Part 3, The Marvelous Plan of God for the Church Sermon Series, Ephesians 3
“In English a ‘mystery’ is something dark, obscure, secret, puzzling. What is ‘mysterious’ is inexplicable, even incomprehensible. The Greek word mysterion is different, however. Although still a ‘secret’, it is no longer closely guarded but open… More simply, mysterion is a truth previously hidden from human knowledge or understanding but now disclosed by the revelation of God.” (John Stott)
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do?” Job 11:7.
“7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7.
“The Old Testament is filled with clues of the mysteries of God and were made clearer in the New Testament.”
1. The mystery revealed: by the apostle Paul and the gospel.
“For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles — 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,” Eph. 3:1-4
· Paul could not feel sorry for himself because he did not perceive himself as a prisoner of Nero, but of Christ.
· The call of Christ was stronger than the pain of speaking for God to a world that finds God’s truth abrasive.
· There is always that discomfort when carrying the message of salvation to the world.
· Salvation means “to rescue from great peril.”
· God saves people from His coming wrath through His Son. Rom. 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10
2. The mystery of the union of Jews and Gentiles: Jesus
“3 the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 3:3-6
· The human lineage of Jesus gave us clues of this union.
· The great grandmother of Jesus was, Ruth, a Gentile.
· The earthly parents of Jesus were Jews.
· The divine nature of Jesus united believers to God.
· Christ must pay the ultimate price on the cross, to make that union become spiritual, and eternally binding.
· The apostles and prophets’ teachings about Jesus as the Messiah united the regenerated Jews and Gentiles.
· Today, all believers have been united by the written Word that led us to Jesus.
3. The mystery of being filled to the measure of Christ: the practice of divine love. Eph. 3:14-19
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
· This fullness of God refers to the actual experience of the life in Jesus Christ.
· Positionally, our names are already written in the Book of life, in the family registry in heaven.
· But we still have a long way of displaying that family heritage of endless and unlimited love for our spiritual family on earth.
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