Triple Fellowship (Ephesians 3.1-12)

Sermon by: Robert Austell; September 2, 2018 - Ephesians 3:1-12

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::: Music ::
Great Are You, Lord (Ingram, Jordon, Leonard)
Blest Be the Tie that Binds/Blest Be the Holy Spirit (arr. Austell)
(Offertory) In the Garden - Gwen Ingram, Bobby White, vocalists (arr. Ingram)
In Christ There is No East or West (ST. PETER)

:: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) :: This manuscript represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose.

I’ve got to tell you…! Yesterday…! It’s the greatest thing this thing you won’t believe I’ve got to tell you just how amazing….!

Have you ever been so excited about something that you speak in incomplete or run-on sentences? That’s kind of what these verses in Ephesians 3 are like. It’s hard for translators to know what to do because they want to make sense of it for you in English, but it’s just long and breaks off and, well, Paul really really wants to share some news with you. So he starts, “I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—“ and he interrupts himself. It’s like as soon as he says “you Gentiles” he is reminded at the same time that God has revealed a new mystery and gift to the non-Jewish world and just how great that news is. So he’s all over the place talking about the mystery and gift and then trying to say what it is while also being excited about his part in it all.

I am also very excited about those things, but I’ll try to separate them out so they are a little easier to follow. And while all the parts are interesting, I want to zero in today on the specific message for the non-Jewish world… that is, the Gentiles, because we are they. We are the beneficiaries and the ambassadors of the message that God’s love is wide and for the whole world.

Stewardship of the Mystery (vv.2-3)

First, in verses 2-3, Paul initially focuses on the mystery of this news. It’s a mystery because it had been forgotten or de-emphasized by his own people and religion. God indeed revealed himself specially to Abraham and his descendants, but all along it was for the sake of the world. There’s a lesson in there for the church as well, lest we think that God exists just for us. It’s really the other way around; God has called us together to send us out into the world on His behalf, with His love and in His power.

So, Paul uses several words to talk about this mystery. It’s grace; it’s a gift, it is a revelation that we read is NOW revealed; later in verses 9-10 that it is to bring light into that world at this time and to make God’s wisdom known. It is a new message but it is not a new idea. In verse 11 we read that it is God’s eternal purpose, carried out in Christ Jesus.

Some things are mystery because they are beyond our understanding. Other things are mystery because we have never learned or have forgotten why they are the way they are. This is a little of both; through the person and work of Jesus and the messenger, Paul, God is reminding the world of His eternal plan to pursue, love, and rescue humanity. Humanity’s curse has been undone and God has undone it. Behold, the mystery; hear the Good News!

Triple Fellowship (v.6)

Mainly today I want to focus on verse 6, which is where Paul “gets specific” about the mystery and Good News from God to humanity. I am calling it a “triple fellowship” because he uses the word ‘fellow’ three times in this verse to talk about the things that we SHARE together in Christ. It’s a strong reminder of the connectivity and community of God’s people over an individual or private experience. In every way God calls us together. That’s what fellowship means! Let’s look at the three forms of fellowship.

Fellow Heirs – First we are “fellow heirs.” That means what it sounds like. We inherit something from God because we have been brought into His family. What do we inherit? It’s things more precious than gold or silver… things like salvation, eternal purpose and life, grace, and a place in the Kingdom and family of God. That’s a good word to do a word search and study on in the Bible. It shows up a lot! An inheritance is not deserved, but is a gift. So it is with God’s grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness. They are pure gift, given out of pure love. Good News part 1 – in Christ you have an inheritance. It’s an abundant inheritance, though; it’s not something to fight over with siblings, but there’s enough for all. I think about the prodigal son story, where the older brother couldn’t join in the celebration of the younger brother’s return. He, too, had the inheritance of his father, but he couldn’t get the ‘fellow’ part down; he couldn’t join in the joy of his father and family. You have a rich spiritual inheritance from God through Jesus Christ; but it’s not just you, it’s WE. We are FELLOW HEIRS.

Fellow Members of the Body – Paul writes at length in his other letters about being members of the Body of Christ together. Two of the important parts of that are that Christ is the head, guiding and leading us. And we are all important to the whole even though we are different. The eye should not say to the hand, “What need do I have of you?” Even the less visible parts of a body are sometimes performing critical functions. It’s a wonderful and vivid picture of how God has called and connected us together to serve and belong to Jesus Christ. If “fellow heirs” touches on being family together, fellow members focuses on being community together. We are FELLOW MEMBERS of the BODY of CHRIST.

Fellow Partakers of the Promise – To partake is to share or participate in something with others. This is a third form of fellowship that Paul names. We don’t just belong together or to one another; we are to engage and take part together in something… the “promise.” What promise is that? We could probably name several, but I believe the main promise in view here is the covenant promise to Abraham, now extended to all people through Jesus Christ as intended by God from the beginning. That promise was for relationship, blessing, and purpose. More broadly, the promise is God’s overarching gesture TOWARDS humanity after the rebellion and disobedience of Adam and Eve’s Fall. As I like to say, when we turned and turn away from God, He did not and does not turn away from us, but pursues us in love. That moving towards us was focused in God’s covenant promise to Abraham and embodied and extended to all people through Jesus Christ, literally “God with us.” The Good News is that through Jesus Christ we receive, share, and participate in God’s reach of love. Today we are at the Lord’s Table to share communion together. That is a perfect picture and explanation of ‘partaking.’ It’s more than what we think of as being a participants; it’s sharing, receiving, digesting, nourishing, enjoying God’s spiritual food for us together. That’s what partaking means. It’s active, engaged, taking into ourselves. We are family, we are community, and we are a part of what God is doing. We are FELLOW PARTAKERS of the PROMISE.

Testimony (vv.7-8)

In verses 7-8 Paul again changes focus as he is reminded of his role in sharing this Good News. If you know Paul’s story at all, it IS a wonder that God used him in such a way. Paul had been tracking down and killing Christians; now he has become the chief messenger of God’s great love for the world.

I think it is that way with anyone who has experienced God’s love. It’s news worth sharing, like any other great news.

In verse 8 Paul says, “To me this grace was given to share with you.” The TRIPLE FELLOWSHIP are gifts for giving, for us to share with those around us. If it’s really Good News – and I believe it is – then it should be the easiest thing in the world. I think we often get tripped up because we don’t have a plan or a presentation prepared. But it’s not those things; it’s YOUR story and no one can tell it better than you. Think of the three fellowships. How do you experience being part of God’s family? How do you experience being part of God’s community? How do you experience taking part in what God is doing? I think if you can put words to those things they will be easy to share.

And I think all three of those fellowships – connections – are things that many or most people long for whether they can put words to it or not. You are not trying to convert someone; you are simply welcoming them into your life. That’s what it means to be an “open house church” and “open house people.” Be intentional about it. Look for one or two people this week to invite into your life through sharing about your experience in God’s family, community, and work. It doesn’t have to end with, “Now come to my church.” It’s just sharing a story that is good. And more than ever we need good news stories. You and I can help be a part of that! Amen.