The Unsearchable Riches Of Christ Series

Dr. Bradford Reaves

Crossway Christian Fellowship

Hagerstown, MD, USA

www.mycrossway.org

View this and other messages at: https://mycrossway.churchcenter.com/channels/8118

Introduction

There’s a story about an Amish boy and his father who went to the big city for the very first time. They were amazed by everything they saw. Having grown up and lived all their lives on a rural farm everything was completely new to them. The Father and son left Ma in the horse buggy and went into this huge skyscraper. As the boy and father entered the building two shiny doors that could move apart and back together again left them spellbound. They stood watching these doors until the son asked his father, “What is this, Father?” The father, never having seen an elevator before, responded, “Son, I have never seen anything like this in my life, I don’t know what it is.”

While the boy and his father were watching, an old lady with a walker came up and pressed the button. The doors opened and the lady walked inside. The doors closed and the boy and his father watched small circles with numbers light up above the doors. They continued to watch the numbers light up in the reverse direction. The doors opened up again and a beautiful 24-year-old woman stepped out.

To which, the father said to his son, “Son, go get your mother.” (Todd Coget)

Our new life in Christ is transformative and a mystery. Over the last several months, we have navigated through some of the most profound portions of Scripture found in the Bible. In no small terms, the Apostle Paul revealed overwhelming mysteries of God - all tying back to what I call Paul’s thesis statement in Ephesians that God our Father Ephesians 1:3 “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,”

From that point, the Apostle Paul took us through the revelations of the Gospel-centered around the work that Christ Jesus did for our redemption. We learned that Jesus saved us from sin, by love, into life, for glory, through faith alone. We’ve learned about the mystery and unity of the Body of Christ and the boundless grace that God bestows on us every day.

Now, we are approaching a transition in Ephesians and it is important to understand why. All of this that Paul is teaching us is for an important purpose. After this week, we are going to start understanding how we apply these riches in our new identity in Christ to our lives. What does this mean to how we function as a church? What does this mean to the kind of decisions we make, how we run our businesses, treat others around us? As a result of the Gospel in our lives, how do we relate to our children? How are husbands and wives supposed to live? What about spiritual warfare? If we don’t understand our identity in Christ and our relationship to Him, the other things won’t make sense.

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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. (Ephesians 3:7–13 ESV)

The Ministry of the Gospel is for All People (vv. 7-8)

It is important for us to understand a couple of things as we move into this portion of Scripture. First, the Apostle Paul was once a powerful Jewish religious leader who persecuted Christians and now is called by Christ to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. Talk about a transformation.

?And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 92 Corinthians 3:18 ESV)

Most people want just enough God to keep them happy here on earth and to make it into heaven. “I would like to buy $3.00 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of Him to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I would like to buy $3.00 worth of God, please.”