Mystery Revealed
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· 2 viewsTheme: The Church Reveals the Gospel. Purpose: To be Strengthened in God's love and Calling Mission: Use Gifts for Sharing the Gospel Gospel: The multi-ethnic church gathered is the good-news proclaimed to the cosmos.
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For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you,
that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.
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 in Christ Jesus.
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,
and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
For this reason I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Introduction: We keep talking about the Cosmic Nature of the Gospel that is presented in Ephesians, especially in Chapter 1 it says that Jesus has authority over all things in heaven and earth, and that he has been seated in the heavenly places far above all rule, and authority, and power and lordship. Here again, Paul talks about Rulers and Authorities in the heavenlies, and he will talk about them again in Chapter six. Who are they? Why do they matter? What significance do they have in relationship to the Church? And What significance do they have for you personally?
Who are these Rulers and Authorities in Heaven?
Introduction:
28-Rulers and Authorities in Heaven?
28-Rulers and Authorities in Heaven?
The Story of Babel and the Rulers and Authorities.
Babel Story
When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.
But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.
In he calls these god
And do this so that you do not lift your eyes toward heaven and observe the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of the heaven, and be led astray and bow down to them and serve them, things that Yahweh your God has allotted to all of the peoples under all of the heaven.
But Yahweh has taken you and brought you out from the furnace of iron, from Egypt, to be a people of inheritance to him, as it is this day.
In Moses calls these gods demons
Deuteronomy
is the other side of God’s punitive coin. It is as though God was saying, “If you don’t want to obey me, I’m not interested in being your god—I’ll match you up with some other god.” - Michael Heiser - Blog.logos.com
Bible Project Video on the Demons....
So the implications of what Paul has said so far.
God’s Purpose was to restore all things in Jesus - That he chose the church from before the foundations of the earth to be the body of Jesus who was placed far above all rulers and authorities in Heaven and Earth.
That God is doing that individually for us by saving us from being dead to sin by making us alive again in Jesus, and he did that by Grace through faith.
And by doing this Jesus broke down the dividing wall that kept the Gentiles out of the people of God. He united Jews and Gentiles into one Church (so all races and people groups) who is the body of the new temple (Jesus) where heaven and earth meet.
So the implication is that according to Paul, the gathering of the Church is an unwinding of people from the authority of demons or the gods of the nations. There inheritance was once the gods assigned at the tower of Babel, now their inheritance is the one true God.
This has a profound effect on how Paul has viewed his mission, and we ours...
29-The Church Reveals the Gospel.
29-The Church Reveals the Gospel.
Paul is God’s Masterpiece in the Church, and we are God’s masterpiece in the Church.
Paul’s was to proclaim this mystery that in Jesus both Jews and gentiles were in the Church.
Next week we will talk about Spiritual gifts and how the gifts and purpose God has given you fit into God’s purpose in the Church, in Christ.
What is important for you to know is that all Gifts support the Church’s Mission to share the Gospel - SBRC Vision - “Everyone using their spiritual gifts for the Church’s Evangelistic Efforts.
This Gospel is to be shared to everyone for their benefit. - Freeing from the Bondage of the Powers and Authorities - Underground Railroad Illustration.
Sharing the Gospel, however, is much more -
Jesus has defeated the Rulers and Authorities - tells us he was placed above all rulers, authorities, and powers.
What Paul is saying, is we are participating in nailing the coffins of demons in our world everytime someone responds to the Gospel and is included in the Church.
We will be told later that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against these powers, rulers, and authorities. We are for people, we are against those entities that keep them in bondage.
So Paul ends this with a prayer in light of this....
30-Strengthened in Love and Calling
30-Strengthened in Love and Calling
Similar Prayer from Chapter 1
Paul does not want them to be discouraged by his imprisonment - It is his calling
That the we would be strengthened with power by the Holy Spirit. We are the new temple and that power comes from Christ dwelling in us by Faith, and that power is described as his Love.
And the prayer is that we grasp what can not be fully known - That we grow into.
31-The Size of the Universe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Eh5BpSnBBw
We can pray for our neighbors to know the love of Christ - Prayer Cards.
30-This is what it is like grasping the Love of Christ - It is Cosmic in size and it encompasses the entire Cosmos - And yet it is also focused on all of its parts - You are a masterpiece in progress - The Church is a Masterpiece in Progress - Heaven and Earth is a masterpiece in progress. And he calls us to be at the center of it.
Conclusion: Holy Ghost Stories
Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 1, 31 Belgic Confession: Articles 21, 26 Belhar Confession: Articles 1-3