Ephesians 81-82_18 Ephesians 3_7-13
Ephesians 1981-82 Corps Teachings. Lesson 15: Ephesians 3:7-13. EPHESIANS 3:7-13 February 17, 1982 Ephesians 3:7 reads, in the King James. Ephesians 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. We are right here in Ephesians in the section where you know you do the take-off after the habitation of God at the end of chapter 2, and then “for this cause” of verse 1 and then the parenthesis in here. It isn’t really a parenthesis. It’s something else. I forgot the word. Stands by its what? {self }. Parembole, stands by itself, that’s right, which gives a further detailed explanation standing on its own feet. And here in verse 7 it’s talking about Paul being made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God which was given unto me…given unto him by the effectual working of God’s mighty power. The word “minister” here is the word diakonos, d-i-a-k-o-n-o-s, meaning a servant, a servant. This word is used of deacons who waited on tables. In the Book of Acts it’s used of attendants. It is service that’s rendered to another, a beloved, a faithful, a committed servant. In the East, in the Biblelands, in the East, the servant, like at dinner time, the servant would always stand at the back, and the servant doesn’t go to sleep. He keeps his eyes constantly on the master, just looks at him, like I’m looking at you, honey. And if the master wants something, he goes like that; goes like that. He doesn’t yell her name and say honey would you please come up here. Never. He simply moves his head or goes like this or if he needs something else he’ll go like that mostly with the head. This true servant never takes his eyes off of the master. If you and I are going to be true servants of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, we never take our eyes off of what? The master [taps on desk]. So baby, most of you in the Corps still need to learn that lesson. Keep your eyes on the master. Now [chuckles], not on
From this work
according to usage Of which [parenthesis] (mystery) I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God which was given to me by His [parenthesis] (God’s) [end of parenthesis] energizing the potential power. Now here’s the expanded one. “Of which mystery I became God’s ministering servant”—boy that’s beautiful. Ephesians 3:7a Expanded translation Of which mystery I became God’s ministering servant running God’s errands as a slave,… Boy, when you really see that someday, you’re heart will bubble. It’s great. “Running God’s errands.” Running whose errands? {God’s.} Not what I want to do but what’s my master want me to do. Keep my eyes on the master. I’m a minister for him. You’re going Lightbearers. Who are you going for? {God.} So you keep your eyes upon Him and you’re running God’s errands as a what? slave. Sold out slave, marked for the master, ears bored [chuckles] with holes