WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.840 Ephesians three today. 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:07.280 Turn there and be on the screen behind me. 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:21.440 If you would stand in reverence for the word of God it is being read. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:29.280 Ephesians three, one through thirteen. 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:48.560 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, for the sake of you Gentiles, if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you, that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 00:00:48.799 --> 00:01:06.640 By referring to this, when you read, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit. 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:25.280 To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise of Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace, which was given to me according to the working of his power. 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:53.280 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things, so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:02:05.359 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:13.840 Therefore, I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulation on your behalf, for they are your glory. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:19.840 Pastor Brian, would you please come? 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:44.080 It's good to be home and uh good to be in the pulpit again. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:52.319 Thank the Lord for that, and thank you again for the opportunity that I get the privilege of week after week to be able to bring the word. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:55.039 And so let's praise him for it one more time. 00:02:55.199 --> 00:03:00.800 Father, we are so grateful that you have given us all things for life and for godliness. 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:13.680 We would ask you that as your word is opened, that we would all be truly impacted and transformed, and that we would be made in even further ways in the likeness of Christ. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:17.919 And that you would be honored and glorified as you shape and mold us in this way. 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:20.479 We pray all this in Christ's name. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:21.439 Amen. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:23.120 Amen. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:24.000 Alright. 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:36.719 Well, when I was a kid, uh I I don't know why, but for some reason my family enjoyed watching almost nightly this show called Unsolved Mysteries. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:39.759 Any of you remember that show that used to be on? 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:44.400 Uh I'm talking about the old one with Robert Stack, not the newer version. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:46.080 Uh I don't know why. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:53.199 Uh for certain, but maybe it was a narrator's voice or the music or a combination of both, but that show used to scare me. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:57.919 And it used to give me many restless nights of little sleep. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:01.280 And yet I just couldn't seem to take my eyes off of it. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:12.080 For those of you who may be a little bit unfamiliar with that old show, uh the show had what I would categorize as this creepy music that seemed to be like from a horror movie. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:15.280 Uh and it was always playing, it seemed like. 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:20.319 And the host was this man that to me, with his voice, just added to the fear. 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:28.560 And most dreadfully, for a young boy, it was a show that I would say is most of the time showed all these crimes without resolution. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:32.079 Hardly anybody ever seemed to actually get caught. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:46.800 Now I get it, if the show was intended for the purpose of solving crimes based on detailing out how they happened, which did occur in that show, but many times a viewer was kind of left to look around the room for the doors that need to be locked and to cover sharp objects. 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:54.560 And then, and then came the episodes that detailed out this unsolved mystery or crime that happened close to home. 00:04:54.879 --> 00:05:00.800 So when I grew up, we lived pretty near Portland, and so as you can imagine, there were a few shows there. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:11.439 And it was almost like the show's creators would conclude the show with the creepy music and Robert Stack's voice, and and then it was just like, well, he's still out there, good luck. 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:12.000 You know? 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:16.079 It's like yet I kept on watching. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:17.680 Why? 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:25.040 Why didn't I go play Legos or go outside when that show had come on and my mom and my brother were glued to it? 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:31.839 Because I think there's something in us that desires a mystery to be solved. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:36.560 We love mysteries, we love solving them. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:38.959 That's why that show was put on the way it was. 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:45.439 As I said, there were crimes that were solved by what was showed there, but that wasn't really the true intent of the show. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:06:02.160 It was for ratings and profits, of course, but the producers and the creators of the show knew that most of us can't turn away when there's this description of something that happened and a crime committed, and we all sit there on pins and needles just hoping for the for the solution and for it to be solved. 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:05.759 Even if it doesn't happen very often. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:07.839 Now, why do I bring that up? 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:11.199 Is it because my counselor told me I need to get it out before you? 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:12.399 No. 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:18.639 I mentioned that as an introduction in part to what Paul speaks of in our passage for today. 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:33.519 He speaks about this mystery, this mystery to the truth of the gospel, and more specifically, what we're going to really detail out today is the mystery of the unity of the one people of God. 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:43.439 In many ways, this sermon and this passage today are pretty similar to what we've studied in Ephesians, especially last time, a few weeks ago. 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:48.720 And so this really is, by and large, about the unity of the church, the bride of Christ. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:51.040 Look at verse 1. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:55.600 Paul begins in verse 1 to speak of his reasoning for writing these things. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:08.160 And as he does that in verse 1, he just kind of can't help himself to just once again speak of the beautiful unity and the harmony found in the one true church of Jesus Christ, the one and only bride of Christ. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:21.360 And then from there, so we can view, therefore, verses 2 to 13 is kind of what we can call a parenthetical thought, or kind of as an aside that leads him to say something else right before he begins to pray. 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:22.560 That's what he's really doing. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:30.720 Because in reality, he's about to speak to them in verse 1 about prayer, and it's and it's we see him pick up on that later. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:39.279 And so for today, our focus is primarily going to be on that parenthetical statement made by Paul in verses 2 to 13. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:52.959 And so, as we see this, we need to see real briefly to really get a flair for what he's doing here, uh, is why he starts with for this reason in verse 1 and what that leads him to. 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:54.720 What's he speaking of? 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:56.800 Well, for this reason, what do we got to do? 00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:58.959 It's kind of like a therefore, we've got to go back, right? 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:01.279 See what he's see what he's talking about. 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:08.000 In chapter 2, what we saw is Paul speaking very eloquently of the grace of God. 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:18.480 I think I mentioned quite a few weeks ago when I preached through the first ten verses, this is like one of the greatest gospel treatises or descriptions of the gospel in all of Scripture. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:19.839 Verses 1 to 10. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:20.639 It's just beautiful. 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:32.879 And then right after that, he rightly goes in to speak of the unity that there now is between anybody who confesses Christ, no matter their race, no matter their background. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:34.480 And so we talked about that. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:41.519 Of course, he's he's really speaking primarily there to the Jews and the Gentiles are now one. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:57.039 Of course, our application for today is no matter where we come from, no matter our background, no matter our age, no matter our uh status in life, no matter our race, no matter our ethnicity, whatever, historical background doesn't matter, we're one in Christ. 00:08:57.200 --> 00:09:01.600 If Christ is our king, we're one. 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:04.480 And so he says, for this reason. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:09.279 He's about to relate to them how he's gonna pray, as he'll pick up again in verse 14. 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:10.960 We'll see that next time. 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:18.720 But before that, the the newly revealed mystery just captivates his heart again as he's writing and as he's beginning to pray. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:22.480 And so he decides he's gotta write it out, and he's gonna teach him again. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:29.919 And of course, us here today, he's gonna teach us of the absolute beauty there is in this newly formed people of God. 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:33.200 Because you've got to remember, in that day it's no different than today. 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:35.360 We have our little groups, don't we? 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:38.960 We have our little cliques that we love, and and those people we're good with. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:42.720 We talked in Sunday school about uh about loving your neighbor. 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:46.080 And it's easy to love the ones you love and they're just like you. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:52.960 It's a little more difficult to love the ones that are not, but that's uh uh a great study in in Matthew 5. 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:54.080 So study that. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:57.759 But but but so he's he's saying there's one people of God in Christ. 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:04.720 And in God's economy, there's there's two races of people there's those who are his and those who are not. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:05.759 That's it. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:06.320 Okay? 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:08.399 So so one new people. 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:13.039 And here is something so great, so challenging for us. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:24.080 As Paul is writing these things, we see that he's just so captivated by the gospel, by this mystery, that that we just see joy from him in his writing. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:26.159 But where's he at right now? 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:28.639 Is he sitting around the wood stove? 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:33.360 He's got his you know his plate of food and and everything's good. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:35.360 No, he he's in prison. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:38.960 He's in prison, and it's not even like a prison we have today. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:40.960 It's not that. 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:44.080 He goes and watched TV at a certain time and lift weights at this time. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:45.279 It's not that. 00:10:45.679 --> 00:10:46.960 This is real prison. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:48.960 This is dangerous prison. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:50.799 That's where he's at. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:51.840 But what do we see? 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:52.799 Joy. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:54.399 All the way through. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:59.519 As we see in so many of his other letters, he's fine with being imprisoned. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:00.639 Verse 1 again. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:04.799 He says, For this reason I call the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles. 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:06.240 He's not complaining. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:09.519 But he's fine with being in prison so long as what? 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:12.960 So long as the gospel is being able to be proclaimed. 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:19.919 So that so that the mystery, as he talks about here, is made clear and lives are gonna be changed in light of it. 00:11:20.320 --> 00:11:21.360 It's worth it. 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:26.320 He's in chains in prison as he's writing this. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:30.720 But we've got to notice something stunning here. 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:34.879 In his mind, he's not just merely imprisoned by a sinful and wicked regime. 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:38.399 He is in the chains of the ministry of the gospel, we could say. 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:42.159 Would he ask for literal chains in his life? 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:42.720 No. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:50.399 Not unless he knew that people are gonna come unto repentance and confess Christ, and the fame of Christ had spread further, then it's worth it. 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:55.919 So we see his countenance is this is that he is in chains for the gospel. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:00.799 Paul says here that his chains, if you will, are chains that are put on by Christ himself. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:03.120 He is a prisoner of Christ. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:05.600 He makes that very clear in verse 1. 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:09.200 He's not a prisoner ultimately of man, but of Jesus Christ. 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:14.320 He is bound by the gospel and his savior to accomplish his Savior's will. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:15.759 And it's worth it. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:24.399 And then look at, let's look for just a moment at the why, according to this verse one. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:30.960 He is imprisoned unto Christ for the sake of the Gentiles. 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:39.039 Therefore, what he's saying is, it's good for me to be imprisoned if it's for your sake. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.759 That's a very interesting phrase and turn about. 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:48.080 Remember, Paul is imprisoned here because he is the apostle to the Gentiles, if you will, because he's preached the gospel. 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:54.480 It was the Jews that were after him, and they wanted him dead, and they did everything they could to get him in that position. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:58.000 Because of this ministry to the Gentiles. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:10.559 And so while Paul is teaching on the unity between the two groups, he reminds them that he's a prisoner of the state, but ultimately of Christ because of his ministry to people like themselves. 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:18.000 Not that he's blaming them, but he's using it as an opportunity to show them what the Christian life is really all about. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:31.759 You see, we forget in our free country, praise God for what we celebrated yesterday, but we really forget that no matter what, no matter what people think, no matter what people do, no matter what our government may do, we preach Christ. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:32.879 Period. 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:37.120 And we preach Christ to all, Jew, Gentile, alike. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.840 Doesn't matter creed or background. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:42.320 And here's why. 00:13:42.559 --> 00:13:51.360 Here's why Paul is really adamant about this, and that's because he knows for a fact that there is no separate plan of salvation for either. 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:53.519 There's one plan of salvation. 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:57.200 There is no separate plan of salvation for the Jews, no matter what. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:59.279 It is Christ alone. 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:02.799 There is no road to heaven for Gentiles. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:09.600 And by the way, just to clarify, uh in these writings, we have Jewish people and then Gentiles. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:11.279 Gentiles, everybody else. 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:11.759 Okay? 00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:13.039 Everybody else. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:17.120 So no matter you think of your nationality, race today, it doesn't matter. 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:19.120 So we have Jews and then everybody else. 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:21.279 That's the context of what we see here. 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:28.480 Okay, so there is no road to heaven for anybody outside of Christ and Christ alone, no matter what. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:38.159 And it is the Christian's privilege to be a prisoner of Christ if necessary, and his gospel as we call people to repentance and faith. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:41.200 That's what Paul gives us as an example. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:44.559 And that's why Paul says in verse 13, it's for your glory. 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:47.279 It's for your glory. 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:50.879 It's like he said, Don't worry about what's going on with me. 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:53.440 I'm in Christ, I'm gonna be fine. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:55.519 And instead, just rejoice. 00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:57.919 More on that later. 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:04.320 And in verse 2, we see Paul begin to remind them once again who he is. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:15.840 As we begin to walk through Paul's parenthetical thinking in these verses, 2 to 13, this aside that he gives us, and we're gonna take this one by one, verse by verse. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:19.039 We see that he says he was appointed as a steward. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:23.600 He was appointed as a he didn't appoint himself as an apostle, did he? 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:27.200 You know, today I'm gonna be an apostle for Jesus. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:28.960 No, it doesn't work that way. 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:32.240 He is a caretaker of the gospel of grace. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:36.159 And Jesus did this to him beginning on the Damascus Road. 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:41.440 So and his appointment was a little unique. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:46.320 He was to be the steward of the gospel taken to the Gentiles primarily. 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:54.320 See, Jesus came first and foremost for the Jews, but he came ultimately for all, for all peoples, didn't he? 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:58.639 Or else there's no reason for us to be here today. 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:06.879 Jesus came for all, and it includes the Gentiles, and this stewardship of God's grace was given to him for them, Paul says. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:14.480 And then in verse 3, he speaks of the fact that by his revelation to them given by God, they have come now to know the mystery. 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:15.600 Praise God. 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:17.519 The mystery. 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:19.759 Oh, now there it is, isn't it? 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:22.720 Now that's a really important word right here. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:26.960 Now we're gonna really drive it, what we need to see today. 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:32.320 Many times in the New Testament, we see Paul speak of the mystery of the gospel, don't we? 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:33.759 Many times. 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:38.639 The mystery of that which was proclaimed in the Old Testament about what? 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:40.720 A Messiah to come. 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:44.080 Paul speaks a lot, frequently, of this mystery. 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:54.639 For example, Colossians 1.26, where he says this: he says, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to his saints. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:57.600 Speaking of the gospel, the good news of Christ. 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:00.320 Now, interestingly, I've already made mention of this. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:04.799 This is not directly what Paul's speaking of here when he says mystery. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:13.759 Here in verse 3, this chapter, he is speaking of a mystery that he's already spoken about in chapter 2. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:19.680 The mystery that has come to be revealed of the one church. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:32.480 And Paul's coming along saying, there's one people of God. 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:35.119 Jew and Gentile alike. 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:35.440 Period. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:36.960 End of discussion. 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:45.920 And you've got to understand, culturally and contextually, at this point, this would have been absolutely mind-boggling to them. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:47.519 For us, it's like, well, yeah. 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:51.920 You know, but to them, they're just blown away, both Jews and Gentiles alike. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:54.720 And even offensive to most, especially the Jews. 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:56.000 They didn't want to hear this. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:01.839 This was a mystery in that nobody could have conceived of it without God directly commanding it. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.759 It's that kind of mystery. 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:11.200 See, when I spoke earlier about that show Unsolved Mysteries, by the way, I'm not advocating for that show, just clearing that up. 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:19.119 We may have some idea as to who is responsible as we see what happens there or what may have happened leading up to that crime. 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:28.720 But here what we find is it literally takes a supernatural working of the Spirit to reveal to people of that day and ours that there is but one people of God. 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:29.519 Why? 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:32.400 We love to separate ourselves, don't we? 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:40.240 But as we looked at last time, the dividing wall is gone, Paul tells us. 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:48.799 It's been obliterated by Christ and his work on the cross, and now Christ just has one bride, one people. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:55.759 And Paul just goes on to continue to expand on this in the next verses, four to seven, especially. 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:57.759 Look at verse 4 again with me. 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:05.599 Verse 4, he says, by referring to this, when you can uh when you read, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:18.640 Essentially what he's saying there is that even though this mystery is deep to you, okay, even though it's mind-boggling to you, even it's even if it's a hard truth, Paul is essentially saying, I need you to read it. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:23.920 I need you to read it, and I need you to read it, and I need you to read it again. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:26.480 Because you've got to understand it. 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:33.839 If you read the words of this letter, if you study them, if you prayerfully come before the word of the Lord, then you will understand. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:35.119 He will give you insight. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:36.400 That's kind of what he's doing here. 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:44.720 He didn't tell them they need to just, you know, clear your minds, fold your legs, and you know, sit with your legs crossed and seek to understand what Paul is saying here. 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:45.680 Not that kind of thing. 00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:53.519 He wants them to use their God-given brains to read and study this truth so that they would receive it and live it. 00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:57.599 I gotta say this as my own aside. 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:02.480 Unfortunately, this kind of thought is actually countercultural to many Christians today. 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:10.720 And so scripture remains an unsolved mystery to them, and they get lulled into a life of comfort and ease until something tragic happens. 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:17.279 Many in the church want to just feel emotional and have mountaintop experiences with the Lord and all that doctrine theology stuff. 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:18.640 That's not that important. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:27.839 But as Paul says here, it's just one biblical example of the need for a Christian to use their eternally enlightened brains to understand God and his ways. 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:28.960 You need to understand it. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:32.319 You need to study it, know it, read it, trust him through it. 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:35.839 That's how Paul tells people they're gonna get it. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:38.480 You want to understand what I'm saying? 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:43.039 Paul says, Study the Bible, study what I'm saying. 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:45.599 Use your brain. 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:48.400 God has given us a brain to understand his word. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:49.279 Praise God. 00:20:49.359 --> 00:20:52.240 And the spirit that opens that truth. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:21:00.559 None of this happens without the Spirit, but that doesn't take away our God-given responsibility to study his word. 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:06.640 You see, the mystery is always solved in the study of the word under the power of the Spirit. 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:09.440 And that's what Paul starts driving at right here. 00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:15.279 And in verse 5, Paul tells him again, yeah, this is a mystery to your forefathers. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:17.440 There were glimpses of it in the past. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:24.799 We see it in Isaiah 49, 6, where the Lord proclaims that he's gonna make the Israelites a light unto the nations. 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:29.359 Or even back to Genesis, where he tells Abraham that, what does he say? 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:32.319 Does he say that the Jews are gonna be blessed through you? 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:37.920 He says, all nations are gonna be blessed through your life. 00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:51.759 Here in this passage, Paul is saying directly and specifically that what was a mystery to your forefathers of old has now been revealed through the cross of Christ and the ministry of his own apostleship. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:54.079 And this is so beautiful. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:56.400 Again, it's always been the plan. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.759 God didn't see the separation. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:02.720 Of people groups and go, dang, I didn't see that coming. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:04.240 What do I do? 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:14.960 No, God determined before the foundations of the world, as chapter 1 speaks of, but it wasn't until after Christ ascended that he decided to make it known to all. 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:17.759 Isn't it beautiful, though? 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:24.640 I mean, one church, one people, one bride, no matter who you are, no matter where you come from. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:26.640 I love it. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:28.559 The church is wonderful. 00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:35.920 Name one other institution, organization, people, group that get to say this. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:38.240 There isn't one. 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:40.880 God's plan is perfect. 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:54.160 In verse 6, Paul continues by giving more details that I say are thrilling to the Gentiles and stinging to the non-believing ethnic Jews in regards to this mystery? 00:22:54.400 --> 00:23:01.039 Essentially, what he's saying here is this mystery revealed was that the Gentiles are on the same footing in every way. 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:04.000 And the Jews are like, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:05.680 Hang on a minute. 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:08.319 Don't you know how special I am? 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:12.079 That was the thought of the day from their rabbis. 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:23.680 Not only are the Gentiles allowed to have a seat at the table, so to speak, not only are they able to be saved as well, but they are equal in every way, Paul is getting at. 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:30.480 The Gentiles are fellow heirs, not second-class citizens, not less holy. 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:39.359 There isn't some weird kind of Mormon different types of levels of heaven with different types of levels of people, not that kind of errant theology. 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:45.039 It is one people with one inheritance, all fellow heirs of God. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:55.039 You see, it is not, well, you know, sure I'm saved, but to be a messianic Jew. 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:57.839 You probably have heard something like that before. 00:23:58.079 --> 00:23:59.599 That's where it's at. 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:00.559 No. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:03.119 We're one. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:07.440 All equally, desperately needy for grace, no matter our background. 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:11.440 All equal, all errors according to the promise if we're in Christ. 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:12.240 Praise to God. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.599 Praise be to God. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:32.319 And just to make sure that nobody's going to brag on Paul for what he is and who he is and what he's done, Paul again just goes on repeating the truth of the grace of God and everything he's accomplished in his ministry, as we see in verse 7, as we continue on. 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:36.640 He says, this work he's done thus far, it's a gift. 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:38.559 It's a gift. 00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:42.160 Which is awesome because it tells us that Paul didn't just make this up. 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:52.240 God gifted him with the ability to be the minister of the gospel and of this mystery according to his apostleship, as he was given power by God himself. 00:24:52.799 --> 00:25:00.640 Paul is being used of God to reveal a great mystery to the Gentiles and the Jews about their oneness before his throne. 00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:08.319 And then in verse 8, Paul continues just to humbly speak of the grace that was given to him to preach Christ and him crucified. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:17.119 I say humbly, because as he always does in his other letters, Paul speaks in a very self-deprecating way about himself. 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:24.880 Now, as we think about what's going on here, this should cause us all to pause for a minute and reflect. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:43.599 Again, you've probably heard this before, but if the great apostle Paul, think about Apostle Paul, the great and gifted Apostle Paul considered himself this lowly, he's unworthy before God, even for the work that the Lord gave him to do. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:55.680 If that's Paul, who most of us would put him on a pedestal, if that's him, do we ever reflect on ourselves in the same way? 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.559 Is that how you view yourself? 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:00.640 I'm unworthy. 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:02.799 So unworthy. 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:09.200 Not that we respond with anger at ourselves and seek to harm ourselves because of how bad we are. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:15.599 Nor do we sheepishly say that we're so bad and terrible when we get caught as a manipulating way of making others feel guilty. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:17.200 Not those two things. 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:21.920 Not that kind of unhealthy, you know, self-deprecating humility. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:26.400 But instead the kind that just says this God is holy. 00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:32.640 God is powerful, God is merciful, he's righteous, he's pure, he's just. 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:35.519 I am in desperate need of his grace. 00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:37.920 I am nothing without him. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:43.279 And I am deserving of nothing but the pit of hell if it weren't for his mighty grace. 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:49.920 See, arrogance is just crushed under the weight of the cross and the blood of our Savior. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:54.559 And no one relishes this more than the Apostle Paul. 00:26:55.119 --> 00:27:02.079 In fact, he goes on to kind of create a word to describe how low he is before a holy God. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:05.920 The Aeneas in verse 8 says very least. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:11.279 In the Greek, it's one word and it's lower than the least. 00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:14.640 Lower than the least. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:17.200 Lower than you could possibly imagine. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:20.319 That's Paul when he thinks of himself before God. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:26.480 Not when he was Saul, but present tense, right there. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:39.039 Is that us when thinking of the grace of God, first in salvation, and then after that, even in being a part of this mystery of the united people of God? 00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:46.720 Do we see ourselves that way as humble follow fellow partakers in the promise through the gospel and the mystery of the church? 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:49.519 Or do we think we're pretty good? 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:52.799 Better than so-and-so. 00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:56.640 Yeah, sure, a needy, but look at that person. 00:27:58.319 --> 00:27:59.279 Is that us? 00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:09.359 Or are we more like Paul, just trying to figure out a way to describe how small we are in light of God's holiness? 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:13.759 And that's it, by the way. 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:22.160 Paul doesn't say he's the least because others have done such great things, nor because others are so much more holy than he is. 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:24.799 He even says, follow me as I follow Christ. 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:27.680 In fact, I would say it's the opposite. 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:32.640 So what we find is that he speaks this way because he's more righteous than most. 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:36.880 Now that sounds contradictory to hears at first, doesn't it? 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:42.160 Paul says it's because he had such a profound understanding of the holiness of God. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:50.559 You see, the more you and I grow in our understanding of the righteousness and holiness of God, the more we see how desperate we are for his grace. 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:57.839 It is the righteous saint that proclaims, I'm least. 00:28:58.799 --> 00:28:59.839 Look at God. 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:01.599 Look at what he's done. 00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:03.759 Look at his church. 00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:13.519 Not for show, not because he's supposed to, but it is because he truly knows who he is in himself before the glory of this holy God. 00:29:14.559 --> 00:29:29.519 So Paul says here in verse 8 that this majestic grace was given to him, the least of all, and that grace was to make known the mystery of Christ by the preaching of the gospel, which of course then leads to the mystery of the church being fully revealed. 00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:35.359 Through God's grace, the mystery is solved. 00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:43.119 Paul says here that God used the least of all, the former hater of Jesus and his people. 00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:53.119 God uses this man to preach the glorious riches of the grace of Christ to a race of people that were seen as lower than the Jews of Paul's day. 00:29:54.400 --> 00:29:58.480 See, Paul never really got over, let alone forgot about who he was before Christ. 00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:00.799 How about you? 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:15.279 Do you ever come become dismissively forgetful that it took the blood of Christ and his gracious call to save your soul and call you into his service? 00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:20.319 I pray that none of us ever forget what it took to get us saved. 00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:30.880 And how gracious he is to call us to his wonderful service, of serving him and his people in this mysterious plan of reconciling all things to himself. 00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:37.759 Think of how it had to humble Paul to be the one to be able to carry these unfathomable riches. 00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:44.000 Today, you've probably heard it or heard of it, seen it in a movie or something, maybe you've seen it in real life. 00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:54.799 But we have these briefcases that are handcuffed to heavily armed men, surrounded by other heavily armed men, and they're transporting something that is of great value, right? 00:30:55.920 --> 00:30:59.839 And yet, whatever's in that case will be burned up one day. 00:31:01.440 --> 00:31:05.680 Paul freely, openly, brought the greatest riches. 00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:10.640 The best news that could ever be heard by a sinful people. 00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:15.839 He brought the message of the gospel to a people who were formerly far off from the grace of God. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:17.759 What a gift, what a ministry. 00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:26.799 He says in verse 9 that he was called to bring light to that which was a mystery, to that which was unknown to the darkened eyes of the past. 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:43.519 He is called, therefore, to open that briefcase of the treasure of God's grace, and as that case is opened, the greatest light immediately shines forth, and the darkened hearts of a lost people are brought in mass to know the long-held mystery of the truth of God and his new people. 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:48.720 God alone knew the fullness of this mystery until now. 00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:58.559 And he brings it to light during Paul's ministry, uses him, and the glorious result is darkened eyes to both Jew and Gentile, everybody. 00:31:58.799 --> 00:32:04.559 And now they are forever kin, stronger than blood. 00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:09.759 All genealogies in the church now point to one head, Jesus the Christ. 00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:16.160 And then there's verse 10. 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:21.519 Verse 10. 00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:43.599 As Paul continues to speak of these unfathomable riches and the mystery being made known, as he humbly realizes who he is in light of it, as he exposes the beauty of God's work to this un of unifying of people for his own possession, Paul says something amazing. 00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:50.720 Paul says that this was done to reveal the wisdom of God, the manifold wisdom of God. 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:56.640 First, we may read that and say, well, yeah, of course. 00:32:56.880 --> 00:33:00.319 Of course, this brings forth the wisdom of God to people. 00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:05.440 But interestingly, that's not what Paul says here. 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:12.240 That's not who Paul says is the reason for the release of the manifold wisdom of God here. 00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:20.319 He says here that it is through the church that God has decided, follow me on this. 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:23.759 He has decided to make known to the rulers and authorities. 00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:30.160 Now, by saying this, Paul is not speaking of those in Washington, D.C. 00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:32.640 He's not speaking to those in a parliament. 00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:35.680 He's not even speaking to those of his day in Rome. 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:42.079 He is speaking of the rulers and authorities, what does he say in the heavenly places? 00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:45.440 Huh? 00:33:46.880 --> 00:33:48.480 Heavenly places. 00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:50.799 Okay, I've got to say this to you. 00:33:50.960 --> 00:34:11.599 At this point, if it has been good to you to hear the mystery of God that's been revealed in such a way, and it's called you to worship over the beauty of the church with all its splendor of Jew and Gentile alike, if you're captivated by the mystery of the gospel and the church, praise God, then once again I call you to come to worship over what is being taught by Paul. 00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:24.480 If you have been distracted this far, if you're sleepy, if you're thinking of last night, if you're thinking of what you got going today, if you've only heard a part of this message so far, please take heed right now. 00:34:26.159 --> 00:34:29.280 This is something that you will go home marveling over. 00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:31.280 You must marvel over it. 00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:36.159 You must be awestruck and even convicted over this magnificent truth. 00:34:38.559 --> 00:34:39.760 Here we go. 00:34:40.159 --> 00:35:05.039 The powerful, beautiful, radiant, magnificent angels that surround the throne of God worshiping, the beings that are created by God for worship and even to do his bidding on the earth, the angels, they are the ones whom through the life of this newly unified church and on down to today, they are the ones who are being given now the manifold wisdom of God. 00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:09.199 This is amazing. 00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:11.440 This tells us many wonderful things. 00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:16.800 For one, it is truly God alone that is all knowing and omniscient, not the angels. 00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:19.039 Angels don't know everything, do they? 00:35:21.280 --> 00:35:34.480 The angels did not understand the mystery of the gospel, nor of the true church in its unity, the Jew and Gentile alike, until God revealed it to them as well. 00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:40.000 And for two, this is the part that just blows me away, and I hope it does you as well. 00:35:40.639 --> 00:35:45.119 This mystery is revealed to them by the church. 00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:55.760 And so you could say, the angels watch the church to gain wisdom about the plan of God. 00:35:58.719 --> 00:36:02.239 Now, that would include fallen angels. 00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:18.480 The angels watch, especially back then when the church first came together, but I think we can draw from that continually, the angels watch the church to gain wisdom about the plan of God. 00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:24.960 It's almost as if there's this, you could think of it as a theatrical play going on where the angels just can't turn away from. 00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:36.159 It's their unsolved mystery Broadway show that they find so intriguing that even in the presence of the God of the universe, they cannot help but to also focus some attention on the church. 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:43.599 God's on the throne for those who are there in heaven. 00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:57.119 And they're still compelled to find out what God has done as they watch the church play out his plan in this theatrical drama that reveals the wisdom of God and the glory of Christ to these heavenly realms. 00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:02.559 As 1 Peter 1 speaks of, they long to look into it, says. 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:06.639 They long to understand the work of Christ and His gospel. 00:37:07.039 --> 00:37:11.679 You've got to understand, angels are not the recipients of God's grace. 00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:16.639 Fallen angels don't get redeemed. 00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:23.840