A Prisoner and a Steward

I. Context: A parenthetical description of Paul
and his mission

II. Introduction
A. Illustration: Stephen a lay evangelist in
the prison of Northern Viet Nam
B. Paul: A prisoner and a steward (Eph 3:1-2)

III. Paul – a prisoner
A. Literally imprisoned in Rome
B. A prisoner of Christ
1. Under God's sovereign care (Phil 1:14)
2. Paul understood that his circumstance
was from God
C. An apostle to the Gentiles
1. Acts 9:15
2. 1 Tim 2:7, 2 Tim 1:11
3. Gal 2:7-9
a. recognizing the external call
4. Romans 1:16
5. Romans 9:1-3 (I could wish that I myself
were accursed, for the sake of my brothers)
6. Romans 11:13-15

IV. Paul – a steward
A. Oikonomia – a stewardship
1. Confidence to what he has been called to
2. Reliant on God's power (Eph 3:6-10)
B. Though Paul was chained, the Word of God is not chained (2 Tim 2:8-10)

V. Application
A. You are, right now, where God wants you
to be – employ your stewardship
B. Encouragements in the midst of what is
perhaps a stressful “prison”
1. God is sovereign
2. God is good
3. God is wise
4. Circumstances are secondary to the
primary goal of personal growth
C. You are chained to Christ –
the fairest of ten thousands!
What safer, better, more beautiful place
can there be in the universe?
D. As a steward of God's Word,
preach the Word!

VI. Conclusion
A. A summary illustration from the Reformation
(the story or William Tyndale and his Bible)
B. A final charge to you!