Ephesians 6 Part 3
Bible Study Time 2-12-06
Ephesians 6:18
18 pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--
Praying for the saints is part of our personal spiritual armor so it protects us and benefits the saints as well. Paul must have been so pleased to reveal this particular piece of armor because he had such a genuine heart of love and concern for all of the saints.
Our ministry within the Body of Christ is not about numbers; it’s about people. Many people had come to know the Lord since Paul and Barnabas started out on that first missionary journey nearly twenty years earlier, and Paul had a particular burden in his heart for all of these people. Paul showed his deep concern by praying for them. He told the Roman believers:
Romans 1:9 (NKJ)
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,
He told the Colossian believers:
Colossians 1:9 (NKJ)
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
He told the believers in Ephesus:
Ephesians 1:15-17 (NKJ)
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
We could go on an on, but the point is clear. Paul understood that His ministry was about people. It was about touching the hearts and lives of everyday people. He had talked to a lady named Lydia in Philippi and led her to the Lord down by the riverside. He had talked with a jailer in Philippi and led him to the Lord while the man was on guard duty.
Paul loved these people, and he showed that love by praying for them. He knew the power of prayer. Jesus said:
Matthew 7:9-11 (NKJ)
9 " . . . what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
The Lord Jesus said, ask and ye shall receive, but Paul prayed knowing that God was able and willing to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.
So Paul was a real prayer warrior, and when he prayed, he emphasized the spiritual needs of the people. In Ephesians 3, Paul prayed this prayer:
Ephesians 3:14-19 (NKJ)
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 from 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 through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Paul didn’t pray much about physical needs, and he certainly did not pray that these people would not be an embarrassment to him, but he was genuinely concerned about their relationship with the Lord. He prayed for the Philippians, saying:
Philippians 1:9-11 (NKJ)
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Because Paul knew the power of prayer, he prayed without ceasing, and he encouraged all believers to pray for one another without ceasing. But here in Ephesians 6, Paul goes on to say, when you pray, please remember to pray for me as well:
Ephesians 6:19-20 (NKJ)
19 . . . that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Church links:
Bible Study Time 2-12-06
We have seen in the book of Ephesians that all believers are to be involved in ministry. Each member of the Body of Christ has a job to do, and if any one of us fails to do his job, the whole Body suffers. We saw that God has given evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.
But when it comes to ministry there is nothing more important to God than motivation. God is ultimately concerned not only with what we do but with why we do it. This is the true test of any ministry.
The Apostle Paul revealed the motivation of his heart when he wrote to the Corinthians, saying:
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NKJ)
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NKJ)
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
This is the motivation behind any true ministry within the Body of Christ. The love of Christ compels us to serve Christ and share the gift of life with those who are lost and dying. Paul followed up on this thought in Philippians, Chapter 2, saying:
Philippians 2:3-8 (NKJ)
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
What a great example we see in Christ of the purest of all motivations. His only thought was to be obedient to the Father. In the last few verses of the book of Ephesians, we see the purity of Paul’s motives as he admonishes the Ephesian believers to pray. He says:
But when it comes to ministry there is nothing more important to God than motivation. God is ultimately concerned not only with what we do but with why we do it. This is the true test of any ministry.
The Apostle Paul revealed the motivation of his heart when he wrote to the Corinthians, saying:
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NKJ)
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NKJ)
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
This is the motivation behind any true ministry within the Body of Christ. The love of Christ compels us to serve Christ and share the gift of life with those who are lost and dying. Paul followed up on this thought in Philippians, Chapter 2, saying:
Philippians 2:3-8 (NKJ)
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
What a great example we see in Christ of the purest of all motivations. His only thought was to be obedient to the Father. In the last few verses of the book of Ephesians, we see the purity of Paul’s motives as he admonishes the Ephesian believers to pray. He says:
Ephesians 6:18
18 pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--
Praying for the saints is part of our personal spiritual armor so it protects us and benefits the saints as well. Paul must have been so pleased to reveal this particular piece of armor because he had such a genuine heart of love and concern for all of the saints.
Our ministry within the Body of Christ is not about numbers; it’s about people. Many people had come to know the Lord since Paul and Barnabas started out on that first missionary journey nearly twenty years earlier, and Paul had a particular burden in his heart for all of these people. Paul showed his deep concern by praying for them. He told the Roman believers:
Romans 1:9 (NKJ)
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,
He told the Colossian believers:
Colossians 1:9 (NKJ)
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
He told the believers in Ephesus:
Ephesians 1:15-17 (NKJ)
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
We could go on an on, but the point is clear. Paul understood that His ministry was about people. It was about touching the hearts and lives of everyday people. He had talked to a lady named Lydia in Philippi and led her to the Lord down by the riverside. He had talked with a jailer in Philippi and led him to the Lord while the man was on guard duty.
Paul loved these people, and he showed that love by praying for them. He knew the power of prayer. Jesus said:
Matthew 7:9-11 (NKJ)
9 " . . . what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
The Lord Jesus said, ask and ye shall receive, but Paul prayed knowing that God was able and willing to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.
So Paul was a real prayer warrior, and when he prayed, he emphasized the spiritual needs of the people. In Ephesians 3, Paul prayed this prayer:
Ephesians 3:14-19 (NKJ)
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 from 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 through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Paul didn’t pray much about physical needs, and he certainly did not pray that these people would not be an embarrassment to him, but he was genuinely concerned about their relationship with the Lord. He prayed for the Philippians, saying:
Philippians 1:9-11 (NKJ)
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Because Paul knew the power of prayer, he prayed without ceasing, and he encouraged all believers to pray for one another without ceasing. But here in Ephesians 6, Paul goes on to say, when you pray, please remember to pray for me as well:
Ephesians 6:19-20 (NKJ)
19 . . . that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Even though Paul was behind locked doors, he was looking for any open door of opportunity to share the gospel. God singled out the Apostle Paul to be the man who would deliver to mankind the truth of the Church which is the Body of Christ, that anybody anywhere can be saved by simply believing that Jesus Christ died for their sins. By putting their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, they are automatically added to the heavenly Church which is the Body of Christ, and they are immediately given eternal life.
In the Old Testament, God never specifically revealed that people could be saved by faith. He never revealed specifically that faith in God is the means by which a man can lay hold of eternal life or that without such faith man is destined for eternal death in the lake of fire.
The gospel was, therefore, a mystery in the Old Testament. King David was a man after God’s own heart, and he loved the Law of the Lord. He meditated in the Law day and night, and the more he mediated in the Law the more precious it was to him. He said:
Psalms 19:7 (NKJ)
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
But, David knew that he could never gain eternal life by the Law. It was too perfect for anybody to keep. David said in Psalm 14:
Psalms 14:2-3 (NKJ)
2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
3 They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.
David knew that his only hope was in the mercy of the Lord. Psalm 51 says:
Psalms 51:1-4 (NKJ)
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight-- that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.
David asked God to blot out his transgressions so that God would be blameless when He judges. Now everybody knows that justice demands punishment for sin. How was God going to blot out David’s transgressions and still be blameless in His judgment?
This was a mystery in the Old Testament. It was the mystery of the gospel. It was not until after the resurrection of Christ that God revealed the truth of this mystery, and He chose the Apostle Paul to reveal it.
In Romans 3, Paul said, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but we can be justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God is the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus, and He is still just and blameless in doing so because the shed blood of Christ is a propitiation for sin. His blood satisfies all of God’s righteous requirements.
King David knew about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and he knew that God would blot out his transgressions and give him eternal life. He said, I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Faith in God has always been the active ingredient of salvation, but it was a mystery in the Old Testament.
Paul revealed this mystery of the gospel during the Acts period as he went preaching the New Covenant Kingdom to the Jew first and also to the Greek. He said, “As it is written, the just shall live by faith.” During the Acts period, many of the aspects of the Jewish Law were still being practiced because the rituals and ceremonies of the Law are appropriate in the context of the kingdom.
However, when Israel rejected Christ and the kingdom at the end of the Acts period, God called Paul to reveal the greatest mystery of all, that mystery concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ. This Church to which believers belong today has no connection to the kingdom which was promised to Israel, and therefore, the rituals of the Law have passed away, and the fruit of the Spirit has come to stay.
Paul knew that the mystery of the gospel and the mystery concerning the Church, the Body of Christ, were both great and precious truths. When witnessing to the lost, he would share the mystery of the gospel, that whosoever believeth in Christ should not perish but have everlasting life.
After people got saved, he would pray without ceasing that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened so that they would know the hope of their calling in Christ who was raised from the dead to be Head over all things to the Church which is His Body.
The truth concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ was given to Paul as a special stewardship, and Paul took this stewardship very seriously. Paul knew that someday he would face the Lord to give an accounting of his stewardship. Paul wanted the people to pray for him so that he would be found faithful in his stewardship.
Paul said to the Philippians, I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Paul’s plan was to seize every opportunity to witness to the lost and pray for the spiritual maturity of those who did accepted Christ. But then he did not forget what is probably the most important thing for any true minister of Christ. He continued on in his ardent quest to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, so that he might be made conformable unto His death (Philippians 3:10). Paul said, I realize that I have not already attained a perfect knowledge of Christ, but I am pressing on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
I see our time is gone this morning. Thank you for listening, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
In the Old Testament, God never specifically revealed that people could be saved by faith. He never revealed specifically that faith in God is the means by which a man can lay hold of eternal life or that without such faith man is destined for eternal death in the lake of fire.
The gospel was, therefore, a mystery in the Old Testament. King David was a man after God’s own heart, and he loved the Law of the Lord. He meditated in the Law day and night, and the more he mediated in the Law the more precious it was to him. He said:
Psalms 19:7 (NKJ)
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
But, David knew that he could never gain eternal life by the Law. It was too perfect for anybody to keep. David said in Psalm 14:
Psalms 14:2-3 (NKJ)
2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
3 They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.
David knew that his only hope was in the mercy of the Lord. Psalm 51 says:
Psalms 51:1-4 (NKJ)
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight-- that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.
David asked God to blot out his transgressions so that God would be blameless when He judges. Now everybody knows that justice demands punishment for sin. How was God going to blot out David’s transgressions and still be blameless in His judgment?
This was a mystery in the Old Testament. It was the mystery of the gospel. It was not until after the resurrection of Christ that God revealed the truth of this mystery, and He chose the Apostle Paul to reveal it.
In Romans 3, Paul said, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but we can be justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God is the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus, and He is still just and blameless in doing so because the shed blood of Christ is a propitiation for sin. His blood satisfies all of God’s righteous requirements.
King David knew about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and he knew that God would blot out his transgressions and give him eternal life. He said, I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Faith in God has always been the active ingredient of salvation, but it was a mystery in the Old Testament.
Paul revealed this mystery of the gospel during the Acts period as he went preaching the New Covenant Kingdom to the Jew first and also to the Greek. He said, “As it is written, the just shall live by faith.” During the Acts period, many of the aspects of the Jewish Law were still being practiced because the rituals and ceremonies of the Law are appropriate in the context of the kingdom.
However, when Israel rejected Christ and the kingdom at the end of the Acts period, God called Paul to reveal the greatest mystery of all, that mystery concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ. This Church to which believers belong today has no connection to the kingdom which was promised to Israel, and therefore, the rituals of the Law have passed away, and the fruit of the Spirit has come to stay.
Paul knew that the mystery of the gospel and the mystery concerning the Church, the Body of Christ, were both great and precious truths. When witnessing to the lost, he would share the mystery of the gospel, that whosoever believeth in Christ should not perish but have everlasting life.
After people got saved, he would pray without ceasing that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened so that they would know the hope of their calling in Christ who was raised from the dead to be Head over all things to the Church which is His Body.
The truth concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ was given to Paul as a special stewardship, and Paul took this stewardship very seriously. Paul knew that someday he would face the Lord to give an accounting of his stewardship. Paul wanted the people to pray for him so that he would be found faithful in his stewardship.
Paul said to the Philippians, I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Paul’s plan was to seize every opportunity to witness to the lost and pray for the spiritual maturity of those who did accepted Christ. But then he did not forget what is probably the most important thing for any true minister of Christ. He continued on in his ardent quest to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, so that he might be made conformable unto His death (Philippians 3:10). Paul said, I realize that I have not already attained a perfect knowledge of Christ, but I am pressing on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
I see our time is gone this morning. Thank you for listening, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Church links:
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