R352 God’s Servant: A Man on a Mission

Welcome to The Encouraging Word teaching the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton in today's message God serve as a man on a mission.

As we open the word know they were open to connect with you right now on our website at tewonline.org G so much insight about the fresh new book from Dr. Don called Saturdays with Billy get it online@gwonline.org strike a copy of God turn with all of us to Paul's letter to the Ephesians chapter 3 and I'm going to request that every single person have access to God's word this morning. God's servant, a man on mission.

I don't believe that it was any accident that we find ourselves in Ephesians chapter 3 beginning the sun and I'm going to say to your beloved friends that I would never seek to try and elevate one man in terms of the grace of God upon people when we get to Ephesians chapter 3. The apostle Paul begins to talk about him so and you and I in today's world we sit there and we say how can this be what an old NASA. How is it that one man could ever claim to be blessed by God in so many different ways and get it becomes apparent to us. My friends, that the apostle Paul is speaking from a bondage point of absolute worthlessness and complete and after humility before the throne of grace. What a wonderful thing to know that God has chosen by his divine grace to use men and women such as you and me that have been used mightily to be conduits and channels of God's grace and God's blessing. It is a remarkable thing when one thinks of Jonathan Edwards and Jubal Stearns and Daniel Marshall. It is a remarkable thing to think of James McGrady. It is a remarkable thing to think of DL Moody and John Wesley and Vance Hebner and Mordechai Hammett is a remarkable thing to think of Billy Graham. It is a remarkable thing to think of the schools, if not hundreds upon hundreds of people that are in this place today that God has used you so mightily to touch so many people's lives at the funeral of a very dear and precious lady.

As we began to celebrate her life and to celebrate the fact that she had been transported by the angels to be seated at the feast table of the king.

As I looked out across the congregation I thought to myself how incredibly privileged we are in Mockingbird. Why because we live in a community in which God has poured out his spirit and he's used individual people in such incredible ways to touch so many lives for the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's try and understand what Paul is saying before we recoil into the private world about human indignation that one man would have the audacity to elevate him so to a special place at the right hand of the father. Ephesians chapter 3 in verse one. For this reason, I might stop once across because this is such a remarkable passage. For this reason, what is Paul sorry Paul is saying here in verse three that he hasn't stopped what he was signing in chapter 2.

In fact, you could read verse 22 of chapter 2 and in him you two are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his for this reason, I pull you see everything that Paul says is based upon the foundation that he has in Christ. It is attributable completely not impart everything that he has everything that he does everything that he hopes to do is rooted in the cross of Christ, and we going to see we going to feel it's coming through so strongly in the fabric of the text as we begin to try and understand God's word for this reason I bow, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles by the way. Surely you have heard it. It's as though pull here at the end of verse one what what was about to launch into some kind of some kind of narrative. Perhaps God submitted some kind of self-aggrandizement. Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus Magnus what I've gone through and and right there at that point, it seems that God takes this man of God, and he thrust him back into the very heartbeat of God himself, and he says to him. For this reason, I pull the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles. Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you. What an old – can you imagine that a man has the audacity to say openly and unapologetically that God has given me something to give to you. Truly not God doesn't have favorites or does he. God doesn't use individual people or does he. And if he does. Who does he use our you are not eligible we going to discover that we all we are we are eligible. Paul is going to tell us in Ephesians that all of us are eligible to say what he sorry might be our problem is we not prepared to allow God to do that with us. It's not God's selectivity. It's our availability. Surely you've heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you that is to say, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly where in the first two chapters of Ephesians, not in reading this then you will be able to understand what my insight says pull into what into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to man. In other generations as it has now been revealed how by the spirit of God to through the apostles and prophets have been set apart for the work of God. That's what the word holy mean the holy apostles and prophets. Why are they holy.

They also leave my friend because of the word fabulous. It means they have been separated unto the eternal purpose of God. They been set apart for that specific function.

And that word fabulous with my frame contains the very reason why God chose this servant of God to be used of God. Why because he had offered himself holy and acceptable under God. That's why you cannot read that verse without understanding this is a special designation not read it again with me.

It makes a little more sense which was not made known to man.

In other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God holy apostles and prophets. What is this mystery that is being made known. This mystery is that through the gospel, by the way, right throughout Ephesians we going to hear this word, the gospel, the gospel, the gospel, the gospel, the gospel, the gospel next week I'm going to preach a message entitled what is the gospel. This is bothered me so much, Paul keeps coming back to this thing.

He says the gospel he puts it back right squarely on the shoulder of the gospel. What is the gospel we going to try and understand that in this context, this mystery is that through the gospel. Three things happened here it is in verse six, the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel. Number one members together as one body number two and shares together in the promise of Jesus Christ.

Number three. That's the mystery that is been revealed to God's servant, a man on mission. Verse seven. Not this point. Paul goes back and he begins to talk about his own role in God's plan of thing.

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of these I love that, don't you, that goes back to chapter 1 verse nine.

When we talked about the incomparably great power of God. We talked about the working word the day working is the same word for energy. It's the vitamins that God gives to his children to take. Why because it energizes them to be able to exercise the power of God to do the time of God's voice, Paul is making an extraordinary statement at this juncture. He says I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power, and then he stops. He stops dead in his tracks.

I don't know maybe he was preaching like I've just been preach. Maybe he was about to burst a blood vessel.

It's as though the spirit of God suddenly stopped him again.

It's amazing folks in the text of God's word. That's why we've got to study God's word. My frame.

That's why we don't have any alternative. This word doesn't contain the word of God is the word of God. That's why it's imperative that all of you look at God's word. Listen. This all of a sudden the cutting off. He even uses the conjunction lesson. Although, come, think of it, he says the site. I am less than the least of all God's people. I tell you I keep thinking of Dr. Billy Graham.

When I read this, although I am less than the least of all God's people.

Now that's the superlatives we going to come back and we going to look at it has a very special meaning. This grace was given to me even though I am less than the least to do what. Here it is again to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone the administration. Now we we saw that little earlier on in verse two. Surely you've heard about the administration of God's grace.

Now let's go to verse nine to make plain to everybody. The administration of this mystery which for ages. Cost was kept hidden in God who created all things and so what was God's intent. That's in verse 10 he is intent God's intent was that now through the church had a wonderful spite. Cannot God just said they he said that we the church are special.

Why do you think folks Satan wants to destroy the church. Why do you think Satan gets people all fired up. Why do you think Satan gets people spreading rumors, why do you think Satan gets God's people angry.

Why do you think Satan tries to do everything because of what God tells us about his church. That's why what he says he is 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 and him through faith in him we may approach God spirit is its told us right there in him and through faith in him we may approach God, that is God's divine grace God has given us permission to come aboard with freedom and with confidence on SKU. Therefore, in verse 13 not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which all your glory. I want us to look at this very briefly in two areas God servant a man on mission. Number one. What was the nature of Paul's mission.

Number two.

What was the purpose of falls mission. What if we going to ask what was the nature of falls mission we going to be asking the question, why in the world and pull do what he did what was it for three reasons. According to this passage number one because of the cold to stewardship number two because of the cold to service and number three because of God's call to suffering.

That's what Paul is trying to tell us number one. The call to stewardship. You see, Paul was given the responsibility to administer God's plan for his people. It's right there in verse two. Paul was called to be an administrator that's exactly and the way they add the administration of God's grace. It means that God entrusted his plan for the church to the administration of Paul the apostle. He said all you are the one that I want to carry out and to share my plan for the salvation of man with mankind.

I am giving you that responsibility. You can't explain it. You cannot explain. Dr. Billy Graham outside of the administrative plan of the grace of God. You can't explain the you cannot explain the touch of God upon someone's life outside of the touch of God. You cannot go beyond that point God comes down in his sovereign grace. And he touches a person's life and what did Paul say he says this position was one of the ask premium high privilege. It is one of sacred trust and it carried with it. Three things it concerns the grace of God. It concern parsing up on to the Gentiles, and it concerns making known the mystery of God's revealed plan that's what Paul stewardship was all about and what was the content of this mystery.

Well it's right there in those verses for us in verse 14 detail in verse six, I beg your pardon, he tells us exactly what the mystery is that that we will become is together that we are members together and that we all share is together in the grace of God is wonderful to think about that.

Paul said wait a minute. I know God is usually in a special way with the reason he's using me is because he's called me to be is to he's entrusted something to me to give interruption will be back with the rest of today's message God servant a man on a mission in just a moment with Dr. Wilton but Dr. Don wants to encourage you on a daily basis. If you haven't signed up for the daily Encouraging Word devotional do so today on our website at tewonline.org in Iraq that place our website is filled with resources like this when Jesus comes every eye will see. Even those who crucified Jesus and this is not Jesus.

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Now that would servant there is very interesting because the word seventh is the same word that we get the word deacon from the Aachen loss. This is what God's word says I became a servant of this gospel is critical is that amazing Paul is saying here that he stewardship was going to be carried out. The vehicle by which that he stewardship was going to be carried out was his service.

The preceding verses pulsated. Perhaps with poles, one of the inclusion of the Gentiles in God's plan for redemption, but from verse seven and onwards verse seven through 12.

He now makes known this profound gratitude for the privilege that God is given to him. Paul cannot contain himself how to be look upon the disappointment of God to Christian service two ways. First of all, he considered it a great flavor.

That's what verse seven tells it was a great flavor. Can you believe that especially for pool. It's a remarkable statement when you consider the cost that the apostle Paul had to endure the bitter hatred of these countrymen the contempt of those that he sought to win to Christ.

The perils of these journeys, the indignity and playing I'll be starting Sandy's whippings and his imprisonment and get the apostle Paul says you have called me to be a man on mission and I believe that's the greatest flavor you could ever show surmising I can't even remotely identify with what Paul's site. I live in a place called Spartanburg South Carolina. Rivers and trees and mountains plenty to eat roof over my head family lived in this church family. Carrera quotes. Can you imagine this can imagine what God is done for us. He's blessed her so much. It was a great flavor but not only that it it involve the exercise of divine power. That's what Paul believed about he's Christian service. It involve the exercise of divine power.

You see my friends preaching to a pagan world required such power, and it was only because of the grace of God that the apostle Paul was able to do what the apostle Paul did just literally thousands of people are coming to Margie's. How do you explain that well you cannot explain it except thing if you understand that the force behind Paul's labors was declared to be the active strength there is the working the energy or the vitamins that God had given to him of what of the dynamic power of God and that would dynamic is the word for dynamite. It means that there is a mixed pollution that is placed into God servant to man on mission call might a choice. God has come down upon you soon.

Well, there was the coldest stewardship in the coldest service. There is also the call to suffer. I can't understand that Paul knew that the way of service was not easy. Look at verse 13 he says askew therefore not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are the basis of your glory.

If you understand the Greek text there. My friends what was poolside pool was literally saying to the church that you as a church, said Paul to the church at Ephesus you as a church on not going to be able to understand all contain the suffering that God will call down upon you. Therefore, I am willing to suffer for your sake, so that through my sufferings you are going to be strengthened by the Martin power of God in the inner man, Paul. Perhaps here at this junction.

My frame is saying isn't that what Jesus Christ did for me Jesus Christ the son of the living God. He went and he suffered, he was bruised and beaten peewee.upon Calvary Street he took upon himself the sin of the world in order that I might have life and have it more abundantly. And it Jesus Christ could suffer for me.

I am willing to suffer for you for the schools of Christ Jesus.

Now look at verse 13 again, what is he say he says I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings Ronda that your glory might be made magnified as result of my suffering that you might be encouraged because of God's man on mission I think so many times I read of people on mission fields and how much I'm encouraged because of their suffer. That doesn't make sense to the world that somebody else should suffer, and I did. Encouraged by what happens is there suffering strengthened my pride.

It keeps me together. I saved that person can do that I can do I draw nourishment from that. And Paul is saying that this is what God has called me to do. The nature of Paul's mission. But what about the purpose of Paul's mission. There was no doubt that he magnified the dignity of his office, viewing up to Paul the apostle and said to him what about your position as a pasta teacher evangelist. It's just nothing he would never have disdained his position. He magnified the dignity of his office, but he was always possessed with a sense of ease own unworthiness. In fact, right. He begins to get entered verse eight, he uses a Greek superlatives to try and describe how nothing. He really is the site he says although I'm less then the least of all God's people that he uses a superlative there that we don't have an English language. He says I am the least. Stir of the least English people help me how'd you get released less than the less I mean lower than the lowest. He says what he saying on verse 80 saying listen, even though the grace of God is come upon me, and even though I've been given this mission. I am least of all, the least of all released and he says in that context, I have a specific purpose. Number one, there was a missionary purpose number two there was a teaching purpose and number three there was an ultimate purpose as far as Paul is concerned there's a missionary purpose verse I he says this is specific in origin. It comes from God. It is specific in direction. It is intended for the Gentile. It is specific and content it contains the riches of Christ Jesus, and he uses the word unsearchable (verse I he says to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Jesus.

He's fluttering around trying to find the right superlatives to intensify the verb he's trying to say that I cannot ask the immeasurable grace of God.

He uses word unresearched, unsearchable and unfathomable. He says the unsearchable means that God's grace is on trackable. It is in its clickable it is to Boston to contemplate.

It is about.

It is beyond human comprehension.

He says God is given to me this awesome reservoir of the riches of God's grace and there is not an entire lifetime that I could ever adequately ask to you how precious God that calls he's missionary purpose. But then there was the teaching purpose.

Verse nine to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, what is that mean he says I have to be the teacher in order to distribute on a worldwide basis.

The good news Paul's toss. He says, is to bring out the profound implications of the gospel. There is a missionary purpose. There is a teaching purpose, and then there is the ultimate purpose which is for all to display God's intent.

In verse 10 to display God's wisdom in verse 10 to highlight boldness access and confidence and finally he says my ultimate purpose is to encourage the church. That's what he says to encourage trip poets are pretty you been encouraged by the teaching of God's word today but as you heard Dr. Don preach and teach a previewed open your heart to what he wants to share next strike from his are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today, I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name my frame. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news. If you just gave your life to Jesus Christ: we dedicate your life to Christ.

Welcome to the family we want to walk with you in the next steps of rejoicing and see how God is going to use you like never before. Give us a call that 866-899-WORD and will send you the free resources. Dr. Don once you have 866-899-WORD 9673 email us at online@tewonline.org G, tewonline.org G find a number of resources including today's message you here again or share with a friend online at tewonline.org G. This program is sponsored by The Encouraging Word were generous, prayer and financial support