Mystery Solved
Tuesday - February 15th
Scripture to Read Today: Ephesians 3:1-13
Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation. Ephesians 3:2-3
Since I was a kid, I have loved TV shows that were "Who Dunnit Mysteries." In the 1970s and 1980s, shows like Columbo, Barnaby Jones, and Murder She Wrote involved some crime that would go unsolved until the main character made the big reveal at the end. Throughout each episode, the writers sent the viewers down many rabbit trails. Then, just when you believed you knew who the guilty party was, that person was exonerated, and the storyline led you down another plausible option.
At the end of the episode, the main detective or private eye gathered all the potential culprits into one room, reviewed all that had taken place, and revealed the guilty party. These shows sucked me in all the time. I convinced myself repeatedly that I would solve the mystery before the big reveal at the end. There was no way the writers would trick me leading me down a rabbit trail. But generally, I didn't pick the guilty party before the reveal.
Mysteries can be fun. They can be intriguing. None of us like to be left in the dark. We want to know. God wired us with an insatiable curiosity.
While the Old Testament promises a coming Messiah, a suffering servant, a final redeemer, and the ultimate king, it does not provide every detail about him. Nevertheless, God progressively revealed enough through His prophets that God's people could continue to anticipate the Messiah's arrival and ministry.
As Jesus lived on the earth and as God revealed more to His Apostles even after He returned to His Heavenly Father, answers to the mystery emerged. The plan of redemption that anyone could be saved by grace through faith in Christ brought incredible clarity. The amazing nature of God's plan to save humanity removed the mystery. All who come to Jesus can and will be saved by grace - whether Jew or Gentile.
Paul declared the mystery solved as he wrote to the believers at Ephesus. "Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation" (Ephesians 3:2-3). Paul took the mystery of God's message of grace to the gentile world. That was part of the mystery before God sent Jesus and revealed the Gospel would go to all the world - not just the Jewish people.
We have the joy of living after the mystery of the Gospel was revealed and now get to share that Good News with others!