Ephesians 3:1-13; God’s Mystery Revealed

Sermon in a sentence: Have hope because God has revealed and is revealing himself!

Introduction

“God works in mysterious ways.”

There is an old Chinese story of a man and his son. They are peasants, subsistence farmers. One day the only house they have gets loose and runs away. The son tells the father how desperate their situation will be without their only farm animal. He says, “Maybe”. The next day, the horse comes back with seven other wild horses. The son tells the father their luck has turned for the better! The father says “Maybe.”

Son breaks his leg.

The towns people lament.

The boy is called to fight in war.

God’s Mystery Revealed Through Messengers

God revealed his mystery (plan) to make the Gentiles co-heirs, co-members, and co-partakers with Jews in Jesus Christ.

God progressively revealed this to his prophets and apostles by the Holy Spirit.

God always had a plan to save his elect through the person and work of Jesus!

The gospel was always God’s plan of reconciling all things!

Ephesians 1:10 ESV

10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

God has revealed his plan to us through His Word!

We are always looking for a sign in the sky or God to speak in a still small voice. If you want God to speak and reveal himself to you, go to his Word!

God uses his church to reveal himself to the Word! He uses the deacons, the pastors, and the lay members! (Ephesians 3:10)

Ephesians 3:10 ESV

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.

God’s Mystery Revealed Through Suffering

God used broken people like Paul to spread his gospel.

Paul murdered Steven. Moses murdered an Egyptian. David slept with Bathsheba and murdered Uriah. Peter denied Jesus three times!

God loves to us broken people and our brokenness to bring him glory. (2 Cor 12:9)

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

God uses suffering to reveal himself to us.

Paul is a prisoner of Christ, not Caesar!

How many times did your parents tell you “Don’t do that.” But you never listened? You only learned your lesson until you touch that metaphorical hot eye.

We see the world has tried to stomp out Christianity. Yet it is in the midst of the fiercest persecution that God blesses his church.

Tom Rainer (2019) 73% of American churches are declining.

February 2023 “What’s Behind Boom of Christianity in China” Over the past four decades, Christianity has grown faster in China than anywhere else in the world. Daryl Ireland, a Boston University School of Theology research assistant professor of mission, estimates that the Christian community there has grown from 1 million to 100 million. What led to that explosion, centuries after the first Christian missionaries arrived in China? The BU scholars behind the China Historical Christian Database aim to find out.

Conclusion

Adoniram Judson

Goes to Burma in 1812. He is the first American missionary to leave the United States and move to a foreign country solely to serve as a missionary.

Adoniram and Judson loose three children in infancy.

He is imprisoned for 19 months during the war between Burma and England.

His wife, after providing for him for the 19 months in prison, died.

Their two year old girl died 6 months after Nancy.

His translation of the New Testament into Burmese was destroyed in a fire and he had to restart his work.

It took 6 years before Judson had his first convert.

Judson at one point went into self exile. Probably in the hopes that he would die. After 40 days, he realized God was not done with him. God used extreme suffering and pain in Judson’s life to reveal himself to Judson and the Burmese people. He used the local church Judson planted. He used the distibrution of His Word!

Application

We are going to be hopeful people because our God has revealed and is revealing himself.

Before you participate in a spiritual disciple say, “I have hope because God is revealing Himself”.

Say the same thing when you are suffering this week.

Family Reflection Questions

What was the point of the text? The sermon?

How does this point me to Christ?

How will I apply this to my life?