Chapter 3

Main Point: The key to clarity in life is to be captured by Christ.

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— —Ephesians 3:1

Paul: “Who am I? I am a person who has been captured by Christ.”

Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. —Ephesians 3:2-6

• I am someone who rejoices in what Jesus has done.

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His 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 that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. —Ephesians 3:7-13

• I am a person with a God-given purpose.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. —Ephesians 3:14-15

• I am a person who prays.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. —Ephesians 3:16-19

• I am someone who wants everyone to be filled with the love of Jesus.

Takeaway – Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

• I am someone who believes God can do more than any of us can imagine.

Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever had the experience of having your heart “captured” by something? What was it? How would you describe what that was like?

2.Paul clearly rejoices in being a prisoner of Jesus, in all senses of that phrase. Do you find it easy to rejoice in any kind of hardship you experience for Christ? What do you think it was about Paul that enabled him to do that?

3.If someone were to ask you, “What do you think your purpose for being on the earth is?”, how would you answer that? Has this message or the passage from Ephesians affected how you think about that?

4.The Bible teaches us that we are to do everything as if we are serving Christ (Colossians 3:23-24) and so that God gets the glory for it (Matthew 5:16). Do you find either of those difficult to do?

Table Discussion Question: Reading the Bible without applying what we read is ultimately futile. Can you think of one thing you can do after reading through Ephesians 3 to apply this portion of scripture to your life?