praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. to that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which i am an ambassador in chains, that i may declare it boldly, as i ought to speak. [ephesians 6:18-20]
in this broken world – proclaiming the word has a cost.
paul spoke the word, the gospel, boldly and was put in chains. (the cost – prison.)
paul, again, wanted to proclaim the mystery of the gospel well and knew in of himself he could not do this. so he asked for prayer and the Spirit’s power. (the cost – laying down his pride.)
when we proclaim the word, the gospel, to anyone – believer or unbeliever – there is a cost.
the most beautiful and powerful thing about this cost – Jesus paid every ounce of the cost first.
and in his cost, we are made rich by his life in us to live in the cost of proclaiming his word now. look at the words of God below. ask his voice to be close, rich, and powerful in you. sit in them a moment. wait on him and ask him to show you the extravagant wealth of riches you have in Christ because he paid an extravagant price first.
and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. [john 1:14 – cost: eternal Son of God left heaven – came to be with us.]
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [philippians 2:6-8 – cost: all sufficient God and King – emptied himself, became a servant, and knew the humiliation of death on a cross – all for our sin.]
and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “eli, eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [matthew 27:46 – cost: united from eternity past with God the Father and God the Spirit – God the Son was forsaken at the cross as he bears the guilt of our sin.]
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [hebrews 12:2 – cost: the holy One – who knew no shame – bore our shame.]
for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. [2 corinthians 5:21 – cost: the sinless One – took on our sin – and gave us all his endless righteousness.]
for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. [2 corinthians 8:9 – cost: Jesus, who had it all, gave it all up – so we could have all of him.]
the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. [romans 8:16-17 – cost: Jesus suffered so we could become sons and daughters – and we are now family and full heirs.]
blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, [ephesians 1:3 – cost: because of Christ’s work – we have been given EVERY spiritual blessing. we are rich in Christ.]
LORD,
may thanksgiving and gratefulness stir and explode in our hearts as we see and hear all you have done so we can have all of who you are. we deserve nothing – but death, but separation, but wrath for our rebellion to you o God. but because of Christ, we get the eternal riches of all of who you are. may your Spirit fill us with all your joy, and all your courage, and all your power – to lay down our lives (the cost) to proclaim your word.
in Jesus name – amen!
~ john ryan