Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD, USA
www.mycrossway.org
View this and other messages at: https://mycrossway.churchcenter.com/channels/8118
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. was a physician. As such he was very interested in the use of ether. In order to know how his patients felt under its influence, he once had a dose administered to himself. As he was going under, in a dreamy state, a profound thought came to him. He believed that he had suddenly grasped the key to all the mysteries of the universe. When he regained consciousness, however, he was unable to remember the revelation.
Because of the great importance, this thought would be to mankind, Holmes arranged to have himself given either again. This time, he had a stenographer present to take down the great thought. The either was administered and sure enough, just before passing out, the insight reappeared. He mumbled the words, the stenographer took them down, and he went to sleep.
Upon awakening, he turned eagerly to the stenographer and asked her to read what he had uttered. To which, she read his every word: "The entire universe is permeated with a strong odor of turpentine."
One of the great terms in the Apostle Paul’s letters is the word mystery. When we talk about Christianity we don’t really, usually, talk about things that are mysterious because the Christian truth is revealed in the Word of God. In contemporary English, it is something unknown. But this is not the meaning “mystery” had in Paul’s day. In Greek, the word mysterion (from which we get our word) refers to something known only to the initiated. It is not that the thing itself is unknown. It is known—but only to those to whom it is revealed.
In the first two chapters in Ephesians Paul revealed some of the loftiest truths in theology. In chapter 1, he exposed the blessings that flow to Christians in that we are recipients of every spiritual blessing from God. As Paul completed chapter 1, he prayed to God that we might know the hope to which God has called us, the riches of our inheritance as his people, and the resurrection power available to us in Christ, who now reigns in heaven for our sakes.
In chapter two he displayed the glory of our salvation through Jesus Christ. We were dead in sin but have now been ‘made alive together with Christ’ (v. 5). Salvation is a gift of God’s grace, Paul wrote, received through faith alone, and that it always results in a life of good works. We are now ‘God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Eph. 2:10). In the second half of Chapter 2, Paul shows us that we are brought together as fellow citizens in Christ. Now we come to chapter 3 and find a powerful message about Paul in these amazing truths:
?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. (Ephesians 3:1–6 ESV)
1. For This Reason… I Pray
Now we have to understand something about the layout of Paul’s thoughts here. In verse 1, Paul says, “For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—” Paul starts to talk about something that’s on his heart. “For this reason...,” and then he pauses his initial thought and moves into another. He’s talking about being a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles, and he stops in mid-sentence and digresses with a parenthetical statement from verse 2 all the way down to verse 13, wherein verse 14, he picks back up his original intention: “For this reason [I, Paul, a prisoner on behalf of you Gentiles] bow my knees before the Father.”
Before he can pray for them, he stops and says, ‘Church, you must understand that the fulfillment of the prayer depends upon you understanding the truth of the gospel. This truth that is so profound, Paul is willing to be imprisoned (Remember that he is writing this letter from a Roman jail awaiting trial by Caesar) and even die to his own priorities and himself. Remember that the Apostle Paul was once Saul, the Pharisee who persecuted Christians (Acts 22:1-5). The name Saul came from the name of the first King of Israel who was chosen for his strength, stature, and popularity. Paul, on the other hand, means “small.” He goes from “Big Saul” to Small Paul” and it is no accident.
Have you died to yourself? Are you still living through your own strength and might strive to build your own kingdom or have you surrendered every part of your life completely to God? Dying to self involves a willingness to deny merit. Some are willing to sacrifice as long as they know there is some personal benefit. This is the difference between an unauthentic versus a true calling. It is true whether you are talking about a pastor, evangelist, businessman, statesman, educator, or mom. This is also part of our fallen nature. Instead of looking to God, we take matters into our own hands (Genesis 3:6). Instead of trusting God, we do live in our own strength and understanding. Is it any wonder we feel the pain, rejection, and fear that we do? (Romans 5:12)
Christianity cures our self-focus by giving us something greater to focus on in our lives. What I mean is that dying to yourself and living for Christ completes and renews your entire life. All things are made new. The concept of “dying to self” expresses the true essence of that. When you die to yourself, you take up our cross and follow Christ (Matt 16:24). Dying to self is necessary to being born again; the old self dies and the new self comes to life (John 3:3–7).
So when Paul writes, “I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles,” he’s not talking about some spiritual identity or self-glorifying ideology; he’s saying, “I’m in prison and in Roman custody for preaching the gospel to the Jews.” He was a prisoner of the Roman government, but because of the racism of the Jews (his own people) toward the Gentiles. He never thought of himself as a prisoner of Rome or the Jews. He always viewed himself as a prisoner of Christ and it was an honor for him to wear those chains. In Col 4:18 he reminds his readers to remember those chains.
12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. (Philippians 1:12–13 ESV)
2. The Mystery of Christ Promised
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. (Ephesians 3:2–3 ESV)
When Paul speaks of mystery, he means something that can only be known by revelation. He does not mean things that are inherently incomprehensible, but that God’s purpose can only be known as God tells us in his Word. Three times in this passage, Paul uses the word mystery to describe the gospel as it relates to the gentile.
The greatest challenge in the early church was the bringing of the Jews and Gentiles together. We see this illustrated even before the establishment of the church in the Prophet Jonah because for centuries there was profound hostility between the Jews and the Gentiles. But now, the Lord Jesus established the kingdom of God - the Body of Christ - where both Jew and Gentile are united. The mystery is that the Gentiles are made partakers along with the Jews (nor in replace of the Jews!) for God's great blessings through Christ - every spiritual blessing. That is the mystery that Paul is talking about.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you, all the [nations] of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3 ESV)
This, however, was not known to the Jews or the message of God until after the resurrection of Christ. This is what Paul was called to do as an apostle. Romans 11:13 “13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry” Acts 22:21 “21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’
Why was this important? Because it was a barrier in the Jewish culture and it would be a barrier in the Church and God’s plan for your salvation. What is a mystery, and an absolute imperative in the church today, is that there be unity among all of God’s people. God wants to tear down those barriers we tend to build up around our churches and our own lives. Be it racism, finances, trust, fear, families, relationships, these all can become barriers to unity in the church and our relationship with God. You see, Grace is a force we need to tap into our lives, not only to receive in ourselves but to give away to others the way God lavishes it upon us.
2. The Mystery of Christ Explained
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. (Ephesians 3:4–6 ESV)
The work of the apostles was to reveal the mystery of the gospel to the world. Does this mean that the New Testament has a different message from the Old? The answer is No. But the gospel did not come into full flower until the coming of Christ and the apostolic teaching in the New Testament. At the end of verse 5, Paul mentions the role of the Holy Spirit. He says the mystery of salvation ‘has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.’ This tells us how the revelation of God’s Word actually happens.
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20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. (2 Peter 1:20 ESV)
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (1 Corinthians 2:12 ESV)
This means that God’s Word (and the mysteries in God’s Word) can be understood by any believer in Christ who reads the Bible because it is the Holy Spirit who will illuminate the truth of God’s Word to your heart. All believers are to be students of God’s Word and to study daily His truth. The Bible repeatedly warns believers to watch out for false teachers (Matt 7:15-20), have nothing to do with vain arguments (2 Tim 2:23), those who cause divisions (Romans 16:17), to test the Spirits (1 John 4:1), to take no part in the works of darkness (Eph 5:11), and so on. Over and over again the Bible warns us to be on our guard and places the onus on the believer to live by God’s Word. Not feelings, not will of the majority, not by the songs on the radio, but through the illumination of the written Word of God. Even more, we are to partakers of all of this together in unity.
The Bible is filled with promises and we grow strong in our faith in Christ by knowing them, relying on them, and partaking of them together as a body. So much of our spiritual weakness is caused by not knowing what God has promised: about His help in weakness, about God’s readiness to forgive all who repent and believe, about God’s power to change our hearts and make us holy, ‘about strength for duty, comfort in trouble, guidance in perplexity, help in sickness, consolation in death, support under bereavement, happiness beyond the grave, reward in glory—about all these things there is an abundant supply of promises in the Word.’ We should study the Bible with a special interest in the promises of God, which make us strong in the faith. (Phillips)
One winter morning in San Diego, a man named Paul made his way back to his hotel room. He had been drinking heavily. His mind was tortured by the thoughts of the wife and four children whom he had deserted. H was a radio executive, in charge of two radio stations in Los Angeles. Now, the home in which he lived, the cars, the servants were just a memory.
He contemplated ending his life and he sat down on a park bench. Within a couple of moments, a young man sat down next to him and politely said, “Hi! How are you doing today?” It was all Paul could take. He buried his head in his hands and wept. He then handed Paul a New Testament, “Begin in the book of John,” he said as he stood up. Back at the hotel, he tossed the New Testament on the top of the dresser and collapsed into the chair. His gaze fell upon that Bible. In a distracted sort of way, he picked it up and started to read. Tears began to run down his cheeks.
Within a few months, God miraculously straightened things out with his wife and family and gave him a job working at a Christian radio station. Paul often says, “There is no doubt in my mind I would have ended my life that day had it not been for the kind gentle words of that young man and his sensitivity to my need. He was Jesus to me that morning and he left me His words!” Paul experienced the wonder of God’s Word—lived in the life of that young man and written on the pages of this great book—the Bible! (John Young, Sermon Central)
Verse 6 tells us that we are partakers together of the promise, in the singular. This undoubtedly means the great promise of salvation for all who trust in Jesus Christ. Notice what it is that brings this togetherness. Paul concludes verse 6 with the words, ‘in Christ Jesus through the gospel.’ A false unity, one that does not stand up to trials, can be manufactured through programs and services offered by the church. True spiritual unity comes only in Christ and through the gospel and our participation.
Paul describes the ‘mystery of Christ,’ and that God not only saved individuals but makes us part of a great union: heirs together, members together, and partakers together in the promise of salvation. The question is, where do you fit into this? Do you realize that you have the same blessings in Christ that every other believer has and God wants you to freely step into those blessings? What I find is many already know this but are afraid to step into that life. The truth is, your greatest victories are straight through your fears. Fear is a snare of the enemy, faith is liberty in Christ. Faith is the avenue of salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a mustard seed, so small you can hardly see it. But if you will put that little faith in the person of Jesus, your life will be changed. He will come with supernatural power into your heart. It can happen to you.
Secondly, you have the power to help others come to know the magnificent promises of God. You are someone who can open the door to eternal life to someone else. Is there a greater blessing in this life and the life to come than to be someone who was able to be a part of changing the eternity of another? That’s a blessing of being a believer in Jesus Christ.
