Sermon Central
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The Mystery Of The Messiah
Contributed by Cesar Verdeflor on May 10, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: The mystery of the Messiah is not referring to secret or hidden things that man can discover later through some kind of clues or mystical rituals but that God has already revealed in the pages of Scriptures . . .
THE MYSTERY OF THE MESSIAH
“. . . when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman,
born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the
full rights of sons.”
(Gal. 4:4,5)
THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH WAS NOT ONLY UNIQUE BUT THERE WAS ALSO A MYSTERY TO IT. This mystery is neither the kind of mystery thriller novels are written like Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys or Sherlock Holmes nor the kind that are portrayed in motion pictures.
The mystery of the Messiah refers to everything—his birth, mission, teaching, miracle, and true identity are not measured according to man’s standard.
The word mystery in Greek is ‘musterion’ (moos-tay’-ree-on) meaning to shut the mouth; to close, referring to the lips and the eyes. Mystery as the Nelson Bible Dictionary defines it is “something unknown except through divine revelation.”
What the mystery of the Messiah is not?
1. It does not refer to secret or hidden things that God is unwilling to tell.
2. It’s not referring to secret or hidden things that man can discover later through some kind of clues or mystical rituals.
3. It’s not about secret or hidden things when revealed that they give out magical results.
What the mystery of the Messiah is?
1. It usually refers to the secret plan that God shares only with His people.
2. It relates to the wise counsel of God regarding future events.
3. It points to the significance of God’s plan regarding the death of Christ or the Messiah.
The events surrounding the Messiah cannot be understood by the natural man unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to his spirit. Who can know the thoughts of God? No one! Except the Spirit of God! (1Cor 2:11) Therefore, only the Spirit of God can reveal to man’s spirit within Him that Jesus is the Messiah. Unless the Holy Spirit spirit reveals to man God’s spiritual truths, everything God had said in His Word are but a mystery to him.
“No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden
and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1Cor 2:7,8)
There is nothing in the mystery of the Messiah that God has not revealed in His Word. Everything about Him is revealed by God in His Word; and He fulfills them in the fullness of time. For God is not confined in our time.
“. . . when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman,
born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the
full rights of sons.” (Gal 4:4,5)
He is beyond our intelligence; way, way beyond every man’s logical thinking. Our Creator is above us; He is beyond our power. We cannot fully follow his ways and the working of His mind. To understand Him fully is impossible because He is infinite and we are finite. God is so great, incomprehensible (Deut 7:21; Neh 4:14; Ps 48:1; 86:10; 95:3; 145:3; Dan 9:4). Napoleon once said regarding the Christ:
“Everything in Christ astonishes me. His spirit overawes me, and His will confounds me. His ideas and His sentiments, the truth which He announces, His manner of convincing are not explained either by human observation or the nature of things. His birth and the history of His life; the profundity of His doctrine, which grapples the mightiest difficulties, and which is of those difficulties the most admirable solution; His Gospel; . . . everything is for me . . . a mystery insoluble . . . a mystery which is there before my eyes, a mystery which I can neither deny nor explain. Here I see nothing human. The nearer I approach, the more carefully I examine. Everything is above me. Everything remains grand—of a grandeur which overpowers. His (religion) truth is a revelation from an Intelligence which certainly is not that of man.” (Bible Illustrations Book One, pg. 19)
During Christ’s earthly ministry, He talked a lot about the kingdom of God. But the Kingdom which He spoke about was first of all a “spiritual” Kingdom established in the hearts and lives of believers. But the earthly kingdom that Christ promised to institute will not happen until his return. When concerning God’s secret things, this has reference to the specific way in which God will carry out His will in the future, which are revealed in His Word to be fulfilled at the proper time.
“. . .The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation,
nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of