I invite your attention back to Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians chapter 3. Our text is going to be verse 8. Ephesians 3 verse 8, here Paul writing says, unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Paul said I am less than the least of all saints." That struck me. We think of this man, and I believe rightfully so, as the chiefest apostle. He said, I'm less than the least of all saints. What a confession, honestly. I titled this message, Grace Given to Unworthy Sinners. Grace Given to Unworthy Sinners. Paul said, unto me is this grace given. God said, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. Paul said, God has been gracious to me. Now, for our message, I would like to consider Paul's story, who he was, what God, in His grace, did for him, and the message that God called him to preach. All right? We're going to do a little bit of turning this morning. Turn with me to the book of Acts chapter 7. Acts chapter 7. Towards the end of the chapter, Acts 7 verse 54. Acts 7 verse 54. Now, this is the account of where Stephen, a faithful minister of Christ, had been declaring the gospel. He'd been taken, and he's about to be stoned. All right? Acts 7, 54. When they heard these things, what Stephen had to say, they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon Him with one accord, and cast Him out of the city, and stoned Him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul." Saul of Tarsus. This is the Apostle Paul. That's who this man is. Alright, now keep reading. Verse 59, Stephen was calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Chapter 8, verse 1, And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time, there was a great persecution against the church, which was at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house and hailing men and women, committed them to prison. He stood there. while a faithful servant of God was stoned to death. And not only did he stand there, he consented unto it. Here's what that means. He approved of it. He approved of this murder, and he was pleased by it. And as we read at the end of chapter 7, while Stephen prayed for him, and the others who were there, those that were stoning him. Paul did that. Does that not strike you? This is the Apostle Paul, the same man. Who was he? He was a wicked enemy of God and God's people. There was a great persecution against the church and he led it. He let it. He hated God. It told us that he wreaked havoc. That means he treated shamefully. He sought to ravage, devastate, ruin the church. That's who he was. And that's what he did. That's what he sought to do. He went into the houses of God's people and had them sent to prison. He was an evil man. In Acts chapter 6, we're told that the men who took Stephen, the men who stoned Stephen, were of the synagogue. That means they were religious. They were the chief priests. Paul was a religious man. He was among them. He was among them that took him and accused him of blasphemy. Paul told us in Galatians 1.13 that he was a devout Jew, a religious leader, exceeding zealous. In Philippians 3, verse 5, he tells us he was a Pharisee, means self-righteous, ignorant of Christ. This is what Paul warned us against, against being confident in our flesh, against going about to establish our own righteousness, not submitting to the righteousness of God, which is Christ. He said, that was me. That was me. Who was Paul? He was a religious leader who did not know God, and we have a ton of those in our day. Religious leader who does not know God. You see a problem there? Paul said, I was a blasphemer. He claimed to know God. He claimed to love God. Paul was raised having learned the Scriptures, but he had not so learned Christ, whom the Scriptures declare. He very evidently hated God. He was injurious. He was cruel and lifted up with pride. He was lost and he didn't have a clue. Again, according to God's Word, that's the case for many. It's the case for many. In summary, here's who Paul was, okay? Before God saved him. He was a man bound for hell, and deservedly so, just like me, just like you, but God. Not but He reformed and turned it, no, but God. Look here in chapter 9, verse 1. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, any believers on Christ, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Now look at his reaction, verse six. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. God stopped him in his tracks, literally. He was on his way. He said he desired papers. Well, clearly he had them. He was off. He was headed that way. He was on his way to arrest more of God's saints when Almighty Love arrested that man. And my confession is, that was me. I did the exact same thing. I have experienced the exact same thing. Madly I ran the sinful race thinking I was secure without a hiding place. But God came to me and stopped me. Is that the case for you? Can anybody else relate to this? Go on reading verse 7, And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight and neither did eat nor drink. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, behold, I'm here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, arise and go into the street which is called straight and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he prayeth. and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight. Now look at this, verse 13. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem. And here he hath authority from the chief priest to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way, For he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. When I read that, I think about what we just read about. Paul consenting to Stephen's death, arresting God's people, And I must acknowledge this. God was sovereign over all of that. God was sovereign over the whole thing. Over all of it. When he said to Saul in verse 5, he said, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Saul tried as hard as he could to resist. There's no resisting God. He's not in our hand. No man can say unto him, what doest thou? We can't stay his hand. God knocked Saul of Tarsus off his horse, literally, blinded him, and saved him. We know because the scriptures tell us And hopefully we know by experience. Before Saul had ever done any of his evil, we just read it, he did evil. And we read that he persecuted the church, but the Lord said, you persecuted me. What we've done to the brethren, we've done to him. But before he did any evil, God loved him. God chose him. Chosen vessel. unto the Lord, that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works, but of him that calleth." Paul's works certainly couldn't save him. God called him. God chose him. God saved him. In Romans chapter 9, we read about vessels of mercy which God hath aforeprepared to glory. That's what Paul was. Pray, that's what we are, too. Look here, verse 17. And Ananias went his way and entered into the house, and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it had been scales, and he received sight forthwith, and arose and was baptized. Ananias had just told the Lord, I've heard about this man. I imagine he had some nerves regarding our Lord's command here. But at the Lord's command, he went. And he greeted Saul, who again, had just had Stephen killed. Dear Saint. And he looks him in the face and says, Brother Saul, is that not amazing to you? Honestly, when I read that, it just captivated me. Does that not bless your soul? And then God physically opened Saul's eyes and let him look into his brother's eyes. Brother Ananias. Turn back to our text, Ephesians 3. That's the first part of Paul's story, all right? Ephesians 3, verse 8. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given. Paul was the recipient of God's sovereign grace, unmerited favor. God's grace turned wicked, God-hating Saul of Tarsus into a saint of God, an apostle, prisoner of Jesus Christ. It was not anything that Saul or Paul did. Nothing. And Paul told us that time and time again. The one I want to show you is back a few pages in Galatians chapter 1. Paul was very transparent about what God had done for him all through his writings. And I especially love this here in Galatians 1, look with me starting at verse 11. Galatians 1, 11. He said, but I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. That's what we just read in Acts, right? Verse 13, for you've heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it and profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my father's, but when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. He was a self-made man, self-saved man, or so he thought, until God's grace came to him. His confession was this, when it please God. Lost and undone without God's precious Son until it please God to reveal Christ, the Son of God, to him and in him. He said, God separated me from my mother's womb. It's like the Lord told Jeremiah, before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee. I chose thee, I love thee. I've called thee by thy name, thou art mine. Oh, when it pleased God to do this for Saul of Tarsus, nothing would ever be the same for this man. He received God's grace. He didn't choose to receive it. God's grace came to him and drew him in. Again, can we relate to this? Oh, I pray we can. Now, a big change took place when God's grace came to Paul. God's grace caused Paul to be put in his place. And God's grace will do that to you and me, too. Right here, he said, back in our text, he said, I'm less than the least of all saints. less than the least of all saints. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15, verse nine. 1 Corinthians 15, nine. He said, for I'm the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. He said I'm not worthy, I'm not fit, I'm not meet to be an apostle. He knew he wasn't worthy to be an apostle. He knew he wasn't worthy to be a saint, a child of God. He's not worthy. I'm unworthy. Do we know how unworthy we are for God to have anything to do with us? Look at verse 10 though. But by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace, which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain, and it never is. But I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me." Grace caused Paul to know and to truly believe he was the least, less than the least, and absolutely unworthy of God's favor. And this was not merely some pretentious show of humility. I'm telling you, God's grace changed this man. When God saves a person, He creates a new man in that person. Christ in us. We're new creatures in Christ. Now, Paul tells us, as a believer, in his flesh dwelled no good thing. They that are in the flesh cannot please God. He said, I'm a wretched man. Oh, wretched man that I am. I need to be delivered. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? He said, I thank God for Christ Jesus. Paul was a wretched man before God saved him. But now, after God saved him, now he knows what he is. Now he knows how vile he is. Not how vile he was. How vile he is. Do we know? In 1 Timothy 1.15, he referred to himself as the chief of sinners. It's believed that he penned those words towards the end of his life on this earth. The chief of sinners, the worst, not merely the least of the apostles, not merely less than the least of all saints, the worst of all sinners, which is all mankind. He said, that's me. God taught him, that's who Christ came to save, the very chief of sinners. Grace taught him that. In 2 Corinthians 12, he said, in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. He said, I'm nothing. By God's grace, he wasn't behind the chiefest apostles, and by God's grace, he was nothing. He was nothing. I think of this quote about every time I'm asked to preach, but that quote by Brother Scott Richardson. What is a preacher? He's a nobody who tells everybody about somebody who can save anybody. That's what God's grace caused Paul to be. Oh my, yeah. God in His grace knocked him off his high horse, laid him in the dirt, and blinded him. I pray God would do that for us if He hasn't. And if He has, I pray God would keep us low. I pray God, and it takes God, would cause us to be clothed with humility, looking away from ourselves and trusting only in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what He did for Paul, and I pray that's what He'll do for us. Now look here back in our text, Ephesians 3, look at verse 7. Paul said, The gift of God's grace and the effectual working of His power saved Paul and called him to the ministry, called him to God's ministry, made him a minister, a minister of God. Now let me say this, we don't make ourselves ministers of God. People are putting other people, men are putting other men in the ministry left and right, but not God's ministry, not God's ministry. I preached in Danville several years ago and someone in my family who is not a believer asked my mom what seminary I went to. She said, he didn't go to seminary. That's what everybody thinks. We gotta go to seminary. We must be taught of God. God said that all his people shall be taught of him. Paul was taught at the feet of Gamaliel, a religious leader who was lost and did not know Christ. He learned the gospel that he preached, he just told us, by revelation of Jesus Christ. He heard from the mouth of the Lord Jesus himself. And God speaks to us through His Word today. He does. Can't put ourselves in the ministry. The effectual working of God's grace in Paul caused him to preach the faith that he once destroyed. At the end of Galatians 1, he went preaching the gospel. He went declaring the grace of God in Christ. And that's what these men said. They said, he now preaches the faith he once destroyed. What in the world could cause a man to do that? Grace. God's grace, nothing else, nothing else. I told you, before God's grace came to him, he was just a Pharisee, just a Pharisee. God gave him a new message. God gave him a good hope through grace and sent him to declare it. Verse seven again, whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given. that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. The Lord told Ananias concerning Saul of Tarsus, he said, he shall bear my name before the Gentiles. Paul was a Jew. Physically, okay. Now he told us a true Jew is not one outwardly, but one inwardly, but Paul was of the Jewish nation of the tribe of Benjamin, the stock of Israel. But God saved him, and God sent him to preach to the Gentiles. Now, I won't comment much on that, but I'll say this. The Jews and the Gentiles were separate. You remember the account where Paul rebuked Peter for getting up away from the Gentiles to go sit with the Jews? They were separate. The Jews, that's who God, for many years, had given his word to. God's promises are to the Jews, but again, they're not all Israel, which are of Israel. God taught Paul something. God taught Paul that there's no difference between the Greek and the Jew. Oh, those Greeks, those Gentiles, they're unclean. We're all unclean. The Lord taught Isaiah that we're all is an unclean thing. All righteousness, mine and yours, filthy rags. God taught Paul there's no difference between the Jew and Greek. There's no difference between the circumcision, the uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond, nor free. No, he said Christ is all and in all. No difference. I'm unworthy, you're unworthy, but Christ is worthy. Christ is all. Who maketh thee to differ from another? Christ is all. What do we have that we have not received? Christ is all. What's your hope? Happy Jack, right? I'm a poor sinner and nothing at all, but Jesus Christ is my all in all. Oh, he's my all in all. Now, what exactly was it that Paul declared when God sent him to preach? He said that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Those of you whom God has saved, I know you love that phrase just like I do. The unsearchable riches of Christ. What a message to be called to preach. Let me tell you, it's an honor, the highest honor I know, to get to declare the unsearchable riches of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said things in his writings like, whom we preach. We preach a person. He said, I know whom I have believed. What do you believe? What do you believe? I believe Him. I believe He's able to keep that which committed unto Him, which God has caused me to commit unto Him. That's everything. I believe He's able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by Him. I believe if he saved a wretch like me, he can save a wretch like you. He's able. It's no wonder Paul said, but we preach Christ crucified. Oh, he's a stumbling block. Oh, that message is foolishness until God causes us to believe it. That message, Christ, the power and the wisdom of God, God will cause his people to believe it. You come here enough. Watch out. God might just cause you to believe it. Pray he would. determined not to know anything, but this right here, Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There's no other message. There's no other hope. God forbid I stand here and say anything else. God forbid that I should glory, saving the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. And let me tell you this, Paul, he had a lot of knowledge. I'm talking before God saved him. He had a lot of knowledge. religious knowledge. He had a lot of accolades. People looked up to him. They didn't just lay down their coats at some nobody, no. But once he had the unsearchable riches of Christ, Once Paul had the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to him and in him, he counted everything that he'd ever had before. Loss, dung, nothing. He just wanted Christ. He said, oh, that I may win Christ, that I may be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. He said, oh, that I may know him. He just wanted to know the Savior. God's grace did that for him. God's grace will do that for us. One thing needful. We just need to know Him. We just need to be found in Him. We just need to win Him. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 8. We will see the unsearchable riches of Christ if God ever causes us to see His grace. It's the grace of Christ. We believe that by the grace of Christ we shall be saved even as they. Look here, 2 Corinthians 8 verse 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." This isn't talking about money. You know, we all want to be rich, don't we? He who himself is unsearchable riches made himself to be poor. He made himself to be sin, made himself to be a curse in order to make us who had no spiritual wealth, us who are spiritually poor, to be rich, to be rich toward God, to have experienced the riches of His grace, to be righteous, accepted in Him before God. That's what God's grace will do for you. Oh, how we need God's grace. I want to close by reading some verses in Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians 2, starting in verse 1. I believe all the verses I've read were either accounts of Paul or written by Paul under inspiration of God. Same is true here in Ephesians chapter two, verse one. He said, and you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past he walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, And we were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved. and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Oh, the riches of his grace. Are you interested in the riches of his grace? Do you find his grace to be rich? Do you need it? Turn back a page, or maybe you don't have to turn, Ephesians 1 verse 7. It says, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. Oh, how rich is his grace. Oh, the unsearchable riches of Christ. Paul said unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. I'll tell you this about God's grace. It's greater than all my sin. And it's greater than all your sin, too. I pray God would reveal this grace to us. I pray God would give this same grace that he gave to Saul of Tarsus unto you and me, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, for his sake, for his glory. Amen. And God bless his word.