We preach a Christ who overwhelms us, dazzles us, blows our minds, and causes our hearts to swell with affection.  Indeed, we show God’s people jewel after jewel after jewel found in the Lord Jesus.  The fountain never runs dry. 

Introduction

In a previous article we considered the precious privilege of preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ.  To do so, we need a proper estimation of our ministry.  But now we focus, secondly, on the essence of our preaching.

Paul describes it in a pithy fashion as follows: “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8).  Grace has come down to the depths, flooding the floor of the lowest cavern in the collection of the saints, to call and equip Paul, to do what he is not sufficient to do; namely, that he would preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

The Sinful Preacher’s Gracious Privilege

When Paul thinks of his grace-empowered role in the Church, it is to do one thing: to preach, to herald good news, to announce the victory of Jesus.  Likewise, this is how a minister of the gospel is to think of himself.  He is a great sinner, given great grace, to perform a great task—to preach, to herald, to declare the mystery of the gospel (Eph 6:19-20).  Paul tells the Ephesians elders gathered at Miletus that his life is not accounted as dear to him, “if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus.”   

What is that ministry?  It is to solemnly testify “to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).  Christ has commissioned Paul, and he’s commissioned every called, gifted, and graced minister, 1) to proclaim Jesus, 2) to preach Christ crucified, and 3) to placard the Savior’s doings and dyings as he gave himself for sinners and defeated him who held the power of death. 

The Oxymoronic Nature Of Preaching The Unsearchable Riches Of Christ

But here Paul particularly highlights the content of preaching.  What is the good news that we announce?  It is the unsearchable riches of Christ.  That statement is a bit oxymoronic, isn’t it?—like jumbo shrimp or something that’s bittersweet.  How can you preach to people, inviting sinners through your words, to search out Christ if His riches are unsearchable?  One aspect of Paul’s thought here is to communicate that the riches found in Christ are infinite, limitless, immeasurable.  Those riches never come to an end. 

Throughout Ephesians Paul has been highlighting the word “riches” as a figure of God’s amazing grace in Christ.  Ephesians 3:8 is the fourth time Paul has used that word.  It’s as though the poverty of our former condition—dead in sin, defiant in deeds, dominated by the devil, doomed to destruction (Eph 2:1-3)—is pushed aside by the picture of the riches of God’s grace lavished upon us (Eph 1:7-8). But here’s the wonder for the preacher: The preacher gets to publish the riches, spelling out the wealth of what can never be fully measured. 

Dear Preacher, There Is Always More!

As believers under biblical preaching or as preachers studying weekly to preach, we will never get to a point and say, “I get it all now.  I’ve mastered the immeasurable things of Christ.  I know it all.  The book of delights is now closed.”  Not at all!  For, in eternity, Paul indicates, God will show us “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:7).  There is no end to the riches of Christ.   

There’s always more to see, fresh truths to captivate, deeper avenues in Jesus to explore.  Certainly, this implies that our preaching should never be boring.  Yes, we may repeat ourselves, but even as we repeat something of Christ’s riches, those riches just keep going and going and going. This is what will make heaven so glorious.  

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