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A Mystery Revealed

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(I was given this) stewardship from God… to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:25-27

What comes to mind when I say the word Mystery? Generally our answer would be something unknown to us currently and potentially unsolvable. A mystery generally involves our inability to come to full knowledge of something because of our limitations.  Mysteries riddle us, confuse us and often leave us scratching our heads in fuzzy misunderstanding.  Many would find this to be true with the Bible itself; It is mysterious, hard to understand and confusing.   

Yet, God gives us help. He has granted a gifts to help us understand that which is mysterious about his word.  Here, it says that Paul himself was given this stewardship to make the word of God, (the mystery) fully known. What does mystery mean here? It is not some timetable, riddle, puzzle, paradoxical or hard to figure out idea that God is trying to frustrate us with, as if he liked to watch us squirm in our own block-headedness.  Instead, the mystery and therefore God’s word, is God’s unfolding plan for the world to be redeemed through Christ. This is a mystery that God delights to reveal to those who come by humble faith.

This mystery has been veiled until the right time. Awaited, anticipated and is now revealed. Those things long predicted in the Word are summed up (revealed) in Jesus. “The mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.” Key parts were hidden for ages and generations but God fully revealed it to us in Jesus’ coming, living, dying, rising, returning.  Not just a textbook explanation of how redemption would work but God gave the person through whom redemption would work: Jesus Himself.  The whole Old Testament was pushing and driving towards something, or better, someone.

The mystery was Christ Himself.  He is the one that was awaited by all those who fear God.  All that God has planned to do from the beginning of time he has done and is doing in Christ.  And now it is revealed to people like you and me through the likes of someone like Paul.  Even us who are foggy on our Old Testament are blown away by the realization that it all pointed to Christ. It was a mystery. Now it is revealed.  That is the joy of the Scriptures that you can hold in your hands.  Jesus has come, and that which was mysterious, foggy and riddled now comes into perfect focus in and through Jesus Christ.

Realize God’s graciousness in this verse, “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” God has shown the riches of his glory.  What are they? Let me just name a few: forgiveness, heaven, reconciliation with God,  fruit of repentance, a new identity, hope, power over sin, victory over death and sin, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, a relationship with Christ, the end of guilt and shame forever, the complete forgiveness of sins, a continually clean slate, redemption.  That is only naming a few. 

What is one of the greatest blessings of this mystery being revealed?  “Christ in You, the hope of glory.” How does this mystery also reveal itself?  It reveals itself in you, Christ in You.  If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you are being formed more and more into the image of Christ, and Christ himself, through his Spirit, resides in you who believe.  You now have the ability to take in all of incredible revealed mysteries listed above.  So that God would receive the glory and that one day, you would be completely freed from sin in a glorified body, the hope of glory. Better than the best mystery ever written, God has done this all by his sheer grace. 

Thankful in Christ, My Only Hope, Pastor Steven


Comments

  1. Deb HansenJune 7, 2017 at 5:05 PM

    Thank you! I think often of my sister Becky and the Hope that has been truly unveiled to her in the presence of Christ. That is what my hope is someday too.

    ReplyDelete

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