The Mystery
…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. – Ephesians 6:18-20.
Today as I was driving, I noticed something on the roadway that I see two to three times a month. What was it that I saw? I saw a single boot lying on the highway. How did it get there? Why would someone abandon just one boot? I have seen single sneakers, and dress shoes abandoned, as well. It is a great mystery! If you are one of those footwear abandoners, please enlighten us. Now if it had been a sock lying on the roadway I would think that this has solved a great mystery. Because I can buy a new package of socks, wash them one time, and only half of them come out of the dryer. So, it would not be much of a surprise to see socks lying on the highway. It would just mean…ahh! Mystery solved! Now I know what happened to all of them. I guess some things like one lone abandoned boot and disappearing socks will always be a mystery.
Some things may be a mystery, but that does not mean they should remain that way. The apostle Paul wrote of the “mystery of the gospel.” However, Paul prayed that he would be able to boldly “make known” this mystery. He was an “ambassador in chains” because of the gospel.
There are billions of people across this world for whom the gospel is a mystery. They do not really even have a clue as to what saving faith in Jesus Christ is all about. Billions believe in false gods, others believe in false doctrines such as working your way to Heaven (Ephesians 2:8-10), and others believe in nothing. True Christianity is even more of a mystery to them – more of a mystery than is a solitary boot lying on the roadway. So many people drive by churches on Sunday morning seeing all of the vehicles parked and they marvel at why people would go to church on Sunday. It is a mystery to them, but one they rarely pause to ponder. Others read of Christians giving to further the cause of Christ and to help those in need…and they wonder why someone would do something like that. It is a mystery to them.
Is the gospel still a mystery to your neighbor? Is the gospel still a mystery to your parents? Your children? Your grandparents? Your grandchildren? Your friends? Your co-workers? Your teachers? Your students? Your fellow students? Your ______ (fill in the blank)? Pray that God will empower you to speak boldly, to be the ambassador for Him that will reveal and make known this mystery to all those you encounter in your life.
(The gospel of Jesus Christ is a mystery that should not remain so.)