Life Application: Grace to become a servant of the gospel (Ephesians 3:7-13)

God’s grace that shapes you to become a servant of the gospel

We often think of God’s grace in the sense of being saved (c.f. Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have saved, through faith…” Grace activates salvation. But, from Ephesians 3:7-13, what we see is that grace not only activates salvation in our lives, but it also shapes us to become a servant of the gospel.

Paul said in Ephesians 3:7, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.” Paul received salvation by God’s grace in faith. But, it didn’t stop there. God’s grace that saved him shaped his identity to become a servant of the gospel. This grace that shaped him to become a servant of the gospel was Paul’s focus in Ephesians 3:7-13.

As a servant of the gospel, he was passionate about communicating the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery (Ephesians 3:8-9). Simply, he was passionate about communicating the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ clearly as possible to the people who weren’t Christians.

Andrew Kim in his sermon this past week at our church asked, “What is the gift of God’s grace in your life today?”

Considering the dynamic aspects of God’s grace,

• grace which has activated salvation in your life
• grace which shapes you to become a servant of the gospel

Explore the following questions:

1. How are you experiencing God’s grace to shape you into a servant of the gospel?
2. How are you growing in passion to communicate the gospel clearly to non-Christians? If you don’t think you are growing in this area, what do you think is preventing you from being shaped into a servant of the gospel?
3. Can you explain the gospel clearly to a non-Christian?

Read together “Two ways to live,” which clearly lays out the gospel

Pray

• Ask God to help you experience his saving grace freshly and to experience his grace so that you become a servant of the gospel.
• Ask God to help you learn to clearly communicate the gospel to non-Christians.