Day 10 - The Mystery of the Gospel (Col 1:26-27)

²⁶ the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ²⁷ To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:26-27

The mystery hidden for ages and generations…NOW REVEALED.  What is the mystery? What was revealed?

Paul uses the word mystery 21 times in his letters. Something kept hidden, not previously revealed. It seems important to him that his readers know what he is telling them is the mystery revealed. It isn’t anything new, it is just now understood.

The mystery was spoken of in the Old Testament, but the fullness of how, when and by whom it would be accomplished was hidden.  It was planned from eternity. It was spoken and prophesized about in part, but not unveiled yet in its fullness. Though the reality of the mystery was always present, it was hidden.

But now, the breaking through of the mystery has taken place.

The long, long, wait for the Messiah and the new kingdom comes on the scene in the form of a baby born in Bethlehem. The hidden mystery is beginning to break through.

Jesus spends three years walking, talking, teaching his 12 appointed apostles. He and they talked of the Kingdom of God that was at hand. A new kingdom and a new way of living. But it doesn’t make sense to the Jewish people. They see, but they don’t SEE. They hear, but they don’t HEAR. They don’t understand. They feel threatened, so they reject and crucify Jesus.

Paul, one of those Jewish people, spent his life a seeker and studier, first as a devout Jewish Pharisee. He knew the Old Testament. He knew the law and the prophesies. He devoted his life fighting for it. He too rejected the teaching of Jesus and His followers, to the point of plotting their extinction.

You could say Paul was a bit of a know-it-all. This know-it-all has no idea what is in store for him. His world is about to be rocked! The resurrected Jesus appears to him. The hidden mystery is further breaking through.

The twelve personally appointed by Jesus are given the task of spreading the good news, but there’s one more apostle to be appointed. This one, though a Jewish man himself, would make the gospel known to the Gentiles (non-Jews). Like the apostles, Paul too spent three years with Jesus…

¹¹ For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. ¹² For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³ For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.¹⁵ But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, ¹⁶ was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. ¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.  Galatians 1:11-18

I’ve never really payed attention to the fact that Paul spent three years in the desert, likely reflecting on what he experienced and clearly hearing from Jesus. I generally think Paul was converted and then he started preaching. But things don’t usually happen like that. They take time and Paul put in the time.

Paul’s eyes are opened to a previously hidden mystery, the fullness of the gospel directly from Jesus. It is the continuation of the story that was set in place from the beginning of time. It is the redemption and salvation available to us as a result of what Jesus came and did. But it is more than just eternal salvation in heaven. It is CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY. The presence of God is available to us NOW. It dwells in us. And it is available to all who accept it.

Paul spends his life voraciously trying to make it known. A hidden mystery fully revealed. He wants us to know the riches of the glory of this mystery. The fullness of the gospel. Jesus – the Son of God, God Himself in human flesh – came and lived and died for us. He was the Messiah foretold about and studied about by Jewish families for hundreds of years. He was the perfect lamb that was slain to take away the sins of the world. He is the way, truth, and life. But more than that, He lives in us now. It is about a personal relationship with Christ in us, working through and with us.

There’s a new kingdom and a new king in town – in us – and we should live like it.

A few things I takeaway as I reflect on these verses…

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• We can know a lot, be highly educated and well read, but there are some things that aren’t yet revealed to us. We have to have an open heart to hear from God. Paul’s entire perspective and way of living changed when the things once hidden were revealed to him. We have to continue to pray and ask God for wisdom. We have to never stop studying the Word. God reveals things in Him timing, based on what we are ready for and what our mission is. We have to stay alert and open to instruction.
• We have to continually seek God first. Sometimes we need to go and sit quietly with God and learn. To be still and humble and just listen. To put in the time.  
• We can’t sit and just listen forever, once things are revealed to us, we need to go and pour our energy into our calling. We need to not only know that we are saved, we need to live like it. We need to grow in our relationship and we need to go and make disciples.

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