God’s Mystery

Colossians 1:26-27

If you blink while reading this passage, you might miss what God’s mystery actually is that Paul is talking about.  Sometimes, when we think about a mystery, we consider it something we will never know.  It could even hint at something ominous or spooky, something worth being afraid of because we don’t know what it is.  However, Paul details what the mystery to us.  Ironically, in our own age and context, it is not a mystery to us at all!  Back then, however, it was and unknown secret of God because it wasn’t something truly considered as possible or even within God’s will.  Before I pull other biblical references that describe the mystery, let’s first see when the mystery was revealed to Peter in Acts 10.  The story is quite long and can be read in its entirety in Acts 10:9-48, but here the secret of God is revealed to the disciples:

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message. 45 And those believers from the circumcision who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, 

The mystery, then, was that God’s salvation through Jesus Christ was available to all peoples of the world, not just Jews.  That Gentiles (non-Jews) could also become heirs of the promise through Abraham to be sons and daughters of God!  This indeed was good news!  Now, let’s see how Paul details this in Ephesians 3:

3 According to revelation the mystery was made known to me, just as I wrote beforehand in brief, 4 so that you may be able when you read to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ 5 (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 by the Spirit): 6 that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I became a servant, according to the gift of God’s grace given to me, according to the working of his power.

So now, at least for the majority of you reading this, on some level this isn’t so much a mystery or secret to you!  However, it is still a mystery for some in this world.  Not everyone has heard this good news.  Like a newspaper or news channel, we are to do our best to spread this news so everyone can hear.  This Gospel should no longer be a secret!  It is the greatest revelation for all mankind.  2,000 years later, people still have not heard.  We have to get to work, people!  As we understand and learn the grandness of this news, it is important that we tell others.

It is helpful that we know how to explain it though.  That is why we study the bible, to understand the fullness of the message and what God has done for us.  So, I challenge us then: how will we tell others the revelation of this mystery so it no longer is a secret?  How can you tell your own personal story of your encounter with God and the moment you realized that our Almighty Creator as given us a way to enjoy an intimate relationship with Him?