The Right Stuff

In Ephesians 3:1-13 we see Paul pause in the midst of a prayer to explain God's mysterious plan to display His manifold wisdom to the heavenly places through the work of the church. As we explore the words of Paul, we see three main points:

1. God's selects unlikely people (like the imprisoned Paul) to accomplish His purposes

2. God's plan is no longer a mystery to us, but is revealed in the pages of Scripture

3. God's assembly of the saints (what we call the church) is His instrument to demonstrate His multifaceted wisdom to heavenly rulers and authorities.

Application: God's plan for the church is invincible and cannot be stopped by human failure, persecution, or opposition. Believers should live with boldness and confidence, attempting things that require complete dependence on God. Even failures in God's hands can accomplish His purposes (like Paul's imprisonment allowing for the writing of much of the New Testament). The central truth is that God intentionally chooses weak, unlikely vessels to maximize His glory, and that the church's mission, to make known God's manifold wisdom, is unstoppable and eternal. This should inspire us as believers to live with boldness and confidence, attempting great things for God knowing that success depends on Him, not human ability.