The Business Card of Faith

Ephesians 1:1-10

The introduction to Ephesians sounds a little like the information on a business card: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…” (Ephesians 1:1a). While there is some speculation that a follower of Paul’s may actually have been the one to write this letter and not Paul himself, we may set that issue aside because Ephesians 1:1 still helps us to understand who Paul was and the work in which he was engaged.

The word “apostle” means one who is “sent away,” implying an emissary or messenger. To be an apostle requires one to travel or move––if not literally then perhaps by growing in faith or understanding. But Paul was not just any emissary, he was an apostle of Jesus Christ which means that the content of his message was the gospel. To be “an apostle of Jesus Christ,” then, means to carry the Christian faith to others. Furthermore, Paul’s apostleship came to him “by the will of God” which means that he, like the prophets before him, was called and set aside by God for this work, a fact that authenticates his ministry. Why should we pay any attention to the words of Paul? Because this is the job given to him by God, a task by which he could be readily identified. So if Paul had used a business card, right under his it might have read, “Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.”

In contemporary life we seldom use the term apostle to refer to individual Christians. But if we were to carry business cards defining who we are as believers we would do well to follow the example of Ephesians 1:1. We, too, have been called by God into a relationship of faith. We, too, are “sent away” or charged to carry a message as emissaries. And like Paul the message that we carry is the gospel of Jesus Christ…or it should be. Perhaps is it appropriate to reflect on how others identify us, with what occupation or activity we are most closely associated. When others look at us do they see us as disciples eager to share the gospel, or is there another way we are known, one based on a less significant aspect of life? In short, does our business card of faith look anything like Paul’s? If not, why?

Prayer: Lord, help us to serve you faithfully and to live our lives in faithful obedience in to your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.