The Mystery Made Known
Ephesians 3: 1-13
Have you ever read a book or watched a movie or TV show in which the end of the story leaves you in a complete mystery? Isn’t it frustrating to be left hanging on the edge of your seat wondering who the murderer was or what was to be the fate of some individual.
(mag. glass) We like a mystery as long as it unfolds. Hollywood producers and directors know that our curiosity will keep us interested because
We have a desire to find out the unknown.
As you stand in the grocery line the gossip papers are always willing to tell us the supposed trues to the mysteries of the lives of the rich and famous.
Many TV shows will end with, “…to be continued,” hoping we will continue to tune in to their show.
Today we are going to examine a heavenly mystery that came to earth. From Eph. Chapter 3, Paul will tell his readers of a great mystery which was hidden from many generations but was revealed to the world by God through the apostles and prophets.
Eph 3:1-3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you; 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
This secret may not mean much to you but at the time this was radically new. And the principles of this mystery has practical application to our every day lives. The secret is that God has called a new people, besides Israel to be God’s people. You need not be born into a certain ethic group or blood line to be considered part of God’s people. The only blood line required is being covered by the blood of Jesus.
Eph 3:4- 6 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
Paul grew up in a very divided world. The Jews despised all non-Jews. The Greeks considered everyone who did not speak their language as barbarians. The Romans thought their civilization supreme as conquered many countries to force their better ideas on those who were inferior.
Paul is expressing these ideas from prison because these ideas were so radically new that is caused a riot that landed Paul in prison. In verse one as we read already, he called himself, “, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles..” Paul did not argue about his imprisonment. Whatever circumstances Paul finds himself in, he took full advantage. He could have griped, gone into self-pity and depression but instead he uses his confinement as a time to write and encourage the churches.
How do we cope when we are confined by unpleasant circumstances? Can God use us? Or are we too crippled by depression, jealousy, and negative thinking to be used by God or useful to others. If so we need to change our outlook and claim the words in Phil. 4: 12 &13 which says, “Phl 4:12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Paul was putting his life on the line to preach, teach and reveal this mystery. If God is willing to accept all who will come to Christ, who are we to reject any? We are to consider all who accept Christ as people accepted by God so they in turn should be accepted by us. This is regardless of their background, past sins, color, culture or condition.
It was knowing that the new message of God concerningthe fact that “Jesus “was for more than just the Jewish nation that Paul become an Apostle to the Gentiles. God had given him the honor of sharing this great mystery to the nations.
The blessings we receive in Christ are beyond description- infinite. Eph 3:7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
All people who come to Christ are part of the new community, the new society, the body of Christ, which is the church. God had hinted in the OT what His plan was to be in regards to making an agreement with more than the Jewish nation.
Finally the mystery is made known to the church and Paul. Paul will waste no time in getting the word out.
Eph 3:9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;
Paul uses the word, “Mystery” 3 times in these verses we are using and 6 times in Eph. depending on how version interpret the original Greek word. When Paul uses this word mystery, he does NOT use it in the sense that he knows something which is to be kept a secret, or hidden or obscure. The word as Paul uses in this context means something hidden from people by God until the right moment and then it was to be revealed to all.
There are no mysterious secrets in the gospel message of Christ to be told by the church and individual Christians. There are to be no hidden rites performed behind locked doors.
What is written in the Bible is for all to know. The church is not some kind of secret society with special handshakes, secret code words or rituals. When one comes into the church they should not be sworn to secrecy as to the activities inside.
The church should not be a group where only those on the inside get special care, or consideration. A place where as a member you think you should have special treatment. That was old Judaism
The church was not a group which initiated you into its brotherhood with special information to be given only to those on the inside – that was like an early cult called Gnosticism- which the early church fought tooth and nail, theologically. This is also a sign of many cults today.
Those kind of clannish ideas are radically different from what the church should be and do. We are the light to the world. We are to boldly claim what is revealed to us in the Bible.
A common trait of many modern cults is secret knowledge, mysterious rites and rituals and the tendency to hide things from public view. Any mystery God has revealed – the church is to announce. (Bible)
It is sad that many of the things that God has revealed remain a mystery to many people. What is even sadder is that often we have not taken time to share what God has made known. What is even sadder still is that God’s Word can be a mystery to us - His own people!
We think the Bible is important yet we might not be making the effort to find out what it says even when others are doing to
teaching. The Bible may continue to remain a mystery to even those of us who know it contains God’s word because we do not make the time or discipline to study its pages.
MUCH OF THE BIBLE WHICH IS NO MYSTERY IS IN REALITY A MYSTERY JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT MADE AN EFFORT TO STUDY GOD’S WORD OR ATTEND A STUDY OF GOD’S WORD.
Paul tells us that this revealed mystery of God- that all who are in Christ are a part of God’s people- demonstrates the manifold wisdom of God.
Eph. 3:10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
The word, “Manifold” means “many colored” and was used to describe flowers of various colors, shapes and sizes. It was also used to describe an embroidered cloth or a woven carpet.
Writer and theologian, John R.W. Stott says, “The church as a multi-racial, multi-cultural community is like a beautiful tapestry. Its members come from a wide range of colorful backgrounds. No other human community (should be as diverse and beautiful as the church should be.) “Its diversity and harmony are unique. It is God’s new society. A many colored fellowship of the church is a reflection of the many colored wisdom of God.”
As Paul ends in verse 10- to say that this was even made known to the spiritual forces in the heavens. “the authorities in the heavenly places.”
We become a part of the kingdom-God’s community – God’s family – by accepting Jesus as our Commander in Chief, the ruler of your life- the General of God’s army, your closest friend and confidant. We do not care about what your background might be, your past- your income- your clothes BUT we do care that you lay down your life at the feet of Jesus.
Let Jesus weave you into the various backgrounds of the rest of us and help make our fellowship a beautiful creation- a living breathing loving tapestry. Thank God we are not all alike-how boring it would be if we were just clones of each other. Praise God we can have a unity in Christ Jesus – who loved us all and died for us all.
Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
