When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles... assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.
Ephesians 3:1-13 NLT
Paul saw it as his mission to share God's Good News. Something new had happened in Christ: Gentiles could be part of the people of God without first becoming Jewish. In Christ, Jews and Gentiles could be part of the promises and blessings of God's people. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the old covenant was fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God had come; the new covenant is now available to all cultures. In God's mercy, He saved Paul, and Paul understood that it was his purpose in life to share God's mercy and Good News to the ends of the earth.
All Christians are called by God to share the gospel (Matt 28:19-20). Sadly, many Christians ignore the command of Christ and miss out on the joy of sharing His hope. Some of us are scared because our world has taught us to keep silent about Jesus. An easy way to start sharing Christ is to listen. Ask people questions, and genuinely be interested in the answers. People like to share about themselves. Secondly, don’t give advice but take the time to pray; this invites God into the conversation. From there, it is easier to invite someone to church, a Bible study, or a deeper faith conversation. Our world is longing for listeners. Listening shows love.
Can you give God 10 minutes a day to listen to someone? God has given us mercy so that we can share His mercy with the world. How can you extend God’s mercy to others today?
