The Mystery of Christ Preached

Many years ago, most people people, especially Christians, witnessed one of the best Christians movies made in modern times. That was Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ’. Thousands of people flocked to see this movie. And it had a tremendous impact. In fact, after being rejected by all production companies, Gibson took the risk of using his own money to make the movie. And the movie turned out to be a huge success. In one interview, he was asked: why he was so dedicated to make the movie; given that it was so provoking and controversial. And he answered that it felt as if he had no choice in the matter. And that it felt as if God possessed him. Essentially, he was merely an instrument for God. Now I do not know Mel Gibson’s status before the Lord. But most people would agree that God used him for a cause bigger than himself. Interestingly, today people have moved on from Gibson, but everyone still the impact the movie had on them. And here in our passage today. The apostle Paul says the very same thing about himself, of how his ministry fits into God’s revealed mystery. Not because he is so great, but because God’s mystery-mission is so great.

So last time we looked at The Mystery of Christ Revealed. Where Paul says: he is a prisoner of Christ for the sake of the Gentiles, by God’s grace, by his revelation (made known to him), and as the first in his generation. So today, we will look at The Mystery of Christ Preached. That Paul is not only a prisoner of Christ for the sake of the Gentiles. But, as we see in verse 7, where Paul says, “I became a servant of the gospel” too. I what way does Paul describe his servanthood? He says in verse 8,  Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people. He says further in verse 8, Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ. Paul’s task, calling, and mandate was to preach the gospel of Christ. Not only as a servant, but as less than the least of all the Lord’s servants. Here Paul is pointing to his own unworthiness, while pointing to the greatness of God’s mystery.

So let’s think about his ministry in the context of the mystery. The mystery in verse 1-6 is by grace, by revelation, and by generation. It is a magnificent, glorious responsibility given to him. So now Paul is saying in verse 7-9, that God picked him, not only based on how significant the mystery is. But also based on how insignificant he is. Paul is speaking in a ministerial sense saying, That all of the apostles, prophets, and people God could have used – God is using him as less than the least of God’s people. To do what? Verse 9 says, To make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. And Paul’s own sense of insignificance would have been related to his sinful life he knew before Christ. He says in 1 Corinthians 15:9, For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. Paul persecuted the church. He dragged men and women to prison, destroyed their homes. And like a wild beast attacked anyone who associated with the name of Jesus. Paul was even presenting commanding the stoning of Stephen. In other words, for Paul, the great mystery of God that is in revealed in Christ. That the Gentiles are part of the church as heirs, citizens and family; have been placed in the hands of a man who once murdered Christians. Because he hated this very mission, ministry, and mystery. No wonder he articulates his ministry and mission as “grace”, since he didn’t deserve it. As revelation, because he didn’t discover it intellectually. And as a generational point in time, because he was only the fist to receive it. Paul was insignificant. Meaning, the mystery of God revealed in Christ had nothing to do with who he was and what he could do for God. And had everything to do with what God was doing in the world. And doing it through him as a mere servant.

This idea of God’s glorious mystery and our insignificant part in it seems to be a problem for many believers. We don’t to understand our responsibility within this gigantic mission of God. That God is continually, since the days of Paul, revealing his mystery-mission. And we are blessed to be part of it. Yes, Paul was the first to receive and reveal the mystery. But he was not the only and last to receive it. At the moment, God is building a new humanity in Christ of both Jew and Gentile, male and female, young and old, and employer and employee. And he is calling you, as someone who once sinned against him to be part of it. Ofcourse, we are all called to live out the Great Commission. But like Paul, you are uniquely gifted and called to embrace and take charge of God’s mystery-mission. But you have to learn to grow in self-forgetfulness.

Notice in verse 7. Paul calls himself “A servant of the gospel”. He repeats, what he said in verse 2, that it’s a gift of grace. And he adds that, It’s through the working of God’s power. God was powerfully working the gospel through Paul’s ministry. Not necessarily through Paul the man, but the gospel alive in Paul and the words he preached. Romans 1:16 reminds us that, The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Paul is saying that, the gospel was powerfully at work in his ministry. And he was merely a servant of it. All through Acts, we see the Gentiles being persuaded by the powerful message of the gospel – the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Acts 17:3, Paul says to the Thessalonians, This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah. Paul then writes to same church in 1 Thessalonians 1:4, We know that God has chosen you because our gospel came to you, not simply with words, but also with power. Paul was only a servant of the powerful gospel. And God was working out his mystery among the Gentiles, and he just had to be a servant of it.

This ought to be the approach every Christian takes. Believing that God is continually at work through the power of the gospel. And our responsibility is to be merely servants of this gospel. You are merely the carrier of it. That’s why the Bible is its own defense based on its own evidence. Paul says in 2 Tim 2:9, “I am chained like a criminal but the word is not chained”. So if you can get the gospel to where it needs to be that is, among those without Christ, it will do its own work. Remember, the gospel is not reliant on the power f your service. But your service is reliant on the power of the gospel.

Notice in verse 8. Paul calls his service of the gospel, preaching the boundless riches of Christ. He says, Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ. Paul says that, he is a servant entrusted with the riches, wealth, and treasures of Christ. And not any servant. But he says, “Less than the least of all God’s people preaching the boundless riches of Christ”. Paul points out more than merely his responsibility in ministry, serving the powerful gospel. He also stresses the weight of his ministry. That God allowed him to be a servant who handles the riches of Christ. This is to say that, the lowly servant is entrusted with the Master’s best. This is not false humility. Paul was always aware of his own unworthiness and insignificance. He says in 1 Timothy 1:12-13 that, I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. In verse 15 of that same passage, he calls himself, The worst of all sinners. Paul understood God’s mercy and grace to him. He saw his ministry as a blessing and priviledge, and not a right.

This ought to be our approach to the work of the gospel as well. That we are handling the boundless riches of Christ. Even though we do not deserve it, or to be used by God. Why not? Because as Paul, we once were blasphemers and persecuters before God and against him. We once found Christ repulsive, we had no interest in him. And not to mention, that our service to him was the last thing on our minds. Some of you may think that you were not that bad before you came to Christ. You were a hardworking person. You hated laziness and lazy people. And believed that your gifts was from God. But this is exactly the problem. Before God called you to his service, you lived for yourself, your hopes, and your dreams, serving your own cause. And if God did not save you, you would have still lived for own significance. Church, for God to place the riches of Christ in the hands of an ex-Satanist is nothing but a miracle. We ought to weep at the fact that God allows us to do ministry before him.

 Notice verse 9. Paul says that the mystery, which is the powerful gospel and the preaching of the riches of Christ is an administration of God himself. He says that, God hid the mystery as administration in himself for ages. And now called him as an apostle to make it plain. Verse 9 says,  And to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. Paul is only making plain what has been made plain to him. He says, to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery. For ages God did not reveal his mystery and only now, through the apostle Paul, did he choose to reveal it for the first time. Paul sees himself as only a middle-man, in an evangelistic and missional sense. The word “plain” or “light” in the verse speaks of conversion and on-going discipleship. Paul drove though his gospel ministry the truth of the Gentiles new status in the church. It almost seems appropriate then why Paul writes a chapter on his ministry, right after he said in chapter 2. That Jew and gentiles are one in Christ as believers. And right before chapter 4, saying that they must serve one another in unity – with a diversity of gifts. Because he was called, as a servant, to make God’s hidden mystery and administration plain to everyone else. Starting with peoples’ conversion and continuing with their discipleship. In other words, Paul did more than just preach to see sinners saved. He also explained how sinners are now one, and equal with others in Christ as saints. In other words, Paul’s ministry was not only a blessing and priviledge. But his ministry was specific as well. Paul was the insignificant sinner turned preacher, commissioned to convert and convince others of God’s mystery concerning the Gentiles. He understood the specificity of his ministry. He was not called to be occupied with his own significance, since he was merely a servant, of the lowest kind. But he was mandated to be committed to the clarity of his message to others.

This is often a deep struggle for believers. We are so consumed with our own sense of entitlement and importance. So much so, that we cannot focus on the task of the gospel, handling the riches of Christ, by converting and discipling others. We forget that we are only servants in the great plan of redemption. God doesn’t need insignificant sinners. But insignificant sinners need God. We were nothing before he gave us something to do. So where does this leave you and I? It leaves you to embrace that God’s mystery revealed in Christ is big. And he himself, called many sinners out of darkness into the glorious light of His Son. To be a servant of this big truth, making plain to others the power of the gospel.

Do you believe this? If not, there is a place for you among God’s servants, doing God’s work.