To me for you

If indeed you have heard of the stewardship of the grace of God which was given to me for you (Ephesians 3:2).

To me for you. 

I love these four words. Paul spoke these words as he began to expound some of the greatest truths in the Bible: the mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3:4), the unsearchable riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8), and the eternal economy of God (Ephesians 3:9). The fact that Paul could speak these profound truths may cause us to think that he was on a completely different level than us. However, Paul considered himself as less than the least of all saints (Ephesians 3:8). He was simply a steward of the grace of God. He personally received and enjoyed the unsearchable riches of Christ (to me) and then announced his enjoyment to others (to you). 

Paul lived a to me for you life. What he did was not just for his personal spiritual growth and development, but it was with others in view. He referred to himself as a steward of the grace of God (Ephesians 3:2). Paul’s view was that this grace was given to announce the unsearchable riches of Christ as the gospel (Ephesians 3:8). In other words, what Paul received from the Lord, he dispensed into others by speaking to them.

This is the gospel. It is a matter of speaking the Christ that we have received into others. Both to believers and unbelievers, we can take every opportunity to impart Christ into others. I recently was on a gospel trip in Sweden. On this trip, I was able to be with believers in Stockholm and Uppsala and to preach the gospel at Swedish universities. In every case, the Lord showed me that I can live a to me for you life. I learned much on this trip concerning the directionality of the Lord’s flowing: to me for you. In my time in Sweden, I found it to be such a joy to experience this to me for you kind of life. I have never been so happy in such a normal way.

What I did in Sweden was nothing extraordinary. It was the most ordinary experience. To share the Christ that I have enjoyed with other believers, to present Christ to one who has turned away from Him, to help an unbeliever realize that he has a spirit meant to contain God: these are all the normal experiences of one enjoying the to me for you life. Every time I interacted with another, it was another chance for the Lord to flow into me and then out of me. But such a flow depended on my being open to the Lord. Before contacting people, I needed to spend much time with the Lord to enjoy Him and be infused with Him. Every time I came to the Lord to spend time with Him in prayer and in His Word, this was the experience of to me. This was the Lord flowing into me. Although the receiving is wonderful, this flow needs an outlet. This is the to you experience. My enjoyment and experience of the Lord is not just for me. It is to me for you.

For Paul, this was a matter of great joy. Regarding the believers in Thessalonica, Paul said, for what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming? Are not even you? For you are our glory and joy (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). Paul ministered to and labored on these believers in order that they would grow and mature in the Lord. This made Paul happy. This was the fulfillment of the Lord’s words in John 15:11, these things I have spoken to you [concerning living a fruit-bearing life] that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full. We become the happiest people when we enter into this to me for you life.

To me for you!