Ephesians 3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

When I read a phrase like this spoken by Paul, I have to pause a moment and reflect on it.

It is possible to read such a statement as To me, who am less than the least of all the saints as though he is insincere about it and merely trying to make a point.  But when I reflect on it more, I believe Paul was very sincere in his statement.  He was keenly aware of how he had persecuted the church for a time before Jesus appeared to him on the Damascus Road.

In other words, Paul was very aware of how much of a sinner he had been before Christ rescued him—Paul was a man who was committed to the law and devoted to the temple system of the Jews.  He was very zealous for the law, which was why he persecuted the church.  But when Jesus revealed himself to this man, and Saul became Paul as a follower of Christ, the transformation was tremendous.

So I do not think Paul speaks tongue in cheek when he says he is the least of all the saints.

But the greater point of this passage deals with the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Paul was sent to the Gentiles to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ!  These are riches that would not be found because someone went looking for them.  They are riches that overtake people by surprise when they are not searching for them.

The Gentiles were not looking for Jesus!  The Gentiles were not looking for a Messiah!  The Jews were, but the Gentiles were not.

Even though the Jews hoped for a Messiah, many failed to recognize Him when He came. Many missed the unsearchable riches because they stumbled at His goodness and mercy.

I am amused when I hear someone talk as if they have discovered all there is to know concerning Jesus.

It is time again for our minds to be blown by the revelation of His greatness and the vastness of His worth like never before.

The Apostle John, who declared himself to be the one whom Jesus loved and had laid his head on the chest of Jesus at the fire for breakfast with His disciples after His resurrection, was shocked when he encountered Jesus in Revelation.

It says John fell like a dead man.  In my circles, we refer to that as being slain in the Spirit.  The revelation of Jesus was so glorious that it overwhelmed John and rendered him powerless physically.  There are yet more wonderful things concerning Jesus that can be discovered by those who reject the notion of having mastered all there is to know concerning Him.  Those who will desire Him to such a degree and are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal Him even more to them.  This is the work of transformation God desires in us that we would see His Son and be conformed to His image.

There’s yet more to discover!  Unsearchable riches that surprise even the most astute among us.  I hope you like surprises because, in Jesus, there are plenty.