Revealed in Christ

Many people love a good mystery story. Brands like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys have drawn in young people for generations. People’s infatuation with mysteries has created whole genres of movies, games, and even dinner parties. The Bible references mysteries too, especially in Ephesians, but Paul is speaking to something different from whodunit when he talks about a mystery. He defines a biblical mystery most clearly in Ephesians 3:5; speaking of the mystery of Christ, he says that “in other generations [it] was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit.” Paul spoke of mysteries as things which God didn’t reveal before, particularly in the Old Testament, but now has revealed to everyone. And what God hid, but later revealed, is “that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph 3:6). To be clear, it wasn’t a mystery that God would save Gentiles; that happened even in the Old Testament, but that God would bind Gentiles and Jews together as a new race who would together inherit life and the kingdom. Even more interesting is why Paul thought this important enough to talk about; it magnified the grace, riches, light, and wisdom of God. Through this mystery we have a revelation of God’s multifaceted wisdom and greater understanding of God’s grace as we proclaim the unfathomable riches of Christ and bring light to God’s work that was hidden before. This has been the purpose of God from eternity to glorify Himself while giving us access to Himself by faith. That may not be spine-tingling in the way that a mystery novel is, but it certainly produces an explosion of joy inside everyone who has received the Spirit and knows God’s grace in Christ. To God be the glory for the great things He has done in revealing His mystery, not only to us but through us, in the church. May it continue. –Pastor Rory

Sunday at Liberty