Above and Beyond

Ephesians 3

​You and I, like Paul have a commission and a calling. We have been gifted by God for such a commission and calling for such a time as this. God has made it clear through His Word the commission of making disciples that make disciples; baptizing believers into the body of Christ; building His church and making known the mystery and the manifold wisdom of God that He has a plan to use us. He also makes known and clarifies our calling by the leading and promptings of His Holy Spirit living in us and by the opportunities available before us.

What is your calling? What purpose and plan does God have for you for such a time as this? Are you yielding to the call to the commission and His purpose and plan? If not, why not? What is His Will for you right now!

This was made known to Paul and he unveils it to the Ephesians behind prison walls through this letter to the church. He challenges them and us to build His Church, by making God’s manifold wisdom known, that Jesus Christ was born, lived a perfect life, died, buried, resurrected from the dead, and then ascended into heaven. And then Paul prayed a pray for all to hear that challenges me each day.

Dr. Tony Evans writes in his Study Bible, "When you’re in the will of God, the negative circumstances of your life happen with God’s purposes in mind. God’s purpose was that Paul would proclaim the truth of the gospel.”

Warren Wiersbe breaks Ephesians 3 into three sections—a purpose, a parenthesis, and a prayer.

“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 minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.” Ephesians 3:1–7 (ESV)

“For this reason” refers to what Paul wrote at the end of chapter 2, the building of the church. That was the purpose behind his praying and his ministering. Jesus said, “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18), but He uses people like you and me to help get the job done. He commands for us to live out the great commission in Matthew 28 and He calls us to use our gifting to build up and serve the church, serve the community, and minister to those without Christ in our circle of influence. Is the building of the church your motivation to pray and serve? Are you engaging, equipping and empowering those around you with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? The word “Gentiles” put Paul in prison. “And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ” Acts 22:21(ESV).

God gave Paul a special commission to evangelize the Gentiles and to explain to both Jews and Gentiles God’s “mystery”: in Christ, believing Jews and Gentiles are one and share the same spiritual riches. As He builds His church in this world, God is putting things together. The question for you and me today is... are we helping Him? Are we making an impact in the Name of Jesus in those around us? Are people moving closer to Jesus because of the personal ministry we are doing through praying for, caring for, and sharing with our circle of influence?

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14–21 (ESV)

“This prayer is for spiritual vision, to see and lay hold of the greatness of God’s love and power. Know today that God wants you to be concerned about “the whole building” (2:21), “the whole family” (3:15), “the whole body” (4:16), and “all the saints” (v. 18).” Warren Wiersbe

Paul wants us to know something that is beyond our capacity to grasp: The length and width, height and depth of God’s love! Even when we’ve been in God’s presence for years, we will have just been introduced to him. Because the God of the Bible is inexhaustible, and therefore often unexplainable. His attributes go beyond science and our finite minds and capacities of understanding. I feel this is why few believe and follow. It takes faith to grasp even “the hem of His garment” of understanding. There’s no end to knowing God and the “great love that he has for us.”

As I said earlier, I love Paul’s many prayers, but specifically this one in verses 20 and 21. He is able to do all things as He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and He is all-present. He is able to rescue us from a fiery furnace. He is able to deliver from lions’ mouths. He is able to give sight to the blind. He is able to keep us from stumbling.

“He is able to save completely.”

“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25 (ESV)

He is able “to make … grace overflow.”

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV)

He is able to do above and beyond even these things.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20 (ESV)

Dr. Tony Evans says, “A fire hydrant is small, but it can gush water in volume and force that is out of proportion to its size. That’s because the water isn’t in the hydrant. The hydrant is connected to a reservoir that is always full. When the church is in sync with Jesus Christ, it has a connection to a reservoir that is always overflowing. When God’s people’s internal connection to him is tight, they will gush out the power of God in and through their lives individually and collectively.”
​
Is God gushing water and life through you today or is narrowness in your life leading to shallowness and weakness? Lean into Him by faith today, and seek to be the vessel for which He has designed you? Do the work by which He is calling you!

---