Don't Punk Out. Don't EVER Punk Out!

So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory (Eph 3:13).

It's 60 A.D.  You're sitting in a living room in Ephesus with other folks who are following Jesus.  The pastor is reading a letter from your friend Paul.  He's in behind bars in Rome.  And you're the main reason he's there.  His effort to tell you, a Gentile, the gracious Good News has landed him in jail.  The same folks who put a contract out on Paul continue to terrorize you and your fellow Christ followers.  It would be VERY easy to give up.  But from his dark dungeon, Paul says you should stop feeling sorry him and sorry for yourself.  "So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory" (v13).  Don't quit give up now.  Whatever you do.

Don't punk out.  Don't EVER punk out!

Paul tells us "not to lose heart" just because he's locked up.  This is the Greek verb egkakeo.  It's a compound word that basically means to depart from difficulty.  To pull the rip cord.  It can be translated as to become discouraged, tire of, be exhausted, give up, lose motivation to accomplish some valid goal or give in to evil.  In many cases, it's probably better to use a positive expression rather than a negative one.  Keep on going.  Continue on.

Don't punk out.  Don't EVER punk out!

Just how do the various NT writers use the term?  So very glad you asked.  Luke talks about how Jesus taught folks how "to pray and not lose heart (Gr. egkakeo)" (Lk 18:1).  It's one of Paul's favorite ideas.  He told folks in both Galatia and Thessalonica to press on, not give up and keep doing good things for others (Gal 6:9; 2Th 3:13).  And when the man from Tarsus became a target of false apostles and critics, he pledged that he would "not lose heart (Gr. egkakeo)" (2Cor 4:1).  Don't give up.  Don't quit.  There's too much at stake.  Jesus didn't quit when He faced the cross for you and me.

Don't punk out.  Don't EVER punk out!

When he tells the Ephesian friends that "I am suffering for you" (v13), he's not stretching the truth one bit.  Paul's in the joint because of his assignment to tell Gentiles about Jesus.  Specifically his three-year Gospel mission to Ephesus (Acts 19).  As a matter of fact, there's a really good possibility that Ephesian Jews are behind his arrest.  Dr. Luke writes that "Jews from Asia" stoked the crowd at the temple by making false accusations about the man from Tarsus (Acts 21:27-28).  These are the Jews that rejected Jesus as Messiah during the apostle's three-year gig in eastern Asian port city.  And they were furious that Paul was reaching out to filthy non-Jews and inviting them into God's kingdom.  That would explain why the presence of "Trophimus the Ephesian" (Acts 21:29) would have set them off that day in Jerusalem.  Ephesian Jews would have recognized him.  

Jewish leaders not only cooked up a boatload of false charges against Paul but also put a hit on him (Acts 21:31).  After spending several years behind bars in places like Jerusalem and Caesarea Maritima waiting for a ruling on his case, he eventually appealed his case to Caesar.  So he writes to the Ephesians from the slammer in Rome while he waits for his appellate hearing.  In a general sense, the apostle is doing time because of his obedience to Jesus' call on his life to be His "chosen instrument" to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Col 4:3).  But in a very specific sense, he's doing hard time because of his work for the Gospel in Ephesus.  When tells them, "I am suffering for you," he's right on target.  And they knew it.

It would very easy for the folks back in Ephesus to feel responsible for Paul's imprisonment.  It's only natural to be loaded by guilt over his situation.  The man who told them about Jesus is locked up all because he brought the Good News to their city.  But the apostle tells them to drop that idea like it's hot.  Don't go there.  Yeah, he might be doing hard time but don't get too upset over it.  You see, Paul's not upset.  He's not down.  Let's face it, if anyone has a right to be ticked off about this, it's Paul.  But he's completely at peace with life in prison.  Why?  He understands the breathtaking blessings of God that we have in Jesus.  The apostle not only is an eyewitness of the resurrected Jesus, he also realizes that he's standing directly beneath the waterfall of God's grace.  Go back and let that Tsunami of Blessings overwhelm you once again (Eph 1:3-14).  Blessed.  Chosen.  Predestined.  Adopted.  Redeemed.  Forgiven.  Recipient of the King's inheritance.  Sealed with the Spirit.  This is a HUGE reason why "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content" (Phil 4:11).  The apostle sees his prison time as an amazing opportunity to tell others about Jesus (Phil 1:12-13).  Corrections officers are coming Christ.  Fellow inmates are hearing the Gospel.  He's certainly not giving up.  

Don't punk out.  Don't EVER punk out!

So why do I?