“Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should”.
– Ephesians 6:19-20
This Sunday, we launched a brand-new series at Advent called “Growing Deeper” where, for the next several weeks, we will be looking at the book of Ephesians. To me, the book of Ephesians is fascinating. This isn’t just because of the message that Paul
shares with us, though. On a deeper level, I think that it is a powerful testament to just how much God can change our hearts if we let Him. Sometimes I think we overlook how far Paul came in his faith since he first encountered Christ. If you aren’t familiar with his backstory, at one point in his life, Paul was an adherent to the strictest form a Judaism. He called himself a “Pharisee of the Pharisees” with an unmatched zeal for living a religious life. History tells us that he had the equivalent of two doctorates, the best education, a crippling pride, and a vengeful streak. In fact, the first ministry leadership role that we have recorded for him was professionally persecuting Christians. He hunted down anyone associated with the church, including women and likely children, arrested them, and in some
cases had them put to death.
Ironically, as we read the book of Ephesians, we see a different man entirely. Now, he was in prison for his faith in Christ. His message to the church is one of grace, and love. At its core, compassion and patience are the focus of the book. The very thing he once fought so strongly against, as we see in the quote above, is the thing that he asks for prayers for now – that he might be able to share the gospel boldly.
I find Paul’s story to be humbling. I think that there are many times in our lives where anger and bitterness rule. Plenty of people have hurt us in the past, and it is our natural defense to harbor negative feelings about that person moving forward. Emotional injuries often leave far greater wounds than physical ones. They truly are the scars that run deep. Because of this, we build walls, develop mistrust, and become guarded. The deeper the hurt one person causes us, the more that defense and bitterness spill over to other people in our lives.
The message of Ephesians is different. It challenges us to see other people not through the lens of resentment and hurt, but with the heart of Christ. When Christ saw Paul, He didn’t just see the pride and persecutions. He saw a broken and angry man, who had the potential to be more.
Christ felt sorrow for Paul, and hope, where others saw fear and resentment. That approach changed everything.
When you and I take on this same view of others, it isn’t easy. It requires us to be vulnerable and risk getting hurt again and again. However, it is also freeing. Over time, the people that we once feared become the people that we pity. The people who once caused us pain, are now the people that our hearts are in pain for. Eventually, the power they held over us is gone, and through grace, we are healed – and they are changed.
I don’t know what kind of challenges you might be facing in life today, or what kind of hurt you might be holding onto. As we go through these next few weeks in Ephesians, I want to encourage you to start praying through those hard places. Ask God to bring healing both to your pain as well as the source of your pain. Pray that God would give you eyes to see this world differently than you do today. Pray, as Paul asked for prayers so many years ago, to be fearless as you live out this life in Christ. Until then, you will be in my prayers as well.
In His Peace,
Pastor Patrick