Ephesians Lesson 19 of 39 part 7

After posting the Lord started dealing with me about what we shared above about the trespass offering, because of what He accomplished for all on the tree. Through our acceptance of all we have become our own trespass offering. Our flesh has become our food, that is to say our spiritual nourishment and refreshment. We can see this as a fact by the shear numbers of people who are over weight, they're in need of spiritual revelation. They eat and eat seeking fulfillment of soul but none comes so they eat even more. Many go to their favorite spiritual watering hole but return just as parched and thirsty as when they went and often in greater need than before. When we learn of Him He then brings us to the scriptures as our food and drink just as He's promised and as He demonstrated.

II Corinthians 11:5
"For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles."
Wow! What does that say? I was not a half of step behind Peter. See, they were trying to put Peter up above him. And the chiefest apostle would have to be Peter most people would say. Now if Paul’s not behind him, where is he? Well he’s either beside him or ahead of him. Now for the next one, stay in the same chapter and come down to verse 22. This verse puts Paul out a step ahead. This is speaking of the Jerusalem leadership which would include the twelve, as well as some of the other head people of the Jerusalem assembly. 

II Corinthians 11:22-23a
"Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more:..."
See how plain that is? That’s the Holy Spirit writing through the pen of the Apostle Paul, that Paul is more the minister of Christ and a ministering flame of fire than anybody back there at Jerusalem. And this is what we have to understand. Now let’s go on to one more in the next chapter.

We're moving into note book 20 from here on. 

II Corinthians 12:11

"I am become a fool in glorying; (Paul didn’t like to boast, but he had to in order to convince especially the Corinthians that he was a special instrument in God’s hand) ye have compelled me: (you’ve forced me) for I ought to have been commended of you: (it was this man who had brought those people out of their abject paganism. It was his message that set them free, and brought them into a spiritual relationship with the risen Christ. It was this man’s Gospel that brought those pagans into a life of morality and hope for eternity) for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing."

Evidently there were some Jewish believers in the congregation who knew all about Peter and the eleven, and were stirring up those Gentile believers saying that Paul didn’t have the authority to lead the Corinthians. So Paul tells them he’s not behind Peter one bit, in fact he’s in front of him. So that should tell us that Paul is the man that is given, and ordained of God to go to the non-Jew, the Gentiles, the nations and he claims it over and over, the same as God did back when He was talking to Ananias back in Acts chapter 9.

Acts 9:15a

"But the Lord said, unto him, (Ananias) Go thy way: (to Paul) for he is a chosen vessel unto me (as a flame of fire set or called out), to bear my name before the Gentiles,..."

Did anyone catch that? "To bear the name of Christ" did you hear that? How many today can say that they "bear the name" of Christ and not be a fraud? I mean Paul did not claim it upon himself like so many others have, now did he? NO way! For the Lord, the Holy Spirit talking to Ananias says it to him. Now turn on over to the Book of Galatians chapter 1, and this is all to back up his claim in Ephesians chapter 3:2 which states:

Ephesians 3:2b

"...the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:" 

And the you-ward is speaking of Gentiles, the nations. So now let’s look in Galatians 1. 

Galatians 1:11-12

"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."