Church On Display

THE MYSTERY WITHIN THE MESS

Ephesians 3:1-13

Ephesians 3:1,13 (NIV):

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

PAUL IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A MESS, He is imprisoned because of the ministry. SUFFERING FOR CHRIST.

Because of his successful and effective ministry to the gentiles, the Jews were enraged and had Paul imprisoned. The Jew in opposition of Paul were about to kill him and it took for Roman officers to show up to the scene in order for Paul to be spared. He committed no personal crime, he was simply sharing the message God had given him.

We are in a time where our circumstances define our inner world. We are in a time of a pandemic and most of us have been in our houses, even in the Philippines this is going on still. Paul was still so alive.

Paul stops and takes a detour because he wants to address the mess he is in. This is the first time he brings up in the letter that he is in Prison and he realizes this might be a point of concern for those who are reading this.

"THIS IS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR. YOU SAID IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS LETTER THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING AND YOU END UP IN PRISON?" YOU SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE A LIFE KNOWING THE HOPE, GLORY AND POWER OF GOD, AND YET YOU'RE IN PRISON?" IM OUT ~

So Paul takes a personal moment to address the Ephesians who are reading this letter. The whole purpose of this section of scripture is seen v13

13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

He wants to assure the followers of the way who are reading this letter not to be discouraged. He wants to let them know his own perspective within the mess he is in, and what he is holding on to what he Anchors his faith on. Here, he is taking the moment to mentor and show the Ephesians what to do in the messy middle, what to do in the face of trials, what to do when you find yourself in the middle of a mess. Paul is letting them know that the glory outweigh these light and momentary troubles (2 Cor 4) Paul isn't writing a theological dissertation even though it may seem that way to us today, he is a writing a personal letter to people. He has the heart of his people in mind.

God does not shield us from pain he goes through it with us, and as Pastor Edwin said the mess that comes with following Christ may seem random to us but they are not. They are important steps within our journey.

THIS CONTEXT SHEDS LIGHT ON EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PREVOUSLY READ. PAUL IS WRITING SO FREELY ABOUT WHAAT GOD HAS DONE WITHIN HIS LIFE, THROUGH CHRIST, AND WITHIN EVERY LIFE THAT BELIEVES IN HIM INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY AND YET HE IS LIMITED AND SHACKLED UNDER ROMAN HOUE ARREST. HE IS THE LIVING EMBODIMENT OF LIVING FROM THE EYES OF YOUR HEART. THAT PAUL IS LIVING IN A REALITY COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE HE IS ACTUALLY LIVING. PAULS CIRCUMSTANCES DID NOT HINDER GODS MOVEMENT WITHIN PAUL.

WE WILL FACE THE MESS WHILE WALKING WITH JESUS, IT GETS HARDER WITH HIM IN SOME SENSES. IN THIS JOURNEY WE WILL GO THROUGH ROUGH PATCHES. THIS WALK COMES WITH ITS FAIR SHARE OF PAIN AND SUFFERING. WE WILL FACE THE MESS WITH CHRIST PAUL (I WILL SHOW YO HOW MUCH…)

WHAT MESSY MIDDLE IS GOD ALLOWING YOU TO GO THROUGH RIGHT NOW?

FINANCIAL MESS PHYSICAL MESS SPIRITUAL MESS RELATIONAL MESS

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MESS…

EMBRACE THE MYSTERY

A LIFE CONTINUALLY LEANING IN TO HIS VOICE AND MESSAGE.

The last thing that we want to hear, is to embrace mystery. So many of us are afraid of the uncertainty and the unknown quality of our lives.

Ephesians 3:2-7

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mysteryis that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. 7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

μυστήριον (mystērion). n. neut. mystery. That which was previously unknown, but has now been revealed.

Robertson, M. S. (2014). Mystery. D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

MYSTERY IN THE GREEK CONTEXT IS KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN ONLY BE REVEALED/MADE KNOWN TO YOU. ITS DIFFERENT IN OUR MODERN SENSE WHEN WE THINK OF MYSTERY, WE SEE MYSTERY AS A PUZZLE TO BE REASONED OUT AND SOLVED. IN OUR SENSE MYSTERY IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEDUCE AND FIGURE OUT. BUT IN ITS ORIGINAL CONTEXT PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT A MYSTERY, IN A WAY THAT IT CAN ONLY BE INTIMATELY REVEALED AND MADE KNOWN TO YOU RELATIONALLY.

AS FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY WE ARE BUILDING OUR LIFE AROUND MYSTERY. IT DOESN’T MEAN WE ARE BUILDING OUR LIFE AROUND THE UNKNOWN, THE UNCERTAIN. IT MEANS WE ARE BUILDING OUR LIFE AROUND THE MOST KNOWN, THE ONE WHO REVEALS HIS MESSAGE, HIMSELF, THE ONE WHO REVEALS AND MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN IN THE MYSTERY.

1 Corinthians 2: 6-16

6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,

what no ear has heard,

and what no human mind has conceived”[b]—

the things God has prepared for those who love him—

10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c]

BUILDING OUR LIFE AROUND THE MYSTERY

Notice this isn't A mystery, in scripture it is called THE mystery and it refers to the gospel.

EMBRACING THE MYSTERY IS EMBRACING GODS MESSAGE FOR YOUR LIFE

To reflect and remember the things that he has made known to us, and to constantly seek and tune in to what he is saying to us here and now.

It is revolving our lives around his voice

Paul embraced, the mystery, God's message, to the point that he became a servant of it.

Ephesians 3:7

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

EMBRACE YOUR ROLE AS A MESSENGER

Revelation comes with a responsibility

The messages we receive from God, start with you but are not about you, they are not exclusively for you.

We are meant to be messengers of them, to pass it on, to pay it forward.

What God reveals to you about himself he doesn't want you to keep it a secret.

Like a game of telephone.

Ephesians 3:8-9

8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

PAULS CALL ACTS 9- HIS STORY

DAMASUCUS ROAD

AS HE HAS INCLUDED PAUL's STORY, HE HAS NOW INCLUDED US, OUR STORIES.

GOD IS INVITING US EMBRACE HIS MESSAGE, AND OUR ROLE AS HIS MESSENGERS INDIVIDUALLY. BUT COLLECTIVELY WE SERVE A GREATER PURPOSE.

THE PURPOSE OF IT ALL, THROUGH US, THE CHURCH

MAGNIFY HIS MESSAGE

Ephesians 3:10-11

10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The church exists to display GODS MANIFOLD WISDOM

manifold — many and varied; having many features or forms.

Brannan, R. (Ed.). (2020). Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:20-31

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[b]

Ephesians 3:12

12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

ITS IN KNOWING AND GRASPING WITH OUR HEARTS GOD'S PLAN OF ACTION FOR US, THAT FRAMES .