GOD’S MYSTERY IS REVEALED (Outline)
January 7, 2007 - EPIPHANY (1)
Ephesians 3:2-12
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INTRO: God’s blessings upon blessing upon blessing in this New Year! Today we want to consider the mystery that God became man and still remained God. Not that long ago we rejoiced at the miraculous mystery of the birth of Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. God became man – a mystery, a miracle. Jesus taught in the synagogue. God became man – a mystery, a miracle. At Christmas we study the blessed fact that Jesus lived and walked on this earth as a human being. In this season of Epiphany we study the facts that Jesus lived and walked on this earth as God’s own Son. Such was the gracious plan of salvation of our loving God to pay the price for the sins of the world. Humanly and reasonably speaking this sacrificial life of Jesus, God, is a miracle and somewhat of a mystery. This is God’s plan of mercy. "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ’Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’" (ROMANS 11:33,34). We do not fully know the mind of God. We cannot fully know the mind of God on this side of heaven. This all the more reason to diligently study the mystery of salvation and the secret things of God. We pray the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we learn:
GOD’S MYSTERY IS REVEALED.
I. Believers find what was hidden and,
II. Believers share what was given.
I. BELIEVERS FIND WHAT WAS HIDDEN
A. These believers are reminded of the message of God’s grace to and for them. Verse 2.
1. God had called and saved Paul. God’s grace was given to Paul – for you.
2. Verse 3 tells these believers that they already have read of God’s mystery (chapters 1 & 2).
B. The mystery is explained briefly, clearly in verse 6. Jews and Gentiles alike are saved!
1. Note the words: heirs together, members together, sharers together. ALL are saved in Christ.
2. No longer were their prejudices to separate these two unfriendly nations. Shocking news.
C. This was shocking to the Jews. They thought they were the only ones chosen, deserving salvation.
1. Paul explains in verse 9. The truth was hidden in God.
2. But, now, no excuse. Verses 4,5. The promises of the Old Testament were now fulfilled.
a. God’s promises were now clearer in New Testament times than Old Testament ages.
b. God’s grace was clearer in the days after Pentecost than after the resurrection.
D. Did the Lord God really hide his message? Was salvation really a mystery? In one sense, yes. In truth, not really. It is easier for us to look back at all the promises of God and find their fulfillment in our New Testament times. But it was not always as easy in Old Testament times. The children of Israel did not always comprehend the clear promise of salvation for all mankind. Abraham would be a blessing to all nations was the Lord’s promise. Isaiah foretold of Gentiles coming into God’s kingdom. This was not a message the Jewish was ready to hear or accept, much less believe. In this sense, then, God’s truth was hidden. God’s mystery was clearly hidden in his word. "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles"(ISAIAH 42:6). Believers who diligently study God’s word find what is hidden.
E. Paul described the mystery…hidden in God. The real question is whether God is still hidden. God is there for all to examine, discover, believe in, and be saved. That does not mean that all of our questions will be explained. There are still the deep things of God that go far beyond our human under-standing. Grace (God’s undeserved love) is a term that really, truly cannot adequately be described. By faith, the believer knows and experiences God’s grace because of God’s forgiveness of sins. This is also a mystery and a miracle that God would continually forgive our constant disobedience. But he does. More than that Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for us. "However, as it is written: ’No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’ -- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit"(1 CORINTHIANS 2:9,10). The believer finds what is hidden in God.
F. Consider the mystery of faith. Who can fully and adequately explain why God has saved you or me or any other sinful human being? This is also a part of God’s plan of grace for all mankind. As we began: Who has known the mind of the Lord? By God’s grace we have been saved. By God’s grace what is hidden is made know to us. By God’s grace God’s mystery is revealed. We are heirs together, members together, sharers together of all of the promises of God. By God’s grace through faith we are saved. "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit"(JOHN 3:8). Believers find what is hidden.
II. BELIEVERS SHARE WHAT WAS GIVEN.
A. Paul realized that God’s message of salvation that came to him was to be shared with others.
1. Verse 7 shows how Paul also knew that it was God’s grace alone that saved him.
2. The original describes God’s dynamic energy. Dynamic yields dynamite.
3. Paul could not stop the explosive power of God in his life.
B. Paul had once persecuted Christians. This always reminded him of his unworthiness.
1. In verse 8 Paul considers himself the least of all God’s people. Aren’t we all?!?
2. In spite of this unworthiness God gave Paul the mission to share the riches of Christ.
C. Verse 10 also reminds the church of its mission to share these unsearchable riches of Christ.
1. Even the angels long to see and know what has been revealed to believers on earth.
2. God’s salvation plan is fulfilled in Christ, verse 11. Jesus the God-man died for all.
3. This means the price is paid, none stand accused, and all is forgiven, and verse 12.
D. Consider another of the great mystery-miracles of our salvation. We are the least of all God’s people because of our disobedience and constant sinning. We do not deserve to be saved. We cannot earn forgiveness. We do not have enough money to buy a ticket to enter the gates of heaven. The joy of our salvation is the work of Christ – the Son of man and the Son of God. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin"(1 JOHN 1:7). By God’s grace we are cleansed from all sin – not just some, many or a few, but all.
E. Our joy as individuals is to be able share this mystery with others. Our privilege as a congregation of believers is to encourage one another in this sin-darkened world. Sadly some have cut themselves off from the blessedness of a Christian congregation. There is a grave danger in harboring ill feelings against fellow members or church leader. Satan would love to see more and more people use their own personal differences as an excuse to miss out on the importance of being united with other Christians. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching"(HEBREWS 10:25).
F. Jesus, God’s Son, lived, died, and rose again so that the sins of the world would be taken away. How undeserving we are! This is truly a mystery-miracle of God’s plan of salvation for each one of us. As we begin a new year we can renew our joyful commitment to share what has been given to each of us – eternity. God tells us why. "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light"(1 PETER 2:9). Believers are made God’s people who are chosen by him. Imagine that, we are now a people belonging to God. This is just another miracle-mystery.
CONC.: Our world grows dark with sin and evil. As believers we are the lights in this wicked, wicked, world. God has revealed to us what was hidden so that we might share what was given. "To them (believers) God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"(COLOSSIANS 1:27). May this world see in us the mystery of God – Christ in you, the hope of glory! Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM + www.kqnk.com
EPIPHANY 1 readings: 1 SAMUEL 16:1-13; TITUS 3:4-7; LUKE 3:15-17, 21-22
