The Mystery of the Gospel (Part 2)

Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message #135

TEXT: Ephesians 3:1-13

On last week, we began looking at this passage of Scripture and the interesting concept of the "mystery" of the Gospel. We talked about the three stages of the mystery -- the mystery concealed, the mystery revealed, and the mystery explained.

Tim LaHaye provides a good summary of this mystery. He said: "A mystery or hidden secret in the biblical sense was something in the mind and plan of God but unknown to mankind until it was revealed in the New Testament. Here the mystery is not merely that Gentiles would be blessed, which was predicted and well known. The mystery, not known in Old Testament times, was that believing Jews and believing Gentiles would be united as fellow heirs within the same body, to be sharers of God's promise in Christ through the gospel. In the body of Christ, there are no racial or social distinctions."

With that brief overview in mind, I want us to continue in this passage today and see the effect this mystery should have on our lives in the New Testament era, in the church age. In other words, now that the mystery has been revealed what are we to do with the outcome?

+ Plus, listen to Donnie McClurkin as he sings "You Are My God and King" and Francesca Battistelli singing "Lead Me To The Cross"