, the ship had become wreckage strewn at the foot of the lighthouse.
And everyone asked the same question: How does a ship run aground when there is a brand new lighthouse standing atop the shore? We’ll answer this question at the end, so for now, let’s turn to our passage for this morning: Ephesians 3:1-13:
Ephesians 3:1-13
(Ephesians 3:1-13, NRSVue) 3:1 This is the reason that I, Paul, am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you gentiles, 2 for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, 4 a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5 In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 that is, the gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
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7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. 8 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ 9 and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have access in boldness and confidence through faith in him. 13 I pray, therefore, that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.
Prayer
Father,
We come to You this morning with open hands and hearts that need Your truth. Thank You that You don’t leave us guessing about Your purposes. Thank You that what was once hidden has been revealed in Christ Jesus—and that You’ve invited us into that work.
As we open Your Word, we ask for clarity and humility. Give us eyes to see what You’re actually saying, not just what we want to hear. Give us ears that hear even when it challenges us. And give us hearts willing to be reshaped by Your Spirit.
Lord, we confess that sometimes we’d rather be safe than obedient. We’d rather be comfortable than commissioned. We’d rather keep the light to ourselves than shine it into the darkness. Forgive us. Convict us. And then empower us.
Holy Spirit, do what only You can do: show us our role in Your eternal plan. Remind us that suffering doesn’t disqualify us from the mission—sometimes it is the mission. And give us the boldness and confidence we need to make known the wisdom of God to a watching world and a warring heaven.
We ask all of this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and our light.
Amen.
Paul, Interrupted
(Ephesians 3:1-2, NRSVue) 3:1 This is the reason that I, Paul, am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you gentiles, 2 for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you
We’re picking up mid-thought here, so the word “this” needs a little unpacking. Last week we learned that the work of Jesus on the cross grafted the Gentiles into the Jewish promise. This means that there is a whole new world fully of people who have unprecedented access to salvation. And so Paul gets to work. And his reputation for fraternizing with these… these… uncircumcised outsiders is simply too much for the Jewish leadership to handle. And so he is—falsely—accused of bringing Gentiles into restricted areas of the temple. And so Paul was jailed.
But note that Paul does not attribute his imprisonment to the Jewish leadership or to his Roman jailers. He cites Jesus and the Gentiles as the reason for it. And in that order: Jesus, then the Gentiles.
And this is interesting because while we take for granted nowadays that Paul was in prison… this was not viewed positively by the populace at large at that time. I doubt it would be any different today. If you heard or read a story about a Christian in jail for their faith, would you assume they had been unfairly prosecuted, or would you assume they were being justly punished?
In Paul’s case it was unfair, but he takes an interesting approach. He doesn’t complain for a moment, but tells the Gentiles that he is in jail for their sake. Why? Because he was commissioned by God’s grace on their behalf. And that word, “commission” means “administration”, it means “stewardship”! God has called Paul to carry the Gospel of grace to the Gentiles. That path led him into the crosshairs of the religious elites of the day, and so he was punished. But that punishment, that persecution would result in an appeals process that led Paul to an audience with Caesar himself—the most powerful man in the world. Because God doesn’t waste trials.
The point is this: when we are commissioned by God, we need to stay the course, because the trials and tribulations that lay in that path are for kingdom purposes and the glory of the one we serve. Be steadfast and unflinching in your calling, Christian. Because what we have been entrusted with is so important, that suffering—when or if it comes—should not be surprising. That’s how Paul saw it. Let’s keep reading and see if we can adopt his posture.
Mysteries and Revelations
(Ephesians 3:3-5, NRSVue) 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, 4 a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5 In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
So then, what has Paul been entrusted with? A mystery! How fun! I think most of us love a good mystery story. Following clues and uncovering secrets until we can rightly deduce the truth! There’s just one small problem… that’s not what Paul means. At all.
It’s more helpful to think of a ‘mystery’—in this ancient context—as a ‘surprise’. Something that only God knows, and which God Himself will reveal. And so, any time you see revelation in the Bible you can make a mental note that it is a mystery uncovered!
Here’s why that matters: our insights and intuitions are useful to draw connections and pull out inferences and implications, but we cannot find new truths that were previously hidden. That is a task only God can perform. The totality of the plan has been fully revealed in Christ Jesus.
Which brings me to something we need to talk about.
If you ever encounter someone who claims to have a “new” truth—or who knows the “real” truth that the rest of the church somehow missed—run. Run and don’t look back. And tell others to do the same. Because what they’re peddling isn’t mystery revealed, it’s deception repackaged.
God doesn’t send encrypted bonus levels of truth to charismatic personalities with YouTube channels or self-published manifestos. He doesn’t whisper secret doctrines to people who “really” understand the Greek or who had a vision no one else can verify. The apostle Peter warned us about this exact thing. He said false teachers would arise from within the church, bringing destructive heresies—and many would follow them.
And the tragedy is this: people follow them not because the teaching is true, but because it feels exclusive. Special. Like being let in on a secret. But church, that’s not how God works. He doesn’t hide truth from the humble and reveal it to the proud. He revealed the mystery of the Gospel to fishermen, tax collectors, and a guy who made tents for a living.
So if someone tells you they’ve discovered something the apostles missed, or that the historic church got it wrong for two thousand years and they finally cracked the code? That’s not revelation. That’s pride wrapped in spiritual language. And it’s dangerous. Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked.
Alright. Rant over. Back to Paul.
We see this reality on full display when we read the Old Testament. In its pages we see hints and shadows. In Genesis, in Leviticus, in Kings, in the Psalms, in the Prophets. But these things were obscure, opaque, and difficult to fully grasp until God revealed the final, critical, crystallizing piece: Jesus.
This is certainly true of Paul. He didn’t deduce any of this. In fact, he and Luke are both careful to outline how God revealed this to him. We read about it in Acts 9, Acts 22, Acts 26, Galatians 1, and 2 Corinthians 12. Paul didn’t figure it out—God uncovered it for him. And now Paul is sharing it with us.
That’s why Paul builds on the foundation of Jesus. Paul didn’t create it. Jesus uncovered it for Paul, and Paul proclaimed it.
That’s also why I think none of the “apostles and prophets” of 2:20 and 3:5 are part of the foundation of the church or the Gospel—they are simply that first generation to which Christ revealed Himself. And today we continue to turn to that revelation and tell others how to find the answer to the mystery.
But the question remains: what is that mystery!?
The Mystery Demystified
(Ephesians 3:6, NRSVue) 6 that is, the gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
So, Paul hinted at the mystery back in 2:11-22 when he talked about unity and inclusion, but here he states it again plainly. Almost as if to yell, “this is for the folks in the back row!” Well, this feels maybe a touch dramatic, don’t you think Pastor? Is it? Let’s really look at the situation as it stood at the time.
Jesus died, completing the promise of the Mosaic Law and blowing the door to faith wide open. Gentiles welcomed as heirs of the promise. 6-9 years later, Peter is still keeping the Messiah to himself. God has to show a vision to him and tell him to knock it off. So Peter goes to Cornelius’ home, but tells him that under normal circumstances, he would never do that. This is in Acts 10:28. Okay, we’re good right? No! In Galatians 2:11-14 Paul writes about how he confronted Peter in Antioch for making the Gentiles feel like second-class citizens. Again, this is the APOSTLE PETER! One of the members of Jesus’ inner circle. Jesus calls him the Rock! And what’s even crazier is that this Antioch confrontation Paul talks about occurs another 6-8 years after Peter’s visit to Cornelius!
Church, the protectionism ran deep in the Jewish people of the day. And so I think it just makes sense that Paul seeks to drive this home repeatedly! Because sometimes we need to hear the same thing two or three or four or five times until it gets through our thick skulls! Someone give me an amen, so I know it isn’t just me!
So I’m not better than you and you’re not better than me, because we’re both just sinners saved by grace and all the credit goes to Jesus. And that’s what Paul is trying to drive home here. The mystery? Unqualified equality. Jews? Gentiles? Doesn’t matter! They are—and we are—heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise!
Heirs to what? The promise of Abraham! The promise of David! It’s no wonder the Jews didn’t immediately love this! So much of what had been their identity for centuries was suddenly upended! They had to share their toys and they didn’t like it. Now before you start shaking your head in disbelief at these ancient Jewish believers, maybe take a moment and think about how you might feel if someone took your favorite seat at church. Are we glad to welcome new people, or only if it doesn’t cost us anything?
Members of the same body? What body? The church! The Bride of Christ. Not sure about you, but if someone came to my house and started disparaging my wife, I might not take too kindly to that. And before someone says, “Oh, but it’s not the whole Bride, just one part”—let me ask you this: what part of your spouse can I publicly dislike? Their hand? Their sense of humor? The way they vote? None of it, right? Because when you love someone, you don’t get to pick and choose which parts deserve dignity. The body is one. We don’t get to hate the foot because it’s not the hand, or dismiss the ear because it’s not the eye. We’re knit together. One Bride. One body.
And sharers in the promise. You know what’s cool? That word—sharers—actually means “partners.” Not subordinates. Not hangers-on. Not additions or amendments. Full partners. Equal stakeholders in everything God promised.
That’s good news for us, because I am a Gentile. I’m not Jewish by blood or covenant. But thanks to the work of Jesus, I don’t need to be. By confessing with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believing in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, I get to be a full partner in all the covenant promises of God.
Our unity as a church is not based on vibes and feelings. It’s not because we all like each other so much. It’s because we are partners in the same covenant. I remember as a teen I was a moody and difficult young man. I could switch on a dime from happy to upset and there was no pulling me back out of it. It must have been a bear for my poor mother to handle. And I remember one time she told me,
“Conrad, you’re my son and I’ll always love you, but I don’t like you very much right now.”
And you know what? She was right. Love runs deeper than affection. It endures when feelings fail.
That’s how it goes, church. We might not always be besties with every other Christian, but what unites us should be stronger than our preferences and proclivities. Someone give me another amen? Amen.
So we see the mystery revealed: unqualified equality among God’s people. The next question is, what made Paul worthy of such a weighty honor? Let’s keep reading and see what we can find out.
Unworthy Yet Entrusted
(Ephesians 3:7-9, NRSVue) 7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. 8 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ 9 and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,
Do you see it, church? Do you see what made Paul worthy of such a weighty honor?
Nothing.
That’s it. That’s the answer. Paul did nothing to deserve such a weighty honor. And Paul knows it. Let’s go one layer deeper and look at the language in verse 7. “Gift,” “grace,” and “given” all carry the same meaning: an unmerited gift. And “working” and “power”? Same thing—power. Paul says that he has become a servant of the gospel because of the gifty gift that was gifted to him by God’s powerful power.
Paul goes on to say that he is the very least of all the saints. In fact, later in his letters to Timothy Paul goes a step further yet and calls himself the “chief of sinners”! Paul does not think Paul is special. Paul thinks Paul is loved. Oh church! What a glorious perspective! Here is Paul—battered, beaten, shipwrecked, hated by his former peers and jailed in Rome under a false accusation—yet he can’t stop himself from getting excited about the boundless riches of Christ!
It is so easy to get caught up in Kenneth Copeland “Christianity”: God’s desire is that you be healthy, wealthy, and wise. God wants you to be rich and powerful and influential. God wants you to have what you already want. Hallelujah! It’s a miracle. False. This is a lie to tickle our ears and tell us we can have everything we want and God, too. That’s a lie almost as old as creation itself.
And there’s the allure of Joel Osteen “Christianity”: live your best life now. Think positive thoughts. God wants you to be happy. God wants you to love your job and your car and your mortgage payment and spend each day whistling zippity-doo-dah with a politician’s smile etched into your face. Another lie. If we can have our best life now, what in the world do we need heaven for? This twists God into someone we look for when we need a Psalm or a Proverb to inspire us, but whom we never turn to for correction or rebuke. This demotes God from a necessity to sustain our very lives into a wise old Uncle Remus we can safely ignore when it seems best to us.
Or maybe it’s Bill Johnson “Christianity” that conjures up miracles and experiences that do nothing to draw us to Jesus, but only turn us into sign-chasers who think we can manipulate the Holy Spirit to give us whatever we want. If there aren’t miracles we’ve lost faith, or we’ve lost connection, or we’ve lost hope… but do you see the problem there? It’s all about me, me, me. It’s chasing a high. A mountaintop experience.
Let me tell you something, church: the real work, the real life, the real joy is not formed on the mountaintop. It is formed in the valley. Every time my God picks me up and carries me through the darkest channels of my life, I grow stronger, deeper, and more faithful in the oppressive mundanity of daily life. We need to seek God in the ordinary, not believe the lie that He only exists in the extraordinary.
Here’s the hard truth, friends: Paul was nobody. I am nobody. You are nobody. That’s a fact.
But here’s the Good News: God chose us anyway. And He has called us. And He has equipped us.
Now, if you’ve been influenced by any of these teachings, I’m not saying you’re not a Christian. I’m not saying God doesn’t love you. I’m saying you’ve been sold a counterfeit—and you deserve the real thing. God’s not mad at you. He’s calling you back to the real gospel. The one that says: you’re nobody, and He chose you anyway.
And I don’t know about you, but that makes me excited to go tell someone about this incredible hope I have. Not because I am hashtag-blessed with material wealth, or living in a flood of feel-good inspiration, or experiencing mountaintop highs on the daily… but because I have a deep and abiding sense of joy from the Lord without any of those things.
And that—I contend—is our purpose, collectively, as the church. Let’s keep reading to see what Paul has to say on the matter.
The Role of the Church
(Ephesians 3:10, NRSVue) 10 so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
“So that” signals a purpose statement incoming. Paul has been tasked with revealing the mystery of unity—why? So that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Lots to unpack here. Let’s get into it.
The first big clause is “through the church.” That’s us. We are the vehicle God has chosen to accomplish His purposes. And each of us is equipped in some way to aid in that call. If you have invested yourself into this community for any amount of time—I myself have only been here three months—then you will see the incredible wealth of gifts God has given us. Designers, photographers, musicians, logicians, huggers, spreadsheet-makers, servants of every stripe. It is inspiring and humbling to be allowed to call such a community home. I am grateful for this church every day. I hope that you are as well.
None of us are perfect, of course. We have, do, and will make mistakes. But it is precisely our unworthiness—my unworthiness—that comforts me, because it means that God is with me. He has to be. If He is not, I will fail. I cannot do this on my own. I am not enough. I strive to be nothing more than a willing vessel, pressing hard toward the goal my Savior has set for me and allowing Him to do His good Kingdom work in and through my life. That is a reality worthy of a moment to pause and thank the Lord. Praise Jesus.
Now then, what is it that we are doing as the church for the furtherance of the Kingdom? This is so good, church. Stay with me here.
Our role is to make known the wisdom of God in its rich variety. Wow.
Make known. We are going to preach, to proclaim, to say and to share. And we’re going to live out and to demonstrate. It’s time for show and tell, church. And what are we showing and telling?
“[T]he wisdom of God in its rich variety.” There are two parts here: wisdom and variety.
Let’s talk about wisdom first. Ancients understood wisdom to be a comprehensive understanding of not just the whats, but also the whys and hows. What is this thing? How does it work? Why does it work that way? There is an episode of The Office where the character Dwight gets a Christmas gift in parts. He excitedly attempts to assemble it, assuming it is some kind of firearm, but is frustrated that he can’t get it to go together. Eventually he finds out that it is actually a nutcracker, and suddenly the frustration disappears and the tool is put to use.
This is how it is for humanity. We are trying to make sense of a world without God, without the One who holds all things together. The One who designed them and gave them purpose and function and life! We are monkeys pacing fretfully around the monolith, slowly going mad because we cannot comprehend it and don’t know what to do with it. But once we allow God to show us the truth, our search for meaning and purpose and hope seems to fall into place so easily.
As a teenager I struggled with existential questions about things like the meaning of life. It seemed an unsolvable puzzle. But now I look at it and the answer is so painfully simple that even a small child could understand it:
To love God and to be loved by God.
That is the truth at the heart of our purpose. And just like every other truth, it belongs wholly to God and comes wholly from God. But it’s not just the source of truth—it is the rich variety of truth. And what exactly is that “rich variety”?
Church, turn to any page of Scripture and you’ll see that variety. Plans and purposes. Prophecy and poetry. Power and practicality. The poetry of the Psalms. The prophecy of Isaiah. The practicality of Proverbs. The power of the Exodus. Each page is alive with the vast array of ways God makes Himself known to us and makes His love for us abundantly evident.
But this isn’t even the best part. Are you ready for the best part? As the church we have this rich variety of wisdom to make known… to whom?
“[T]he rulers and authorities in the heavenly places”!
Church, do you see what this means? The war that is waging in the heavenly places—right now—that war has been going on for time immemorial. But when the church came into being through the unifying work of Christ on the cross, our commission was to “make known”—to preach, to proclaim, to say and to share. To live out and to demonstrate. To show and tell both sides that the mystery is revealed. The plan is in motion. The Kingdom is advancing.
The forces of evil have more targets than ever before in human history, since so many are welcomed to come to Christ. And the forces of good have more willing servants than ever before in human history. We are God’s church—His Bride—and we, in unity, have been called to shift from protectionism to proselytization!
And in light of the great harvest before us, we cannot lose hope or heart. We are walking in God’s eternal purpose, and so suffering mustn’t be allowed to deter us, because our job is too important. And that’s where Paul goes as he wraps up our passage this morning.
Why Suffering Doesn’t Undermine the Mission
(Ephesians 3:11-13, NRSVue) 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have access in boldness and confidence through faith in him. 13 I pray, therefore, that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.
Paul closes with a stunning reframe: his suffering isn’t a detour from God’s plan—it’s the road God’s plan travels.
“This was in accordance with the eternal purpose.” Church, catch that word: eternal. God’s purpose isn’t reactive. It doesn’t pivot when circumstances change. It doesn’t short-circuit when persecution comes. God’s purpose has been in motion since before time began, and it’s being carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul’s imprisonment? Part of the plan. His beatings? Part of the plan. His rejection by the religious elite? Part of the plan.
And because of that, we have “access in boldness and confidence through faith in him.” Not through favorable outcomes. Not through comfort or safety. Through Christ. Our confidence isn’t anchored in smooth sailing—it’s anchored in the One who holds all things together.
That’s why Paul can say, “I pray, therefore, that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.” Think about that. Paul is in chains, and he’s worried that they might lose heart. He’s suffering, and he calls it their glory. Why? Because his suffering opened doors. It spread the gospel. We cannot allow ourselves to be deterred, because when we’re not on mission, we are not fulfilling our purposes.
The Lighthouse, Revisited
Which brings us back to the lighthouse. You remember the sad history—ships wrecking on the craggy shores of a small town by the sea. They built a lighthouse to protect the ships, and then another ran aground the very first night. Why?
No one powered it up. The house was there, but the light was not. The structure was built, but never activated.
Do you see where I am going with this, church?
We are the lighthouse.
God has built us. He has placed us here—on this rocky coast where the lost are navigating dark waters. He has equipped us with gifts, with truth, with the rich variety of His wisdom. The structure is sound. The foundation is Christ. The walls are strong.
But if we never turn on the light, we are worse than useless. We become a false promise. A monument to good intentions. Ships will crash at our feet because they thought we were supposed to guide them—and we were—but we never did.
We have been commissioned to show and tell the powers and principalities the vast wisdom of our God. Are we going to do that by closing the doors and patting ourselves on the back for being so good at meeting on Sundays? I don’t think that’ll do it, church.
We need to lean on the Holy Spirit to turn on the power and give us the boldness and confidence we need to make heaven cheer and hell fear what the Lord will do through these willing servants.
So let our lights shine bright every day and bring as many souls safely into harbor as the Lord will give us. Amen?
Let’s pray.
Closing Prayer
Father,
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the reminder that we are not accidents or afterthoughts, but part of Your eternal purpose. Thank You that You didn’t just save us and leave us to figure out the rest—You’ve given us a mission, equipped us by Your Spirit, and promised to be with us every step of the way.
Lord, as we leave this place, help us remember that we are the lighthouse. The structure is built. The foundation is secure. But without Your power flowing through us, we are nothing more than a monument to good intentions. So turn on the light, Lord. Use us. Work through us. Make Your wisdom known through the church—through this church—to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Give us boldness when we’re tempted to be silent. Give us confidence when we feel unworthy. And remind us that our suffering—when it comes—is not wasted. It’s part of the plan. It spreads the gospel. It brings glory to You.
So send us out as willing vessels. Let our lights shine bright. And bring as many souls safely into harbor as You will give us.
We pray all of this in the name of Jesus, our peace, our purpose, and our power.
Amen.