The Greatness Of God's Gospel Series

The Greatness of God's Gospel

Ephesians 3:1-13

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Series: The Book of Ephesians

(Prepared April 8, 2024)

BACKGROUND:

*Today in Ephesians 3:1-13, Paul talks about the greatness of the "gospel." That's simply the "good news" about Jesus Christ. But before we read this passage we need to understand that Paul was about to write one of his greatest prayers for God's Church. This prayer was on Paul's mind in vs. 1, and he will return to it in vs. 14.

*But have you ever been talking about one thing, -- then gone to a completely different subject for a while? I've done that lots of times. And under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that's what Paul did here. One scholar I trust called today's Scripture "a parenthesis." Another called it one of Paul's "famous digressions." So today's Scripture is an important parenthesis on the greatness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how God chose to reveal it to the world. With this background in mind, let's read Ephesians 3:1-13. (1)

MESSAGE:

*What is the greatest thing in the world today? If you asked ten people, you might get ten different answers. But nothing is more important to humanity than the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no other hope for humanity. There is no other way for people to avoid spending eternity in hell. And in a nutshell, the good news is that just over 2,000 years ago, the eternal Son of God was born as a mortal man. When He was about 30, Jesus revealed Himself to the world by living a perfect life and working countless miracles. Then our perfect Savior died on the cross for our sins. But 3 days later, Jesus rose again forever from the dead, and now He offers everlasting life to everyone who will believe in Him.

*This is the gospel, and in today's Scripture, God's Word tells us about the greatness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

1. FIRST, NOTICE THAT THE GOSPEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOD'S PLAN.

*The gospel of Jesus Christ has always been God's plan to save people, but this great news was a mystery for most of history. God did not reveal it until Jesus ascended back into Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to reveal the mystery to the Lord's holy apostles and prophets.

*Paul explained this in vs. 1-5 and said:

1. For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles

2. if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

3. how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I wrote before in a few words,

4. by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

5. which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

*The good news about Jesus Christ was an unknown mystery for most of history. We saw this truth during our studies of the Great Tribulation. And part of the mystery was an unexpected gap in the schedule that God revealed to Daniel through the angel Gabriel. The prophet Daniel had been praying, confessing his sins and the sins of his people. And in answer to his prayers, the Lord sent Gabriel.

*Please listen to part of the angel's message from Daniel 9:24-26. Speaking about the Jewish people, Gabriel said:

24. Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.

25. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.

26. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself (Thank God for the cross!); and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.

*These words were spoken to Daniel over 500 years before Jesus was born. And they are not talking about the church. They are talking about the Jews. The weeks there were weeks of years, and God's angel Gabriel was telling Daniel that there would be 70 times 7, or 490 years, to the Kingdom of the Messiah.

*This 490-year period began: "from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem." That occurred in 445 BC when the king of Persia issued a decree allowing the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem. From that date, 7 weeks plus 62 weeks, gives a total of 69 weeks or 483 years to pass before the coming of Messiah the Prince.