Well, as the Lord might graciously
help us just for a few moments, we will continue our meditation
in the Apostle's Epistle to the Ephesians, chapter 6, and this
evening we'll read verses 19 and 20. So that's the Epistle
of Paul to the Ephesians, chapter 6, and reading verses 19 and
20. And for me, that utterance may be given unto
me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery
of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds, that
therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak." Well, these are two important
verses, as all the verses, of course, in the Word of God are.
And this follows on from the 18th verse, obviously, where
the apostle speaks to the Ephesians and says, praying always with
all power and supplications in the spirit and watching there
unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. So there he is. This is the final
element in this whole armour of God. which he brings to the
attention of the Ephesians. And of course, the Lord brings
it to our attention today. But then he points out in a very
specific way, really, for himself. And although we recognize that
this, of course, relates in this particular instance to the Ephesians
and to Paul, nonetheless, it really refers to all those who
preach the gospel and all those who pray. or the Church of God
who pray for the prosperity of the gospel. So as he has already
said, praying always, and he says, and with all prayer and
supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance
and supplications for all saints. So that is a comprehensive statement.
And then he says, and for me, that utterance may be given unto
me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery
of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds, that
therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak." So the clear
inference in these words is that the people of God should pray
for the servants of God as they preach the unsearchable riches
of Christ. And Paul coveted those prayers
and truly the whole church of the servants of God really covet
the prayers of believers that the Lord will be with them as
they stand up to preach and to proclaim the everlasting gospel. We've read together in that chapter
in Ezekiel. Ezekiel lived, of course, as
we probably know, in a difficult day when Israel had turned their
back upon the things of God. And he was told, son of man,
stand upon my feet and I will speak unto thee. And God spoke
unto him and told him what would happen. And he said, and I will
send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation,
has rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed
against me, even unto this very day. So Ezekiel also had a difficult
position to bring the message of God to a rebellious people. And we live today in an age of
rebellious people, rebellious nation, perhaps rebellious churches,
perhaps rebellious individual and therefore we need to pray
that the Word of God as it's preached by the servants of God
may be in power and may be in much assurance and indeed may
be in the Holy Spirit and as Ezekiel was encouraged to preach
and to speak boldly in the day and age in which he lived and
of course The people didn't like it. And of course, today, people
don't like the truth of the gospel. They don't like to believe there
is a God, a God who controls their lives. They'd like to think
they're in control of their own destiny. And of course, many
have no concern about the condition of their immortal soul. So here, Paul speaks of these
words that he says as he is given utterance he desires that he
may open his mouth boldly to declare really as he says the
mystery of the gospel the whole counsel of God what a blessing
therefore if that is so today that those who preach the gospel
are blessed with liberty in preaching and we're told where the Spirit
of the God is, there is liberty. And we see that may be very evident
in the preaching of the gospel, because there is a great and
glorious mystery which the Lord has set before us. And when the
apostle wrote to the Church of Colossae in the first chapter,
and in the 27th verse, this is what we read, to whom God would
make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles. Well, it is a mystery. What was
the mystery? He goes on to tell us, which
is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Well, what a blessing
for us today. If we hear that glorious gospel,
which sets before us the Lord Jesus Christ and him crucified. The hope of glory, which indeed
is a mystery, but we're thankful for it. And we're thankful that
we have a God who displays the wonder of it. And so may we be
found praying that there may be the blessing of God attending
the preaching of the gospel. And those who preach may preach
it boldly. to make known the mystery of
the gospel. And then he tells us, and as
I've often said, the Apostle Paul was a very honest man in
the things that he said. He didn't suffer from a mock
humility. He was humble, but he was forthright. And so he says, for which I am
an ambassador in bonds. An ambassador, probably as you
and I know, An ambassador in our country and in the countries
of the world is an important person who brings the messages
from his nation to another nation. And here we have the apostle
as an ambassador bringing the great and glorious mystery of
the gospel. And all the servants of God are
privileged to do this. And although he says he's in
bonds, yes, He was in bonds, he was in prison often. He had
to endure much, but nonetheless the Lord was with him. And so
he then goes on to say, that therein I may speak boldly as
I ought to speak. And we are to declare the whole
counsel of God. And Isaiah tells us in the 58th
chapter of Isaiah, in the first verse, cry aloud, spare not,
Lift up thy voice like a trumpet and show my people their transgression
and the house of Jacob their sins." Well, that's not, we might
say, a very pleasant message to declare, but it is a necessary
message because unless people are told of their transgressions
and of their sins, they will never seek under the Saviour. They will never desire repentance. They will never desire forgiveness. And so the Apostle tells us,
or at least Luke tells us in the Acts of the Apostles in the
very last chapter, in the very last verse, he's telling us about
the Apostle Paul. This is what he says, preaching
the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the
Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him." Well,
what a wonderful truth it was that the apostle was blessed
with the ability and the strength to declare the glorious truth
of the gospel. And may it be our desire and
our concern in the day and age in which we live that we may
pray for the servants of God who declare the truth of the
gospel, so that the word may be an effectual work, and it
may enter in to the hearts of those who hear, and it may be
of lasting and eternal good for their souls, and may also be
for the wonderful honour and glory of God, as the truth of
the gospel is set before the people, and that surely is centred
in this great truth, Jesus Christ, and him crucified, who came into
this world to save sinners, as the Apostle Paul said, of whom
I am chief. And to realise the great truth,
the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sins. What a blessing if we know the
favour and blessing of this. Well, may the Lord be pleased
to bless these few remarks. Amen.