The Mystery Unveiled
Ephesians 3:1-5 Monte T. Brown
September 30, 2007 Sunday Morning
Heart O’ the Hills
[Introduction
Does any one denomination, organization, or religion
hold the key to everlasting life?
Is it the Jews? The Muslims? The Catholics?
The Protestants? What does the scriptures say about
salvation?
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and
he who does not believe the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36
Let’s take a look at Ephesians 3:1-7 as Paul
addresses these questions to the Jews living in
Ephesus and to the church today.
Please stand and honor the Word of God as we read
from Ephesians 3:1-7.
Scripture
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus
for you Gentiles—
[2]if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of
the grace of God which was given to me for you,
[3]how that by revelation He made known to me the
mystery (as I have briefly written already,
[4]by which, when you read, you may understand my
knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
[5]Which in other ages was not made known to the sons
of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to
His holy apostles and prophets: Ephesians 3:1-5
Prayer
1. The Mystery of Salvation is for All!
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus
for you Gentiles— Ephesians 3:1
For this reason = Paul is referring back to the unity
of believers, which he addressed previously in this
letter.
The prisoner of Christ Jesus = this is the motive for
his prayer which begins in verse 14.
Paul had been a prisoner for about two years in
Caesarea and two years in Rome, but he did not
consider himself a prisoner of any government.
He was referring to being a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
whom he had surrendered his life too.
Paul’s imprisonment to Christ Jesus was for preaching
the Gospel to the Gentles.
To show them that they were not bound by the Law of
Moses, but that they were to be fellow citizens with
the saints.
God’s Word says this about path to salvation:
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6
I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall
be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
John 10:9
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the
Son of God does not have life. I John 5:12.
2.Mankind is not Naturally Inclined to Seek out
Salvation
Mankind has a tendency of listening to the Word of
God, but not hearing the Word of God.
We seem to have the ability to tune out things around
us and focus on our own little world.
If we had heard then we would know!
[2]if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of
the grace of God which was given to me for you,
Ephesians 3:2
Dispensation = means stewardship.
Paul is saying that this is not something that he
sought out, but was given to him by God.
It was his calling, a spiritual gift, the
Stewardship of Grace.
God had given him the authority to minister as an
apostle to the Gentiles. (Acts 9:1-19; 1 Timothy
1:12-13; Romans 15:15-16; 1 Corinthians 4:1;
1 Corinthians 9:16-17; Galatians 2:9)
Paul’s Stewardship of the Gospel was given to him by
the grace of God.
Has God called you to the Stewardship of the Grace
It is the only way you can have salvation.
• You cannot work out your salvation.
• You cannot inherit your salvation.
• You cannot purchase your salvation.
• You cannot live a blameless life and receive
salvation.
As it is written: There is none righteousness, no,
not one; There is none who understands; There is none
who seeks after God….there is no fear of God before
their eyes. Romans 3:10-11, 18.
But the natural man does not receive the things of
the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him;
nor can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned. I Corinthians 2:14.
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me
draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44.
Look at what Romans 8:29-30 and see what it says
about our salvation, and the transformation that
takes place!
And we know that all things work together for good to
those who love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose.
[29]For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be
conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be
the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29-30
3. The Mystery of the Barrier Keeping Mankind
from God has been Removed!
[3]how that by revelation He made known to me the
mystery (as I have briefly written already,
Revelation = Revealed.
Mystery = (not mystic, but divine) the word
mystery is used twenty-seven times in the New
Testament, and it refers to about eleven different
mysteries.
There where many truths hidden and later revealed
in the New Testament those are called mysteries.
This mystery Paul reveals in verse 6, that the
Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same
body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by
the gospel.
As I have briefly written already = Paul reminds
us of what he stated in Ephesians 1:9-10.
[4]by which, when you read, you may understand my
knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
Paul reminds the reader that when they read this
letter they will be able to understand his insight
into the mystery of Christ.
Paul’s insight was not from his own knowledge, but
was a revelation that began with his conversion
when Christ informed him that when he persecuted
the church he was actually persecuting Christ.
[5]Which in other ages was not made known to the
sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the
Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
Paul continues by revealing the time when the
mystery was fully revealed to the apostles and
prophets.
This mystery was not revealed to men in other
generations as it is being revealed now.
Though God had promised universal blessings
through Abraham (Genesis 12:3), the full meaning
of that promise became clear when Paul wrote in
Galatians 3:28; And the Scripture, foreseeing that
God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached
the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, In you
all the nations shall be blessed.
You see God desired that Israel be a light to the
Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6).
Paul addressed this promise made in Acts 13:46-47.
God desires that you and I be a light to the lost
world.
Repeatedly Old Testament reminds Israel that they
are to be a light to the Gentiles. (Isaiah 11:10;
Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 60:3; Zechariah
2:11; Malachi 1:11)
You see the Spirit,the Holy Spirit, is the teacher
of this mystery.
When Pentecost came, then the whole church
received this mystery.
When you come to the saving knowledge of Christ
Jesus, you receive the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the teacher of this mystery
that Paul writes about in Ephesians 3: 1-5.
We have been given power to be witnesses into the
world.
All we have to do is act upon it and the Holy
Spirit will give us the power to move forward.
4.Sin Hinders us from Enjoying the Mystery
There is joy in the Power of the Holy Spirit, when
the Holy Spirit reveals to us that the mystery is
salvation to all.
We must act upon the sharing of the gospel, but so
many do not enjoy the mystery because:
But your iniquities have separated you from your God,
and your sins have hidden His face from you so that
He will not hear.Isaiah 59:2.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his
own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has
conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is
full grown, brings forth death. James 1:14-15.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23.
5.How Can the Sin Nature be Resolved?
Confess it: I acknowledged my sin to Thee, and my
iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ’I
will confess my transgressions to the
Lord,’ and Thou forgave me the iniquity
of my sin. Psalm 32:5
If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
Forsake it: He who covers his sins will not prosper,
but whoever confesses and forsakes them
will have mercy. Proverbs 28:13.
Replace it: To know the love of Christ which passes
knowledge; that you may be filled with
all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19.
In Matthew 12:43-46, Jesus tells of the
peril of an empty soul.
When an unclean spirit goes out of a man,
he goes through dry places, seeking rest,
and finds none.
[44]Then he says, I will return to my
house from which I came. And when he
comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put
in order.
[45]Then he goes and takes with him seven
other spirits more wicked than himself,
and they enter and dwell there; and the
last state of that man is worse than the
first. So shall it also be with this
wicked generation.
[46]While He was still talking to the
multitudes, behold, His mother and
brothers stood outside, seeking to speak
with Him. Matthew 12:43-46
