Sermon Tone Analysis

Today is the Sunday when the church celebrates the Epiphany.

For those who may not know, Epiphany Sunday is when we remember the Kings that came from the West and worshipped Jesus.

You see, unlike most of the manger scenes portray, the wise men most likely came some time after Jesus was born, traditionally the thinking is around 12 days.

The visit of the Kings is significant, especially for us as American Christians, because this is the first moment when Gentiles are aware of the Messiah.

You see, the Jews were expecting a Messiah specifically for the Jewish people.

Their expectation was that the people of God- Israel- would be the only ones being redeemed by the Messiah because throughout the OT the Jews were the chosen people of God.

Jesus, however, tells them that the plan is quite different- and it encompasses all people.

Now, I want to fast forward about 45-50 years to Paul’s writing to the Christians at Ephesus, and think a little bit about the Epiphany- or the revealing of the Lord, for us as Christians today.

We are going to do this by focusing on 2 words that Paul uses in this passage- mystery and steward.

First, mystery.

Paul talks about the “mystery of Christ” in this passage.

Now, I am going to ask you to strip away what the word mystery may mean to you- because I think the image that many of us have of mystery is not quite the same as Paul’s thinking in this passage.

When many of us think mystery we think dark, evil, or scary.

Most mystery books or movies are portrayed as such.

But that is not the meaning of the word Moost-er-ion (μυστήριον).

μυστήριον means something revealed by God- it is not dark or mysterious, it is beautiful and gracious- but more than man can comprehend.

The mystery of God is closely related to “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” There is nothing evil or sinister about this statement from God, but something beautiful and glorious- something comforting when God says- don’t worry, I know what I am doing.

This mystery, as Paul says, is extended to Gentiles- or Non-Jews like me and you.

So, remember for a moment how long the people of Israel have been “God’s Chosen People” we have 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 generations from David to the Exile, and 14 generations from the Exile to Jesus- for those not keeping count that’s 42 generations.

So, that’s 42 generations that Israel has been the apple of God’s eye, and the people chosen for salvation, and now Paul is telling them- scrap that everyone is welcome!

so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts

We talked in our Hebrews Bible study that some people in church get flustered when we change carpet colors, or move the piano, or any of these temporary things that have been in place for what seems like forever, but are more like 10 years or so- imagine if we tried to undo something your great grandaddy to the 42nd power did or taught!

There must be some major reservations with the Christians in Ephesus.

and my thoughts than your thoughts

It would be quite easy for us to sit back and say “Hypocrites!

Haters!

What are they thinking?

How could they be so closed minded?

God’s grace is for everyone!”

But can we be reminded that even we Gentiles- recipients of this great mystery are not as good at this as we think at times.

We all wrestle with the depth of God’s grace.

We run into people and wonder- are they really a Christian?

Have they really changed their ways?

Can God even forgive them?

The point of Epiphany is that Christ is revealed by God- not by man.

It was not a man that sent the Kings to Jesus- it was a star placed by God.

This takes us to our second word- stewards.

Paul says that he was- and we are stewards of God’s grace.

Well, what is a steward?

A Steward can be defined as a trusted manager of a household, palace, or estate.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Think of it this way, you own a large farm, and you cannot possibly run it on your own; so you hire a farm manager to help you keep things going.

When you are not readily available you place the decision making of the farm in the hands of the farm hand, trusting that they will make the best decisions for your business.

You give them authority to care for your property.

That is what God has done for us, made us stewards.

Most of the time we talk about stewardship in relation to things- money and property.

However, stewardship extends to much more than that- and this passage Paul says it extends to grace.

Think of it this way- it is Jesus who provided your salvation- Paul says in that it is by grace we have been saved by faith, not by works, so no man can boast.”

However, God calls you and I to be stewards of this grace.

That we have a role in this too.

So, what is a steward of grace?

I’m glad you asked.

To be a steward of God’s grace means that you are an administer, or a carrier of the grace of God, and he has entrusted us with the privilege of sharing that grace with all of those around us.

How do people first know of the grace of God?

It should be because we, the church, are telling them, showing them, and living it for them.

We become living examples of the grace of God.

What’s the problem?

We aren't always as good at this as we think we are.

We can be tight fisted, or skimpy with the grace of God.

Like those Christians in Ephesus who had major skepticism of letting those dirty Gentiles into the grace of God- we too can have major skepticism with who God is drawing.

We can think that certain people or types of people are too far gone, too evil, or too sinful for the grace of God.

Return back to the image of that star.

It is not our job to dictate who is having an epiphany- a revealing of who Jesus is. it is our job to be beacons and lights along the way.