Ephesians 3:1-8 Serving By the Grace of God

Praying for others Spiritual Strength


¹ For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

For the unity of the Jewish and Gentile believers, Paul, who was imprisoned for the cause of Christ for the Gentiles, prays for the Gentiles.

We often pray for ourselves. We seldom pray for others. Even if we pray for others, we often pray for tangible blessings for them, like they would enjoy the material blessings of God or be healed from an illness. However, many times when indeed others are blessed with materials or healings, their reliance on God comes to a halt. They forget about God. They start to have confidence in only themselves again. Their spiritual lives weaken.

We learn from Paul here to pray for others and not only ourselves. Also, when we pray for others, we are to pray for their spiritual strengthening more than any other thing. Only with spiritual strengthening that man can gain the true spiritual blessings of Christ which transcends over material blessings.

More on this in the next article.


By the Grace of God

² Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ³ that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. ⁴ In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 


Paul by the grace of God was made known the mystery of Christ in the Spirit, that Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the same body of the promise of Christ and the unfathomable riches of Christ. The unfathomable riches of Christ are all His truth, all His blessings, His salvation, all that He is, and has.

The reason why Paul can administer to the Gentiles the gospel was by the grace of God.

⁷ I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. ⁸ Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 


Hence, when we serve, be it in sunday school, fellowship, visitation, evangelism, we cannot rely on our own strength but knowing that its by God's grace. Serve with humility. The gifts, talents we have, are of God's grace. Paul says in 1 Cor 15:10 "By the grace of God, I am what I am. "