The Church - God’s Grand Mystery
Posted on April 18, 2010 by Unknown
Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-13 - Listen
A great challenge to drop our categories coming to church and know that we are all God's children "In Christ".
We are so fascinated with mystery because we want to figure it all out. The tension of the not knowing is resolved through the knowledge of how it is "all happened," how it is solved.
So what is God's mystery? It is like the mystery solved. Revolved through Christ. v3. "the mystery of Christ"
Jim mentions here the mystery religions, an idea or knowledge that is unknown, and then revealed to a select few.
- The mystery of the church revealed. (3:1-6)
- "The mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, member of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel."
- It is another way of saying that the whole world can now be God's Children, fellow heirs. No longer exclusive to the Jews. A new race, a new society.
- The condition to this is that it only happens if we are in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
- Paul is using this phrase "In Christ Jesus" throughout Ephesians. We much also explore what he means by this.
- Jim brings up the Abrahamic Covenant that "all" people would be blessed through him.
- Psalm 2:8
- We always categorize ourselves. We may not understand Gentile and Jew as closely tonight, because is church there is no category. Black and White, Democrat and Republic, earning over 50k, earning under 50k. It is our greatest testimony that "In Christ" we are all ONE people. Give this some real thought, this is really challenging. Do we bring our categories in with us into church. Wow Jim is really getting to the point here.
- The mystery of the church proclaimed. (3:7-10)
- This is a mystery to be shouted to the world. It is truly good news. "to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places."
- v. 7 "was given me by the working of his power." It is not by our power and effort these things occur. Because the power of Christ is at work in me. Paul is really aware of his own undeserving nature to receive this gift himself. He is out telling others this because of God's GRACE in him. We should do likewise, we can not be haughty and prideful in our "deservedness" for it is false. Paul is announcing his own sinfulness to the world before proclaim the gift he has received.
- Everyone to whom the mystery has been revealed has a reason to share it.
- The mystery of the church planned. (3:11-13)
- The church was not just God's sudden "bright idea". It "was according the the eternal purpose..."
- "So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory." - Paul was writing this is prison.
- Paul so often proclaimed God's message all the louder whenever things were down on him. How often is it our first instinct when suffering occurs that we plead before God that he remove this suffering and that. Paul took that as an opportunity to proclaim God the louder.
- How do we respond to our suffering, Jim asks.
- Jim makes a funny point that when earthly mysteries are resolved, that they are no longer talked about. He uses the Watergate scandal and the identity of Deep Throat as an example.
- So, what will you do to share this mystery of God.
Assignment: Find someone in our congregation you do not know, and get to really know them.
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