I want to talk about God’s economy – where it’s discussed in scripture. Much of the language I speak comes from Ephesians 3 where Paul gives an autobiographical introduction to his ministry and his calling. When I did my Ephesians study last year, I began in Ephesians 3. In a way, Chapter 3 is really the introduction to Ephesians. Scripture is sometimes like this. You have to get into a book a ways to understand the heart of what they’re saying — you have to follow the flow to get to the premise of what’s being spoken. Why is he telling us all this? What is the context? Paul writes, Ephesians 3:1-11 KJV.

Eph 3:1-11 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given to me to you-ward…how that by revelation he made known to me the mystery; , which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ by the gospel: whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, whom am less than the least of the saints, is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery…which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. Ephesians 3:3-12 KJV.

This is dense, but there are a few key words. There is economy of the grace of God, the revelation of the mystery of Christ, there is the fellowship of the mystery, (the economy of the mystery), and then there is the eternal purpose of God. So in Ephesians 3:11, it says all of this is “According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”