Those are safety features. I want to get those cords out of the way.
Well, so far this morning, it's already been eventful.
We kind of challenged you on offering to see, right?
And I understand Tom shared that there was an ambulance here and someone was taken away.
Who was it?
Pardon?
Oh, Melissa, okay.
Does anybody know what was wrong?
Okay, thank you.
Okay.
So why don't we stop at the very beginning.
This is not the very beginning. I apologize.
That was a preacher's faux pas, not a pastor's faux pas.
Preacher thinks that it gets started when he starts, but that's not true.
Okay?
Theologically inaccurate.
So, but we are going to stop and pray.
Melissa Johnson, pray that whatever's going on,
that she would be fine and that it would be something that we hear good news back on,
and then also that God just gives us a heart to hear the word of God and have it touch us.
Let's pray.
Father, our hearts this morning are quiet before you because we realize our frailty.
We recognize, as Melissa has been taken by the squad, that there's something going on there that needs our prayer.
And knowing so little, other than the greatness of your name and the power that you have,
we are glad to be able to call upon you and just ask that you would touch our sister and strengthen her and raise her up.
We pray also, Father, this morning that your word would have free course in our hearts
and that we would be guarded from sin,
that we would listen carefully,
and that your spirit would take the beauty of your word and etch it into our lives
and cause us to live with joy and power in the Holy Spirit to the testimony of Christ and the cross.
And we're going to give you the glory in advance for what you do in us and around the world.
We ask this in your precious name. Amen.
Well, I want you to turn your Bibles this morning to Ephesians chapter 3.
We're going to pick up, actually, in verse 6 and work our way through.
And as we are studying this passage this morning,
I want you to understand that at the very beginning,
this passage is one where Paul uses an interesting little statement
that in our culture is completely different from the way it was used in the Bible.
When we think about a mystery, how do we think about a mystery?
A mystery is something where there's a key part that we really don't know
and we're kind of curious about what's going to happen.
We watch mystery theater.
We read mystery novels on occasion.
We're looking for some kind of detail that's hidden and not understood
and we can't get our hands on it.
In the ancient world, a mystery was completely different from that.
A mystery was actually something that was understood only by those who were part of the inner circle.
And they were told the secrets of that mystery.
A mystery religion was a religion where only those who were initiated into the group
had access both to the information and to the place of worship.
And those who were initiated, they had secret handshake or they had secret signals
and they communicated all through this kind of mumbo-jumbo and that was a mystery.
And in order to be part of that mystery, you had to be invited in
and they had to learn all these important things and the mystery was something that was revealed.
Paul uses the word mystery four different times in this chapter
and we're not going to pick up on all of them because we touched on them a little bit last week,
but we're going to move through and understand the secrets that God has shared with us as believers.
And as we look at this passage, I want you to pick up with me there in verse 6.
He says,
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.
So as we get started understanding this mystery,
as I've already pointed out, a mystery in the New Testament,
different than for us, a mystery that is not understood.
In the Bible, a mystery is something that only those who are initiated understand.
And the fact that Paul speaks about Christ and the gospel as being a mystery
is both biblically consistent and also telling.
It announces something.
Jesus made it clear, actually, that spiritual truth and spiritual matters
are not simply understood by applying human intellect.
If I were to throw out a relatively simple math problem,
if you had been exposed to math previously,
2 plus 2, I'm kind of at my level here.
Do you follow me?
But if I did 2 plus 2, most everybody here that's beyond 5 or 6 could say what?
4.
And I would say, good job.
If I went a little further than that,
we'd begin to kind of weed out those who have not learned all those details, right?
Because they were kind of confusing to us.
And Jesus made it clear that spiritual truth was not just understood by mere intellect.
Turn in your Bible so we see this for ourselves.
Go over to Luke chapter 10, verse 21 and 22.
The context is that earlier Jesus had sent out His disciples to preach the gospel,
to announce the kingdom, and they returned.
And when they came up, came back,
they were really enthused about the tremendous blessing that they had had
in preaching the gospel, announcing the kingdom,
and seeing God do some miraculous things.
And they're kind of whooping it up because of what they'd seen happen.
And Jesus said, hey, listen, this is the thing that really ought to fire you up,
the fact that your name is written in the book of life,
that you're a child of God.
And on that statement, He then goes on in verse 21.
He says,
In the same hour, He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding
and revealed them to little children.
Yes, Father, for such is your or was your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father,
and no one knows who the Son is except the Father,
or who the Father is except the Son,
and everyone to whom the Son, what's the next word?
chooses to reveal Him.
So how is it that there are some of you sitting here this morning
that know who Jesus Christ is?
Did that really happen because you had a different intellectual capacity
than other people that you work with that when they use the word Jesus Christ,
what's their means of, what are they saying?
It's an oath.
It's an expression of a curse word or something like that.
They don't have a personal relationship with Christ.
They don't think in those terms.
Why is it that you do?
It says here,
God in His kindness has chosen to reveal this mystery to you.
We look over at another passage that makes it clear to us,
and if you would, look in 1 Corinthians 2.
1 Corinthians 2, verse 2 through 7.
Chapter 2, verse 7 through 14,
and I'm not going to take all the passage,
but just kind of touch this.
It says,
Does that make sense?
Do you think if Satan understood the plan of redemption,
he would have partnered with the Roman government to put Christ on the cross?
What's the answer?
I mean, when he thought the victory was his,
he was actually driving the last nail into his own coffin and his destruction.
Isn't that right?
And why did that happen?
Here's what it says.
If the rulers of this age had understood this,
for if they had,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
And as we work our way on down through,
look at verse 10.
These things,
God has revealed to us through the Spirit,
for the Spirit searches everything,
even the depths of God.
And then he goes on,
and he says there in verse 12,
Now we have received not the Spirit of the world,
but the Spirit who is from God,
that we might understand the things freely given to us by God.
Why is it that you understand spiritual truth?
What's the answer?
We understand spiritual truth because of the blessing of the work of God in our lives
that has revealed these truths to us,
and they humble us,
and they also cause us to be thankful.
And Paul speaks of these spiritual truths,
and he says,
Listen,
it's because of the grace of God that you understand these things
and can recognize them to be true.
Now,
you look here in the passage going back to Ephesians chapter 3,
and we need to understand that the mystery Paul wrote about
is all about Christ and His salvation.
That's what the mystery consists of,
in broad terms.
But we break it down in this passage,
and there are references to different pieces of it.
In one sense,
part of the overarching issue is the mystery of redemption,
what He did in saving us.
And there is a reference to that mystery of redemption
over in Hebrews chapter 3, verse 20.
I'm not going to have you turn there,
but recognize that when we think about what God has done in saving us,
it is a mystery that if we were not told about it,
we wouldn't understand it.
I want you to think just for a moment.
Earlier this morning,
as I was meditating and praying about Sunday
and the passage that we were going to look at,
I was kind of putting myself in Adam and Eve's shoes after they sinned.
I mean,
can you imagine the absolute horror that came over their conscience
as they thought about the terrifying reality
that they had offended the supreme God and creator of this universe?
When we sin,
and we sin often,
we have kind of a practiced indifference to it
because we do it so often.
Do you understand that?
But for Adam and Eve's conscience
to be struck for the very first time in history
by the appalling nature of sin,
it must have been terrifying.
And God comes into the garden
and He's looking for them
and they're hiding.
Can you just think with me
about the absolute futility of Adam and Eve
hiding from God?
Have you ever played hide and seek with your kids
when they were small?
And they hide in the most obvious place.
You close your eyes and you count to ten.
And then they hide behind the couch
and the only part that's really hidden is what part?
Their head.
The rest of it's sticking out from behind the couch
and all you have to do to give them away
or get them to give themselves away
is say,
I wonder where...
And they begin doing what?
They begin giggling.
And so you go...
If you walk out of the room and say,
I'll bet you they've left the room,
the little child does what?
No, no, I didn't leave the room.
You know, they've got to give it all away.
Just imagine the absolute ridiculous idea
of hiding from God.
And here's Adam and Eve tucked away.
Who knows where?
Behind a bush or something like that.
And God shows up and...
What's going on?
And just think about what happens.
God covers their sinful flesh with a skin.
What did they try to cover it with already?
Leaves.
And in that covering
was the first indication
of the shedding of blood
for the covering for sin.
And then God makes an announcement.
He says,
Listen,
You will bruise
His head
and He will bruise your heel.
Speaking of Christ
and the plan of redemption.
I know Tom.
Tom is teaching on Christ
in the Old Testament
and one of the very first,
the proto-evangelism,
it talks about the first time it appears
is in that phrase.
And it's interesting
that when Adam and Eve had a son,
their first son,
do you know what they expected
that first son to perhaps be?
Does anybody know?
This is the guy.
This is the one.
This is the Messiah who's coming.
That was their ambition.
They were looking
for the solution
to their sinful heart.
And all the way down
through the Old Testament,
the symbolism of sacrifice,
Abraham on Mount Moriah,
David when he sacrificed there
to stop the plague,
the temple built there,
and later Christ crucified.
The plan of redemption
is a plan that God revealed to us
and beloved,
would we have figured it out
apart from Him telling us
and the answer is,
not at all.
It's a mystery
that He's given to us.
A second part of the mystery
that we find particularly here
in Ephesians chapter 2
is the mystery
of His inclusion
of Gentiles as His people.
Prior to the New Testament,
the way for a Gentile
to become a part
of the family of God
was only through
becoming a Jew.
And God opens up
and reveals to Jew and Gentile
that His plan of redemption
does not have
that complicated layer
of Judaism
and those laws,
but rather it is
all of grace.
And apart from grace,
there is no salvation.
And as we look at the passage
actually in Ephesians chapter 3,
look where it says there
talking about this mystery
of the Gentile.
Now, it says,
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.
Now, in the English translation,
the hammer blows
of what Paul is saying
are a little muted for us
because what Paul does
is he takes three Greek root words
and he puts a little preface
at the beginning of them
to make it very, very clear.
In essence, what he is saying
is that Gentile believers are,
and he uses the word soon,
which means with,
he says Gentiles are heirs with.
He says Gentiles are members with.
He says that Gentiles
are partakers with.
And he's talking about the fact
that God has taken two
and put them together
by His grace.
And because of that,
there is no second-class citizenry
in the body of Christ.
We are all together
members of the body
and the bride of Christ,
equally in the eyes of God.
The third part of this mystery
that we find in the scriptures
is that we have the privilege
of a personal relationship with Christ.
I don't know whether that overwhelms you,
but, beloved, it should.
The truth of the matter is
is that apart from Christ,
we would be aliens to God,
we would be enemies with God,
we would have no intimate communion
or relationship with God.
And I was having a great time
this morning explaining
the example prayer
that we find in Luke,
and we find it in Matthew.
How does the prayer start
that's an example for us?
What do we say?
Our Father.
Does that give you cold chills
when you stop and think
about what that says?
Hey, if you know anything
about the other religions
in the world,
they have no idea
of a personal, intimate relationship
with the Creator and God
of this universe.
And we, because of Christ,
have the privilege and blessing
of being in personal relationship
with Him.
And, beloved,
when we stop and think about that,
that ought to quiet our uncertain
and frail heart
and encourage us
to be profoundly thankful
in the blessing we have
in Christ Jesus.
Let me give you a little sidebar.
I read,
I just finished up a book
called God's at War
by Kyle Eidelman.
You want to read a good book?
That's a good one.
Tag it.
It's a good one.
And as I was coming
towards the end of the book,
it's talking about
the struggle that we have
with idolizing ourself.
How many of you realize
that every day when you wake up,
there's this little niggling interest
of being an idol yourself?
You want everybody to bow
to the idolatry of you.
And he said,
it's actually been amped up
on steroids.
Five researchers
in San Diego State University
have done,
I think it is from 1986 to 2007,
they have interviewed
16,000 college students
about the problem
with narcissism.
Do you know what narcissism is?
Let me give you the end story
of what narcissism is.
How many of you remember
singing,
Frere Jacques,
Dormez-vous?
Here is the contemporary version
of Frere Jacques.
I am special,
yes I am,
yes I am.
Isn't that good?
Isn't that a good song?
Anyway,
some of you probably
sang it in school.
But this study
revealed that
there has been
an absolute skyrocketing
issue with narcissism.
People who are narcissists
think such things as
if I were in charge
the world would be
a better place.
Okay?
Now when you have
ten people in the room
thinking the same thing,
guess what you automatically have?
The narcissist thinks
when I'm getting my way
things are good.
The narcissist
is pretty full of themself.
Incidentally,
the narcissist
has profound trouble
in lasting relationships.
The narcissist
by the survey
is far more inclined
to be dishonest
and cheat.
cannot sustain
integrity
in any kind of task.
Incidentally,
very curiously,
these researchers
began asking
when did narcissism
begin to develop
into a predominant character
of American culture?
Guess when it happened?
Back in 1980,
our culture
was swept away
by the self-esteem movement.
and these
unbelieving
researchers
at San Diego State University
began making
a correlation
between the
I am special,
yes,
I am,
and the struggle
with our culture
with everybody
becoming self-focused
and nobody thinking
about anybody else
but themselves.
Listen to me.
There is no remedy
to be found
for that incessant battle
other than
in a joyful
and personal
relationship
with the Lord
of glory
and that is why.
I love the truth
of salvation.
It delivers me
from the absolute
tyranny
of self-centered living.
And as we look
at this passage,
Paul says,
listen,
it's my privilege
to talk to you
about the mystery
that God has revealed
to us.
I want you to notice
something else
in relationship
to this mystery
talking about
announcing the mystery
and we see that
in the passage
in 7 through 9
of this gospel,
Paul says,
I was made
a minister
according to the gift
of God's grace
which was given to me
by the working
of His power.
Stop just for a moment
and think with me.
When we find something
in scripture,
it is there
because Paul thought
it was a good idea
to include.
Is that the answer?
Or,
B,
the Spirit of God
put it there
for our benefit
and our edification.
It's there
because the Spirit
of God
thinks it's for our benefit
and edification.
And so,
when we read here
that Paul announces
this truth
in relationship
to himself
of this gospel,
I was made
a minister
according to the gift
of God's grace,
we understand
that Paul is saying
something about
those who are messengers.
And put it this way,
godly messengers
are marked
by genuine humility.
Paul's declaration
here of self-perception
is that he's saying,
listen,
this is what I am
and mark what he says.
I am the very least
of all the saints.
Now,
is he just being,
is he just exercising
false humility?
Let me give you
a picture
of false humility
so you understand
what it is.
Just let's say
that an exceptionally
attractive woman
goes into the dressing room
and puts on a lovely dress
and she walks out
and she really does
look pretty good,
but what she says
to her friends
that are gathered around
is what?
What's she say?
Oh,
this dress makes me
look too fat.
She says,
this dress probably
doesn't look good on me.
What is she looking for?
Guys,
what's she looking for?
What's she looking for?
In fact,
she's just looking
for affirmation,
isn't she?
She looks at herself
in the mirror
and she thinks,
well,
I'm looking pretty good.
And what do you think?
I mean,
she's looking for someone else
to agree with her.
She wants someone else
to bow at her idolatry,
right?
And kind of agree
with her value.
Paul,
when he says
what he does
in verse 8
where he says,
I am less than least
of all the saints,
I want you to understand
that he is speaking
the truth
about what God
has helped him
understand about himself.
And Paul saw himself
first as an appointed servant.
Look at what it says
there in verse 7.
I was made a minister
according to the gift
of God's grace.
And incidentally,
that word minister there
is the word
from which we get deacon.
Paul says,
I am a deacon.
I am a deacon
according to the gift
of God's grace.
And God is at work in me.
He has given me
this responsibility.
He saw that his task
and his responsibility
was not a career choice
but something that God
had laid on him.
I want you to understand also
that Paul in his ministry
and we see his humility
by the fact that he was not
an arrogant and combative person.
I want you to turn back
just a little bit
if you would actually
turn forward
to 2 Timothy.
Go to 2 Timothy chapter 2
verse 24 and 25.
What was Paul like
in ministry to other people
in his circle?
Chapter 2 verse 24.
2 Timothy chapter 2
verse 24 and 25.
It says,
The Lord's servant
must not be quarrelsome
but be kind to everyone,
able to teach,
patiently enduring evil,
correcting his opponents
with gentleness.
God may perhaps
grant them repentance
leading to the knowledge
of the truth.
So what kind of characteristic
was Paul displaying
in his ministry?
Did he thump and strut?
Did he walk around
with a cudgel
letting people
that disagreed with him
know that there was
a consequence
for crossing him?
Not at all.
He was marked
by humility and tenderness
and that was the characteristic
of his heart
because he saw himself
as least of the saints.
I want you to mark also
that his life was marked
by an affection
for other people.
As you read your way
through the pastoral epistles
you see that Paul speaks
about his relationship
with the body of Christ
being that like a nursing mother
caring for those people.
and how was Paul treated
by some of the people
that he cared for?
Does anybody have an idea?
Always favorably,
always appreciated,
always loved,
not at all.
In fact,
in the very last days
of Paul's life
most everyone
who he had served
and ministered to,
those that he poured
his life in
turned away
and walked from him.
And here's what Paul says.
He says,
do not hold it
to their charge.
He's praying to God
and says don't hold it
to their charge.
I want you to recognize
one other thing
as you go back
to that passage
in Ephesians.
Let's look at Ephesians
chapter 3
and pick up
what we find there
as we continue
working through it.
He says here
to bring to light
in verse 9
to bring to light
for everyone
what is the plan
of the mystery
hidden for ages
in God
who created all things.
So we see
the humility
of a servant
but then secondly
we see that
godly messengers
see the gospel
as being something
for everyone.
I appreciate the fact
that Paul
had no hesitation
to make it very,
very clear
that the doctrine
of election
and predestination
are stated in the gospel
but on the other hand
what was Paul's attitude
towards preaching?
Was there any place
that he wouldn't preach?
He'd preach in a synagogue
wouldn't he?
And when he went
into the synagogue
as his ministry developed
did he anticipate
that everybody
was going to love him
and just appreciate
the gospel ministry
that he has?
Not at all.
He appreciated
the privilege he had
of being the messenger
of the gospel
and he was not put off
by the treatment
that he received.
Paul preached in prison.
He preached
in the marketplace.
He preached
down by the riverside.
He preached
to prisoners.
He preached
to soldiers
who were chained
to Paul
and everywhere
he preached
I think one of the things
that you need
to understand
about Paul's preaching
is that he preached
with a passion
and an earnestness
to see people
come to Christ.
Turn over
if you would
to 2 Corinthians
chapter 5
and mark the spirit
that he had
in preaching.
2 Corinthians
chapter 5
verse 20
he says this
as he describes
his preaching
therefore we are
ambassadors for Christ
God making his appeal
through us
we implore you
in the King James
I think it says
we plead with you
in Christ's stead
so when Paul
preached the gospel
to people
day in and day out
whether it was
in prison or the synagogue
what kind of affection
and passion
did he have for doing it?
There was earnestness
in his voice
and there was a desire
to see people
come to Christ
isn't that right?
Well let me ask you
the question
if this is a picture
of the apostle Paul's heart
when was the last time
that you shared
the gospel
with someone
with the kind
of passion
and affection
that Christ
shared it with?
When was the last time
you shared it
with the kind of passion
that Paul shared it with?
Let me take another step
and just ask you
a practical question
you may not have had
some opportunities
in the last several weeks
right?
Forcing them
is not a good idea
so when was the last time
you prayed
with that kind of passion
and concern?
Let me give you
a couple illustrations
I was here yesterday
with helping
with the crowd
of people
that were babysitting
and I know
that one of the little
babies in our fellowship
was sick
and the mother
went home
and I happened
to come out
from the nursery
there were plenty
of helpers
and I was also
over in the gym
working in the kitchen
there with Pastor Saul
and Todd
and I'd come out here
and I walked
and I saw three or four
of our mothers
that were just kind
of huddled together
sharing sympathetically
and I just
I was touched
by their affection
together
for this little child
that wasn't feeling well
still not doing
all that well
and so you know what
I began praying for that
and when you care
about something
how often do you pray?
You pray a lot
praying over and over again
for this little child
to get better
through the day
texting him later
how's he doing?
Well
about three times
and then
I get up this morning
to have devotions
in prayer
and there is
a little text
at 1130
by the way
my phone goes
on quiet
so that you don't
I want to sleep
but I fire my phone
up and there's
so somebody else
has got their child
in the hospital
and what do I start
doing?
I start praying
and I'm praying
with earnestness
when a child
is sick
how does a parent
pray?
How does a parent
pray?
You tell me
Lord
if it's your will
you take care of them
it's up to you
I don't care
right?
Probably shouldn't have
had them
I remember
when Judith and I
were relatively
young parents
I was teaching
at a Christian school
we didn't have
any insurance
and our first child
for some strange
reason
had one bout
with spiking fevers
after another
and I can just
remember
both of us
sitting down
on the floor
next to her bed
and just crying out
to God
that she would live
when was the last
time that you
when you thought
about some of the
people that are
not going to heaven
were you struck
by affection
and burden?
It ought to be
that way
we come to
another part
as we think
here
of enjoying
the scope
and the
part that we
have in the
mystery of God
and verse 10
it says
so that
through the
church
the manifold
wisdom
of God
might now
be made
known
I want to tell you
there are some
points here
that
earlier in the
week
I found
myself
wanting to
preach on
Thursday
and I found
myself
wanting to
preach them
on Friday
and I found
myself
wanting to
preach them
on Saturday
and here it
is
okay
let me tell
you
number one
the body
of Christ
is supremely
important
to displaying
his wisdom
let me
pick up on
that first
part again
so that
through
the
church
and ponder
with me
just how
poignant
and how
significant
those words
are
when we
read the
Bible
we have a
tendency
to read
the Bible
in a
personal
sense
isn't that
right
I read
the Bible
for Tim
Nellie
reads the
Bible
for Nellie
and since
Nellie
is sitting
next to
Olivia
and Olivia
is kind
of giving
me that
look
don't use
my name
Olivia
reads the
Bible
for Olivia
it's just
the way
it is
do you
follow that
and that's
not all
bad
but when
scripture
was written
here
in the
pastoral
epistles
it was
written
to be
read
to the
whole
body
of Christ
and they
understood
it
collectively
I mean
I am
very thankful
that my
finger
does not
think about
itself
apart
from the
body
it's
attached
together
it fits
and here
is the
apostle
penning
these
words
and he
is saying
something
of
profound
value
to us
he's
saying
so that
in
the
church
through
the
church
many
of you
the church
has a
place
to go
that's
not
right
the
church
is
something
that
the
believer
is
to
belong
to
by
God's
divine
appointment
and
each
member
in the
body
of
Christ
has
been
called
and
equipped
to
fit
together
for
his
glory
and
I
got
to
tell
you
that
the
church
is
a
far
more
significant
display
of his
wisdom
than
creation
is
think
about
that
with me
for a
moment
we
know
from
the
Psalms
the
heavens
declare
finish
it
for
me
the
glory
of
God
but
I
want
to
tell
you
that
the
heavens
and
all
of
creation
is
a
relatively
insignificant
challenge
for the
wisdom
of God
in
comparison
to
redemption
does that
make sense
why is it
it
tells us
in the
scriptures
that
angels
clapped
and sung
for joy
as they
watched
God
with
simply
a
word
create
this
universe
it
tells
us
and I
want
you
to
turn
over
to
the
passage
and
look
at
it
with
your
own
eyes
it
tells
us
in
1
Peter
chapter
1
verse
12
that
angels
when
they
think
about
us
who
are
redeemed
it
says
they
kind
of
ponder
this
and
they
want
to
peer
in
and
understand
it
1
Peter
chapter
1
verse
12
it
was
revealed
to them
that they
were serving
not
themselves
but you
in the
things
which have
now been
announced
to you
through
those
who
preach
the
good
news
to you
by
the
Holy
Spirit
sent
from
heaven
things
into
which
the
angels
long
to
look
what's
that
saying
angels
who
enjoy
the
presence
of
the
father
who
can
see
him
in
his
resplendent
glory
who
enjoy
the
benefit
of
the
holiness
and
the
glory
of
heaven
are
kind
of
not
troubled
but
they're
curious
they
want
to
understand
what
what did
you do
God
when you
saved
those
people
and by
the way
what makes
angelic
curiosity
more
significant
is how
were all
the angels
treated
who decided
they'd try
sin number
one
what
happened
they were
cursed
for all
eternity
in hell
and so
the rest
of them
are sitting
up there
kind of
scratching
their heads
saying
I know
you're
holy
I know
you're
wise
I know
you're
good
but
what
is
this
blessing
of
salvation
and
beloved
I want
you to
understand
that the
scriptures
declare
that before
the foundation
of the
world
he had
ordained
the plan
of salvation
and he
had your
name
in mind
I like
that song
that says
he knows
my name
right
it says
that
my name
is engraven
upon his
hands
well
in Ephesians
chapter 3
it says
that it's
through the
church
that the
manifold
wisdom
of God
is displayed
so let's
talk a little
bit
about God's
wisdom
Paul
is writing
here about
manifold
he uses the
word manifold
to talk about
something that
is just
everywhere you
look
it is just
incredibly
wonderful to
consider
I'm going to
oversimplify
things just
for a little
bit
but how
many of
you have
heard of
pinhead
logic
or wisdom
or pinhead
intellect
how many of
you understand
let me use
an illustration
so that I'm
going to
cast stones
upon people
like me
rather than
people not
like me
literature
majors
you know
I mean
reading the
classics
reading 20
pages a
minute
or whatever
blah blah
blah
it's
no big
stretch
do you
follow that
you want
me to
read a
book
I can
do that
you want
me to
do a
math
problem
or figure
out
something
engineering
wise
it's
just
my brain
goes
kind
of
numb
okay
and that's
what I
mean by
pinhead
wisdom
or logic
you know
you're
a specialist
in a
narrow
sphere
narrow
band
I see
some of
you smiling
because you
understand
what I'm
saying
see
God's
manifold
wisdom
does the
literature
and the
math
thing
together
he gets
both
parts
in fact
listen
to me
he understands
it better
than any
of us
put together
he was
the one
who invented
it
he thought
it all
up
and he
thought
it'd be
entertaining
for us
to just
get it
a little
bit
at a
time
and
and so
as we
appreciate
God's
wisdom
let's
understand
the
difference
between
wisdom
and
knowledge
because
it
helps
us
knowledge
is the
grasp
or it
is the
it is
kind of
the
gathering
of
bits
of
information
knowledge
allows
us
to learn
the
alphabet
knowledge
allows
us
to acquire
some
understanding
of
phonics
I'm
not
going to
tell
all the
details
but
yeah
I will
my
granddaughter
thought
that it
was
appropriate
that her
parents
give her
a banana
and the
banana
was not
arriving
at the
adequate
pace
and so
what she
tried
was a
little
phonics
na-na
you know
I mean
if you're
not getting
it break
it down
to make
it simple
right
na-na
wisdom
is
more
than
knowledge
wisdom
allows
a person
who has
gathered
the
alphabet
and
understood
phonics
to read
history
and figure
out
I don't
want to
do
that
how many
of you
understand
the
difference
wisdom
allows
us
to take
the
data
of
life
and
make
good
judgments
and
decisions
and wisdom
allows
the
believer
to
realize
if I
do
this
I
please
Christ
if I
do
that
I
harm
the
testimony
of
Christ
and
I
bring
heartache
on
myself
and
others
I want
you to
understand
that Paul
speaks of
the church
as being
and follow
this
the manifold
declaration
of the
wisdom
of God
he says
that
God
intends
for the
church
the
gathering
together
us
as a
body
to be
something
that
causes
others
to say
wow
what
did
you
do
how
did
that
happen
I
want
you to
look at
one other
thing
and
ponder
with me
the
thought
behind
this
Ephesians
chapter
3
verse
10
it says
so that
through the
church
the manifold
wisdom
of God
might
now be
made
known
to the
rulers
and
authorities
in
heavenly
places
why
is it
that
God
was
interested
in
demonstrating
his
manifold
wisdom
in the
heavenly
places
this
would be
way
beyond me
but I
think
it's
a good
illustration
let's
just
pretend
that I
would
pull down
a chalkboard
here
and it
would
drop
down
and
I
would
begin
writing
some
very
complicated
mathematical
equation
a problem
and
then I
began to
work through
that problem
and I
came out
with the
answer
at the
end
most of
you
probably
wouldn't
be
impressed
do you
know
why
here's
the answer
because
probably
most of
you
are
marginally
like
me
and
math
is
one
of
those
dark
skill
sets
that
should
be
enjoyed
by
other
people
do you
follow
that
but if
the room
was full
of
math
scholars
and
professors
and the
finest
sharpest
mathematicians
in the
world
and they
saw me
pull down
the chalkboard
and then
they saw
me
begin
to
lay
out
this
just
incredibly
complex
equation
and then
they saw
me
answer
it
they'd
say
wow
that
was
good
see
the
angels
can
appreciate
the
glory
of
God's
wisdom
because
they
are
not
as
handicapped
by their
sinfulness
as we
are
and
they
look
at
the
marvel
of
what
God
has
done
in
salvation
of
taking
people
like
me
and
taking
people
like
you
and
drawing
us
out
of
the
bankruptcy
of
our
heart
and
making
us
part
of
the
family
of
God
and
then
appointing
us
to be
ambassadors
for the
king
and
they're
sitting
up there
saying
wow
got that
if the
church
is so
important
to
Christ
and
the
church
declares
the
manifold
wisdom
of
God
what
has
happened
to our
contemporary
culture
church
that
the
church
has
been
marginalized
in
the
lives
of
so
many
people
today
church
is
somewhere
I
go
if it
doesn't
interfere
with
sports
or with
my
personal
self
preferences
or
my
vacations
my
luxuries
if the
church
is so
important
to
Christ
the
thing
that would
lead us
to diminish
its
significance
is that
we have
been snared
by an
idolatry
that
replaces
the
glory
of
God
with
our
own
and
leads
us
to
profound
dissatisfaction
and
spiritual
emptiness
and I
would plead
with you
beloved
this
morning
this
passage
opens
up
and
helps
us
see
that
being
part
of
the
church
is
a
supremely
wonderful
blessing
that
angels
kind of
look at
and say
wow
and you
ought to
think that
way too
let's
close in
prayer
beloved
father
as we
consider
the
glory
of the
cross
and the
plan of
salvation
that you
have revealed
to us
through the
Lord Jesus
Christ
we find
our joy
and our
satisfaction
today
as believers
in saying
you are
our savior
and our
Lord
and our
lives
belong
to you
and we
do not
want to
fall
into the
snare
of idolatry
that would
rob us
of being
part
of the
glory
and for
those who
are here
today
that do
not know
Christ
father
it is
my
plea
it is
my
prayer
that your
spirit
would draw
them to
the cross
this morning
that they
with humility
would be
willing to
say
I stand
justly
condemned
before a
holy God
and there
is no
hope
for me
apart
from what
Jesus
did on
the cross
of paying
my debt
and I
will gladly
humble
myself
and cast
myself
upon the
mercy of
Christ
and ask
him to
save me
we pray
that in
your name
amen
to
him
to