The Greatest Mystery Unveiled
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1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
Sermon Series: Recentered - Living our lives centered on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christian consumer mentality. What do I get out of the church or the Christian life for that matter.
Church is not about YOU! It is about the Lord Jesus Christ.
This mindset Leads to Disappointment.
People view church as a break from the main activities of life.
You now what? --
Church is where the action is!
Christian boredom.
A bored Christian is a contradiction. It should never happen.
Aiming low, a quiet, successful life - can be frustrating.
The grandeur and beauty of what Jesus accomplished for us.
Life centered in Jesus is an exciting adventure!
You don’t only hear stories about Jesus and His love. You are part of His story.
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
Prisoner - “I thought it will be exciting?”
He must be very depressed - but we see the opposite.
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
In another translation, it says Stewardship, the stewardship of God’s grace. He has been entrusted with something important.
A mandate
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
There is a discovery of something wonderful. Through a direct revelation from God.
This mystery - known to us but not known to many.
Four R’s: Revelation, Reconciliation, Riches, Responsibility.
In Christ, you have been given a wonderful
Revelation
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
There is a discovery of something wonderful. Through a direct revelation from God to Paul which He now imparts to us.
In Christ, You are part of the story of:
2. Reconciliation
Not the reconciliation between friends and spouses.. Jesus is not a marriage counselor.
6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
There is another R. Rescue
Christians limit what Jesus did to just their own personal rescue.
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
But there is a bigger reconciliation that took place.. Gentiles were considered dogs by the Jews.
Story when I am in Israel (with the conflict there) the only one that can stop the conflict is the Lord Jesus Christ.
The grandeur of what Jesus accomplished through the cross.
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
In Christ, we have been given
3. Riches
Before you think I am preaching a prosperity gospel kind of preaching..
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
What are these riches?
unsearchable - also means immeasurable, untraceable - we will never see where it ends. inheritance - I don’t even know where to begin to describe it.
The Spirit bears witness with our Spirit in Romans 8 -
fellow heirs of the same body
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
through the Gospel - the Good News
You are blessed today! You are part of the body of Christ, why are you blessed because of that. The church is the fulfillment of an ancient promise:
The promise of God to Abraham: All the nations of the earth will be blessed. Through Jesus Christ.
partakers of His promise
In Christ, we have been given a:
4. Responsibility.
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
The manifold wisdom of God - multicolored, the devil is a fool, he did not see it coming (the church)
Principalities and powers - good and evil , Even Angels are learning about the gospel from us. Peter in 1 Peter 1:5, tells us even the angels desire to look into this, the Gospel that was not
11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
What kept the apostle going?
The truth was lost over the centuries. There is a rediscovery happening...
The reason many churches are weak and ineffective is because they do not understand what they have in Christ. (Warren Wiersbe)
Tradition, consumer-type marketing, like a spiritual drive through..
God’s story, His program has been revealed..
It does not only give us confidence toward God. It gives us confidence to face our circumstances.
13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
We have every reason not to lose heart.
The Gospel is not only given to us, it has been entrusted to us to proclaim.
You can be a major player in God’s History.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
“the end will come” - Jesus returns! - it is about Jesus - recentered.