Ephesians 3:7-12

7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. 8 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10 so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. 13 I pray therefore that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.

Questions to consider:

• To what gospel is the author referring, to which he has "become a servant according to the gift of God's grace"?
• What are the boundless riches of Christ? Have you experienced them?
• Who do you think are the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places?
• What is the "eternal purpose" to the author refers in verse 11?
  

Possibilities for prayer:

Verses 11 and 12 state that we have access to God through Jesus's sacrifice on the cross. This seems to suggest that we no longer need an earthly intermediary in order to communicate with God. For people alive at the time that this letter was written, that was likely a big deal. The Jews had definitely been communicating with God through the use of priests in the temples, but here we are told that Jesus serves that role. Have you ever stopped to think about how incredibly awesome it is that we can hold court with God, the Most High? And we are told that these communications can occur in boldness and confidence, as opposed to fear and trembling. As you pray today, take some time to reflect on the amazing fact that you are talking to GOD and offer a prayer of gratitude for the fact that it's just you and God participating in that conversation.