Administration of Gods Grace
Ephesians 3:1-13
Administration of Gods grace is the way God leads and governs the entire universe to save us, who had no choice but to die. Today, let us think aboutwhat this administration of grace is.
First, it is an environment in which we are locked up in prison. When Paul was unjustly imprisoned, he said that his imprisonment was Jesus work for Gentiles. Last year, my father had a car accident and was seriously injured, but he strongly refused to go to the hospital. While having a hard time holding up my anger, I ended up bringing my father to a large hospital near my house. But every time we tried to do a test on him my father screamed and cursed, so eventually he was kicked out of the hospital. Since our family could not provide a comfortable environment for him, I kept searching for other small hospitals and eventually could get him a surgery at the fifth hospital I searched. I had never respected my father, and because I thought that he was the one who broke the family with alcohol and violence, so I always kept resentment and anger toward him in my heart. However, through this incident, God brought my father right next to my house, and even more, we could enjoy a wonderful grace of worshiping together at Whimoon Chapel after my father received a newcomer welcoming and prayer from the church. So, this is the example of administration of Gods grace. After that, I continued to meditate on Gods Words through many incidents including my fathers funeral. What I deeply realized was that I was the Gentile, not my father, and my father was put in a 'prison' and suffered for me because I could not hear Gods Words for a long time. I could only repent after understanding that my fathers life was a Gods mission for salvation of the Gentile son. Even though we cannot interpret why certain things happen to our lives, it is true that even our suffering is the work of Jesus planned for you and me, the Gentiles. Whether we are in pain or in prosperity, we must always interpret events through Gods Words. If we can interpret life events through Gods Words, then we can hold on to them and laugh even in the most difficult times. The event that put us in jail is the best environment for us, and the administration of Gods Grace granted to save you and me, the Gentiles.
Second, it is being together. The truth that was previously hidden but revealed through the coming of Christ is called a mystery in the Bible, and this mystery is being 'together' in verse 6 of todays text. Every time I saw my father I was overwhelmed with anger and resentment, so we were never really together. We are ignorant and unwilling when it comes to love that accompany a great deal of responsibility. Our senior pastor said that even Paul could realize this only after he experienced a great pain leading to death. It is very difficult to realize the mystery of being together. After my fathers funeral, I repented of telling him that 'I was right and you were wrong.' Even in those beautiful moments of serving others, we cannot be really together because we think we are superior than others. However, Jesus, who has no sin at all, is always with us through groaning in pain and sin. Just before my fathers death in October of that year, I held a worship service while guarding my fathers side. At that time, for the first time, I was able to lean my body side to my fathers body, face-to-face, and hold my fathers hand to pray. I told him, 'Father! Your sin is my sin. I love you father. Thank you for making me believe in Jesus. Now, this son, too, will fight a good fight for the rest of life and meet you again later at your place. Dont worry about anything and rest in peace.' To my surprise, my father nodded twice and passed away right after these words were over. And, as the answer to this prayer, the text at the funeral service was 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, which is about resurrection and being together. Administration of Gods grace, which is Gods rule of law, is that your pain becomes my pain, your sin becomes my sin, and your cross becomes my cross. This is the mystery of the Gospel. To those who understand the mystery of the Gospel together, God would pour out his grace as his power works.
Third, it is the church. Paul must had cherished the heart of being smaller than the very little one. At his core, there was always the feeling of guilt for killing Stephen with stones and being a sinner who persecuted and violently murdered numerous Christians. When we see ourselves as sinners, we can be together, as God pours out his boundless grace, and through us, God establishes the church. And this church is full of Christs grace that we cannot even imagine, and this church teaches wisdom of Jesus Christ that even the angels do not know. Angels would be amazed to see that we, as sinners, respond to Gods Words in an environment in which we are bound to sin, and that new life is created to give us the strength to fight sin, and furthermore, that we are transforming into glorious children of God. The important thing is that this miracle works through the community. We, who could never kill ourselves for others, will die for our wife, and with the lessons learned from the church we will understand the order within family and obey our husband. That is why we, who could never die for others because ofself-centered thoughts, will happily and willingly die for others, amazed by Christs love. The big decision I made in my life with the help ofcommunity was to worship together with my father whenever we met. Without the community, I would not have been able to worship, full of anger and hatred, and being like a Jew who likes to teach all the time. Without the community Iwould not have been able to see that I am a Gentile who cannot hear Gods Words, and to understand the meaning of the mystery hidden in the word, together, nor the meaning of administration of Gods grace and the glory of the church. Right before my fathers death, I remembered Ezekiels testimony I once heard in the community, so I was able to preach the Gospel to my father without missing the very important time. In this way, we can gain boldness and confidence through the church, community, and small group meetings to come to the Lord every day.
God not only saved us, but also called us to be the apostles to the Gentiles around us. This is the administration of God who has saved us as well as our mission in life.
