Dear Brethren,
MEDITATION
7  Of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
Ephesians 3:7

OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION

1. A Personal Testimony

a) Ephesians 3 may be read as Paul’s personal testimony
b) He shares very candidly how he viewed his ministry

2. I became a minister

a) The word “minister” here is the same word as “deacon” in 1 Tim. 3:1
b) He was not saying that he became a deacon
c) He was saying that he became “a humble servant” of God
d) Though he was an apostle, a founder of churches, a theologian etc.

He saw himself simply and humbly as “a minister”

3. According to the gift of the grace of God given to me

a) Paul never forgot his wicked past 1 Timothy 1:13

i) A blasphemer
ii) A persecutor
iii) An insolent man

b) The grace of God

i) God had shown him “abundant grace” 1 Timothy 1:14a
ii) God had shown great faith and love too 1 Timothy 1:14b

c) When he thought about serving God at all

The word “grace” would come to mind

4. By the effective working of His power

a) Grace was not just a theological word
b) He also experienced the power of God

i) It effectively worked in his life
ii) God’s power had changed his life completely

APPLICATION TO LIFE AND MINISTRY

1. How do we see ministry?

a) Let us consider Paul’s example
b) He was such a great servant of God, yet he called himself only “a minister”

2. The Grace of God

a) Let us seek to be conscious of God’s grace
b) We serve not because we are “great!”
c) We serve because of God’s grace given to us!

3. The Power of God

a) This is vital to note
b) Serving without power amounts to nothing!
c) The Power of God must be effective in our life

Let us review our ministry. Where we are lacking, let us seek Revival!

Prayerfully,
Pastor Charles Tan