LOCAL CHURCH
Lesson 1. The Myestery Of God's Will(Audio Clip) I. Introduction: Ephesians--The Book Of The Church
A. Paul saw the eternal purpose of God - what God wanted to do in and through the CHURCH.
1. The purposes of God would go forward.
2. The Kingdom of God would be established.
3. The Church would be a glorious BRIDE prepared for the coming of the Lord.
EPHESIANS Chapter 1 The Eternal Purpose of God Chapter 2 The Church as the Temple Chapter 3 The Church as the Family of God Chapter 4 The Church as the Body of Christ Chapter 5 The Church as the Bride of Christ Chapter 6 The Church as the Army of God B. Paul focuses on the "will", "mystery", and "purpose" of God in Ephesians 1:3-14 and 3:1-13.
1. God's will is going to be something that pleases Him. . . . having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His WILL (Ephesians 1:5 NKJV).
2. There is something mysterious about the will of God. . . . having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself (Ephesians 1:9 NKJV).
A PLAN IS ONLY AS GOOD
AS ITS WEAKEST LINK.3. God did not counsel with men, He purposed within
HIMSELF. . . . in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11 NKJV).
4. Paul speaks of a "mystery" that was made known to him by REVELATION. . . . how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I wrote before in a few words (Ephesians 3:3 NKJV).
5. Paul speaks of "the fellowship of the mystery" which was HIDDEN in other ages. . . . and to make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:9 NKJV).
6. Paul speaks of the wisdom of God being made known through the CHURCH. . . . to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (Ephesians 3:10,11 NKJV).
THE WORD "MYSTERY" DICTIONARY DEFINITION a. Something above human comprehension; something hidden from human knowledge.
b. A secret; something carefully and intentionally hidden from the knowledge of others.
c. A puzzle or riddle; something puzzling or hard to understand.
d. A profound secret; an object of curiosity and wonder; a religious truth or doctrine not discernable by human reason.GREEK DEFINITIONS a. Vine's - Among the ancient Greeks, "the mysteries" were religious rites and ceremonies practiced by secret societies into which anyone might be received. Those that were initiated into these "mysteries" became possessors of certain knowledge, which was not imparted to the uninitiated and were called "the perfected."
b. N.T. - a mystery is not an undiscovered secret, but a secret undiscovered by human reason, and now revealed by the Spirit of God.
c. Young's Concordance - That which can only be known by the initiated.But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV).
II. Understanding The "Mysteries" Of The Bible
A. We will be better suited to fulfill the PURPOSE of God for our lives.
B. There are no "mysteries" to God.
1. God is the source of all wisdom and knowledge.
2. He knows the end from the beginning. . . . known unto God are all of His works from the beginning (Acts 15:18).
YOU CAN'T SNEAK UP ON GOD. 3. God is not baffled by any " MYSTERY." Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done (Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV).
C. God does "conceal" truth; He HIDES Himself.
1. He wants to find out how serious we are about knowing Him. And you will seek Me and fine Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV).
2. God conceals Himself from three types of people:a. The Foolish - those who misuse and abuse WISDOM and knowledge. Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6 NKJV).
WHEN GOD DOES GIVE US TRUTH,
WE BECOME RESPONSIBLE FOR TRUTH.b. The Slothful - those who are LAZY. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter (Proverbs 25:2 NKJV).
WHEN THINGS ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO US,
WE HAVE NO APPRECIATION FOR THEIR TRUE VALUE.c. The Unregenerate - those who are not born again. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost (2 Corinthians 4:3).
D. God is the revealer of secrets to the HUMBLE.
1. We need a right attitude and humble heart desiring to serve God. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him (Psalm 25:14 NKJV).
2. God gave Daniel revelation and understanding. The king answered Daniel and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret" (Daniel 2:47 NKJV).
3. God opens understanding to us when we come as "BABES." Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes" (Luke 10:21 NKJV).
"In its New Testament use the word `mystery' relates to a spiritual truth which has been hidden and which is of such a nature that unaided human reason could not discover it, but which is eventually revealed to those who have spiritual vision. It stands in sharp contrast with the heathen mysteries which were revealed to a few of the initiated. All true Christians are candidates for the revealing of the mysteries of the kingdom."
Griffith, The Divine Program, p. 63E. God uses the Holy Spirit to reveal His plans to us.
1. The Holy Spirit is the SPIRIT of Truth. However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak (John 16:13 NKJV).
2. We cannot look into ourselves and discover truth. But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-11 NKJV).
THE CHURCH AS A MYSTERY Part of the mysteries of His will or Eternal Purpose. Ephesians 1 Bride of Christ. Ephesians 5:23-33 Jew and Gentile coming together into one Body. Ephesians 2:14-3:7 Not seen or understood in the Old Testament age. Ephesians 3:5; 3:9;
Romans 16:25III. Mystery Of The Church Revealed In The New Testament Age
Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the MYSTERY which was kept secret since the world began but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for the obedience to the faith (Romans 16:25,26 NKJV).
. . . the mystery which has been HIDDEN from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints (Colossians 1:26 NKJV).
THE CHURCH WAS IN GOD'S MIND
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.IV. The Hidden Mystery Has To Do With The Fact That The Church Was In God's Mind From The Very Beginning And It Is In The Center Of The Eternal Purpose Of God
A. The church is not an afterthought or substitute.
B. God's purpose was not just to bless other nations through their connection with ISRAEL.
1. Not something "hid in ages past."
2. Taken for granted in the Old Testament.C. Purpose - to raise up one many-membered body out of all nations (Jew and Gentile) to be the FULFILLMENT of God's Eternal Purpose.
IN MANY WAYS THE CHALLENGE OF
GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSE IS
THE GREAT COMMISSION TO THE CHURCH.
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