Dig Into Ephesians with Todd WagnerSample

The Manifold Wisdom of God

As the early church grew, a picture from nature became popular as a symbol for Christ. They chose the pelican—that large-billed, awkward bird who waddles on land but soars gracefully through the air. At first glance, it’s an unusual metaphor. What kind of parallels did early believers draw between the world’s largest freshwater bird and Jesus, the Son of God made man?

During the breeding season, a pelican’s pouch turns blood red. The birds often empty their bills of water scooped up during fishing by pressing their bills against their chest. Only then can their young reach into the pouch for food. Think of a red bill, pointed down at their chest, ready to nourish their young. This created an impression of an adult pelican bleeding as it fed its babies.

The image of the pelican reminded early Christians of how Christ suffered, literally shedding his blood, out of love for the church. In Ephesians 3, Paul reminds his readers of the central focus of our faith—what Todd called “orthodoxy”—that God showed his great love for us by sending Jesus to die for us. We can’t get around Jesus’s willing self-sacrifice—how he offered himself in our place so that we could have peace with God. He is the great reconciler.

Paul encourages his readers to recognize that his own sufferings were actually for them. He wants them to see his suffering as a reminder of God’s love for them. He, like Jesus, loved them enough to suffer on their behalf. They shouldn’t be dismayed but rather comforted when they realize that sacrifice was an act of love.

It’s as if he’s saying, “Do you see your great value because I, God’s beloved, am pouring myself out for you, enduring hardship for you? You are beloved, worth dying for!”

So are we.

The source of sacrifice is love. When we suffer for another, or someone suffers on our behalf, we should recognize the love that undergirds such affliction. Paul finishes this portion of his letter by praying and asking God to help the Ephesians comprehend “what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge . . .” (3:18–19).

Jesus loves us, so he suffered for us. What does it mean to you that, as the pelican mother represented, Jesus chose to suffer and die for you? Sit in that truth for a while. Absorb and accept it. Thank him for it.

Sacrificial love is contagious. We are compelled to give it away. Consider how well you love others. What does that look like in practical terms? Consider what you can give up in order to serve and how you can show love tangibly. Don’t forget to trust in the empowering love of God as you go.