If you would, turn with me to
the passage in Ephesians chapter three that Larry read. Ephesians
chapter three, again, verse one. Paul here writes, for this cause
I, Paul, The prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles. Paul
was a prisoner in Rome and he preached to the church at Ephesus
for two full years while in prison there. And have you noticed that
he doesn't refer to himself as the prisoner of Rome. He doesn't
refer to himself as the prisoner of Caesar, but he refers to himself
as the prisoner of Jesus Christ. You see, Paul was in prison for
preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Friends,
you and I haven't suffered any real persecution for the cause
of Christ, not in our lifetime. But more so than in any other
time in our generation, it could be very well that we will. I've
never seen a time in my 65 years on this earth when and where
this world's government has been more involved with our freedom
to worship God. I have a feeling that it could
get much worse. Even more reason why we need
to be seeking God for wisdom, for knowledge, courage, and strength,
and faith, and it could be that we could one day very soon lose
our liberty to worship God and could personally experience what
our Lord warned when He said, the time cometh that whosoever
killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. May the
Lord have mercy on us and spare us from the persecution that
Paul and the other apostles experienced in their preaching of the gospel
in their day and time. other than the apostle John,
who was sent off to an island to die, all the other apostles,
as best I can tell, died as martyrs for preaching the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in verse two, Paul continues
here, and he says, if you've heard of the dispensation of
the grace of God, which is given to me, to you-ward, or to you,
now that word dispensation simply means stewardship. It means duty. To be a steward is the job of
supervising or taking care of something. Paul is saying, God
has made me a steward. God has given me a duty of God's
grace to give you. What is that duty of grace that
God gave Paul? Well, he tells us in verse three,
how that by revelation, he being God made known unto me the mystery
as I wrote afore in few words, whereby when you read," and he's
speaking of this letter that he's writing right here. He said,
whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the
mystery of Christ. Now, God gave Paul an understanding
and a knowledge to teach these Gentile believers. What writing
of words is Paul referring to that has to do with this mystery
called the mystery of Christ? Well, as I said, he's referring
to what he's already written in this letter. And you and I
know that the Bible has been divided and it's been marked
by chapters and verses so that we can easily reference scriptures. Paul's talking about his beginning
words, the beginning words of this very letter, the first two
chapters of this epistle. And I don't suppose that there
are any two chapters of scripture in all the Bible that reveal
the mystery of the gospel of God's will and the salvation
of sinners than the first two chapters of Paul's letter here
to the Ephesians. The revelation, the revealing
of this mystery, the mystery of Christ, he calls it, is all
about what Christ has done for his chosen people. And it's a
great mystery still today to multitudes. Look back at the
beginning of this letter, if you would, Ephesians chapter
one, and you'll see what I mean. And for time's sake, I'll hurriedly
go through these verses. But notice in verse three, Paul
tells us that all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, if you have
a marginal Bible there, you may notice that heavenly places means
in spiritual things, they're all in Christ. All the spiritual
things that God has revealed to his people are in Christ. In verse four, Paul tells us
that God's people were chosen, where? In Him, in the Lord Jesus
Christ, before the foundation of the world. God's people were
made everything that God required. He says here, holy and without
blame before God in love. And that's only in Christ. We
must be holy before God so that he can accept us. Why? Because
it has to be perfect to be accepted. We have to be perfect to be accepted. In verse five, we see that according
to Paul, God's elect are predestinated, predetermined, determined beforehand
by God to be adopted by Jesus Christ to himself. And it's according
to the will of God's good pleasure. Listen to me very carefully.
If any sinner is to ever be saved, it'll be God who saves them.
He saved them according to His will, not theirs. Men talk about
their will, their free will. Listen, man has no free will. Man's will is in bondage to his
nature. We're dead in trespasses and
sin. Has there ever been a dead man that had a will? Of course
not. It's no different spiritually
speaking. It was according to God's good
pleasure that he saved sinners, not a decision that the dead
sinner made. Verse six, Paul says, it's to
the praise of the glory of God's grace who has made us, made us
accepted. We're accepted in Christ, God's
beloved son. He is the beloved in whom we
are accepted. No other place will God accept
you but in his beloved son. In verse seven, Paul clearly
states that the chosen child of God has redemption only through
Christ's blood. And that this redemption, this
forgiveness of sins is according to the riches of God's grace,
not the free will of the sinner. In verse nine, Paul reiterates
that God has made known to his people the mystery of his will. Was it because of something the
sinner did? No, sir. It was according to
God's good pleasure, which he purposed, where? In himself.
For no reason outside of himself, God had mercy on some. From verse 10, it is apparently
clear that God in his own good timing is going to bring God's
elect under one head in heaven and earth so that Christ our
head has the preeminence. Paul says, even in him. Verse
11, in Christ, God's chosen people have obtained, they've been freely
given an inheritance. Does that inheritance have anything
to do with anything that the chosen sinner does? It's predestinated,
it's determined beforehand by the purpose of God who works
all things after the counsel of His own will. These are not
new things that you're hearing, but you would be amazed at how
many people have never heard these things before. It's a mystery
unto them. And it was a mystery unto you
until God revealed it to you. It's a great mystery that no
mortal man can understand, but for divine revelation, unless
God divinely reveals these things to us, we'll never ever see them
and understand them. Verse 12, this inheritance obtained
is given to God's children to the praise of God's glory. Why? Because their trusting in Christ
is by God given grace. Verse 13, God's people believe
and trust in Christ when? After they hear the word of truth.
After they hear the gospel of their salvation preached. Those
chosen in Christ are sealed. That word means secured and preserved
by God the Holy Spirit. Every time I read that, I think
about My parents, when they used to can green beans and tomatoes
and different things, you know, they would put them in those
jars and they'd put that seal on. And then all of a sudden
you'd hear pop. And you said, well, that one's
sealed. It's preserved. That's what God, the Holy Spirit's
done for us. God's people believe and trust
in Christ after they hear the gospel preached. It pleased God
by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Verse
14, our redemption and our inheritance has been purchased by Christ. And the Holy Spirit is the earnest,
the earnest money, so to speak, the down payment of our salvation
to the praise of God's glory, not ours. We receive no glory. You know why? Because we don't
deserve any glory. We didn't do anything to deserve
any glory or recognition or praise. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto
us, but unto thy name give glory for your mercy and for your truth's
sake. What did we do to save ourselves?
We were dead in trespasses and sin. Did we give ourselves sight? In verse 18, Paul tells us that
the eyes of our understanding being enlightened, Did we enlighten
them? Did we give ourselves sight?
How were our eyes enlightened? Well, verse 17 says, by the spirit
being given to us by God in wisdom and revelation in the knowledge
of Him. Who? Christ. Paul tells us in verse 19 that
the exceeding greatness of God's power in Christ is to those who
believe. How do those who are dead in
trespasses and sin believe? It tells us right here, according
to the working of His mighty power. What a mystery this is. In verse 20, we see that all
things were wrought, that word means worked or accomplished
in and by and through Christ, who is at the right hand of God
in heaven's glory. Verse 21, far above all principality
and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and
hath put all things under his feet. and gave him to be the
head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness
of him that fill it all in all." Now, after reading that, is there
any doubt in your mind that salvation is of the Lord? But that's not
all. Look at chapter two, verse one.
It is God that has quickened us. It's God who's made us alive,
who were dead in trespasses and sin. Is our sin a mystery? Well, you ask someone whether
or not they're a sinner, and you'll find out real quick that
it's a mystery to most. Men say, well, I'm not perfect,
but I'm not all that bad. And according to their answer,
the mystery of iniquity is already at work. 2 Thessalonians 2 17,
verses two and three, Paul said, being dead in sin, we walked
according to the course of this world. Friends, this world is
dead in trespasses and sin. "'The natural man receiveth not
the things "'of the Spirit of God "'cause they're spiritually
discerned.'" They're a mystery to him. Can't see him, cannot
see him. Paul says, "'We walked according
to the prince of the power of the air, "'the same spirit that
works in the children of disobedience. "'We fulfilled the desires of
our flesh. "'We fulfilled the desires of
our mind. "'We were by nature the children
of wrath, Just as every other son and daughter of Adam, he
says, even as others. In verses four and five, Paul
tells the redeemed sinner who it was that made the difference.
Do you know who made the difference? Who made you to differ from another?
It's a great mystery to most. Most would tell you, well, I
made the difference, but we know that's not so. But God, Paul
says, but God who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith
he loved us. It sounds to me like salvations
of the Lord. Verse five, even when we were
dead in sins, God had quickened us together with Christ. God
has made us alive with Christ. He said, by grace are you saved. Now, did you raise yourself up
by your bootstraps? No, sir. Paul said in verse six
that God raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus. Verse seven, that He, God, in
the ages to come might show us what the exceeding riches of
His grace in His kindness toward us. How? Through Christ Jesus. You cannot be saved apart from
the mercy and the grace of God. Do you know how few people know
these things? Do you know why? Because it's
a great mystery concerning Christ in the church. Ephesians 5.32.
Did we save ourselves? Did we earn, we merit, did we
deserve salvation? While Paul tells us in verses
eight through 10 here, for by grace are you saved through faith.
And that's not of yourselves. We can't say it any plainer than
that. It's not of yourself. It's the gift of God. Can we
say it any plainer than that? It's God's gift to you, not of
works. Lest any man should boast. There's
a lot of folks boasting today because they're convinced that
they've done something that they've earned, that they've merited,
that they somehow deserve God's grace. I'd like to know how. Verse 10, for we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works. If you've got any
good works, it's because they're found in Christ, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them. It was His good
work that saved us. Verse 12, we were without Christ. We were aliens to God's kingdom. We were strangers from the covenants
of his promise. While we had no hope, we were
without God in this world. Verse 13, we were far off, but
now made nigh. How? By the blood of Christ that
was shed for us. Without the shedding of blood,
there's no remission. That word means cancellation.
Without the shedding of Christ's blood, there's no cancellation
of sin. And Paul said in verse 14, Christ
is our peace with God. He broke down that middle wall.
Christ tore into that veil of partition that was between us
and God. And we now have access. It's
a beautiful word. We have access directly to our
God. We can come boldly into the throne
of grace to find mercy and help in time of need. Verse 15, Christ
abolished in His flesh, in His body, the enmity to make in Himself
twain one new man, making peace with both Jew and Gentile alike. Verse 16, both Jew and Gentile
being reconciled unto God in His one body by the cross, having
slain the enmity thereby. And in verse 17, Paul informs
us that it was Christ who came and preached peace to the Gentiles
who were far off and to the Jews that were nigh. Verse 18, it's
through Christ that both Jew and Gentile have access to God
by the Holy Spirit. It's through Christ that any
of us have access. And then we see in verse 19 that
we're no longer strangers, no longer foreigners, but citizens
together with all saints, with all believers and of the household
of God. Verse 20, we're built upon Christ,
our solid rock and our sure foundation. Verse 21, Christ being the chief
cornerstone, fitly framed, that one that holds the church together. In whom? In Christ. Verse 22,
we're made an habitation of God to dwell in through His Spirit.
Now this is the revelation of the mystery made known unto Paul. My question to you this morning,
has God revealed this mystery to you? What is a mystery? There's basically three definitions. First, a mystery is something
that's not understood or something beyond understanding, something
difficult or impossible to explain. The gospel is certainly that.
The mystery of Christ is certainly that. Secondly, a mystery is
a profound, inexplicable secret quality or character of one who's
beyond understanding. Certainly our Lord fits that
bill. Certainly our God, why His ways are pathfinding now. And then thirdly, a mystery is
a biblical truth that can only be known by divine revelation. And even then it cannot be fully
understood. You know, that's why they call
it faith. There's just things that we cannot understand, but
we believe them because God said they were so. And all three of
these definitions apply to the mystery of the gospel. And the
thing about the mystery of the gospel and the mystery of Christ
is that God chooses to conceal it from some and He reveals it
to others. And that is always, that revelation
is always at His discretion. That's what he told Moses. Moses
said, let me see your glory. He said, I'll be gracious to
whom I'll be gracious. That's God's glory. The Lord
Jesus said to his elect people in Mark chapter four, verse 11,
he said, unto you, it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom
of God, but unto them that are without, all these things are
done in parables. that seeing they may see and
not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand,
lest at any time they should be converted and their sin should
be forgiven them." The conversion of sinners is in the Lord's hand.
Only God can turn on the light. Oh, what a great mystery. What
a great mystery is the chosen sinner's redemption. It must
be revealed by God. This is the revelation of the
mystery kept secret since the world began, Paul said in Romans
16, 25. We speak, we preach the wisdom
of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained,
1 Corinthians 2, 7. This is the mystery which was
hid from ages and from generations, but is now made manifest, revealed. That's what the word manifest
means. To his saints, the mystery among the Gentiles. Paul said,
this is the mystery of God, Colossians 4, 3. This is the mystery of
faith in a pure conscience. This is the mystery of godliness.
Look at verse five here in Ephesians chapter three. Concerning this
great mystery, Paul says, which in other ages was not made known
unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles
and prophets by the Spirit. the mystery of Christ, why His
incarnation, His imputed righteousness, His sacrifice, His substitution,
His death, His resurrection, His ascension, His intercession. Well, they were not revealed
in the fullness that they are today. Some hints were given
to Adam. And the gospel was preached by
Noah and Abraham and Moses and David and Isaiah. But for the
most part, it lay hidden in types and shadows and prophecies and
pictures. Abel knew something about the
Lamb of God. By faith, he brought a lamb to
offer unto God. But Abel didn't know what Paul
knew. Abel didn't know what is now
revealed. The lamb was promised, but now
the lamb has come. Now the lamb has died. Abel didn't
know what you know. The Lord Jesus said, Abraham,
rejoice to see my day. But Abraham didn't know what
was revealed to the apostles and the disciples of the New
Testament because Christ had not yet come. While Moses, he
refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. choosing
rather to suffer the affliction with the people of God." Moses
esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures
of Egypt. The Lord said, Moses wrote of
me. But Moses didn't have Christ
revealed to him like Peter, James, and John, and Paul who said,
we've handled the word of truth. We've handled him, we've touched
him, we've looked at his eyes. We know that he's coming. David
said, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand. Isaiah
said he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. And by his stripes, we were healed.
But I'm telling you, Isaiah didn't see what you see, child of God. The saints in the Old Testament
saw Christ in shadows, pictures, and types. but Christ was not
revealed to them as He's revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets
by the Spirit and to us through them. That's what Paul said here.
And in verse six, we see something that especially, I mean, especially
was not understood by the Old Testament prophets and saints.
Look at it, verse six. that the Gentiles should be fellow
air and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ
by the gospel. Now in the New Testament, even
the Jews and many of the Lord's apostles had great difficulty
with the great mystery of the Gentiles. What a mystery that
the Gentiles would share in the redemption found in Christ. Brothers
and sisters, what makes that so glorious is that's speaking
of you and me. We're the Gentiles. And what
a mystery it is that we as Gentiles should be by God's mercy and
by God's grace included right along with the Jews. We're in
the same body. We're under the same head, Jesus
Christ. We're partakers of the same salvation. We enjoy the same privileges
as the bride of Christ in grace. What a glorious revealed mystery
that is. Look at verse seven. There's
no doubt in Paul's mind that this too was a great mystery.
He wrote, whereof I was made a minister according to the gift
of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of
his power. Paul was Saul of Tarsus. while he held the coats of those
that stoned Stephen. He sought special permission
from the high priest to persecute believers, throw them in prison,
take their life while he was on a mission to do so when the
Lord knocked him off his high horse and blinded his eyes and
it gave him sight. Oh, I can identify with that
so much. If you could talk to anyone who
knew me when I was younger, and tell them that I was now a pastor
and a preacher, they'd be shocked. But like Paul and every other
preacher of the gospel, I was made a minister according to
the gift of the grace of God. What an honor it is. And with
Paul, I agree. Verse eight, unto me, who am
less than the least of all saints, is this grace given that I should
preach among the Gentiles the insearchable riches of Christ. Friend, that's what we're talking
about. The unsearchable riches of the Lord Jesus Christ. The
privilege, the honor was given unto me and every man that stands
to declare the mercy and grace of God in Christ and preaches
these unsearchable riches. And he does so by the effectual
working of God's power. Lord, enable those to hear me,
to not just hear me, but to hear you. He's the one that makes
the difference. And that's what Paul is saying
here. Oh, that God might be pleased
to take me out of my preaching and enable you by his effectual
working of mercy and grace, reveal to you the fellowship of this
great mystery. Verse nine, and to make all men
see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning
of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ. Now, please hear me in closing.
Natural men and women do not understand the gospel of substitution. They do not see the wisdom of
the cross by nature. They've got to be born again.
That's what the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus. Unless a man be born
again, he can't see the kingdom of God. You just can't see it
until God gives you spiritual life. He said, unless you be
born again, you can't enter. You can't enter into something
you haven't seen. Got to be born again. We have
to be regenerated. We have to be enlightened by
God. Just as God in the beginning
spoke to that earth that was without form and void and darkness
upon it. Boy, that's a picture of you
and I. Void, formless, darkness upon the recesses of our heart.
And God said, let there be light. And there was light. And as we've
clearly seen this morning from the scripture, how that God alone
can save a sinner and to save a sinner justly without compromising
his justice, the wages of sin is death and someone's got to
die. It'll either be you who have
offended God, or it'll be a qualified substitute. And there's only
one. Here's the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning
of the world has been hid in God. God Himself in the person
of the Son is the only suitable and qualified substitute, sacrifice
and Savior for our sin. There is no other. Jesus Christ,
God the Son is the only one who can perfectly keep God's law
in your room and in your stead. The fellowship of the mystery
of salvation is, look at verse 11. According to the eternal
purpose, which He, God, purposed in Christ Jesus, our Lord. In
whom? In Him. In Christ. We have boldness
and access. There's that word again. With
confidence by the faith of Him. Faith of Him and faith in Him.
Now, if you've yet to see the fellowship of this great mystery,
may God be pleased to reveal himself to you right now, right
this minute. The last time I heard Larry Perryman
pray in our men's meeting, he said this, I'll never forget
it. He said, dear Father, if I'm
not saved, then please, I beg you, save me right now. With that, along with my dear
departed brother, I agree. Lord, if I'm not saved, please,
please save me right now.