The Gospel Mystery

0:16Thank you for listening to the Sermon Audio Podcast for Crossroads Bible Church in Rockdale, Texas. Crossroads Bible Church is a Reformed Confessional Baptist Church that meets every Lord's Day at 10 a.m. for Bible study and 11 a.m. for corporate worship. For more information about our church and for directions, you can find us online at www.crbcrockdale.org. Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You can go ahead and turn to the book of Ephesians. We are on chapter three now this morning, covering verses one to six. If you looked in your bulletin, you perhaps saw the title for our sermon, which is kind of our big idea and theme, which is the gospel mystery or the mystery of the gospel. And as we begin then this new uh chapter, chapter three, I want to kind of give you a very, very brief overview, a two-sentence overview of what Paul is doing here and where he is going, so that you kind of get a picture of what this chapter is all about. And the third chapter then of Ephesians, as you will see, is really divided into two paragraphs. Um and those two main uh headings there begin with the same phrase for this reason. For this reason. And as always, we must always consider what the for this reason is therefore. What is he talking about when he says for this reason, as we see this morning? And the for this reason means broadly the the first two chapters of the book of Ephesians. This is what he is getting at and what he is talking about when he says for this reason, but more directly, what Paul has just finished addressing to us is what he means by for this reason, which is the work of Christ in bringing uh in those who are far off and giving them peace and reconciliation. That's what we talked about really the last couple weeks. And also that his readers, and specifically us, right, today, uh realize and see that we have been brought into his family. We've been brought into his kingdom, we've been indwelt by his spirit and are being built up then as the structure, his temple, that is the church. This is where he dwells in us. And if that is all true, which it is, then it is for those reasons that Paul says what we read this morning, that he is a prisoner of Christ, and then in a few weeks that he bows his knees, right? Those are those two major sections. So naturally, then this morning, we're gonna look at both the reality that Paul was a prisoner on account of what he believes, on account of what he was preaching, on account of who he represented, but also what exactly was it that stirred up such ire against him as he proclaimed the mystery of this gospel that put him in chains to begin with. It has to do with the mystery of the gospel. That's your introduction. So stand with me once more as we read our text this morning. Ephesians chapter 3, starting in verse 1. For this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles, assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. And this is the word of the Lord. Lord, as always, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this gospel. Lord, we thank you for your grace, and that in that grace we are partakers and heirs of the promise. Lord, would you now speak to us through your word, Lord, and for Christ's sake, it is in his name that I pray.

5:17Amen.

5:23We begin then our look into this gospel mystery revealed by considering what Paul means by calling himself a prisoner of Christ. That is how our text began. For this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ. And it is my suspicion here, and uh take this for what it is, it is just an opinion, though perhaps if I searched hard enough I could find some scholarly uh support of this. But my suspicion is that Paul is uh cleverly kind of calling him, by calling himself a prisoner of Christ, using a figure of speech called a double entundra, or a word or phrase that has two different meanings. I will explain that. Paul undoubtedly means first that he has been captured by Christ. He is a prisoner of Christ. And we look to his introduction, for instance, in his letter to the Romans, right? Romans chapter 1, where he calls himself a slave of Christ. Perhaps your translation, if you turn to Romans 1, would say a servant or a bondservant. But this is a slave of Christ. In his letter to 1 Corinthians, or in Corinthians, uh, his first letter, chapter 7, verse 22, Paul says this likewise he was free, he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. He goes on then to say in the next verse, that you were bought with a price, namely the giving of his body and the shedding of his blood. This is the biblical support for that great and glorious answer from the Heidelberg Catechism, question one that we all know and love so much. What is your only comfort in life and death? An answer that I am not my own, but belong with body and soul both in life and death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. So it's hardly without question that that is a big part of what Paul means here as he begins by calling himself a prisoner of Christ. He is a slave of Christ, bought by Christ, owned, belonging to Christ. But the play on that is that also, as Paul is writing this letter, we know that he is a prisoner because of Christ. He is in chains. Maybe not in chains at this point, but he is on house arrest, he is locked up because of Christ. Because Paul has taken a stand for Christ, because he has preached Christ, because he has revealed the mystery of this gospel, and we're going to get to that in a little bit, he has become a prisoner of Christ. And further, he says that he is a prisoner of Christ not for himself, but he is a prisoner of Christ for the Gentiles, for us, who were the recipients of and the subjects of the revelation of this mystery of the gospel. Paul is preaching then on behalf of the Gentiles, preaching to the Gentiles, revealing this gospel of grace about the Gentiles as the subject. And such a message given to him by Christ has made him a prisoner. So we could say then, because he is a prisoner of Christ in a spiritual sense, he is now a prisoner of Christ in a physical sense. And I think you can see that double meaning that exists there. There's another aspect then of Paul's words that we need to look at as we go through the text, and that is that part of Paul's mission as a prisoner of Christ, and certainly a contributing factor of him becoming a prisoner of Christ, is that he is a steward of God's grace. This is the second half of verse 2. For this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of you Gentiles, assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me, for you. What is a steward? A steward is someone who is responsible for protecting, for managing, and for uh distributing or dispensing of something. If we as the church are, as Brother Stephen prayed, if we are the church, are good stewards of the of the money that we receive in, we protect it, we manage it, and we do well with it. We steward well with it. And we consider then grace. It is grace that is at the core, as we will see, of the mystery of this gospel. It is a gospel of grace. And as Paul begins to reveal the mystery of the gospel, both here in this letter and in the broad broader e and his broader evangelical mission, he considers a central part of his task and his mission is to be a stewardship or a steward of God's grace. He desires then, and perhaps it could be say even stronger, he is commanded to protect the truth of God's grace, to faithfully steward that grace to the Gentiles, that is, to those who are far off and who so desperately need that grace. Certainly the same is true for us today. We also, being slaves to Christ, being purchased by him and by his blood, are now being built up on that same foundation that Paul has laid. And we have a command and a call to be stewards of God's grace, good stewards of God's grace.

12:04What does that mean?

12:07It means not withholding it, as so many often do with holding grudges, possessing an unforgiving heart, not withholding grace, by considering that there are levels or degrees of Christianity, as though we are climbing some spiritual ladder, notwithholding it by maintaining some religious standard of acceptance, some religious standard of righteousness. Paul addresses that very sternly in his letter to the Galatians, doesn't he? But also not flippantly or mindlessly handing out grace like it is candy at Halloween. Grace. There we see a grace that is freely offered, a grace that is freely offered, but a grace that is never cheapened. Because we are constantly reminded of how undeserving we are and how great grace truly is. Grace through the mystery of the gospel was given through revelation. The last part of verse two there, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, Paul says. That is to say, again, as we saw in chapter one of Ephesians, that the mysterious truth of the gospel of grace is not logically deduced, but spiritually discerned. Here again, the words of Paul from chapter one. For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and the love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what are the immeasurable greatness of his power towards those who believe according to the working of his great might. And that truth then again is affirmed in our text this morning, when he says, How the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, he says, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ. How is it then that Paul had such insight into the mystery of Christ? How is it that he sees so clearly the heart of the gospel? How is it that with such boldness Paul can declare to the pagan people who didn't have any hope, who didn't have any way to get back to God, that this plan that was made before the world began has been completed in and through Christ? And now they too can find forgiveness and peace with the one true God of Israel. How did he know that? Did he have some greater power of logical deduction? Did he find some missing Old Testament manuscripts that connected all those dots for him? Did he labor harder over the text than anyone else before?

16:44Of course not. He may have labored harder over the text than anyone before.

16:52But if not for the Spirit of God revealing the truth of this mystery, his insight and his knowledge would have been no better than those who rejected Christ and crucified him. If I may take a little bit of liberty with those words that we sang in our second song this morning, unless the Spirit doth open the eyes, in vain the seeker strives. But because the Spirit did open Paul's eyes, he did give him this grand revelation of truth, he did teach him the depth and the riches of God's grace, he is able to show such mysteries to us, which also require us to be enlightened by the same spirit of knowledge and grace. And by way of application, then this is again, as I talked about last week, why the closed canon of Scripture and the closed revelation is so vital for us, and why I labored to demonstrate that foundation has been laid, in which we are simply building upon it. Not simply, God is doing it, and it is not simple, but he is doing it. Because the Gnostics desire to receive some greater or new insight, right, into the mystery of revelation, of what's going on in God's mind and what he's doing. They're trying to go beyond what is already given by the Spirit to Paul, to the apostles, to the prophets, and what has been laid. As though the message about God's grace made manifest in the person and work of Christ is insufficient for us. As though the gospel itself is not the purpose, as though Christ Himself was not the purpose, the fulfillment of all revelation. And Paul says as much in 2 Corinthians. When he is taken up to the third heaven, or the man who he says, is taken up to the third heaven and shown these things, and he's heard these things that are too great to utter. It's too grand for us to ever even know the things that Paul sees and hears. And following that, he was afflicted so that he didn't become conceited or arrogant by the glory of the revelation that he had been given, knowing a reality that is too great for even words. And despite his pleading for relief, his humbling affliction was the response of God to him was what?

19:56His grace is sufficient for you.

20:02So what we believe then, having been given by God through Paul and the apostles, that this revelation of God's grace through the blood of Christ, this message of salvation for all peoples by grace through faith, and not by birth, and not by works, is the revelation of God. Let me emphasize that again. The gospel of grace, the person of Christ is the revelation of God. We don't need it anymore. Because the mystery revealed is that revelation. The grace of God as shown to us through the gospel, it is sufficient for us. It is sufficient for our salvation. It is sufficient in our suffering, as Paul testifies to. It's sufficient in our persecutions, his grace. Again, the words of Paul from 1 Corinthians 4, verse 6 I have applied all these things to myself and to Apollos, he says, for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is. Written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor one against another. It's also then worth noting that Paul says in our text that such insight into the mystery of Christ was given in God's timing, in his perfect timing. God in his province did not see fit to reveal the fullness of this mystery to the men of previous generations, as Paul says. But only to the apostles and prophets in the first century following the completion of the work of Christ. We don't know why. We don't know why God kept such things hidden from previous generations and only gave types of the fullness that was to come, and we don't know why it is as written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, he says, and eyes that would not see. We don't know why. But providentially uh Chloe asked about Romans 11 this past week, and I do think there's some insight for us as we move into the last part of our text this morning. And Paul says in Romans 11 concerning the Gentiles and the Jews, so I ask, did they stumble, the Jews, in order that they may fall? By no means, Paul says. Rather, through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. And I want to get off too far off track there, but it ties to the truth that we see in our text this morning, that God revealed the fullness of his gospel of grace, the way that he did, to those that he did, and the timing that he did, so that Christ could complete his work on the cross, and so that grace could be extended to the Gentiles as fellow heirs of the promise that he made. And that brings us then to the final point. What is the mystery? What is the mystery? Paul puts it like this in verse 6 the mystery is this mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus to the gospel. This is the great mystery of the gospel, revealed. And what became such a stumbling block for the prideful and jealous Jew. And that is that the true people of God, the full member of God's elect, those who were heirs according to the promise, were not, in fact, only the Jews. Were not the Jews by birth, but included anyone to whom the Lord called by his grace through faith. This is the mystery. And I think in our logic we can see why perhaps this would be a bit frustrating for the Jews, who labored in their religious effort only to now have the dogs let in, as we read, saw a few weeks ago. We're the dogs, by the way. To let the dogs come in on account of grace. Certainly Jesus knew this would be an objection, and that he himself would be a stumbling block, so he gave them a parable to address that objection. You can turn if you want. It's Matthew 20, verse 1, but I'm gonna read it. For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for the vineyard. After agreeing with his laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into the vineyard, and going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, You too go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you. So they went. Going out again at the sixth hour, in the ninth hour he did the same, and at about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, Why do you stand here idle all day? And they said to him, Because no one has hired us. He said to them, You go into the vineyard too. And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last up to the first. And when those hired at the eleventh hour came, each received a denarius. Now when those he hired first came, they thought they were to receive more, but each of them was also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, These last worked only an hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the scorching heat. But he replied to them, Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give this last worker as I gave to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?

27:36So the last will be first. First last.

27:44There is possibly no other parable that speaks of the mystery of the gospel of grace than that. That parable. For hundreds and hundreds of years, the Jews had come to trust in their covenant privileges. They've come to trust in their works, their works of the law, rather than the righteousness that was given to them by faith, the faith of their father Abraham, who believed, and it was counted to him. And then here at the 11th hour, Christ comes in and gives to the last the same promise as the first. And the response is not a celebration of grace, but a begrudging of generosity. And Paul says that as a steward of grace, and upon the revelation of this mystery, he has suffered. He has been imprisoned. But as a prisoner of Christ, Paul has no other message but that one. That God can do what he chooses with what belongs to him. And with that authority, he chose to extend his gracious hand of salvation not just to people who were born in the right family, not just to people who practice the right religion, but to those who receive the forgiveness of Christ by faith.

29:17Us Gentiles. We show up rather late in the day.

29:25A redemptive history. And by his amazing grace we receive the same salvation, the same promise, the same inheritance, the same blessing, the same paradise. We're fellow heirs of the same body, according to the same covenant, partakers of the same promise. That is to be the people of God. And don't we also know from the parable of the prodigal son how confounding grace and generosity melts the hearts of those to whom it's directed? And how that same generosity hardens and embitters the prideful and the jealous.

30:22But that is the mystery. That is the gospel.

30:32That God's people, true Israel, not only includes us, but is extended to all whom God chooses to show his mercy towards. Even more, you didn't work for it. You didn't earn it. You can't work for it. You certainly didn't earn it, or else it would be what is due to you and not grace. That is the mystery. That God dispenses his amazing grace to completely undeserving sinners, who by all accounts have no right to the promise, have no claim to the inheritance, have no merit for the wage given, are undeserving in every way.

31:25Yet he calls us from the field and he blesses us generously.

31:39That such an act by a master to his servants, it doesn't compute to us. However, as the recipients of this grace, we have nothing to do but to fall on our feet of our master and thank him for his generosity. And to tell others the truth of this mystery that today is the day of salvation. Come to him who shows compassion to the sinner. Lay down your striving and your works. Cast aside your pride and your jealousy. Run away from your wicked heart that says you deserve something or that you're owed something.

32:40This gospel is about grace.

32:44It's about a confoundingly generous God. Who offers to the unworthy sinner who believes in him by faith, the promise of everlasting life. What a mystery that is, right?

33:04But this is indeed the mystery of the gospel of grace. Amen.

33:21We thank you that you revealed such a mystery of your gospel to the apostles and to the prophets, and that they laid such wonderful news.

33:36The wonderful and glorious gospel and your word that we are built up upon now, Lord. May our hearts be stirred anew this morning to the goodness of your grace, Lord. For your generosity toward us. Undeserving sinners.

34:06We fall before you and thank you for your generosity, for your mercy, for your grace, for Christ. That this mystery of your word would be pressed upon our hearts, Lord. That we would not begrudge your generosity, Lord, but thank you for it. We pray and ask, Lord, that would you show others the same generosity that you have shown us. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.