The Mystery of the Gospel: Ephesians 2-3

Paul the Apostle was a unique person of history. His uniqueness stems from the fact that God gave Paul a peculiar mission. Pauls mission was to be an apostle towards the Gentiles. In other words Paul was to be the apostle towards the nations. This mission that Paul was given may not seem so strange to us in these modern times. But there was a time brothers and sisters when God had separated the nations and chose to set aside his own nation for himself. And thats how Israel became a people of God. The people of Yahweh. When God scattered the nations after the tower of Babel, he left the nations to fend for themselves because they were disobedient. He gave them up to pursue there own passions. Right after the tower of Babel and the table of nations in Genesis 10-11, we see Abraham come into the seen in chapter 12 of Genesis. And it is through Abraham that God would bring about his own people Israel. And from the time of Abraham to the days of Jesus, Israel, the Jews, were God representative nation on earth separated from all other nations of people. Israel was set apart. Now that would be true for approximately 18,000 years. It was no secret that Israel belonged to Yahweh. The Gentile nations served other gods, idol gods.

But when Jesus Christ completed his mission on the cross, and rose up out of that grave, Jesus, after he had ascended to heaven called Paul into the ministry with a new mission, and that mission was to call his people out og the nations and into Gods family called the church.

The church brothers and sisters was a new thing at that time. The Jews nor anyone else saw this new phenomenon coming. Why? Because according to Scripture, this along with so many other New Testament truths were hidden in God.

In Ephesians 2:11-22 One in Christ

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

In the next chapter Paul tells us that this truth that was hidden in God in the Old Testament is called a mystery. There are several mysteries in the New Testament that needs our undivided attention, especially with all the strife that is taking place today among different cultures of people.

Paul says in chapter 3 starting in verse 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, 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. 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.

In Ephesians 2-3, I wanna point out 5 facts about the mystery that Paul speaks of.

Definition of the Mystery vv. 5,9

a. was not made known to other past generations.

b. hidden in God.

c. mystery of Christ is that which was hidden in God in past generations.

How the Mystery was communicated

a. through revelation v. 3

b. apocalupsis - to uncover

Who the Mystery was given to

a. To Paul vv1,7

b . To the apostles and prophets of the New Testament. Now v5

What was the Mystery given to Paul

a. “Gentiles are fellow heirs…” v6

Illustration: Leviticus 25: 44-46

b. “fellow citizens “ vEph. 2:19

c. “have been brought near by the blood...” ch. 2:13

d. “broken down the walls of hostility...” ch. 2:15

Why was the Mystery revealed

a. So Jews and Gentiles can see the unsearchable riches of Christ

b. … immeasurableriches of his grace ch. 2:7

c. God want’s us to open our eyes to the beauty of Christ