Ephesians 3 : 7-13
Before and After.
What is history? When we think of history, what do we think of? Secular historians study kings, queens, politicians, inventors, countries, wars, battle, peace treaties, geography, boundaries, revolutions, warlords, plagues and viruses - as they try to bring some form of meaning to the total chaos of events throughout history. But as Paul continues to write the book of Ephesians, he turns turns to the Church and considers it as the focal point of world history. This is the point upon which God’s purpose is focused, Paul writes in vv 10-11, “His (Gods) intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Paul’s view of the historical significance of the church could not be more in conflict with secular opinions of history.
Secular history will focus on people such as Kings, Queens, politicians and inventors, what you might call the historical VIP’s. Whilst in contrast the Bible focuses on the saints (or the believers). These people usually appear insignificant but they are God’s people, and for that reason they might be unknown to the world but they are well- known to God.
Secular history will always focus on wars, battles and peace treaties. The Bible concentrates on just one war, the only war that ultimately matters, the war between good and evil. It focuses on the decisive victory won by Jesus Christ over the power of darkness and on the peace offered to all by the blood He spilled on the Cross.
Secular history concentrates on the changing map of the world, as one nation defeats another and gains territory, then loses it again to another nation. The rise and fall of empire after empire. The Bible concentrates on a multi-national community called “the church” which has no territorial boundaries, which claims nothing less than the whole earth for Christ, and whose empire will never come to an end.
This is the great reality that Paul holds before us as he makes known “the administration of {the} mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God? (v.9). The church (should) stand directly above all secular history, she is beyond secular VIP’s, she is beyond all earthly wars and beyond all territories and regions.
Yet it is not only us, being members of the church, who Paul wants to look at this mystery. Paul also writes in v10 that “The rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” are also said to be looking at the place where Gods “manifold wisdom” is made known. So what is this “manifold wisdom” that we, and the heavenly rulers, are directed to look at?
Manifold Wisdom.
The word manifold simply means many and various, so when we consider manifold wisdom, we should think if it as “Gods many levels of wisdom’ being made known throughout he Church. As we look at this passage as a whole, there are (at least) 3 different parts of Gods wisdom to consider.
1: The bringing together of otherwise divided individuals in Christ. We’ve already looked in week one of this series at the mystery of unity that Paul speaks of. As it comes up again here, we can be confident of the importance of this particular message. Remember this letter is written to (ex) Gentiles who are now one with Jews through the fellowship of Christs church. However, so far Paul has focused on the the historical change that took place because of Christs death, where Jew and Gentile were brought together. Now Paul looks further back and reminds us that “God, created all things” v9,
Here, Paul is referring to the very beginning of time. The few days in Earth’s history where it was perfect. Before it was marred by the fall and sin entered the world. Before the fall, there was harmony between the first man and woman and also with the Godhead. It was a unity of mind, purpose, goals and will. After sin entered, that unity was broken. The man and woman hid from God and tried to escape his presence. It's a dramatisation of their rupture with God. But immediately after that when God called them to come forth and answer questions regarding their conduct, they instantly began accusing others and even blaming God, thereby showing their alienation firstly from from each other, and also from God
In Genesis 3:11, God asked Adam, “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Adam replies “The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it”. By saying this Adam blames God (The woman you put here), he blames Eve (she gave me some fruit), and shows his own self righteousness (and I ate it). Adam in one line, displays the wretched self-righteousness which is a present and devastating fact of human history.
In the church, God is bringing together these otherwise alienated, self-righteous and mutually accusing people on a a basis that excludes any cause for alienation. The church of Christ is is a community of sinners redeemed by Christ and forgiven by God.
If salvation could be achieved by works, as we might like (or think), and perhaps even the watching Angels might have thought it would be, the alienation would not have been removed. One person would still feel superior to another which would lead to boasting of moral or spiritual merit and would fracture the church. But salvation is not achieved by works, God has achieved it and made it available to us by grace alone! Thus any boasting, arrogance, pride or self-righteousness is excluded, and people of all nations and races meet as forgiven sinners within the Church’s fellowship.
2: The displaying of Christ by the church in the world. So far we have been thinking about the church as the focus point of world history, but it is equally right to speak of Jesus as the focal point of world history, which of course is exactly what Paul does. Ephesians 3:9-10 uses the word “mystery” of the church, but an earlier reference is to the “mystery of Christ” (v.4) with the remaining references being to the “gospel” which is of course centred on him and describes the salvation of the church - which is his body.
It is this idea, the idea of the church as Christ’s body, which hold the two points of Pauls thoughts together. In Paul’s view, the church is the focal point of history only because it is the focus point of Christ’s work.
3: The principle that suffering for the truth leads to glory. Paul reminds us that the way of Jesus will very often be the way of suffering. Jesus is quite clear on this point too. Read John 15:19-20. It would be ludicrous and unbiblical for us to think that following Jesus would make us blissfully happy, that giving our lives to follow Jesus would solve all our earthly problems or make us materially prosperous, successful and healthy. We look to history, the people in the Bible, as demonstrations of the people who have been saved from sin by Jesus.
When Satan rebelled against God and took the host of fallen angels (now demons) with him to eternal ruin, of course God could have destroyed the rebellion, and annihilated Satan and his hosts forever. It would have been just and reasonable, it could even have been merciful, as in if Satan was removed from history, he would never have been there to tempt Adam and Eve in the garden and sin and death would not have come upon the earth. But this wouldn’t have shown God’s “manifold wisdom”. It would have shown his power and perhaps mercy, but it would not have shown that God’s way, the way of truth and righteousness, is the only really good way and the only certain path to eternal happiness.
So instead of destroying Satan, God took a very different path. God had already determined to create the human race, He knew because He knows all things. God knew that by allowing Satan to survive, he would tempt and seduce humans and plunge them into misery. Satan will think that he has won, but the whole time Satan is doing that - turning the human race against God, against themselves and fighting wars and famine and so on - God will create a new people who rejoice in doing what is right, even when it’s not popular, they will delight in pleasing God, even when they suffer for it.
If God were like a vending machine that gave us everything and anything we wanted, if God never allowed us to become unwell, if he protected us always from the world and the evil in it, Satan could say that we only follow and worship God because he gives us everything and we don’t suffer. But here and there and in a variety of ways, God allows abuse and persecution of the Church, God shows that by the actions of those suffering, that not only will they (we) continue to praise God throughout their (our) suffering, but that they (we) would be rejoicing and be even happier in that suffering than Satans people will be with their maximum shares of earthly prestige and possessions.
Here and now, we are all part of history. Satan is still attacking, and the angels are still looking on. As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus, we are called to live like Jesus. If we ever wanted to see that suffering will be part of a Christians life, we should once again look to the life of Jesus. When we as Christians look at history, we should look to Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul and all the others in Christian history. All these people, as so many others named and un- named, they all suffered, they all repented of their sins, they endured their sufferings with thanksgiving and looked beyond the distress of this life for the eternal reward.
Questions.
These are not necessarily questions that need answers, they are rather to be used as conversation starters.
1. What does it mean to suffer because of faith in Jesus Christ?
2. When you read the first question, did you think of what it means to suffer to us here in the UK? Or Elsewhere in the world? What time period did you first think of?
3. Nearly every week we (if we go looking for it) read about the persecuted Church around the world - but its rarely headline news or in main stream media - why do you think that is? Can we / do we really relate to the suffering of the persecuted church around the world today?
4. If the answer to question 3 was “no” - what can we do about that? If the answer to question 3 was “yes” - then what can we do about that?
5. Re-read Chapter 3:12 - How and why can we approach God with freedom and confidence? Is that just a statement of fact or something to celebrate... or both?
6. Assuming that we rejoice and celebrate that we can approach God with freedom and confidence through Christ... what do we do about that now? Do we just wait patiently and quietly?
7. What impact does having this knowledge have on our lives? What impact should it have? Should we tell someone about this good news?
8. Paul considers that through Jesus Christ the Church is the focal point of history. What do we think about that idea? Does that fit with what we think about the church and our life within it?