Example of Humility

A prisoner. Paul begins, “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles” (3:1). Paul was most likely a prisoner in Rome. Even as a prisoner, he belonged to Jesus and served Him. A job from God. Paul speaks of “the grace of God which was given to me for you” (3:2). His job was to tell the Gentiles about Jesus. A Gentile is anyone who is not Jewish. Paul was Jewish himself. The mystery. “By revelation He made known to me the mystery” (3:3). In the Bible a mystery is not a puzzle and not magic. It is something God kept hidden before and has now made known to everyone. What the mystery is. “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel” (3:6). Gentiles who trust Jesus share the same family gift, belong to the same church and share God’s promise. Nobody is a second-class believer. God keeps His promises. God did not set Israel aside. He keeps every promise He made to Israel, and through Israel He brought blessing to the whole world. A servant by grace. Paul “became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God” (3:7). A minister is a servant. God gave Paul the job and the power to do it. What this means for you. God’s good news is for every kind of person, from every country, and that includes you.

The prisoner (3:1). “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles.” Paul’s words look back to 2:22, where Gentiles are built together with Jewish believers into God’s dwelling place. Paul was most likely in Rome. He calls himself the prisoner of Christ, not of Caesar, most likely because he saw even prison as part of serving his Lord. A trust from God (3:2). “The dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you.” Dispensation here means a task handed to a trusted servant to manage, like a steward in charge of a household. God put Paul in charge of telling the Gentiles about His grace. Mystery (3:3-5). “By revelation He made known to me the mystery.” A mystery in Scripture is not secret knowledge for a few, and nothing magical. It is part of God’s plan that was hidden before and is now openly made known. It “in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets.” Promised, then revealed. The Old Testament already said the nations would be blessed through Abraham. What was hidden was how fully: Gentiles joined into one body with Israel’s believers, on the same footing, through faith in Christ. Together (3:6). “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.” In Paul’s language each of these begins with a little word meaning together: heirs together, a body together, sharers together. The gospel makes Gentiles full members, not guests. Faithful to Israel. Paul, a Jew, rejoices in this. God has not broken faith with Israel; He is keeping His promise that all the families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham’s family. Grace and power (3:7). “Of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.” Paul’s calling was a gift, and the power to carry it out was God’s too. Application. No one is too far outside for the gospel. Thank God that His plan included you, and welcome believers from every background as family.

Paul wrote this letter while he was a prisoner. He was a prisoner because he served Jesus. Paul was Jewish, and he loved his own people. God gave him a job to tell non-Jews about Jesus. A mystery is something God kept hidden for a long time. Now God has told it to everyone. God’s plan is this: non-Jews can belong to God’s family too! They are “part of the same body” with Jewish believers. Paul did not earn his job. It was a gift of God’s grace. Grace is God’s kindness that we do not deserve.

Paul was a prisoner for telling about Jesus. God showed Paul a plan He had kept hidden. People from every land can be in God’s family!

Less than the least. “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given” (3:8). Saints are all of God’s people. Before he met Jesus, Paul had hurt Christians. He never forgot it, but God forgave him and chose to use him anyway. That is grace. Paul’s words, not ours. Paul said this about himself. It is not something to say about anyone else. God made you, loves you and values you. What humble means. Being humble is not thinking you are worthless. It is seeing yourself rightly: everything good you have is a gift from God, not something you earned. Unsearchable riches. Paul preached “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (3:8). You could search forever and never reach the end of the forgiveness, love and life Jesus gives. God’s wisdom. Through the church, God’s wisdom is shown even “to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places” (3:10). When people from every nation love Jesus together, even unseen rulers see how wise God is. Come with confidence. In Christ “we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (3:12). Because of Jesus, you can come to God in prayer without fear. Paul also asked, “do not lose heart at my tribulations for you” (3:13). What this means for you. Humble people serve others gladly and pray big prayers to a big God. Look for one way to serve someone this week.

Less than the least (3:8). “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given.” The word is elachistoteros (say: el-akh-is-TOT-er-os): Paul takes the word for least and makes it smaller still. Remembering grace. Paul never forgot that he had persecuted the church. The memory did not crush him; it made him grateful. The more clearly he saw his own unworthiness, the more he wondered at grace. Humility rightly understood. Humility is not hating yourself or pretending you have no gifts. It is seeing yourself truly before God: a sinner saved by grace, with every gift on loan from Him. These are Paul’s words about himself, never a label to put on anyone else; every person is made by God and loved by Him. Unsearchable riches (3:8). “That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Unsearchable pictures a trail that cannot be traced to its end. No believer will ever reach the bottom of what Christ has given. The fellowship of the mystery (3:9). “To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.” The Creator kept this plan from the beginning and has now opened it to all. Polypoikilos (3:10). “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” Manifold is polypoikilos (say: pol-ee-POY-kee-los), richly varied, like cloth woven in many colors. A church made of people from every nation shows the unseen rulers and powers the beauty of God’s wisdom. An eternal purpose (3:11-12). It was “according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” Boldness here is freedom to speak openly; access is the right to come in. Faith in Christ, not our record, opens the door. Tribulations (3:13). “Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” Paul’s imprisonment was not a sign that the gospel had failed; he suffered for their sake. Application. Pride compares; humility serves. Ask God to show you one person to serve without being noticed, and bring Him your biggest prayers with confidence.

Paul said, “I am the least important of all God’s people.” Before he knew Jesus, Paul hurt people who loved Jesus. But God forgave him and gave him a job. That is grace. Paul did not think he was better than others. That is what humble means. Everything good we have is a gift from God. These were Paul’s words about himself, not about anyone else. God loves you and values you very much. Paul also wrote, “In Christ we can come before God with freedom.” Humble people can still pray big prayers.

Paul said he was the least of God’s people. But God gave him a gift of grace. God’s gifts are free, and God loves you!

Bowing the knee. “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (3:14). Kneeling showed humble respect and great need. Paul could not visit the churches, but he could pray for them. We bow and pray to God alone. Every family. The Father is the One “from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (3:15). Families look different: some children live with a mom and dad, some with one parent, some with grandparents, and some with foster or adoptive parents. God cares about every one. Safe in God’s family. Being part of God’s family never means keeping secrets from your parents. If any grown-up says that something that feels wrong is for God, it is not. Tell a parent or a grown-up you trust right away. Strong inside. Paul prayed for them “to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man” (3:16). The inner man is the real you on the inside: your heart, mind and choices. Christ at home. Paul prayed “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (3:17). To dwell means to live somewhere and be at home. Rooted and grounded. Paul wanted them “rooted and grounded in love” (3:17), like a tree with deep roots or a building on a strong foundation. What this means for you. Pray for your friends the way Paul did, and ask God to help them know how much Jesus loves them.

Bowing the knee (3:14). “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Kneeling was a posture of humble dependence. As a prisoner Paul could do little for the churches, but he could pray, and he did. The Father of every family (3:15). “From whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” Every family is known by the Father. Earthly homes take many shapes, and God cares for them all. A safe family. We bow and pray to God alone, and that guards us. No one may use God’s name to ask you to keep secrets from your parents or to do anything that feels wrong. If that happens, tell a parent or a grown-up you trust. Strengthened within (3:16). “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.” The measure of the gift is the riches of His glory, not the size of our need. The inner man is the self God sees: thoughts, desires and will. Christ at home (3:17). “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Paul is writing to believers. He prays that Christ will be fully at home in them, welcomed into every part of life, not a guest kept at the door. Rooted and grounded. “That you, being rooted and grounded in love.” Two pictures: a tree sending its roots deep, and a building resting on its foundation. God’s love for us in Christ is the soil and the bedrock of the Christian life. Application. Paul asks for strength, faith and love more than comfort. Pray one of his requests for a friend this week, by name.

Paul said, “So I bow in prayer before the Father.” We bow and pray to God alone. God loves every kind of family. Some children live with a mom and dad. Some live with one parent, grandparents or a foster family. Being in God’s family never means keeping secrets from your parents. If a grown-up says something wrong is for God, it is not. If something feels wrong, tell a parent or a grown-up you trust. Paul prayed, “I pray that Christ will live in your hearts.” Jesus lives in everyone who trusts Him. Paul wanted their lives to be “built on love.” God’s love is like deep roots for a tree.

Paul knelt and prayed to God alone. God never wants you to keep secrets from your parents. Tell a parent or a grown-up you trust.

Bigger than we can measure. Paul prayed that they would understand, together “with all the saints,” “what is the width and length and depth and height” (3:18). Christ’s love is wide enough to reach every nation and deep enough to reach anyone. Four directions. Many Christians see the cross in these four directions, with its beams reaching up and down and out to both sides. Love that passes knowledge. Paul wants them “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” (3:19). You can know Jesus’ love for real and still never reach the end of it. He also prays “that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (3:19). More than we ask. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (3:20). God can do far more than our biggest prayers or ideas. Not a wish list. God does not promise to give us whatever we want. Sometimes His answer is different from what we asked, because He knows what is best. His power works “in us” to change our hearts. Glory to God. “To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations” (3:21). All the praise goes to God. What this means for you. Pray big prayers, trust God with the answers, and give Him the praise.

Four measurements (3:18). Paul prays that they may grasp “what is the width and length and depth and height.” What is measured is the love of Christ (3:19). Together. Understanding comes “with all the saints.” No believer grasps Christ’s love alone; we learn it in the company of His people. Four directions. Many Christians see the four measurements as a picture of the cross, reaching up toward God and out toward the world. Knowing what passes knowledge (3:19). “To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.” Paul prays that they will know by experience what is too great to be fully known. The love is real and knowable, yet it always goes beyond our grasp. Filled (3:19). “That you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” God’s goal is not only to inform His people but to fill them with His own life and character. Hyperekperissou (3:20). “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Exceedingly abundantly is hyperekperissou (say: hoo-per-ek-per-is-SOO): far beyond, more than more. Paul piles up words because ordinary ones are too small for God. Praise, not a blank check. The verse is praise, not a promise that every request will be granted. It says God’s ability goes beyond even our largest requests and ideas. He may answer in ways we never thought to ask. The power within (3:20). “According to the power that works in us.” The same power is already at work in believers, shaping them from the inside. Glory in the church (3:21). “To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” The church exists to show God’s glory, through Christ, in every generation. Application. Let the size of God shape the size of your prayers, and let the goodness of God shape how you receive His answers.

Paul prayed that they would understand Christ’s love. He said it is wide and long and high and deep. Paul said, “Christ’s love is greater than any person can ever know.” Many Christians see a picture of the cross in those four words. Then Paul praised God. He said God can do much more than we can ask. That does not mean God gives us everything we want. It means God is bigger than our biggest prayers. His power works inside His people. Let your life give praise to God!

Jesus’ love is wide and long and high and deep! God can do more than we ask. God is bigger than our biggest prayers.