Gospel Dynamite with J. Allen Mashburn

Paul's Letter to the Ephesians | Ephesians 3:7-13 | J. Allen Mashburn

So far, Ephesians 3 has given us some insight into the man we know as Paul. In verse 1, Paul tells us that he is “the prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Paul was imprisoned by the Roman beaded on charges made by the Jews. Yet, Paul did not see himself as the prisoner of either Rome or of Judaism; Paul understood that he was where he was by the will of God. Paul was the prisoner of Christ.  He was in prison by the will of God, for the glory of God, for the good of the church, the body of Christ.
In verses 2-6, Paul tells us that he is a pioneer. That is, he was given the revelation of truth that was hidden from all the great prophets, preachers, teachers and leaders of the past. Paul was allowed to understand some thing that Moses never understood. He was given truth that was never made clear to Abraham, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah or Daniel. He understood things that John the Baptist had no knowledge of. Paul was a pioneer preacher, blazing the trail for the church, the body of Christ.
In the first six verses of this chapter, Paul reveals the “mystery” he has been given. He writes about the amazing truth that the church of Jesus Christ, or His body, is made up of both saved Jews and saved Gentiles. The “mystery” is that in Jesus Christ; those who were on opposite sides of religion are made one in the Lord. The “mystery” is that, in Jesus Christ, all people, regardless of their race, their heritage, or any other considerations, are made one.
Having revealed the “mystery”, Paul now exults in that “mystery.” He wants us to know why He is preaching what he preaches. Let’s take a few minutes to walk through these verses together today. There are some wonderful truths in these verses that we need to notice. Let these verses encourage you as we look at another facet of the life of Paul.

Revelation 5:1-7 | Worthy is the Lamb | J. Allen Mashburn

In chapter 4, John is caught up into Heaven.  When he arrives there, he sees God Himself sitting on a glorious throne.  John sees Heaven arrayed as a courtroom.  God is preparing to unleash His wrath on the inhabitants of the earth.
In the midst of this awesome scene, we also see that Heaven is filled with the praises of Jehovah.  Heaven understands what the Lord is about to do and the inhabitants of that city praise the Lord for His glory, His power and for His creation.  They are also acknowledging His right to judge the earth.
It seems that John is taken to Heaven to give him a heavenly perspective concerning what is about to happen on the earth.  I mentioned this last week, but it is still true: when the events of this earth are viewed from a purely earthly perspective, they can cause fear, doubt and confusion.  But, when all the events of history are viewed through the eyes of Heaven, everything makes sense!
So, chapter four ends with God receiving the praise of His created ones and of His redeemed ones.  Heaven throbs with the voices of those caught up in their love for Almighty God.  Chapter fivefinds us in the same courtroom in Heaven.  Now, praise has ceased for a moment and heavenly business is about to be transacted, and we are going to have front row seats as it is acted out.
We are about to find out that, in Heaven, Jesus is the central Figure.  He is the center of attention.  I believe that Heaven will be a glorious, wonderful place.  I believe there will be streets of gold, walls of jasper, gates of pearl, and more glory than you and I can imagine.  I believe it will be great to see Abraham, Moses, Paul, and the rest.  But, the main attraction of Heaven will be Jesus Himself.  In this passage, we are going to see Jesus Himself, in His rightful place; glorified and exalted in Heaven.

Paul's Letter to the Ephesians | Ephesians 3:1-7 | J. Allen Mashburn

Welcome to another episode of Gospel Dynamite. In today's message, we delve into Ephesians 3:1-7, exploring the profound insights of Apostle Paul, the pioneer preacher. Paul unveils the mystery of the church, a divine secret hidden for ages but now revealed through his ministry.
Discover how Paul, under the sovereign control of Jesus Christ, conveys the unity of Jews and Gentiles in one body - the body of Christ. This episode emphasizes the importance of understanding that every believer, irrespective of their background, shares the same blessings and promises in Christ.
Join us as we learn about Paul's unique calling and the stewardship entrusted to him by God, and how we, too, are called to fulfill our divine purposes. Be inspired to embrace your spiritual gifts and serve for the glory of God, knowing that the same Spirit that empowered Paul empowers us today.
Don't miss this powerful teaching on the grace, unity, and mystery of the church. Tune in and be edified by the profound truths of God's Word.

Paul's Letter to the Ephesians | Ephesians 3:1 | J. Allen Mashburn

Today, Pastor focuses on Paul’s statement in Eph. 3:1. In this verse, Paul reveals his identity as “a prisoner of Jesus Christ.” In this small, but powerful verse, Paul gives us some insights into life that we do not want to miss. We share with you the insights into being a prisoner that not only helped transform Paul’s time in prison into a ministry, but that also served to transform his life for the glory of God. The insights given here have the potential to do the same for us.
Let’s take a few minutes to consider Paul the Prisoner.

Revelation 4:1 The Transitional Verse in Revelation

In this message, Pastor Mashburn examines the transition found in Revelation 4:1.  We pray you are encouraged and challenged in your faith to go deeper in the Word.

Paul's Letter to the Ephesians | Ephesians 2:19-22 | J. Allen Mashburn

Paul’s emphasis in chapter 2 has been on the grace of God in salvation. He describes our lost condition in verses 1-3. He talks about God’s amazing salvation in verses 4-10. Then, Paul reminds us that we were Gentiles. As such, we were separated from the provisions and promises of God, v. 12. Not only that, but we were separated from the Jews, who were God’s chosen people. They had the Law of God and they held the keys to pleasing God. The Gentiles had nothing but condemnation and hopelessness.
In our natural condition we were lost and headed to Hell, but so were the Jews. They might have had the Law of God, but they did not know the God behind the Law. Both the Jew and the Gentile were lost. In Jesus, Paul tells us that we have been reconciled to one another and to God. Jesus broke down the walls that separated the Jew and the Gentile, and He broke down the walls that separated lost sinners from God, v. 13-18. When Jesus died on the cross, He opened the door of salvation to all who would believe, whether they are Jew or Gentile.

Paul's Letter to the Ephesians | Ephesians 2:14-18 | J. Allen Mashburn

In this chapter, Paul is attempting to teach us that in Christ, all our differences are put to death. While the world may fight their wars, society may argue over their different agendas, and homes may be divided, the church is a place where unity and peace should prevail. In Jesus Christ, there is a oneness that that brings all believers together on common ground of faith in Jesus Christ.
 
Having told us in verses 1-12 about the richness of our past and our loss condition, Paul tells us in verse 13 that we “who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” I would remind you, that this section of chapter 2 is dealing with the body of Christ. It is doing with the fact that the body of Christ is made up of both redeemed Jews and Gentiles. These two groups were the avowed enemies of one another. This is illustrated in verse 11. The differences between the Jew and the Gentile are driven home clearly by the words of verse 12. Then, verse 13 gives us the glorious news that Jesus, through shedding of his blood, has reached out to those who were lost in sin, and has brought them near to God.

Paul's Letter to the Ephesians | Ephesians 2:11-13 | J. Allen Mashburn

Paul is writing to the Ephesians, and to us, to let the church know that, in Jesus, the walls are all taken down. In Jesus, there is no master or slave. There is no male or female. There is no rich or poor. There is no Greek or Barbarian. And, there is no Jew or Gentile. In Jesus Christ, we are all made one! That is the whole point of these verses.
 
In verse 11, Paul reminded us of The Divisions Of The Past. He reminds us of the wall between the Jews and us.
 
In verse 12, Paul reminds us of The Devastation Of The Past. He reminds us of just how bad the situation was on our side of the wall. In that verse, Paul reminds us that we had five huge problems.
We were “without Christ”
We were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel”
We were “strangers from the covenants of promise”
We were without “hope”
We were “without God”
 
In our lost condition, we were separated from God. We were hopelessly lost and headed to Hell without Jesus Christ. We were in a desperate condition from which we could not save ourselves. In the verse we will look at today, Paul tells us how the wall was broken down between the Jews and the Gentiles. He tells us how we who were on the wrong side of the fence, were brought “near.”