So friends, a New Year! A new beginning to some, and to others, its just another year period! Needless to say, 2020 shall be remembered in many ways, but the mysteries each year bring, there is Joy that does come from it. Think about the souls saved to Christ during 2020, children born, God inspired heart felt events that changes some peoples live forever, and so many other things. 2020 shall be a great mystery to us, when we look into it more deeply.
It is most compelling thing in the modern age, that the word mystery , much like novels in the genre of detective mysteries, murder mysteries and other similar has taken a front seat to readers today. Why a mystery is so compelling?
Did you know the bible is full of mysteries? Some that will never be fully revealed until we meet God, and some we have not discovered yet.
Who knows or heard of Agatha Christie?
In a article I read recently, Agatha and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are two of the best mystery writters to date. It is said in this article, all modern writters have been using these two individuals as ‘reference’ to fall back on especially when attempting to write original themes.
According to several sources, the Fiction novel genre has increased in its sales between 25 and 45% in certain areas of the world.
What I think is interesting about the genre is the fact its based upon ‘What If’s!’
If this would happen, why did it happen, what will happen next. And onto the comedy of it all or humours scenes and even the areas of the novel where when a murder takes place, you as the reader will either cheer for the culprit or be so very glad it wasn’t you that experienced it in the first place!
Mysteries! It’s a concept that has defiantly been with mankind since the beginning. Something about the word mystery that drives us into another realm. Like ghost hunters! They deliberately attempt to play a dangerous game with the dark side of life attempting to get a taste or glimpse into a mysterious world that isn’t seen or known to us.
How about another type of mystery, something like ‘Mystery stew’, ‘Mystery drink’. Would you eat or drink that? Not knowing at all whats in it! I think THAT is the concept that drives readers!
If you think about it, that is exactly what happened to Adam and Eve! The compelling mystery of the Tree of Knowledge that Satan tempted them with! What IF I just went to the boundary of the rules and even though God said what will happened, would it really?
Christmas day, the mystery wrapped in the beautiful paper! If you knew what was in it already, it no longer has a hold of passion for you!
How about when you see a sunrise, what a mystery that new day can give us! Wake up another day, and not have a clue what the day will bring! How about a new year like we are experiencing now!
In todays scripture reading in epistle of ephesians, Paul is giving us a reason he said directly to make know to us the Mystery of Christ!
We all know the law of ‘cause’ and ‘effect’. When something happens to you, you directly first state what caused it. We explain ‘effects’ by analyzing ‘causes.’
If life has a purpose, we tend to try and find it in biological cells, atoms or other evolutionary ladder of life that ‘we’ think to understand. You see, its what we ‘Think’ we understand that drives this.
Paul is telling us the reverse is in order see the mystery. When we have a purpose that comes first (a faith in pre-destiny) then everything else falls into place.
Let me tell you in a way you may not realize, The New Testament explains the Old Testament! Not the otherway around!
Heaven explains earth; God explains man; Church explains secular social orderings, hence the importance in the Bible of revelation that discloses the purpose of God and his people!
Here is another concept about the mystery of Christ, without it we are left with external resources like hindu karma, Buddhism, and many others that does not promise any hope.
Mystery of Christ friends reveal no more doubtful doom, no more dread of who, what, when, where, why, how! Yes certain parts of these categories are still not revealed to us, but the overall picture is made for each of us to conqueor and live as conqueors.
The mystery of Christ friends, is not a hard concept, its something that is ‘NEW’ to the Jews and gentiles alike at the time of Christ. Today, we know the mystery of Christ from several aspects:
Paul mentions the mystery of Christ has been ‘hidden’ throughout the ages, meaning times past did not fully understand or grasp the meanings or purpose of God as we do today! So we are privileged in knowing the mystery!
So what is the mystery?
So remember what I mentioned earlier about our concept of Cause and Effect?
We no longer have to linger not knowing, as we have GRACE! GODS UNENDING GRACE!
This is something new to the Jews and gentiles in Jesus time!
It goes on further to elaborate we are made heirs to God and this includes Jew and Gentiles alike.
Jewish people was originally destined by God as chosen people, and when Christ came to fulfill the law, even the most wretched Gentile that was not a jew was accepted in Christ. Not just accepted either, but equal partakers of the inheriteance! WOW!
Another part of this mystery is an important part as well.
Ephesians 3:10 “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made know by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places…”
This means basically God intended the Church Just Like MEMORIAL UMC, to be a public testimony to the grace of God which will help all to see. A place where ‘anyone’ can go to receive a constant flow of mercy, and a place to hear the message of the gospel.
The Church also to be called a house of prayer! No longer do Gods people require the mediation of a priest to approach him on their behalf as was done in the Old Testament. In other words, we have FULL ACCESS TO GOD through Jesus Christ.
What did the baby Jesus bring to us? What did he do for us?
Ephesians 2 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast
This is the mystery of Christ friends, that is revealed to ALL who believe on him and live with him and he that lives in them.
Start this new year friends, with something miraculous for yourselves.
Just as I stated earlier, God will NOT withhold any good thing for those that seek him, love him, serve him, fear him, worship him. To do this friends, YOU have to choose and he WILL come to your aid, Amen.
So now friends, taking part of the new year and reflecting how the continued blessing God gives us, let us take a few moments in silence and pray!
Pray to our Lord and Savior to bring to each of us a new heart, new beginning, new sense of purpose, new hope, new spirit. Yes, 2020 was a year that will not be forgotten and remembered with dislike, but we can also reflect on just how worse off we ‘could’ have been as well. God has a plan, a purpose for each of us in every great way! So let us pray my friends, bring all your cares to him and he will give you rest!