There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not
understand: The way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the
way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden. ~Proverbs
30:18-19
Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. (Paul’s Creed) ~1 Timothy 3:16
And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. ~Ephesians 1:9-10
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together of the promise in Christ Jesus. ~Ephesians 3:6
This is a profound mystery, but I am talking about Christ and the church. ~Ephesians 5:32
The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, is now disclosed to the saints. To them, God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ~Colossians 1:26-27
I wish that these proverbs had been written after Christ’s ascension, because then the Proverb might have included another amazing thing: “the way of the Holy Spirit to transform a life from dead in sin to alive in Christ. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17)
Science could have helped him to uncover some of the things that he found mysteries at the time, such as the way of an eagle or a snake, but one mystery is beyond our understanding even now. Praise God that in Him, we are the beneficiaries of such an amazing transformation. But how we go from being broken, to being the temple of Christ’s Holy Spirit, is a mystery that we will never fully understand! Yet, it is a mystery that we celebrate today as part of the birthday of the Church.
This day is so full of mystery. In Leviticus 23:17, in which God is giving Moses instructions for how to celebrate this day, the Lord says: “From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of first fruits to the Lord.” This is the only time in the entire set of prescribed sacrifices that a grain offering includes yeast. That’s because yeast represents impurity or sin. Most offering bread must be pure, without yeast.
To the Jews who received these instructions, and to unbelieving Jews today, this exception of including yeast in this one offering is still a mystery. They just did what they were told. But Jews who believe in Jesus can see and explain that the yeast in these two loaves is there because this offering, besides being holy to the Lord, represents people, in our sinful humanity. There are two loaves, held together, by the priest, as he waves them before the altar. One to represent the Jews. One for the Gentiles! The Holy Spirit brings us all back together so that we could all be presented together as the bride of Christ and made one in Him.
Behold, another mystery, Babble, where peoples were separated by the confusion of languages, was undone by bringing all the languages together to hear one message. The Holy Spirit does not discriminate between any of the manmade categories as we discussed a few days ago. He longs to make His body one in Him. The only distinction now is between those who believe and accept His work on the cross and those who refuse.
“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together of the promise in Christ Jesus.” This would have been a hard thing for the first believers, who were Jewish, to accept and understand. After all, for their whole lives up to that point, they had been taught of their exclusive claim to God. That’s why this would be a mystery to them.
All of a sudden, the exclusivity has been shifted from a nationality to a belief; from what can be seen, to what is unseen. Praise God that we have been included as the beneficiaries of such grace because of the Holy Spirit. Happy birthday Church! May you become what Christ has always prayed and intended for you to be, one in and under Him.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, we are glad You have come and live within us to make us alive in Christ Jesus our Lord, under God, our Father. All praise to the Holy God! Father, Son and Holy Spirit who makes us one, as You are One. May we never stop rejoicing in and proclaiming this Good News until all come to faith! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: The Holy Spirit Came at Pentecost
Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. (Paul’s Creed) ~1 Timothy 3:16
And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. ~Ephesians 1:9-10
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together of the promise in Christ Jesus. ~Ephesians 3:6
This is a profound mystery, but I am talking about Christ and the church. ~Ephesians 5:32
The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, is now disclosed to the saints. To them, God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ~Colossians 1:26-27
I wish that these proverbs had been written after Christ’s ascension, because then the Proverb might have included another amazing thing: “the way of the Holy Spirit to transform a life from dead in sin to alive in Christ. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17)
Science could have helped him to uncover some of the things that he found mysteries at the time, such as the way of an eagle or a snake, but one mystery is beyond our understanding even now. Praise God that in Him, we are the beneficiaries of such an amazing transformation. But how we go from being broken, to being the temple of Christ’s Holy Spirit, is a mystery that we will never fully understand! Yet, it is a mystery that we celebrate today as part of the birthday of the Church.
This day is so full of mystery. In Leviticus 23:17, in which God is giving Moses instructions for how to celebrate this day, the Lord says: “From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of first fruits to the Lord.” This is the only time in the entire set of prescribed sacrifices that a grain offering includes yeast. That’s because yeast represents impurity or sin. Most offering bread must be pure, without yeast.
To the Jews who received these instructions, and to unbelieving Jews today, this exception of including yeast in this one offering is still a mystery. They just did what they were told. But Jews who believe in Jesus can see and explain that the yeast in these two loaves is there because this offering, besides being holy to the Lord, represents people, in our sinful humanity. There are two loaves, held together, by the priest, as he waves them before the altar. One to represent the Jews. One for the Gentiles! The Holy Spirit brings us all back together so that we could all be presented together as the bride of Christ and made one in Him.
Behold, another mystery, Babble, where peoples were separated by the confusion of languages, was undone by bringing all the languages together to hear one message. The Holy Spirit does not discriminate between any of the manmade categories as we discussed a few days ago. He longs to make His body one in Him. The only distinction now is between those who believe and accept His work on the cross and those who refuse.
“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together of the promise in Christ Jesus.” This would have been a hard thing for the first believers, who were Jewish, to accept and understand. After all, for their whole lives up to that point, they had been taught of their exclusive claim to God. That’s why this would be a mystery to them.
All of a sudden, the exclusivity has been shifted from a nationality to a belief; from what can be seen, to what is unseen. Praise God that we have been included as the beneficiaries of such grace because of the Holy Spirit. Happy birthday Church! May you become what Christ has always prayed and intended for you to be, one in and under Him.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, we are glad You have come and live within us to make us alive in Christ Jesus our Lord, under God, our Father. All praise to the Holy God! Father, Son and Holy Spirit who makes us one, as You are One. May we never stop rejoicing in and proclaiming this Good News until all come to faith! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: The Holy Spirit Came at Pentecost
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