In Ephesians 3:1-13 Paul continues to talk about how Jews and Gentiles are both called to be equal partners in God’s kingdom. However, in this passage, he brings up his imprisonment. While most people would regard imprisonment as an embarrassment, Paul sees it differently. For Paul, his suffering mirrors Jesus’ suffering. So while he’s a prisoner, Paul’s life embodies Jesus’ sacrifice and death, and so his life serves as a message of wisdom from God.

Our lives will always be a message of wisdom, but the question is what kind of wisdom do they demonstrate? On one hand, if we live the way of the world, then our lives will be a message of human wisdom. On the other hand, our lives reflect Jesus’ self-giving love. If we do this, we’ll be a message of God’s wisdom.

Questions for Reflection

1. Is there a time when you followed God’s wisdom rather than the crowd? What happened?
2. What do you think would happen if the church laid down its quest for power and instead lived a life of service and self-sacrificial love? What would our community look like?
3. In your role as a neighbour, parent, spouse, employee or employer, can you name one thing you could do to embody God’s wisdom of love and service?

See More sermons from this series

1. Blessed and Adopted (Ephesians 1:3-14)
2. Understanding the Authority of Jesus (Ephesians 1:15-23)
3. From Death To Life (Ephesians 2:1-10)
4. Diversity Without Hostility