THE MANIFOLD WISDOM OF GOD ON DISPLAY
SCRIPTURE: EPHESIANS 2:11-3:13
SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2026
Tim Wolfe
Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-3:13 / Scripture Reader: Ephesians 3:1, 6-11
Big Idea
God displays His manifold wisdom by restoring sinners to Himself and to one another through Jesus Christ and revealing His glory through the Church.
1. Remember who you were without Christ
Ephesians 2:11-12
"Therefore, remember..." (Ephesians 2:11)
Paul begins with a command.
Before we can appreciate God's grace, we must remember our condition apart from Christ.
"You were separate from Christ... excluded from citizenship in Israel... foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:12)
Remember What Sin Did
Key Truth
We never get over God's grace when we remember where we were without Christ.
Application
The longer we walk with Jesus, the easier it becomes to forget the pit from which He rescued us.
2. Christ restored what sin destroyed.
Ephesians 2:13-22
Then comes one of the greatest phrases in Scripture:
"But now in Christ Jesus..." (Ephesians 2:13)
Everything changed because of Jesus.
"For He Himself is our peace." (Ephesians 2:14)
Notice Paul doesn't say Jesus brought peace.
Paul says:
Jesus is our peace.
What Christ Accomplished
Through the cross Christ:
"For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." (Ephesians 2:18)
The Gospel in One Verse
The Means: Through Him
The Scope: We Both
The Gift: Access
The Destination: The Father
The Power: One Spirit
What We Have Become
Because of Christ we are:
In Paul's day, Roman citizenship was one of the highest privileges imaginable. It provided status, protection, and legal rights.
Paul himself appealed to his Roman citizenship (Acts 22:25-29; Acts 25:11) and eventually arrived in Rome under house arrest, where he likely wrote Ephesians.
Yet Paul says believers possess something even greater than Roman citizenship:
"You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people." (Ephesians 2:19)
Key Truth
Christ restored what sin destroyed.
Application
The Gospel does more than forgive sinners.
The Gospel creates a family.
3. The Church reveals the manifold wisdom of God.
Ephesians 3:1-13
Now Paul explains why God did all of this.
The answer is found in verse 10:
"His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known..." (Ephesians 3:10)
Everything in chapter 3 builds toward this verse.
The Mystery Revealed
"Through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body..." (Ephesians 3:6)
The mystery is not simply that Gentiles can be saved.
The mystery is that people who were once separated have become one body in Christ.
Why?
Because God wants His wisdom displayed.
Through the Church
Not through isolated Christians.
Not through personalities.
Not through programs.
Through the Church.
The church is God's display case.
The church is God's testimony to a watching world.
The church is God's evidence that Jesus Christ is alive and reigning.
The angels are watching.
The heavenly realms are watching.
The world is watching.
And what do they see?
They see God's power to reconcile sinners to Himself and to one another through Jesus Christ.
Supporting Voices
David Guzik writes:
"God doesn't use the angels to reveal His wisdom to the saints, but He does use the saints to reveal His wisdom to angelic beings."
John Stott wrote:
"The church is God's theater."
N.T. Wright writes:
"When the Church is being the Church, united and holy, then the principalities and powers know that Jesus the Messiah is Lord and that they are not."
Key Truth
The Church exists to display the manifold wisdom and glory of God.
Application to The Brook
When we love one another...
When we forgive one another...
When we disciple one another...
When we share the Gospel...
When we plant churches...
God's manifold wisdom is put on display.
Conclusion
Remember
(Ephesians 2:11-12)
Remember where you were without Christ.
Restored
(Ephesians 2:13-22)
Rejoice in what Christ accomplished through His cross.
Reveal
(Ephesians 3:1-13)
Live as the Church through whom God displays His manifold wisdom.
Final Challenge
Church family, Ephesians 2 tells us what Christ accomplished.
Ephesians 3 tells us why.
God reconciled us to Himself and to one another so that through the Church His manifold wisdom would be displayed to a watching world and a watching heaven.
We remember God's grace, rejoice in Christ's restoration, and reveal God's manifold wisdom through His Church for the glory of King Jesus.
Sermon Sentence
Remember where you were. Rejoice in what Christ restored. Reveal the manifold wisdom of God through His Church.
Sources Consulted:
• Bible (NIV)
• David Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary on Ephesians 3
• Charles H. Spurgeon, Sermons and Expositions on Ephesians
• John Stott, The Message of Ephesians
• Ami Günther, Unity in Diversity - Article Online - The Gospel Coalition
Big Idea
God displays His manifold wisdom by restoring sinners to Himself and to one another through Jesus Christ and revealing His glory through the Church.
1. Remember who you were without Christ
Ephesians 2:11-12
"Therefore, remember..." (Ephesians 2:11)
Paul begins with a command.
Before we can appreciate God's grace, we must remember our condition apart from Christ.
"You were separate from Christ... excluded from citizenship in Israel... foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:12)
Remember What Sin Did
- Separate from Christ
- Excluded from God's people
- Foreigners to God's promises
- Without hope
- Without God
Key Truth
We never get over God's grace when we remember where we were without Christ.
Application
The longer we walk with Jesus, the easier it becomes to forget the pit from which He rescued us.
2. Christ restored what sin destroyed.
Ephesians 2:13-22
Then comes one of the greatest phrases in Scripture:
"But now in Christ Jesus..." (Ephesians 2:13)
Everything changed because of Jesus.
"For He Himself is our peace." (Ephesians 2:14)
Notice Paul doesn't say Jesus brought peace.
Paul says:
Jesus is our peace.
What Christ Accomplished
Through the cross Christ:
- Brought us near (v.13)
- Destroyed the barrier (v.14)
- Ended hostility (v.16)
- Created one new humanity (v.15)
- Reconciled us to God (v.16)
"For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." (Ephesians 2:18)
The Gospel in One Verse
The Means: Through Him
The Scope: We Both
The Gift: Access
The Destination: The Father
The Power: One Spirit
What We Have Become
Because of Christ we are:
- Fellow citizens (v.19)
- Members of God's household (v.19)
- Built on Christ the Cornerstone (vv.20-21)
- A dwelling place for God by His Spirit (v.22)
In Paul's day, Roman citizenship was one of the highest privileges imaginable. It provided status, protection, and legal rights.
Paul himself appealed to his Roman citizenship (Acts 22:25-29; Acts 25:11) and eventually arrived in Rome under house arrest, where he likely wrote Ephesians.
Yet Paul says believers possess something even greater than Roman citizenship:
"You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people." (Ephesians 2:19)
Key Truth
Christ restored what sin destroyed.
Application
The Gospel does more than forgive sinners.
The Gospel creates a family.
3. The Church reveals the manifold wisdom of God.
Ephesians 3:1-13
Now Paul explains why God did all of this.
The answer is found in verse 10:
"His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known..." (Ephesians 3:10)
Everything in chapter 3 builds toward this verse.
The Mystery Revealed
"Through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body..." (Ephesians 3:6)
The mystery is not simply that Gentiles can be saved.
The mystery is that people who were once separated have become one body in Christ.
Why?
Because God wants His wisdom displayed.
Through the Church
Not through isolated Christians.
Not through personalities.
Not through programs.
Through the Church.
The church is God's display case.
The church is God's testimony to a watching world.
The church is God's evidence that Jesus Christ is alive and reigning.
The angels are watching.
The heavenly realms are watching.
The world is watching.
And what do they see?
They see God's power to reconcile sinners to Himself and to one another through Jesus Christ.
Supporting Voices
David Guzik writes:
"God doesn't use the angels to reveal His wisdom to the saints, but He does use the saints to reveal His wisdom to angelic beings."
John Stott wrote:
"The church is God's theater."
N.T. Wright writes:
"When the Church is being the Church, united and holy, then the principalities and powers know that Jesus the Messiah is Lord and that they are not."
Key Truth
The Church exists to display the manifold wisdom and glory of God.
Application to The Brook
When we love one another...
When we forgive one another...
When we disciple one another...
When we share the Gospel...
When we plant churches...
God's manifold wisdom is put on display.
Conclusion
Remember
(Ephesians 2:11-12)
Remember where you were without Christ.
Restored
(Ephesians 2:13-22)
Rejoice in what Christ accomplished through His cross.
Reveal
(Ephesians 3:1-13)
Live as the Church through whom God displays His manifold wisdom.
Final Challenge
Church family, Ephesians 2 tells us what Christ accomplished.
Ephesians 3 tells us why.
God reconciled us to Himself and to one another so that through the Church His manifold wisdom would be displayed to a watching world and a watching heaven.
We remember God's grace, rejoice in Christ's restoration, and reveal God's manifold wisdom through His Church for the glory of King Jesus.
Sermon Sentence
Remember where you were. Rejoice in what Christ restored. Reveal the manifold wisdom of God through His Church.
Sources Consulted:
• Bible (NIV)
• David Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary on Ephesians 3
• Charles H. Spurgeon, Sermons and Expositions on Ephesians
• John Stott, The Message of Ephesians
• Ami Günther, Unity in Diversity - Article Online - The Gospel Coalition