The Mystery Revealed Series

The Mystery Revealed

Ephesians 3:1-13

Rev. Brian Bill

February 10-11, 2024

A riddle is a question which requires a lot of thinking skills. To answer a riddle, one must think “outside of the box” to get the answer, which is often unexpected. Here are some examples.

Q: What is orange and sounds like a parrot?

A: A carrot.

Here’s another one.

Q: Kate’s mother has three children: Snap, Crackle and ?

A: The answer is Kate.

This is a good example of how riddles, by using our existing expectations, can trip us up. Even though the answer is right in front of us, we’re tempted to continue the predictable pattern and miss it completely.

This one will take some brainpower.

Q: What was mysteriously unknown in the past but has been made majestically known in the present? Here’s another clue: “Where is 1+1=1 true?”

A: The answer is the church where God established a new pattern by forming Jew and Gentile into one body as we learned last week in Ephesians 2:14-16: “For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one…that He might create in Himself one new man in the place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross.”

Because of our union with Christ, our differences are put to death so we can live in communion with one another.

In our passage for today, while we won’t have to solve a riddle, we will seek to understand the word “mystery” because it’s used four times:

• Ephesians 3:3: “How the mystery was made known…”

• Ephesians 3:4: “The mystery of Christ…”

• Ephesians 3:6: “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body…”

• Ephesians 3:9: “And to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God…”

In English, a “mystery” is understood as something obscure or inexplicable, much like a challenging riddle to be solved. However, the word “mystery” in the Bible is different because it refers to a previously hidden truth that is now made known by the revelation of God. I like Warren Wiersbe’s definition: “A mystery is a truth that was hidden by God in times past and is now revealed to those who are in His family.”

Listen as I read Ephesians 3:1-13: “For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.”

Here’s what we’ll see today: Our mission is to make known the mystery and majesty of the gospel.

1. The call of Paul to the mystery (1-4). In verse 1, the Apostle Paul links the reader to the truth that Jews and Gentiles are now one in Christ: “For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles.” Paul was in prison because he was preaching that Gentiles did not have to become Jewish in order to be saved. Notice his high view of God’s sovereignty. While technically he was a Roman prisoner, Paul knew he was a “prisoner of Christ Jesus.” He knew God was in control, not Nero, and had put him right where He wanted him.

I’m encouraged by what happened to Paul when he was preparing to pray because it happens to me all the time. As he reminded them of his situation, he became sidetracked and chased a “spiritual squirrel.” He doesn’t pick up his prayer again until verse 14: “For this reason I bow my knees…” Do you ever get distracted when you pray? Speaking of prayer, I’m calling our church to pray next Sunday night from 6:00-7:15. In order to help us stay focused, we’ll be moving between different “prayer stations,” as we pray for different topics.