Eph3v1to13: THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRISTIntroduction. (Read the reference) Paul has been dealing with the great work of the gospel in producing one new man out of Gentiles and Jews. His meditation upon this demonstration of God's grace moves him to pray for the Ephesians. But as he thinks of the price he has personally paid for the sake of the Gentiles he breaks off to write of his unique ministry. In his digression Paul deals with three topics: (A) The sacred secret. God had a secret - that is the meaning of the word translated 'mystery' in the N.I.V. His secret was: Through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members of one body, and sharers together in the promise of Christ Jesus. v6. This means: (1) Gentiles have as much right as Jews to benefit from Christ's saving work. Jesus came into the world to save sinners. All men are sinners regardless of race, gender, class, education or status. So Jesus died for every condition of man. As Paul famously and memorably put it to the Galatians: You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal3v26to28. (2) Gentiles became by faith in Jesus equal members of Christ's body - the church. There is no hierarchy among Christians. Jewish Christians were not a rung above Gentile ones. Nor should there be any ranking of Christian denominations today. But there is! It can be seen by the titles given to clergymen. Amongst Protestants it is the Church of England clergy that have a monopoly of designations such as right reverend, very reverend, the venerable right reverend. The more up market Nonconformists adopt the title: reverend, humbler groupings make do with pastor and the leaders of the least consequential churches are just called elders. There is absolutely no doubt at all that many members of the Church of England consider the Baptists, for example, an inferior species. My old friend Miss K, an Anglican through and through, considered me a member of a tub thumping sect. (3) All Christians have an equal share in the promises made by Jesus to those that believe in his name. Our sins are forgiven, we receive new life through the Spirit and we shall be resurrected to eternal bliss on the return of Jesus to this earth. Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Rom8v17. Paul said three things about God's secret: (1) It was hidden. this mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations. v5. It is the nature of a secret that it remains hidden. Before Christ there were just a few hints in the Old Testament that the Gentiles would eventually be blessed through the Jews. See Romans15v9to12. However there was not really anything to suggest that they would be equal beneficiaries of the advent of a Saviour. In the time of Christ there were clearer indications that all men would benefit from the arrival of a redeemer. See: Luke2v10and11, Jn1v29 and Mt28v18to20. Yet during his lifetime Jesus restricted his ministry to the Jews. Nor did Jesus really teach much about the significance of his death and how Gentile and Jew together would benefit from it. Peter was singularly ill prepared to take the gospel to the Gentiles until his vision on the roof top of Simon the tanner's house in Joppa. The question must be asked: Why was the gospel kept a secret? Well knowledge may be kept secret for three legitimate reasons:
(b) People may not be ready for it. (c) To benefit from the surprise or "WOW" factor when it is revealed.
Today the gospel is hidden from people until they are prepared for it. Then the "WOW" factor can operate as they discover just what Jesus can do for them in time of need. (2) It was revealed. Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is the mystery made known to me by revelation. vs2and3. The mystery of Christ ..... has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's apostles and prophets. v5. Today, we would be suspicious of anyone claiming to have received a truth by direct revelation. People have made claims of this sort through the centuries and the revelations have spawned cults and sects. Christians believe that God's truth should be derived from the Scriptures by study and with the Holy Spirit's help. Paul's claim in Gal1v11and12 that the gospel he preached was not derived from the teaching of Jesus as recorded in the gospels or through conversations with the 11 apostles but received by direct revelation is surprising to me. One could doubt Paul's gospel but for one thing. An identical gospel was also revealed to the other apostles and prophets. They all preached the same gospel. The Holy Spirit revealed to them all the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection. In our day and age there remains only one gospel. It is one we share with Paul and the other apostles. Men and women must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and new life. This is what Peter said to the members of the Sanhedrin who questioned him about the crippled beggar healed at the temple gate: "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts4v12. (3) It was shared. Paul shared the sacred secret of the gospel. He wrote: .... as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. v3and4. Some people love secrets - and they love to keep secrets to themselves. This gives them a sense of power or privilege. They know - they have a right to know - but others don't. Paul shared God's secret. He didn't hug it to himself. He didn't glory in the fact that he knew and others didn't. No he made his knowledge freely available. I greatly admire the inventor of the World Wide Webb. He didn't patent his discovery but made it freely available for all the world to use. It has brought immense benefits. But even the benefits of the World Wide Web pale into insignificance compared to the unsearchable riches of Christ. (B) The special servant. Paul was a servant: (1) Of the gospel. When Paul calls himself an administrator of God's grace he means the same as by the term a servant of this gospel. v7. Paul served the gospel when he:
(b) Rejoiced in it. See Col1v19to20. (c) Lived it. Paul was no hypocrite. He followed the advice he gave to the Philippians: Whatever happens, conduct yourselves worthy of the gospel of Christ. Phil2v27. It is a gospel of liberty, a gospel of life and a gospel of love. See exposition on PHil1v27. (2) Who considered his responsibility was a gift from God. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace. Paul didn't consider his service a chore or a burden. It was an honour and a privilege to make Jesus known. He wrote: Although I am less than the least of God's people this grace was given to me: to preach .... Christ. William Barclay uses an anecdote about Toscanini the great conductor to illustrate how Paul felt. As Toscanini prepared to rehearse his orchestra to play one of Beethoven's symphonies he said, "Gentlemen, Iam nothing; you are nothing; Beethoven is everything." He knew that his duty and that of his orchestra was to do justice to the genius of the great composer. Toscanini wanted to make Beethoven known. The same could be said of a guide to a magnificent cathedral or exhibiter of an outstanding artist's work or producer of one of Shakespeare's plays. Yet the privilege of making Jesus known excels that of anything else. (3) Dependent upon God's power. I became a servant of the gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Paul did not serve in his own strength. His success was not dependent upon the backing of an organisation, a committee or a wealthy sponsor. The apostle relied upon God's power - the conviction, purpose, enthusiasm and clarity imparted by the Holy Spirit. Paul would have echoed the words spoken by the Lord to Zerub-babel many centuries before: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit," saith the LORD of hosts. Zech4v6. AV. (4) With a glorious subject. Although I am the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. v8. Paul was not much in himself - unprepossessing, unimpressive, impoverished and frequently ill - but he had an inexhaustible supply of riches in Christ. Paul could proclaim Jesus as:
(b) Model. What an inspiring example Jesus left us. He was accessible, approachable, resilient, self-controlled, courageous and loving. One of Jesus' most endearing characteristics was the way he treated women - refusing to condemn the woman taken in adultery, accepting the tearful caresses of the prostitute in Simon the Pharisees' house and making provision for his mother even as he hung on the cross. (c) Great High Priest. We have in the stirring words of Charitie L Bancroft:
I have a strong, a perfect plea; A great High Priest whose name is Love, Who ever lives and pleads for me. (d) Friend. What a friend we have in Jesus! The old Sankey hymn puts it like this:
I'm a single mom of an 18 year old autistic individual. I believe he will be healed because of what Jesus did for the demoniac. That's the only hope I have. My son is on medication that doesn't help him and the docs are clueless.
BUT I KNOW JESUS and I have touched the hem of his garment for my son and for me as well as I struggle with sin and my addictions in life.
I feel a peace and have a great hope as I wait for the healing of my son to be manifested to the world. He has been hospitalized numerous times, been in residential treatment where he was neglected and abused. I have been slandered and accused of Munchausen's syndrome by proxy and accused of neglecting my son. My son has had an assault charge filed against him by a teacher... .
It's been a nightmare and Satan is trying to destroy us but then there is JESUS! My hope, my love, my life and the answer to my son's autism and behaviour.
Your sister in Christ, Myra. (e) Saviour. There is no end to Christ's riches as Saviour. Men and women have received their lives as a gift from God. They have abused the gift and spoilt what God gave. They are in debt to God without the resources to pay. The good news is that no matter what our debt is, Jesus is so rich in grace he can pay it off. There are literally millions of testimonies to the riches of Christ's grace. I was very pleased to receive one a few days ago from Jill:
In my own experience I was very depressed (this was years ago). I couldn't help myself. Doctors tried to help - but no medication they gave me helped. I felt only worse and worse. Circumstances of life, and life itself had me in a very dark, desolate state. I was so distressed.
I know there were people praying for me - my relatives and others.
When I made my way to the small prayer and Bible study group that morning, instead of asking for help with my depression - which seems like what I would have done - I said when prayer requests were asked for, "I'm not a Christian, but pray for me...".
How awful I was feeling, no one but God knew. So, that morning, with help from the wonderful pastor of that church, I asked Jesus into my heart and life.
That was the greatest day of my life. I was totally changed. Jesus saved me just as the Bible says He will do! And the depression just lifted from me. My good doctor seemed stunned when I visited him and told him what had happened.
How thankful we need to be for all God does for us. I am, but sometimes I can be neglectful.
(f) Man's only hope. Jesus said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. John11v25and26.
It is sad when a vast treasure is freely available and very little use is made of it. Today there are some incredibly rich treasuries; the huge beauty and variety of the natural world, the music available on radio, the splendid selection of books in our public libraries and the incredible resources to be found on the internet. Sadly some people never stop to really look at wild flowers, never listen to classical music, never enter a library or surf the internet for information. What sadness - that so many men and women never benefit from the unfathomable riches in Christ. My friend, if you want guidance go to Jesus the teacher, if you want inspiration turn to Jesus the example, if you need support call out to Jesus the Great High Priest, if you need comfort and help reach out to the friend that sticketh closer than a brother, if you crave forgiveness and new life trust in Jesus the Saviour and if you want life beyond the grave look to Jesus who has conquered death. What a day it will be when Jesus returns to earth with and for his own. In the lovely words of Frances Havergal:
Paul finishes this great aside by affirming that the church: (1) Bears testimony to God's manifold wisdom. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known. I suppose when most of us think of the church the lines in Samuel Stone's well known hymn that resonate with us are:
Men see her sore expressed, By schisms rent asunder By heresies distressed.
The church has had many enemies - violent, vicious, spiteful enemies - and it has them still. But the church does more than survive - it thrives. God in his wisdom gave the church many means of grace: the Bible, prayer, the Holy Spirit and the sacraments. The celebration of the Lord's Supper has been so important through the centuries in keeping the sacrificial and atoning death of Jesus central. The church has reinvented itself in many ways but the basics remain ever the same.
Yet one o'er the earth, Her charter of salvation One Lord, one faith, one birth; One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses With every grace endued. (2) Impresses the inhabitants of the spiritual realm. The manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities of the heavenly realms. The growth and strength of the church - it's amazing commitment to Jesus and love for him - is evident to Satan and his allies and as such appals, confounds and distresses them. The success of God's plan has even amazed the angels! I don't believe that they can be counted as mankind's greatest admirers! I think that they were staggered that God allowed Jesus come to earth at all let alone die on a cross. They never anticipated the results. Jesus has redeemed a great number for himself. We have a song to sing:
Worthy the Lamb! Mighty grace o'er sin abounding; Worthy the Lamb! By his blood He dearly bought us: Wanderers from the fold, he sought us And to glory safely brought us: Worthy the Lamb!
(3) Develops according to God's unfolding and unfailing plan. The manifold wisdom of God has been made known according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. v11. Many Christians look askance at new developments in the church. I know believers who seem to think there is actually some merit in addressing God in prayer with "Thees" and "Thous". The history of the church has been one of new developments from the inclusion of Gentiles to the reintroduction of justification by faith at the Reformation to the emphasis on personal holiness by the Wesleyans to the growth of the charismatic movement in the twentieth century. These and many other initiatives are according to his (God's) eternal purpose. (4) Suffers to the glory of God. I ask therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. The sufferings of Christians bring glory to God and his people. When the Christians suffer persecution it:
(b) Exposes the desperation of God's enemies. (c) Exhibits the depth of their love for Jesus. (d) Makes the church dependent upon God and hence stronger and more effective. (e) Produces church growth rather than church decline. (D) Conclusion. One of Fanny Crosby's hymns goes like this:
Wealth that can never be told! Riches exhaustless of mercy and grace Precious, more precious than gold.
Precious, more precious,
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