“A Spiritual Foundation: An Apostle's Testimony”

The Appomattox Court House Presbyterian Church Pulpit
The Lord's Day, July 10, 2005
Ephesians 3:1-13
Rev. Cameron S. Smith

Last weekend was the 229th birthday of our country. Being the history enthusiast that I am, I love hearing stories about the founding of our country. When you think about the founding of our country, you naturally think of our founding fathers; Washington, Franklin, Adams and Jefferson. These guys have reputations of mythic proportions and it seems they're second only to Moses in authority! Now don't get me wrong, I love those guys, and I truly appreciate their significant contribution to the American experience that we all enjoy today.

This past weekend, as I was confined to my bed (passing the time, you might say!), I was reading an anthology of American history collected from the C-SPAN program, Booknotes. One of the stories recalled the inner workings of the Second Continental Congress, the deliberative body that gave us the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The author [Pauline Maier] noted that John Adams, in retrospect, came to the conclusion that the founding fathers had been placed on too high a pedestal:

"[He] went to great lengths to tell younger Americans that his generation was no better than theirs; that, in fact, there was more talent in the country in 1820 than there was in 1776. 'There weren't very many talented people around in 1776,' he said, 'which made it very easy to realize your ambition.'" (Brian Lamb, ed., Booknotes: Stories from American History, [New York: Penguin Books, 2002] p.13)

As I thought about John Adams' remark, it occurred to me that the apostle Paul might well be considered a founding father of sorts; and he too, is characterized, both inside and outside the Church, as the same sort of religious opportunist that Adams claims for his politically minded Revolutionary era compatriots. In reference to Paul, I hear this line quite all too frequently: "You realize that Paul invented Christianity? There would be no Christian Church if it weren't for his creativity and initiative." Certainly, Paul was used in a mighty way by God in building the early Church; but to say that Paul was used in a unique way is a far cry from saying Paul invented the whole enterprise!

It seems to me that Paul may have had this criticism in mind as we come to chapter three of Ephesians. I'll explain as we go on, but first, look at Eph. 3:1-2, Paul says, "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles--if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you…." He stops his prayer! Something else has come to his mind that seems to bug him.

Now backing up a bit, the "reason" in "for this reason" in verse one points back to the previous two chapters in Ephesians, but especially the key theme in Eph. 2:11-22, "Remember that you [Gentiles] were at [one] time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Eph 2:12-13).

The thought of this causes Paul to break out in praise to God and to lift up his hearers that they too might respond in ever-increasing faithfulness. But as I said before, Paul stops in mid-sentence. This then is my paraphrase of verses 1-2: "Thank you Lord for what you have done in Christ Jesus for these dear people... …uh, wait a minute, you guys do realize that this message is not my own? God gave it to me to give to you. Some of you may be harboring a little doubt, and I want to dispel that mindset once and for all." If you'll notice, down in Eph. 3:14, Paul, having finished this digression, begins to pray once more, "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father…" and continues on with the prayer that he started back at Eph. 3:1.

But coming back to Paul's interest in the truthfulness of his sincerity and message, look for a moment at the language he uses over the next several verses: "The stewardship of God's grace…was given to me for you"…"by revelation there was made known to me the mystery [of the Gospel]" (Eph 3:2-3); "The promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel…which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. To me, the very least of all saints (Eph 3.6-8).

These are passive words: I was given, it was made know, I was made, it was the gift of God's grace. Paul says that the message is God's, not his! Paul didn't "invent" Christianity; and he certainly wasn't the golden tongued, snake oil salesman that some critics claim him to be. (And, I might add parenthetically, this was a man who's preaching nearly bored poor Eutychus to death [Acts 20:9], and by his own admission, didn't claim to preach or teach with "superiority of speech or of wisdom" [1 Cor. 2:1]).

I want you to recognize that here in this personal digression that makes up Eph. 3:2-13, Paul is humbled and amazed by God's grace and mercy in his life. He calls himself "the very least of all saints." In 1 Corinthians 15:9, he says, "I am the least of the apostles"; and in 1 Timothy 1:15 he says, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." (Or as the King James Version so memorably translates it, "of whom I am chief.")

In these self-deprecating remarks, Paul recognizes that he was for a long time, a major enemy of Christ. Acts 8 describes in some detail Paul's persecution of the Church, (see esp. Acts 9:1). In Galatians 1:13, Paul himself says, "For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it." Paul realizes that he has no claim on God's forgiveness. He deserves worse, but God has greater plans for him. Isn't it just like God's justice that the greatest bully of the early Church becomes one of its greatest champions?!

Given the circumstances of his life, it has always amazed me that Paul's motives seem to be perpetually under a cloud of suspicion. Some Christians seem to think they have permission to pick and choose from Paul's letters, picking the things they like and discarding the more difficult teaching. Some reject them outright! Some believe the Gospels carry more authority than Paul (or the Old Testament, for that matter!) because that's from Jesus; and so on. But from my perspective, if you're going to disregard the clear witness of Scripture about Paul's teaching, then the apostle's personal testimony surely ought to corroborate his message. Let me bring two points to your attention in this matter.

First of all, does it make sense for someone who was a major player in Judaism -- an upcoming, hotshot religious expert -- to throw it all away for association with a group of Christian outcasts? In Philippians 3:4-6, Paul describes his charmed life before meeting the risen Christ on the Damascus Road: "If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless."

Now really, why would someone as talented and smart as Paul give up the good life? Paul's change of heart and rejection of the respectable life mirrors Moses and his rejection of the good life in Egypt.

And the second thought follows from this: Having exchanged Judaism for following Christ, he brought on himself the wrath of the Jewish establishment. In 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, once again having to defend his apostleship, Paul recounts what he's endured for the sake of the Gospel: "Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches."

Giving up the good life and enduring suffering are not desirable options unless there's some compelling reason! As Paul writes to the Ephesians, he's under house arrest in Rome, where he will eventually be beheaded for his uncompromising faithfulness to the Gospel. Notice his passion at the end of our passage, Paul says, "Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory" (Eph 3:13). For Paul, his concern is not so much for his own current inconvenience in imprisonment as it is for the Gospel and those who have cherished it. Everything Paul has undertaken has been for their glory.

This morning, I've chosen to focus on Paul and the personal elements of this passage. In truth, I've not identified the meat of this passage which centers on the unpacking of "the mystery of Christ" and how Paul and the other New Testament writers have opened up wide the saving purposes of God in Jesus Christ which was planned from all eternity. But, seeing as how we have just come through a weekend where we extol the virtues of our founders, I've wondered off on my own digression this morning!

We celebrate the fourth with fireworks, parades, patriotic music, picnics, wearing the colors and flag waving. In light of that recent activity, I thought it might be helpful to get personal with Paul this morning. Even though I would never call Paul a founding father of the Christian faith, he was still used in an incredible way by God, and through his pen, "the mystery of Christ" is revealed in our hearts and in this apostle's life, "the gift of God's grace" is no longer far off. Praise God for the men and women that He has used over the millennia to bring the Gospel home to our hearts.