Most of us enjoy the suspense of a mystery thriller. Books and movies keep us on the edge of our seats, as do documentaries about unsolved mysteries. Other mysteries are more personal – why is God allowing this suffering in my life? The only thing more compelling than a mystery is when the mystery finally gets solved. Today’s text reveals a mystery that had troubled God’s people for centuries – a mystery now solved in the most astonishing fashion by the coming of Christ. The solution to this mystery is displayed so all can admire God’s wisdom. The mystery? The greater hope of Jesus is for ALL people. No one is excluded!
Most of us enjoy the suspense of a mystery thriller. Books and movies keep us on the edge of our seats, as do documentaries about unsolved mysteries. Other mysteries are more personal – why is God allowing this suffering in my life? The only thing more compelling than a mystery is when the mystery finally gets solved. Today’s text reveals a mystery that had troubled God’s people for centuries – a mystery now solved in the most astonishing fashion by the coming of Christ. The solution to this mystery is displayed so all can admire God’s wisdom. The mystery? The greater hope of Jesus is for ALL people. No one is excluded!
Have you ever noticed our lifelong obsession with "fairness"? I still remember the major project we had in my high school physics class. We had to create a popsicle stick bridge that could handle 15 pounds of weight using only Elmer's glue. Now, let me tell you, I'm not exactly a scientific genius. The fact that I made it through high school science without setting the school on fire with a Bunsen burner is a true testament to God's existence! But despite my lack of scientific prowess, I was determined to ace this project. I spent countless hours perfecting the design. Meanwhile, my roommate and best friend at Luther Prep didn't even start the project until the night before it was due. I chuckled myself to sleep, imagining his bridge collapsing under just 3 pounds of weight. When the day of the test arrived, it was my turn to see if my bridge could withstand the challenge. It was a close call, but it held up under 15 pounds. However, as soon as 1 more pound was added, it collapsed. Then came my friend's turn. He confidently placed his bridge on the table, and the weight started piling up. I eagerly anticipated the moment when the popsicle sticks would go flying, imagining all the clever one-liners I could use to tease him. But to my utter astonishment, the weight went from 5 pounds to 10, then 10 to 20, and finally, it reached a staggering 40 pounds! He set a new school record, surpassing 200 pounds before his bridge gave way. I was livid. I had dedicated two entire weekends to barely reaching 15 pounds, while he spent just one night and built a bridge that could withstand the weight of an NFL running back. It didn't seem fair! And to this day, that unfairness still bothers me!
Can you think of similar instances in your life when someone else received something you didn't think they deserved? Maybe it wasn't about popsicle bridges (although if it was, we can definitely commiserate together!), but it could be something more significant. Situations like: How is it that I faithfully read my Bible, attend church, and serve Jesus, yet I haven't received a promotion in years, while my lazy coworker, who joined the company just last year and has no connection to God, gets promoted and a raise? Why is it that my child, whom I shared Jesus with every day as they grew up, no longer goes to church, while my brother, who never cared about church, has children who faithfully attend? Why did God allow my wife to get cancer, despite her wholehearted love for Him? Deep within all of us lies this concept of "fairness." However, what remains a mystery to us is how God perceives fairness. We often fail to understand it, unable to see the bigger picture. So how will this mystery of fairness be revealed to us?
The world seems to have little regard for fairness. Innocent children and teachers are tragically killed in mass shootings, while drug lords live in luxury and safety. People who follow all the rules are passed over for those who cut corners and cheat. Women often earn less than men for doing the same job. Kids are cyberbullied, and the bullies frequently go unpunished or receive only a minor consequence. These injustices trouble us deeply, striking at the core of our being, our connection with God. Because behind every mystery of unfairness in our lives, there lies an unspoken question: "How could God allow this to happen to me?"
As humans, we have an inherent sense of worthiness, and it becomes perplexing when God acts, speaks, or permits things that defy our expectations of how the world and our lives should be governed. The Jewish believers in Ephesus could empathize with us in this regard!
Remember last week when Paul stated that Gentiles would have the same access to God as Jewish believers? Well, now he takes it a step further. He declares, "This mystery is that through the gospel, the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise of Christ Jesus." For you, me, and the Gentile Ephesian believers, this is astounding news! But let's not misunderstand the type of mystery Paul is referring to here. It's not the kind found in a thrilling "Memento" movie. Rather, it's a mystery that God, in His love, kept hidden from us, revealing it only through His love. Throughout history, there have always been non-Jewish believers, but there was a distinction in status. God, in His grace and wisdom, chose to give special prominence to the children of Israel. However, in Jesus, all people now have the same intimate connection with the LORD. This comprehensive and mind-boggling grace of God, though, may still raise questions of fairness in the minds of Jewish believers.
Many Jews believed that Gentiles didn't deserve the same status as children of God with unrestricted access to Him. After all, God's people endured brutal slavery, wandered in the desert for 40 years, faced exile, witnessed their cities burned to the ground, and suffered persecution and murder. How do the Gentiles fit into that narrative, especially when they were the ones who caused harm to the Israelites? Undoubtedly, the anger stemming from a sense of unfairness resonates with us too.
Just this week, I sat in a living room with a man going through extremely challenging times. He asked me, "How do you explain why my best friend is dying while a scam artist gets away with everything?" The question "Why do bad things happen to good people?" often arises when we confront the injustice that suffocates us. Sinfully, we might believe two false notions in response: 1. God doesn't care. 2. God isn't powerful enough to change things. Both these false ideas stem from our pride, which convinces us that our own perspective is the ultimate truth. We're quick to assume the role of a judge, deciding who is worthy of God's love.
If anyone had earned the right to feel that way, it was Paul. He wrote this letter from a prison cell, having experienced physical abuse. Even the justice system, despite his Roman citizenship, had failed him. Yet, did you notice the pride with which Paul described himself at the beginning of chapter 3? He boldly declared, "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles." He didn't shy away from the injustices he faced. Instead, he saw them as a source of pride! Some of the very people he was writing to had personally hurt him or had friends who did, yet he considered it an honor to be a prisoner for the sake of his faith. There wasn't a single trace of "Why me, God?" or a sentence complaining about God's unfairness. Instead, do you remember what he said? "I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory." Paul was essentially saying, "Don't beat yourselves up over my sufferings! I am honored to have suffered so that you could know the hope you have in Jesus!" How could someone possibly view suffering in such a way?
It's because God revealed a mystery to Paul. He showed Paul who he was without Jesus. Recall how Paul described himself. He referred to himself as "the least of all the Lord's people." Behind every "It's not fair, God" lies the belief that we deserve God's grace, which is contradictory since grace means "undeserved love." When God's law unveils our eyes to see the revealed mystery that we have repeatedly hurt God and deserve no goodness in our lives, we begin to cherish the ultimate mystery revealed: Jesus came to rescue all people. He came to rescue me. He came to rescue you. What's unfair is that God has bestowed upon us heaven, identity, and purpose. Such is the topsy-turvy nature of God's grace! When we examine our sins, mistakes, and our complete lack of deserving God's grace, we treasure all the more the mystery that God would choose to love someone like me. Jesus' suffering, the most brutal form of suffering, was His glory. It's the very thing He loves talking about. Why else would He retain the nail marks on His hands and feet? They serve as conversation starters about what many perceive as the worst day of His life, but it was truly the best because it meant that you would become His own family, a family deeper than blood. When you become the glory of Jesus and He removes any doubt through the cross that He loves you at the deepest level (which He does!), you start to perceive the beautiful unfairness of God. His grace transforms even your suffering into what you are most proud of in your life. The deepest corners of our hearts, where fairness is questioned, are precisely where God wants to reveal His love and purpose. In those moments when we cannot comprehend why we suffer, through faith, we remember that God's ways and His sense of justice far surpass ours. We realize that there is a reason for everything, and all those reasons revolve around God's infinite love for us, opening our eyes to perceive the mystery of suffering in a different light.
Your suffering and mine are not in vain! Did you notice how Paul takes pride in being a prisoner of Christ Jesus, a servant of Jesus, and how he encourages the Ephesians to regard his sufferings as their own personal glory? The suffering that God has woven into your story serves not only to bring you closer to Him, which it undoubtedly does despite what the world might claim, but also to benefit others. I witnessed this unfold with Lisa Busha. When I entered her hospital room this past Monday, her family members and MRI technicians were present. She took my hand and said, "I know Jesus is ready for me." As I surveyed the room filled with people who dearly love Lisa, their tear-filled eyes fixed on her, she looked at me with a boldness that only a daughter of God can possess. She knew that Jesus would see her through. She held onto the greatest hope. There is no clearer picture of Jesus than when death looms before a Christian. Lisa, in the most powerful way, showed her children and the hospital team what life is truly all about. Her suffering became her glory! Her suffering gave me hope in Jesus, just as Jesus is currently using Lisa to bring extra hope to you as well. Your suffering is genuinely your glory because it is in those moments that you are closest to God, and others witness God so vividly through you.
No matter how unfair life may seem, it is never devoid of meaning. Your pain is not wasted. Your suffering is your glory. It holds a greater purpose than you can fathom. It is an opportunity for God to reveal Himself through you and offer hope to others. What God has planned for your life isn't as mysterious as it may seem. We can confidently call ourselves "prisoners of Christ" and find pride in our suffering, knowing that God is using it for His greater purposes. So, when life seems unfair, and you question God's ways, remember the mystery that has been revealed to you: God's grace, love, and purpose transcend our human understanding. Trust in Him, hold on to the hope He provides, and know that your suffering, as unfair as it may feel, has a profound meaning and can become your greatest source of glory.