Eph. 3:1-13 (part 1) The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

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1 1 Eph. 3:1-13 (part 1) The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed When we hear the word "mystery," what do you think about? You may think about losing something in the house and finding it in a strange place, and then thinking, "That's a mystery as to how it got there." I thought about the Bermuda Triangle with many ships and planes throughout history that have gone missing in that area. There seems to be no good explanation for such things. Today, in our passage, Paul speaks of a mystery that has been revealed. In v. 1 he begins by saying, "For this reason, I Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles..." Now look down at v. 14 he says, "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father... " It is as if Paul began to pray for the Ephesians (vv ), but then, as he began to pray, he stops and starts another thought about this wonderful mystery. It is like a parenthesis in his thought. So, before he prays, he speaks of a great mystery revealed. In cp. 3 the word "mystery" is mentioned 3 times (4 in the ESV). He has already spoke of this mystery back in cp. 1:9 when he said that God has made "known to us the mystery of his will." In v. 3 he says that a "mystery" has been revealed to him. In v. 4 he says, "When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ." Later in vv. 8-9 he says that his mission is to "preach to the Gentiles" and "to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages." In v. 6 He tells us exactly what this mystery is. He says, 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." Now, at this point, you may stop and question, thinking, "What is the mystery? Is it the Gospel of Christ or is it the fact that Jews and Gentiles are united into the same body?" My answer is "Yes, both are true. Both are mysteries." This makes sense if we consider how Paul uses this word in different contexts. In one place Paul says that "godliness" is a mystery (1 Tim. 3:16). In another places he says that our "faith" is a mystery (1 Tim. 3:9). In another place he says that, "lawlessness" in the last days is a mystery. In another place he says that a "partial hardening has come upon Israel" and this is a mystery (Rom. 11:25). In 1 Cor. 15:51 he says, "Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed..." In Eph. 5:32, in the context of marriage, he says that this mystery is the union or "marriage" of "Christ and the Church." In other places he calls the "Gospel," or the Gospel of Christ a mystery (Eph. 6:19). In Col. 1:27 he says that "Christ in you" is a mystery. In Col. 2:2 he calls "Christ" the mystery. With this in mind I believe all of these various "mysteries" are different aspects of the same gospel, which is also called a mystery. In the context of our passage the uniting into one body both Jew and Gentile is part of the whole, the uniting of all things in Christ. In this way, to speak of the whole by means of a part is entirely appropriate. So, all of these mysteries of which Paul speaks are part of the same mystery we call the Gospel of Christ. In this passage, he is simply stressing the power of the Gospel to unite Jew and Gentile. With this in mind, I have 4 points about how this mystery is revealed. 1. The Mystery of the Gospel is Revealed supernaturally. We see this throughout the passage. In v. 2 Paul says that this mystery was "given" to him. In v. 3 he says that this mystery was made known to him by "revelation." In Gal. 1:11-12 Paul told the Galatians, "For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of

2 2 Jesus Christ." Here, I believe Paul is referring directly to his Damascus Road experience when Christ appeared to him. The verb he used in v. 3 is passive. In other words, this revelation was not his, but God's. Paul was heading to Damascus with orders to arrest, persecute, and kill Christians. And, he was minding his own business. All of a sudden a light shown around him and he fell to the ground. Then a voice said, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And Saul said, "Who are you?" Jesus said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But, rise and go into the city and you will be told what to do." (Acts 9) Paul will never get over this experience when God supernaturally revealed the mystery of the gospel of Christ. In v. 5 he says that this mystery has also been revealed to "his holy apostles and prophets." And through the Apostle Paul, this mystery had been revealed to all Gentiles and Jew who believe in Christ. The same is true for us. "You were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God..." (Eph. 2:1-4a) Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ... (v. 5). "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit... (Tit. 3:4-5). Every rebirth is a supernatural miracle revealed by God. 2. The Mystery of the Gospel is Revealed by God's grace. Look at v. 2. Paul says, "assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me." I think this is in the context of Paul's ministry. He was commissioned by Jesus Christ Himself as a preacher of the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles. And, this gospel was given to him by the grace of God. We won't spend much time here because I have already preached multiple sermons in cps 1 & 2 highlighting the grace of God. But, Paul could never get over the God of grace. "For by grace" he was saved. By GRACE he was commissioned. By GRACE he was given the task of preaching to the Gentiles. By GRACE he would continue. For God's GRACE was sufficient for him. Rom. 1:1-5: "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations..." Over and over again Paul speaks of the grace that was given to him and everything that he did afterwards he attributes to grace. He says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me" (1 Cor. 15:10). Always Paul prays for "grace" to be with the churches. His letters begin with "grace and peace to you." We often read, "May the grace of God be multiplied in your midst" (2 Pet. 1:2). Paul could never get over the grace of God in his life. 1 Tim. 1:12-14 he said, "I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I

3 3 received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ." Today, if you are in Christ, there is NOTHING that is yours that hasn't come by the grace of God. And without comparison, the most precious thing we have is the Gospel of Christ. This means that everything you have been given (spiritual and physical) is by the grace of God. One of the best things you can do every morning is to wake up and realize you cannot go forward in the day without the grace of God. You cannot be a good father, mother, sister, brother, grandfather, grandmother, worker, etc. without the grace of God. You are completely dependent on Him. 3. The Mystery of the Gospel is Revealed Powerfully. Look at v. 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." The Gospel is a Gospel of power. When it is revealed to us, as it was with Paul, it comes effectually, accomplishing what it came to do. In this context, Paul cannot help but remember what happened to him on the Damascus Road. Jesus appeared to Him in power. He fell to the ground. He was blinded and had to be led by hand for three days in which he did not eat or drink. After arriving in the city of Damascus God sent Ananias to him who prayed for him. He regained his sight and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then, he was baptized. After this, he immediately proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues saying, "Jesus is the Son of God." And all who heard him in Damascus said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests? But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ" (Acts 9:20-22). Just as nothing short of God's mighty intervention could transform him from being a persecutor into a Christian, so it took that same almighty and effective working to make him into a servant of the Gospel. With Paul we see the power of the Gospel coming in salvation. And, we see the power of the Gospel coming to make him into a preacher to the Gentiles. For those of us who were not converted as a child, this is especially evident. I remember my own conversion. I was not on the road to Damascus, but I was on my own road, going along minding my own business, fulfilling the desires of my flesh and of my mind, loving the things of this world. But, God... who is rich in mercy, revealed this great Gospel to me. The conviction of God came upon me in a powerful way. All the stories and knowledge of Christ I heard growing up, became real. I knew He was the Son of God and without Him, I would perish in my sins. And, I wanted to follow Him. For the first time, I saw his beauty and a savior. And I could do nothing but follow the greatest desire I ever had, which was to follow Him. And I freely followed my Lord! The Gospel came to me in power. And not only did this gospel come to me in initial salvation, it caused great changes in my life. My desires were so different. My habits changed. There was even a level of discipline that began in those days. And I can only attribute these changes to the power of the Gospel. This is what we see in the Scriptures. Paul says "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation" (Rom. 1:16). In Col. 1:28-29, He said, "Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works

4 4 within me." He will pray the same thing in 3:16: "that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being..." In 1 Thess. 1:2-5 he said to the Thessalonians: "We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." It is simply a fact, the Gospel is revealed with power. Examples in the Scriptures abound. Paul left everything to follow the Lord Jesus. Eleven of the original apostles were killed for their faith. The Apostle John lived a life of suffering and later exile. Missionaries throughout history have left everything to go to unknown lands, carrying their worldly goods in a casket. Just this past week I have been reading The Voice of the Martyrs where Christians are enduring such hardships and persecutions and even death. Why? Because they made a good decision. No! Because of the power of the Gospel that converted them and keeps them. So, what do we do as a church when we hear consider such truths? Let me give a few applications. There is no real change unless it comes through the Gospel. We also live by the power of the Gospel. Paul said to the Corinthians: "Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything" (2 Cor. 6:1-10). We must preach the Gospel of Christ. This means we must focus on the Gospel and not other things. Do you wonder why there is no power in our churches? Maybe many of the things that we think we have to have in "church" are not necessary. They certainly are not essential. We must keep things simple. If these things are not yours, beg and plead and pray that this gospel will come to you in power. 4. The Mystery of the Gospel is Revealed in Christ. Look at vv : "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." In Christ, all the mysteries of God are found. In Christ, all the wisdom of God is found. In Christ, all the promises of God are fulfilled. In Christ, we have God in the flesh who came and dwelt among us. He lived a perfect

5 5 life in both motive and deed. He freely laid down his life on the cross taking our sin upon himself and offering himself as a sacrifice. This sacrifice was acceptable to God, a pleasing aroma. Three days later he rose from dead. He appeared to his disciples for 40 days and then ascended to heaven. Then, he gave to his people the Holy Spirit. And he lives forever to make intercession for his people. The eternal purpose of God, the mystery of the Gospel is revealed in Christ. Oh how beautiful He is! Trust Him today! I would say as the Gospel of Christ grows in us. It is through the glory of Christ. Look to Him! "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." (2 Cor. 3:18).