Alba 3-5-2023
THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES IN CHRIST
Ephesians 3:1-13
There was a news story reported in July 2011 that a well known Hindu temple in southern India revealed vast treasures and hidden secrets. The temple itself was well known and previously unguarded. (The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum, India)
The temple had been there for hundreds of years and was open to the public. But about 12 years ago there was a decision to "explore" the temple's hidden vaults and secret chambers.
The vaults had not been opened in about 150 years and the treasures span some 500 years. India's Supreme Court ordered that the vaults of the temple be inventoried after a man filed a suit that worried about how the trust was caring for the riches.
A huge treasure was found — gold, diamonds, silver, jewelry, and precious stones ... worth over 24 billion dollars! Yes billion! It is believed that the valuables have been accumulated in the temple over several thousands of years, having been donated to the Deity by various Dynasties and Kings. Offerings by the many worshipers making pit stops there along the global trade routes probably also contributed to the treasure.
The Supreme Court of India and its seven-member committee have already opened six of the secret vaults. Vault A contained 2,000 pounds of gold coins, dating to around 200 B.C. plus a pure golden throne with with hundreds of diamonds, as well as many other precious stones found in the chamber.
Metal detectors were hurriedly installed at temple entrances for protection after six days of searches revealed a treasure trove of artifacts, statues and temple ornaments made of gold and embellished with jewels.
A hidden treasure vault was discovered beyond the already well-documented Vault B. Adding to recent treasure findings in several other vaults, the researchers are estimating it could total over one trillion dollars.
But that is where the problem starts, nobody wants to dare open the hidden inner sanctum. Chamber B has long been considered by Astrologers of India as highly mysterious, sacred, and too dangerous to unveil it.
The enormous steel door of Chamber B has two massive cobras painted on it, and has no bolts, latches or any other means of entry. This is mystery straight out of an Indiana Jones movie.
This chamber is historically believed to have thick walls made of solid gold, and it is where the mystery really exists and could contain the largest undiscovered treasure find in the history of the world.
And for hundreds of years, thousands of people have gone into and out of that temple building unaware of the riches in contains. And today, far too many people are unaware of the unsearchable riches available to them. For them, it remains a mystery.
But it is revealed in Ephesians 3:1-13. There the apostle Paul makes known what had been a mystery in ages past, and tells of the glorious riches that come to those who uncover it.
Lets turn to Ephesians 3:1-13 and read.
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus 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 have briefly written already, 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: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
The tribulations that Paul speaks of is the fact that he is being held in a Roman prison, but that is not where he places his focus. He wants us all to realize that God has done an amazing, wonderful thing. God has made it possible for any and all to come to Him and be His people.
The Old Testament is clear that God initially chose Israel from all the peoples on the earth for His own possession and purpose. It started when God made a covenant with Abraham, the man who believed God and his faith was recognized as righteousness.
As a result of His promise, God sovereignly chose Israel to be His people that they might receive His blessings, and be the vessel through which the revelation and redemptive message of His would be spread.
But all that time, God kept a secret. He even hid it from the angels. Oh He dropped hints along the way like in Isaiah 11:10 that says, “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”
We now know that the “root of Jesse” is a reference to Jesus. Hundreds of years before He came to this earth it was prophesied that even the gentiles, that's us, would seek Him.
So what was the mystery? God’s secret was that once He made an end to sin's penalty by Jesus dying on the cross, He would establish a new chosen people, a royal priesthood, a new living temple and spiritual body.
This new creation was to be comprised of both Jewish and Gentiles believers, who on equal footing, would be called the church. He is not going to exclude people based on their race, nationality, or social standing.
And through these people He has bestowed the responsibility of carrying His message of salvation to the ends of the world.
The message we are to carry is that salvation is only possible through the shed blood of Christ on the cross through a surrendering faith response – nothing more and nothing less.
God's eternal plan, which He fulfilled through Christ Jesus our Lord, was to reconcile all people to Himself. To redeem us from our sinful lives. To set us free from the power of sin, hell, and the grave. And to bring us together as one people.
Gentiles are now joint heirs with the Jews in God's unfolding purpose for the world. We've heard this teaching often enough that we're not startled by it. But it startled the narrow Jewish world of Paul's day.
This idea, this revealed mystery, was simply unthinkable before Jesus. But the mystery was true. In Christ, all people share equally in God's provision.
Because this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings when they belong to Christ. They share equally in the riches provided in Jesus, those unsearchable riches.
Both the King James Version and the New King James Version use the term “unsearchable”. To some that may sound as if there is no way to find it. But it really means that the riches in Christ are so many that there is no end to the search for them.
Other translations use words that may help our understanding. For example, the New International Version uses the word, “Boundless”. The New Living Translation uses the word, “Endless”. And the New American Standard Bible uses the word, “Unfathomable”. The Easy to Read Version just simply says, “These riches are too great to understand fully”. But that does not mean that we cannot know them.
The thing for Christians to remember, and for the lost to hear, is that Jesus doesn't take, He gives. Look what verse six says, He make us “fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.” God's promises are the true riches we all can claim and proclaim! In Christ we can and DO have His exceeding riches.
First among these riches of course is the spiritual wealth we have as heirs of heaven itself. Salvation is the gift of God according to grace. God has given grace to us so that, in spite of our sins, we can be forgiven by the blood of Jesus and dwell with Him eternally.
His grace is sufficient for us in all things. We are called by grace! We are saved by grace! We are sustained by grace! We are supplied by grace! What a treasure!
God also gives us mercy. God in His mercy shows His love toward His children. The love of God meets us at the Cross and salvation is made available to those who come in obedient faith.
It is a rich thing to have someone who loves us. It is a mystery why He does, but Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. There are many world religions with their many books of scripture, but only the Bible tells us that there is a God who loves us.
The Buddhists have their book called the Dharma. But Buddhists don’t actually believe there is a god, let alone a god who would love us. The Hindus have their many books and their many gods, but their gods aren’t the type that would love. And the Muslims have the Koran that tells of Allah. But Allah is an impersonal god who really isn’t known for loving people.
In fact, no matter what world religion you talk about, their gods (if they love anybody) only love “nice” people. Love, in those religions, is reserved only for the ones who deserve it.
By contrast, Romans 5:8 tells us “… God demonstrates his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. Oh the riches of His love for us!
One man, Lewis Sperry Chafer, observed “Anyone can devise a plan by which good people may go to Heaven. Only God can devise a plan whereby sinners, who are His enemies, can go to Heaven.”
But the riches are also a physical state as well. God only desires the best for His children. We may not have what the world determines as wealth, but we have a peace of mind and our God has promised that He would meet all our needs.
In his letter to the Philippian church that had been generous to him, the apostle Paul said, “…my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus…” [4:19]
Contentment in this world can never come from this world. The world gives poorly, in small quantity. Jesus gives richly, abundantly. The world gives the worst and keeps the best. But Jesus gives the best of the best.
The world gives a little, but Jesus Christ gave all. II Corinthians 8:9 says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
The source of our enrichment is in the person of Jesus Christ. And the enrichment He brings into our lives is not limited, but enriches us in all things. But for one to have this enrichment, these unsearchable riches, certain conditions must be met.
The first step is a total and complete surrender of one’s life to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no way we can fully appreciate the great riches that Jesus brings to the table of our lives if we do not focus our entire attention on God’s promises and His will.
When we focus on our selfish desires, we cannot and will never know the fullness of His riches. Not until we have surrendered totally to Him.
And why shouldn't we? He loves us. He pardons our sins. He gives us the promise of His return. He gives us peace. He gives us the gift of Himself.
All the verses in Ephesians (and Colossians) that refer to this mystery also indicate that it is now "revealed," "known," "understood," or "spoken out." In all cases, the mystery is now known.
So the mystery of God is not a riddle to be solved, but a message to be proclaimed. Pagan mystery religions emphasized a vow of silence. But this mystery is designed to be made known.
So today we proclaim that, because of Jesus, there is salvation and unsearchable riches for all who come to Him in obedient faith.
CLOSE:
A tax officer asked an old man to declare his wealth. The old man declared his riches like this:
A mansion in heaven
Everlasting life
Peace that passes all understanding
Joy unspeakable
Divine love that never fails
A crown of life
A faithful wife
Healthy, Happy & obedient children
Loyal friends
Songs in the night
The tax officer closed his book and said: “Truly you are a very rich man. But your wealth is not subject to taxation.”
The riches that Jesus has for us are not locked in a chamber below some temple in a distant land. Jesus Himself is the door to the riches of heaven. And He makes available to us all of His unsearchable riches.
Because as Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
