Sharing the Mystery

You are going to laugh at me if we go to the same church. Our preacher sent us out with a commission, and I am going to go about mine via the blog. (Michelle, now is the time that you will wish you were a Blog Queen.) I am not trying to cop-out by not talking to someone in person, but I think I can reach more people out here in cyberspace. (And, tis true that I would rather write than talk!)

Our sermon this morning was on the Mystery that Paul refers to in Ephesians chapter 3. Ken said that in Biblical times, mysteries were things that had been made KNOWN, not the unknown as we think of today. So, the great mystery in chapter 3 is that through the gospel, Gentiles (non Jews) and Jews are full partners as the people of God. Those redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus Christ are heirs together and receive the same promises. This may sound like no big deal to us, but from Paul's perspective, it was huge! (And the more I dwell on it, it IS huge!)

In the Old Testament, we see the Hebrew people as God's chosen people. They are set apart so that other nations will know the Israelites' God as the One True God. When God alone rescues His people time and time again, other nations marvel and many come to believe that Yahweh is the only God. Everything He does is for the glory of His name and for His names' sake. God is faithful to His people even when they are faithless to Him. After all, these people bear His name.

In the New Testament, we see God's plan for the nations. Because of the shed blood of His Son, all can stand on the same ground before God. The mystery is that God basically says it is too little for His grace just to save the Jewish people...He wants the Gentiles, as well. After Jesus declared Himself the Messiah, the Jewish people washed their hands of Him and most rejected him. But, God, once again, did not reject His people. He has turned his attention to the Gentiles, allowing the full number to come in...those that will accept Him. But, soon, God will turn His attention back to the Jewish people and His promise is that they WILL know Jesus as Redeemer...even if it takes the Tribulation to bring that about. (There is also always a Jewish remnant chosen by grace for here and now.) It is my belief that God will turn His attention away from the "bride" and back to the non-believing Jews by removing the Bride from the picture...rapture. But, that is another topic for another day.

So, back to my commission...if you are still reading!! The reality is that God's plan is simple. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died on the cross so that we might become righteousness...and that's about it...pretty simple, huh? It has nothing to do with good works, but simply asking Jesus to be Lord of our lives, forgive us of our sins, and accepting that His sacrifice is totally sufficient. Romans 10:9 says that if we confess with our mouths that "Jesus is Lord" and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, then we are saved. Romans 10:13 says that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:17 says that faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

Kiley's birthday is Tuesday. It has been a hard few days for me as I have pondered this. Sometimes I just wish that tears had an "off" valve. I keep thinking that surely they will dry up eventually. My sister would want others to know about her new home...she didn't do anything to deserve it. She simply said, "God has set everything right between him and me!!" It would be the best present ever if she knew you could say the same!

So, back to the mystery. It dumbfounds me that God extended his grace to the Gentiles and now I bear His name, as well. One of the reasons he did this was to show the angelic host His deep wisdom. In the church, the angels are able to see Christ's revelation of grace and the fact that he is totally sufficient!

My prayer is that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith!