The Mystery of the Church

Introduction:

Picture a thousand-piece puzzle dumped on a table sky-blue fragments here, grassy-green ones there, yet the box-top picture is missing. You keep turning the pieces, seeing hints of a sunrise or a mountain, but the scene never resolves.

For centuries faithful Jews stared at the scattered pieces of God’s promises:

Genesis 12:3 (ESV)

3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Isaiah 49:6 (ESV)

6 he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

They loved those verses, yet no one could see how the fragments fit.

Abraham’s line remained small,

Israel’s borders stayed narrow,

and Gentiles, non Jews, still seemed like outsiders.

The Image of Jews and Gentiles standing shoulder to shoulder as one redeemed family, was a divine secret, what the Bible calls a mystery…

The Greek word is mystērion. It denotes a hidden plan waiting for God’s reveal. It brings images of a dark room being made light, or what is hidden being made known.

Take the sheet off the table revealing whatever items you have placed there to represent the mystery.

Even the first apostles struggled to recognize the completed puzzle.

Acts 10 records Peter’s shock when God poured the Holy Spirit on a Gentile household.

For him, and for many Jewish believers,

letting uncircumcised Romans sit at the same table felt unthinkable.

They needed God to turn the final pieces right-side-up.

Enter the apostle Paul, and His Ministry.

In Ephesians 1–2 he has already briefly mentioned this mystery.

Now, in chapter 3, before he prays for the church in verses 14-21, Paul pauses to hold up the completed picture so no one misses the point:

We will look at Paul’s teaching here in three parts, and then we will take time to pray his prayer together.

The Mystery Revealed (vv 1-6)

God’s Wisdom Displayed (vv 7-12)

The Duty Demonstrated. (V 13)

With that said, let us take a look at today’s main idea

Read from the screen

Since God has now revealed the once-hidden mystery that all peoples are united in one body through Christ, therefore we must live confidently and sacrificially as a public display of His multifaceted wisdom.

Let’s walk through the passage together.

The Mystery Revealed (vv 1-6)

Ephesians 3:1–4 (ESV)

Ephesians 3:1–4 ESV

1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,

In verse 3, we read..

“The mystery was made known to me by revelation…”

The term does not mean a puzzle humans solved.

It is not something revealed through human intellect.

It’s a secret only God could Reveal.

In Verse 5, we see how God revealed it to Paul, and through extension, to us today.

Ephesians 3:5 (ESV)

5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

Old Testament saints received clues (Gen 12; Isa 49), but not the full image.

The Spirit’s New-Covenant light now lets us see the full image.

It let’s us see His fuller design.

But what was this mystery that was revealed by the Spirit?

We see in verse 6 that this Mystery that is now being revealed is the inclusion of the Gentiles into the family of God.

Ephesians 3:6 ESV

6 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.

You see, the Jews fully believed that God’s family was reserved only for them.

They saw salvation as coming ONLY to do Jews.

Now, the mystery of God’s design is being revealed to them and by extension, us today.

This great mystery Paul so often speaks about is that salvation comes not only for the Jews, but to the gentiles as well.

Gentile just means a non Jew.

So what Paul is saying through the inspiration of God,

is that Jesus did not only die for the salvation of the Jews,

but that He died for the salvation

of Chinese people,

Korean People,

Ugandan

British people,

Nigerian people

Marshal island people,

South African people…

CHRIST DIED FOR THE WORLD.

CHRIST DIED FOR ALL WHO WOULD CALL UPON HIS NAME!

His precious redeeming blood freed us all from the bondage of sin,

Both Jew and gentile alike. To push this point,

Paul piles up three adjectives, each with the same greek pre-fix, meaning Together, or fellow.

syn-

fellow-heirs (synklēronoma)

fellow-members of the body (syssōma)

fellow-partakers (symmetocha)

No second-class citizens exist in Christ’s kingdom.

If you belong to Jesus, you inherit the same righteous inheritance from the Father,

receive the same Spirit,

Become equal members in the Church

regardless of passport,

culture,

or past religion.

If Jews,

Gentiles

Semaritians,

Romans,

Greeks,

and many others could Worship the one true God in Paul’s day,

then there is no excuse for us today.

We have the same Spirit within us

We worship the same God

And this is one of the things I love about living in Beijing and worshiping at BICF churches.

While Russians and Ukrainians are killing one another,

BICF has a Russian and Ukrainian serving in leadership in the same church.

BICF has Japanese and Chinese serving in leadership in the same church.

BICF has had Hutu and Tutsi worshipping Jesus TOGETHER.

I mean guys, look around this room...

the newspaper says the Americans in this room are supposed to hate the Chinese in this room...and vise versa, but the blood of Jesus UNIFIES US!

All of this now possible because through God’s infinite Wisdom,

He has chosen to reveal this Ancient Mystery to His Church.

Transition

That is the curtain God has just pulled back for us

Now that the curtain has been pulled back, what does God want the world to see through this revelation?

Paul answers in verses 7-13: God intends His Design displayed, first in Paul’s ministry, then through the church, and even before the heavenly realms.

God’s Design Displayed (vv 7-13)

We start in verses 7-8 where we see that God wants YOU to minister to the church, and ultimately the world.

A. Designed for Ministry.

Ephesians 3:7-8 (ESV)

Ephesians 3:7–8 ESV

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. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Grace doesn’t merely forgive,

it re-tools.

It changes us from the inside out to form us into a vessel of His Glory.

The persecutor becomes a preacher “by the working of the power of God.”

Paul was gifted with Apostleship,

but Every believer here has received Spirit-power to serve the Church in unique ways,

to ensure that this great mystery is revealed not just to ourselves, but throughout the world.

So if God has given you the gift of service,

find ways to minister in serving.

If God has given you the gift of hospitality,

find ways to minister in hospitality.

If God has given you the gift of teaching,

come to Rick and I and we will help you develop that so you can minister in teaching.

If God has given you the gift of prophecy,

then come to Rick and I and we will help you minister in the gift of prophecy in the correct Biblical way.

Whatever Spiritual Gift God has given you,

you better be using it in the Body for the Glory of God.

If you want ideas or help on how to do this,

let me know. Let’s meet up and discuss this.

If you maybe are not sure what your gifting are,

let me know. Let’s meet up and prayerfully seek wisdom in what they are.

But whatever they are, they are for the edification of the Church, and through this,

the world may know the riches of Christ.

How do we obtain the riches of Christ that verse 8 speaks of though?

Again, this is not by human intellect.

We could never seek out the riches of Christ.

You can’t find it on Baidu maps.

It is the one, and maybe only, thing you can’t find on TaoBoa.

B. Designed with Eternal Purpose

By God’s amazing Grace, He has now revealed to us what He had hidden for generations prior.

What is beautiful is everything I have said is not just a good idea that I or Rick have.

It’s also not a new idea of God’s

God did not go from one plan of salvation for the Jews only to then a new plan of salvation for the Church which extends to all nations.

Verse 11 says

Ephesians 3:11 ESV

11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

This has always, from Eternity past been the full plan of God.

And Because this is His plan, verse 12 tells us…

Ephesians 3:12 ESV

12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

So let us Boldly declare this truth throughout the nations,

throughout Beijing,

and throughout our communities,

jobs,

friends,

and everywhere else!

By God’s Grace, we have been empowered and emboldened with access with confidence in our Faith in Christ.

Do you believe that Hutong?

but some of You may be thinking…

“not me,

I am too shy,

I can’t talk right,

I am not smart enough

or I…… whatever perceived weakness you may have,

but what does the Bible say?

Our text today says we..

Not just I,

Not just Paul,

Not some of us,

But WE have boldness and access with CONFIDENCE through our faith in Him.

let read verse 12 again because I hope this gives you strength Hutong.

Ephesians 3:12 ESV

12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

We have access to Jesus Christ.

Both Jew and Gentile alike, we obtain our Boldness and Confidence in JESUS!

We do not rely on our personalities.

We do not rely on our intellect

We do not rely on our emotions.

Where do we get our boldness to tell others the Gospel?

Have them answer

Where do we get our confidence to Boldy speak the words of God given to us in scripture?

Have them answer

Where do we get our access to everything we need for the ministry He has prepared for us?

Have them answer

So If God’s eternal design already equips us with bold access, what happens when that boldness costs us something in the real world?

III. The Duty Demonstrated.

Paul answers in verse 13.

his chains are proof that the gospel is worth suffering for.

Ephesians 3:13 ESV

13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Paul is writing this letter while in prison,

and the reason he is under arrest is directly due to his announcing Gentile inclusion,

which brought Jewish opposition.

Preaching to the gentiles the name of Jesus brought him not riches, but chains.

But His chains became the visual proof that the gospel is worth suffering for and that the Gentiles in Ephesus are worth suffering on behalf of.

Throughout Church History, God’s people have been,

imprisoned,

beaten,

tortured,

and killed for this teaching.

The true Gospel is not a prosperity Gospel promising riches.

Persecution has been a hallmark of the church throughout the world, and throughout the centuries.

What is amazing to me though is the attitude of those who have suffered for the Gospel.

what we see is man after man,

woman after woman,

all joyfully suffering for the shake of Christ. Joyfully suffering so that more people may know of His goodness and sing of His Glory.

The world does not want to hear this truth.

The World hates the message of God’s Grace.

But Paul is saying that this message

is worth suffering over.

The chance for others to hear the Glory of God

is worth suffering.

The chance for others to know the great wisdom of God

is worth persecution.

The chance for all nations and tongues to Sing His Praises

is worth whatever this world may throw at us.

But the good news is that we don’t have to do this in fear or with gritted teeth.

We have the same spirit in us that empowered generations that came before us.

I love looking at the examples of those whom suffered for the sake of Christ in the past.

look at…

Peter & John in Acts 4-5 Ordered to stay silent, they answered,

“We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Flogged and released, they went on their way rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer (Acts 5 : 41).

That same Spirit fills us.

look at…

Polycarp of Smyrna in AD 155 The eighty-six-year-old bishop heard the Roman proconsul threaten fire and sword. His reply?

“Eighty-six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

He died singing— This was confident access in action.

look at…

William Tyndale (1536) Strangled and burned for translating Scripture into common English.

His dying prayer, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes”, was answered within a year. Today every Bible in our own languages shouts his confidence that came in Christ Jesus.

look at…

Adoniram Judson (Burma, 1824-26) Shackled in Ava Prison,

devoured by mosquitoes,

yet whispering gospel hope to fellow inmates. After release he wrote, “How great are the obligations resting upon me to live for God!”

The Power of Christ turned his Chains into a megaphone for the Gospel.

Conclusion:

It is good that we see these stories and gain strength from them,

but let’s not make the mistake of only focussing on the dramatic,

or as John talked about a few weeks ago in small group,

gain a Marter mentality.

The point is not to seek persecution or suffering,

or feel guilty when it is not there.

The point is to see that God has revealed to His Church a great mystery that was witheld for generations.

That Mystery is that us gentiles are included in the family of God by the Grace and power of Christ on the cross.

This means that we are all given full inclusion into the family of God,

and are empowered with the same Spirit that empowers us each for Ministry in His Church.

This should bring us great Joy.

This should empower us to boldly go out and proclaim the truth of this Mystery to all around us.

Paul,

both in his words and his life as an example,

is teaching us that our greatest joy is found not in our own desires,

but in proclaiming the Glory of God to the ends of the earth.

He’s showing us that no matter what this world throws at us,

we should not lose heart because it is for the Glory of others who come to know Christ,

and ultimately, to the Glory of God.

Paul then closes this section of the letter by taking everything He had just taught us, and lifts it up in a prayer to God.

I want us to close this Sermon by praying this prayer together.

I have changed only the pronouns to ensure we are praying this prayer for ourselves.

Let us read pray this prayer together out loud, and we will then get into our groups of 3-5 people to continue praying. If you would prefer to pray privately, just stay seated with your head bowed and I ask people to allow them to continue praying privately.