The Mystery Of Godliness Series

INTRO. - Unsolved mysteries.

ILL.- Juan comes up to the Mexican border on his bicycle. He’s got two large bags over his shoulders. The guard stops him and says "What’s in the bags?" "Sand," answers Juan.

The guard says, "We’ll just see about that; get off the bike.” The guard takes the bags and rips them apart. He empties them out and finds nothing in them but sand. He detains Juan overnight and has the sand analyzed, only to discover that there is nothing in the bags but sand.

The guard releases Juan, puts the sand into new bags, heaves them onto the man’s shoulders, and lets him cross the border.

A week later, the same thing happens. The guard asks, "What have you got?" "Sand," says Juan.

The guard does his thorough examination and discovers that the bags contain nothing but sand. He gives the sand back to Juan, who crosses the border on his bicycle.

This sequence of events is repeated every week for three years. Finally, Juan doesn’t show up one day and the guard meets him in a cantina in Mexico.

"Hey, Buddy," says the guard, "I know you are smuggling something. It’s driving me crazy. It’s all I think about. I can’t sleep. Just between you and me, what are you smuggling?"

Juan sips his beer and says, "Bicycles." CUTE STORY. Mystery revealed. In time, all mysteries will be revealed and nothing is hidden to our great God!

I Tim. 3:16 “Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great.” Wow! Isn’t this the truth? The mystery is great.

And the mystery of godliness is no longer a mystery! The mystery of godliness is JESUS! And He is no longer a mystery to our world! With TV and the internet, most people have heard and are hearing about Jesus! We even hear TV news commentators occasionally talking about Jesus! What’s the world coming to?

Colossians 2:2-3 “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

The world needs to hear more about Jesus since He is the way, the truth, and the life. I am so thankful that God revealed Himself to us through Jesus. And I’m glad to know Jesus and that He’s the mystery revealed.

PROP.- Jesus is revealed in scripture and Jesus reveals godliness to us. He is portrayed in various ways by Paul.

1- He appeared in a body

2- He was vindicated by the Spirit

3- He was seen by angels

4- He was preached among the nations

5- He was believed on in the world

6- He was taken up in glory

1. HE APPEARED IN A BODY

Hebrews 4:14-15 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”

He was tempted in every way, just as we are. He was tempted to sin just like us because He was in the flesh just like us!

What’s the importance of Jesus coming in the flesh? He was God in the flesh. He came to seek and to save the lost. He came not to be served but to serve. God being a servant? How could this be? And why?

Jesus came to reveal the Father to us! Like father, like son! If there ever was a son who was just like His Father, it was Jesus!

The beauty of the incarnation is that God came in human form to reveal Himself to us. What if He’d chosen not to do that? Wouldn’t you hate not knowing our God and Father?

ILL.- Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler.

One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, "I am your king!"

The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn’t. Instead he said, "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!"