From The Archives

“Lord, give me strength” is a common prayer, yet we often don’t pause to examine what it is we’re asking God for. Preaching from Ephesians 3, Alistair Begg explains that God empowers believers in their inner being through the Holy Spirit. As we cooperate with the Spirit’s work within us by studying the Word and praying, fellowshipping with other believers, and participating in the sacraments, our faith grows and we are rooted and grounded in Christ.

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Prayer is a natural impulse for God’s people, and the concerns we bring before our heavenly Father reflect what we value most in life. In this message, Alistair Begg uses Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 to emphasize the need to pray selflessly, focusing more on spiritual matters and less on material comforts. As we call out to God for Kingdom priorities – the preaching of the Word and the conversion of the lost – our prayers align with scriptural models and we grow in our understanding that, in Christ, we truly have all things.

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When writing to the Ephesians, Paul understood that his readers would be distraught that he was imprisoned. Because of this, he reminded them of God’s purpose revealed in time through Jesus, the privilege of the Christian to boldly and confidently come to Christ, and his perspective that this present suffering was for their glory. Alistair Begg guides listeners to take heed of Paul’s words and frame our view of time and history through the revelation of Jesus Christ, to confidently approach Him, and trust that even in suffering God’s eternal purposes are being worked out in Christ.

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Paul preached that God’s divine plan for all ages is centered on Jesus Christ and is being declared by His Church. If we think of the world as a theatre, God is the director, the spectators are the hosts of heaven, the play is the manifold wisdom of God, and the players are His Church. Focusing our attention on Ephesians 3:10, Alistair Begg helps listeners understand that it is through the Church that God's purposes are made known as we point to the perfect display of God's wisdom in the cross of Christ.

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As a faithful minister of the Gospel, Paul focused on the task set before him: to preach in such a way that blind eyes would be opened to the light of the truth. Alistair Begg places this responsibility in the context of Christian mission, reminding us that the God who called Paul to the ministry is the same God who reigns and rules over all things. As the Church is built through the ministry of the Word, God displays His purposes through His people and points forward to the day when His kingdom will come in glory.

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In Ephesians 3, Paul established his identity as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, explaining to his readers that this was not a role he chose for himself, but one to which he had been called by the grace of God. Paul exercised humility in response to God’s grace toward him, but also understood that his responsibility to preach Christ came with authority given by God Himself. Alistair Begg reminds us that God’s calling is directly related to His plan, and God equips His people for ministry with the grace that He provides.

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The Gospel is a great mystery, but not in the sense you might expect. As he explores Paul's words in Ephesians 3:1-6, Alistair Begg reminds us that the Gospel is not a puzzle that can be solved by human deduction or reason, but a wonder that can only be known by the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit. The mystery of Christ is that Jews and Gentiles alike can be brought near to God as members of one Body through the work of Jesus.

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While a prisoner of Rome, Paul wrote to the Ephesians desiring that his readers would know God and be united to Christ. Despite his unfavorable circumstance, Paul considered himself a prisoner for Christ and the Gentiles, and his letter conveys a tone of exultation toward God, not agitation or resignation at his situation. In this message Alistair Begg encourages listeners to live in light of God’s providence, understanding that our circumstances are appointed by God so that, like Paul, we may make the Gospel known to all people.

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No one is perfect. We resolve to “try harder,” yet our self-effort always falls short. In fact, our response to temptation exposes our heart’s desires: when we sin, it demonstrates that we love the sin more than we love God. In this message, Alistair Begg explores the need for self-control as we seek to live lives pleasing to our Lord. How can self-control become our “new normal”? As we depend on God’s grace, we are enabled to live within boundaries He has established, motivated not by rules but by our love for Him.

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Although listed among the fruit of the Spirit, gentleness is an aspect of Christian character that is often neglected. Alistair Begg explains that biblical gentleness is not a natural personality trait but strength under control, pictured perfectly in God’s disposition toward His children and the humility of Jesus Christ. God forms gentleness in us through difficult circumstances as we learn to submit to His Word and grow in the practice of living with consideration for those around us.

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