Book of Ephesians: Chapter 3

III. THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD FOR THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER, 3:1-21
A. A New Body of People: The Great Mystery of Christ, 3:1-13
1) It gave Paul purpose for existing (v.1-2)
a. He existed to be a prisoner for Christ (v.1)
b. He existed to be a steward of God's grace (v.2)

2) It was a mystery: It required a special revelation to become known (v.3-5)
a. Revealed to Paul (v.3-4)
b. Revealed to others (v.5)

3) It was a threefold revelation (v.6)
a. All are fellow-heirs (v.6a)
b. All are of the same body (v.6b)
c. All share in God's promise: The new creation (v.6c)

4) It affected Paul—profoundly (v.7-9)
a. Caused him to become a minister—by the power of God (v.7)
b. Caused him to become a preacher—unworthy as he was (v.8)
c. Caused him to become an evangelist (v.9)

5) It affects heavenly beings even now, profoundly so: Causes them to stand in stark amazement (v.10-12)
a. At what God is doing in the church (v.10)
b. At God's eternal purpose—in Christ (v.11)
c. At the believer's access into God's presence—by faith (v.12)

6) It stirred a willingness within Paul to suffer for the church (v.13)

B. A Mature Believer in Christ: The Great Prayer for the Church and the Believer, 3:14-21
1) The prayer (v.14-15)
a. Was for a cause (v.14a)
b. Was with bowed knees (v.14b)
c. To the Father of Christ (v.14c)
d. Was for the whole family of God: Believers, past and present (v.15)

2) Request 1: For strength, power within—by God's Spirit (v.16)

3) Request 2: For Christ to rule and reign within—by faith (v.17a)

4) Request 3: For love (v.17b)

5) Request 4: For understanding—a full understanding of spiritual things (v.18)

6) Request 5: To know the love of Christ (v.19a)

7) Request 6: For the fulness of God (v.19b)

8) Conclusion: The encouragement to pray and trust God for the answer (v.20-21)
a. The fact: God is able (v.20a)
b. The source: The power that works in us (v.20b)
c. The purpose: That God might be glorified—in the church through Jesus Christ (v.21)