A Christ-Centered Missionary

Second, we should realize that we need God's grace to empower us. Paul ties "grace" and "power" together in verse 7. The Lord powerfully called Paul on the Damascus Road, and the Lord's power continued to sustain Paul for ministry (Rom 1:5; 12:3; 15:5; 1 Cor 3:10; 2 Cor 12:9; Col 1:29). Arnold points out, "By the time Paul writes this letter, he has had an abundant experience of God's empowering hand upon his life and ministry, in spite of the most difficult circumstances, including sickness" (Ephesians, 193). Indeed, the mighty power of God (Eph 1:19-20) provides sufficient strength for weak, fragile, ordinary people as they make the glories of Christ known.

Bryan Chapell speaks of Christ's servants being "enraptured with grace":

May we never lose the awe of grace or the joy of proclaiming Christ, who is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

A Christ-Centered Missionary Proclaims the Incalculable Riches of Christ

Ephesians 3:8b-9

Paul provides the purposes of God's enabling grace. He uses three purpose clauses in verses 8-10; the first two are linked together in verses 8b-9 by the use of "and" as well as their similarity in form and subject (Arnold, Ephesians, 196).

God empowered Paul to proclaim the "incalculable," or unsearchable, or incomprehensible, riches of Christ. This particular word appears nowhere outside of biblical Greek. When Paul thought about the glory 76of Christ, he made up a word! Arnold says this word is built on the word for "footprint." That word was used literally in Greek literature for a tracker, someone who pursues another by following footprints (Ephesians, 194). It has the sense of "tracing out" or "searching." Other biblical writers convey the incalculable nature of God's attributes as well. Job speaks of the "unsearchable" ways of God (Job 5:9; 9:10). Paul elsewhere describes the "unsearchable" wisdom of God and His "untraceable" ways (Rom 11:33).

Consider how Paul, this former persecutor of Christ, is now consumed with proclaiming the crucified Messiah (cf. 1 Cor 2:1-5). Jesus transformed Paul's life, and Christ and His redemption became Paul's resounding theme. To the Colossians Paul says, "We proclaim Him" (Col 1:28). Paul's all-consuming subject of proclamation was a person: Christ. Is Christ the all-consuming subject of your teaching and preaching?

Some may object that proclaiming Christ every week will get old. Based on Ephesians 3:8, we should not agree. If our preaching is boring, it is not because Christ is boring. His glories are incalculable. As long as we are proclaiming Christ, we should never run out of material, we should never be left without something to talk about, and we should never talk about Him without passion. Proclaim the riches of Christ to your own soul daily, and out of the overflow of your communion with Him, declare His glory to others.

The goal of our proclamation—either in informal evangelism or in public preaching—is not to attract personal praise but rather praise for the Savior. We should desire for people to say, "What a great Savior!" not "What a good sermon."

Let us once again recognize what must always remain central in Christian missions—the Christ of Christian missions. Make the hero of the Bible, of "the mystery," the hero of your preaching, teaching, and evangelism. Jesus changes lives; keep the Life-changer at the heart of your messages.

Paul also had received grace in order to explain the global nature of God's plan of salvation. He was sent to "shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things." Paul has the responsibility of helping those who receive the message of salvation to understand God's truth. Earlier he prayed for 77illumination (1:18), and now he uses the same word to describe his role in illuminating God's plan to converts (Arnold, Ephesians, 195).

What is this plan? It goes back to Ephesians 3:2-6—how the Jew and Gentile are one in Christ. Paul is commissioned to explain this glorious reality (cf. 2:11-22). Paul emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all of this, referring to Him as "God who created all things." This plan was not an afterthought, but part of the Sovereign Lord's eternal purposes.

As we look back over these verses, we are struck by the centrality of Christ and the global nature of Christianity. Both are revealed in Scripture. If someone asks you, "Where did you get your passion for missions?" a proper response is "from the Bible." From cover to cover, there is a missions thrust in the Bible because there is a messianic thrust in the Bible.

We have a global God, and we proclaim the only King of the nations. Let us remember that every tribe and tongue needs to hear of the incalculable riches of Christ. If you are preaching in New York or in a leper colony in Nigeria, remember that everyone needs Jesus. Proclaim Him to everyone; then shed additional light concerning the wonderful plan of God revealed in the Bible for everyone.

A Christ-Centered Missionary Has a High View of the Church of Christ

Ephesians 3:10-11

If you have a high view of Christ, you should have a high view of the church. Ephesians contains a lofty view of the church, which we have already observed in 2:11-22. In the next passage Paul prays for God to be glorified "in the church" (3:21). In 4:1-6 he discusses the unity of the church. He goes on to explain how God has gifted His people with spiritual leaders to equip them for ministry (4:11-12). In chapter 5 he says that Christ "loved the church and gave Himself for her" (5:25).

Here in Ephesians 3:10-11, Paul adds another amazing point to our theology of the church with this third purpose clause. The apostle tells us that the church has implications that reach throughout heaven and the entire spiritual realm. The church—made up of Jews and Gentiles—is making known the manifold wisdom of God to "the rulers and authorities in the heavens." I agree with O'Brien, who says that these "rulers and authorities" are probably both bad and good heavenly 78beings, "although the apostle's particular concern is obviously with hostile forces" (Ephesians, 246-47). It seems to me that the angels look on at grace and marvel while demonic forces look on in fear and tremble. The evil forces have already been defeated at the cross, and they await their final subjugation. The existence of the church is announcing that their rule is coming to an end once and for all.

While we have limited knowledge of all of these beings, it appears that they are not omniscient (Stott, Ephesians, 124). Peter seems to allude to this idea when he says, "Angels desire to look into these things" (1 Pet 1:12). Further, we can infer that God intends to make His plan known to them through the church. Stott says, "They watch fascinated as they see Gentiles and Jews being incorporated into the new society as equals" (Ephesians, 124).

There is more going on with the church than meets the eye. If you are part of the church, then you are part of a cosmic sermon that is being preached to spiritual rulers and authorities. Kent Hughes says, "The inescapable conclusion is that the angels watch us because we are part of the mystery! ... We have a far bigger and more observant viewing audience than any of us realize!" (Ephesians, 109).

To be clear, the emphasis here is not on us preaching to unseen powers and principalities. The point is that God is revealing His plan to the powers through the existence of the church (Arnold, Ephesians, 196-97).

According to verse 11, Jesus came and "accomplished," or fulfilled, or achieved, God's plan. Christ is the central character in this plan, and all things will be summed up in Him (Eph 1:10). The crucified and risen Christ is at the Father's right hand, and He will soon come to put all of the hostile principalities and powers under His feet.

So consider how the church is a witness of the glory of Christ. We make known the "multi-faceted" wisdom of God (a related word is used for Joseph's multicolored coat in Gen 37:3, 23). This wisdom is so great that God uses it to proclaim to heavenly beings. His grace and glory are displayed in a diverse people—a many-colored fellowship, a multi-cultural and multiethnic fellowship—who have been called, redeemed, forgiven, made alive, and united in Christ. The angelic host look on at the reconciling work of Christ, "which is the model for the reconciling of the universe when everything in Heaven and earth will be brought together in Him (cf. 1:9-10; Col 1:17-22)" (Hughes, Ephesians, 109).

How such a vision must have encouraged the churches in Ephesus! Can you imagine the people gathering from normal backgrounds, 79leaning in to listen to the reading of this letter—farmers, bankers, metal workers, carpenters, shop keepers, servants, masters, moms, dads, and children? As the readers get to chapter 3, they are told that they are testifying to the heavenly beings! Stunning! Do not underestimate the glory of God in the church.

Christ-centered missionaries have a high view of the church. They see the church as being central to human history. They see that Christ loves His bride. They understand that God's redeemed people—from every tribe—proclaim the incalculable riches of Christ to the nations. And they marvel at how God's people make known to "the rulers and authorities in the heavens His manifold wisdom."

A Christ-Centered Missionary Draws Near to God Through Christ

Ephesians 3:12

Part of the mystery is that believers can experience a nearness to God that far exceeds that of the old covenant. Christians can boldly approach God because of Christ. In the previous passage Paul said, "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father" (2:18). We do not come to God with a type of arrogant boldness but rather acknowledging that we have "freedom of access" (Arnold, Ephesians, 198). We can come freely, openly, and without constraint (ibid.).

Christ-centered missionaries take advantage of the marvelous privilege of prayer. They live by prayer. They love by prayer. They make the gospel known by prayer.

If you are a Christian, you can pray anytime, anywhere. We can draw near to the throne of grace and find help in our time of need (Heb 4:14-16). We seek God in prayer, through Christ, by the Spirit. We can know that He hears us. He is for us. He is with us. A Christ-centered missionary is never alone.

When Paul returns to what was presumably his initial thought—namely, intercessory prayer—in Ephesians 3:14-21, he asks God to empower the church. That is what we as Christ's ambassadors need. We need God's power to sustain us for the mission.

Let us go on to read what Paul says in the following prayer, but let us pause and give thanks to God for this inspired rabbit trail. The apostle has painted for us a compelling vision of a Christ-centered missionary. 80May the Spirit of God deepen in us a greater love for the Messiah, for the grace of God, for the church, and for this global and cosmic mission!

Reflect and Discuss