Review
A few days back I shared some observations on Ephesians 3:2 on the topic of stewardship. I am going to expand a bit on that here. If you have not read that post it would probably help to do so, I am not going to repeat any of that here.
Context
Ephesians 1 – 3 outlines for us the lavish grace that is intentionally poured out on us for God’s purposes. To validate that look at how many times the notion of God’s purpose, intention, or will is mentioned in that section of the book. 4 – 6 is what Paul describes as our worthy response to that lavish outpouring of grace.
The Thread
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that each of us have been intentionally created for good works that God prepared for us. As I mentioned in the earlier post 3:2 is the description of Paul’s responsibility to steward the grace of God for others, namely the nations. Ephesians 4:11 – 16 outlines for us the role of leadership in the church. Note especially 4:12 the purpose of the leadership is to equip the saints for the work of service.
Conclusion
Putting all of that together it would seem that the church’s stewardship is to equip its members to fully engage in their Ephesians 2:10 purpose, which would be each member’s work of service. That equipping is to result in the building up of the body, which we see in 1:23 is His fullness.
Implication?
Now the kicker, Paul’s stewardship was to the nations. If I am reading this thread in Ephesians correctly, the purpose for which we have been created and are to be equipped by the church to fulfill is to build up the Body. Now of course that is local, but the Body is more than local, it has no borders. So if we are to steward the grace God has given us, should not that also be, like Paul, for the nations?
A few days back I shared some observations on Ephesians 3:2 on the topic of stewardship. I am going to expand a bit on that here. If you have not read that post it would probably help to do so, I am not going to repeat any of that here.
Ephesians 1 – 3 outlines for us the lavish grace that is intentionally poured out on us for God’s purposes. To validate that look at how many times the notion of God’s purpose, intention, or will is mentioned in that section of the book. 4 – 6 is what Paul describes as our worthy response to that lavish outpouring of grace.
The Thread
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that each of us have been intentionally created for good works that God prepared for us. As I mentioned in the earlier post 3:2 is the description of Paul’s responsibility to steward the grace of God for others, namely the nations. Ephesians 4:11 – 16 outlines for us the role of leadership in the church. Note especially 4:12 the purpose of the leadership is to equip the saints for the work of service.
Conclusion
Putting all of that together it would seem that the church’s stewardship is to equip its members to fully engage in their Ephesians 2:10 purpose, which would be each member’s work of service. That equipping is to result in the building up of the body, which we see in 1:23 is His fullness.
Implication?
Now the kicker, Paul’s stewardship was to the nations. If I am reading this thread in Ephesians correctly, the purpose for which we have been created and are to be equipped by the church to fulfill is to build up the Body. Now of course that is local, but the Body is more than local, it has no borders. So if we are to steward the grace God has given us, should not that also be, like Paul, for the nations?
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