What is the Mystery of God?
Colossians 1:24-29
I. What the Mystery Isn’t
A. Mystery = (μυστηριον) to shut the mouth, be silent. A mystery is a secret.
B. Gnosticism - “the intellectual ones”. You had to have a special “wisdom”, to really be a Christian.
1. ILL: I grew up spiritually in a church like that.
2. If you didn’t accept our interpretation of what the scriptures said, you were not a real Christian.
3. Gnostic ideas in the early church:
a. There were “mystery” religions, cults during this time.
b. The physical is inherently bad, evil. So, good Jesus couldn’t have been a physical man!
c. Jesus was thought to be kind of a superior angel who materialized & faded like a ghost.
C. v24 - But, God’s mystery was purchased for you by the cross!
1. As a physical person, He suffered - (πάθημα). He experienced hardship & pain.
2. As a physical person, He was afflicted - (θλίβω) He had tribulations, physical trials.
D. So - what is the “mystery” of God in contrast to this philosophical mystery?
II. v 25-26 - It’s the Word of God
A. I Cor 15:1-4 - It’s the Gospel Message.
1. God took on a human life. (Jn 1:14)
2. He died on a cross to provide redemption & forgiveness from your ungodly sinful life.
3. He was resurrected to give credence to the fact that His human life was actually divine.
B. v25 - It’s In it’s fulness.
1. v27 - it’s universal – all the Gentiles. A Jew would not accept God having a use for everyone, a non Jew.
2. v28 - It’s proclaimed, admonished & taught “with all wisdom”. The gospel is all you need, no extra beyond the gospel message.
3. v28 - It’s goal is to complete you.
a. Perfect - (τέλειος) mature, complete.
b. Make you a mature Christian.
B. v26 - God’s mystery was also kept hidden.
1. The OT was necessary to show what sin was.
2. When you know you are a sinner, then you know you need forgiveness, a savior.
3. At the right time God introduced the gospel providing that savior.
III. v 27 - It’s Christ in You
A. Christ – in the flesh. Lord Jesus was an historical, physical person!
1. Paul put it this way . . .
a. Phil 2:5-8 - Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!
2. John put it this way. . .
a. I Jn 4:2-3 - This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
b. II Jn 7 - Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
B. Christ - is the hope of glory.
1. v24 - By you & me being in Him, corporately, the church, His body.
2. I Cor 6:19 - By Him being in you, individually, as the Holy Spirit.
Lord Jesus – God in flesh – Now dwelling in you & you in Him
That’s God’s Wonderful Mystery
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