Grace to All

The Apostle Paul is wrapping up this very important letter. It may be the most influential letter ever written. Where is he going to go at the end? How will he wrap it all up?

Pray, Pray, Pray!

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." — Ephesians 6:18

That’s the concluding message of the Apostle Paul in his letter to Ephesus.

Prayer indicates just how much you are trusting in God. The fervent prayer of a righteous person gets a lot done!

I heard this debate about praying for the congregation of Sutherland Springs that lost 26 members in the mass shooting. Some were saying that it’s good to pray, but prayer is not enough. I am all for putting feet to our prayers. But I do not want to insult the God of heaven who can do anything by diminishing prayer in any way. If prayer is anything, it is everything. The God who made this universe can do more with his little finger than all the generations of humans can accomplish in a million years.

 Fearlessly Declare the Gospel:

"Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." — Ephesians 6:20

He wants to be bold in his witness. He is a man who fearlessly preached the good news throughout Asia Minor and all the way to Rome. Yet here he petitions his friends for more prayers for courage in his preaching.

He wants his friends to be bold as well. He is requesting this prayer not only so that they will pray but also to help them understand the high priority of fearless witness in a world like ours. If I am praying for Paul’s fearless witness I am less likely to be cowardly myself in taking advantage of every opportunity.

“Ambassador in chains.” Paul speaks of himself in this way because this is who he wants to be every day. Some days he is distracted by the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of worldly riches, which he is prevented from accumulating or enjoying in his prisoner status. Who is this stooped elderly gentleman chained to the wall? He is Ambassador Paul. He represents the most important Kingdom in the world—the Kingdom of Christ Jesus.

Encourage One Another:

"I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you." — Ephesians 6:22

Emphasize the best in each other: "Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord" (v21). Paul’s companions all seem to be stellar human beings. He definitely knows some people who are not stellar, and he expresses that. But often he speaks of his friends in glowing terms.

• Tychicus was just like you. He had his moments, good and bad. Sometimes he was faithful. Sometimes he may have been a slacker.
• Paul describes him in this way because this is who he wants Tychicus to be in every situation every day. Tychicus likely felt unworthy of these words about him. But he also was challenged to be this person that Paul described.
• We do well to use the best language to describe one another. We ought to emphasize the positive, minimize the negative, as a fellow minister, Tice Jones, always told me.

Tell me the truth about your condition: Tychicus “will tell you everything,” “that you may know how we are.” Honesty is a theme in this letter, and Paul is practicing it.

• Tell me the truth about your condition.
  • It makes me realize that you trust me and love me.
  • It gives me information I need to be of help to you.
  • It deepens our friendship and our love for one another.
• Tell me the truth even if it’s difficult to hear.
  • Who would want to hear that the Apostle Paul was depressed? Yet note this word to the church at Corinth (2 Corinthians 7:6): But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus.
  • Being depressed doesn’t feel very spiritual. It feels like maybe that person is not close to God right now. Yet Paul put it out there for everyone to read and hear about himself. And it is not the only time that he did so.
  • The letters of Paul are often the outpourings of his heart. When you read his letters, you are putting your ear to his chest and listening to his beating heart.

 Pass the Peace, Love, Faith, and Grace:

"Peace to the brothers and sisters and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love." — Ephesians 6:23-24

Paul began this letter with peace and grace. He comes full circle. He really means it. He wants his friends to live with these spiritual qualities prevailing in their hearts.

Paul’s words have power. He is passing these virtues to his friends. This is what this language is all about.

• Paul is bestowing the blessing. You can bless, or you can curse the people around you. Paul is giving them a blessing.
• The Apostle is not just wishing them well, though he is doing this. His words have power to help convey these virtues.

Peace is a perpetual need for humans: Peace to the brothers and sisters.

• Humans are anxious by nature. Our sinfulness makes us afraid of the present and the future. We fear that we will not be able to get things done, that our time will run out before we are through.
• We are afraid that the obstacles and challenges will be too great for us.
• We are afraid of that which is unknown, that some unexpected tragedy will derail our lives.
• Peace is the ability to live without fear. Peace is the knowledge that you can continue on your path for Christ even though the interruptions and difficulties come. Peace realizes that God can move the mountains to help you find your way.

Love with Faith is the Winning Combination: love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Love is the highest of virtues and the greatest quality in the character of God.
• Love must be combined with faith because we want to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19). Our highest love is always about faith in God, the author of love.

Grace is truly God’s amazing gift through Jesus Christ: Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Grace begins and ends this letter as it covers from top to bottom our lives with Christ.

• We are always in need of God’s grace no matter how long we have been in Christ or what progress we might have made.
• Grace is freely given through Jesus Christ. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).