The mystery of the Church
Eph 3:8-12 the administration of the mystery…
Administration: describes a family dynamic – how a household is ordered to run efficiently in love
The mystery: Of how many can be one – like the Godhead
1 Timothy 3:16 By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.
Through the church, the manifold wisdom of God… manifold = multicolored
Celebrating diversity is important because it reminds us to value each member of Christ’s body as a unique manifestation of His Glory. however, when light is broken out into colors, it makes it hard to see clearly.
- ONE PRISM Reveals that white light is actually comprised of every color which can be seen
we cannot, However, reveal His Glory as individual strands of light, each manifesting its own “color.” “You are the Light of the World” is a plural term. Long before the U.S. was a nation, “E Pluribus Unum” was heaven’s wisdom.
- TWO PRISMS Bring the light back together
Out of one Christ come many manifestations of his glory, which, when brought back together, reveal His glory for all to see, which makes us truly to be the light of the world.
- E pluribus unum = the mystery of the church
Making Paul’s prayer personal:
Eph 3:14-21
As we stand in awe of the wisdom of your plan, we kneel humbly in awe before you,the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the perfect Father of every father and child in heaven and on the Earth.
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We pray that you would pour over us the unlimited Riches of your glory and favor, until your Supernatural strength floods our innermost being with your Divine might and explosive power.
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Then exercising our faith, we pray the Life of Christ will be released deep inside of us, and the resting place of your love will become the very source and root of Our Lives,
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providing us with a secure Foundation which grows and grows.
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Then, as our spirit strength increases, empower us to discover what every holy one of God experiences – the great magnitude of the astonishing Love Of Christ in all its dimensions.
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Help us to understand how intimate and far-reaching is your love! How enduring and inclusive it is! That Endless Love beyond measurement which goes beyond our understanding – the extravagant love which pours into us until we are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!
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Remove all doubt that your Mighty power is at work in us to accomplish all this. You will achieve infinitely more than our greatest request, our most unbelievable dreams, and you exceed our wildest imaginations!
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You will outdo them all, for your miraculous power constantly energizes us.
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And so we, with one voice, offer up to God all the Glorious praise that rises from every Church in every generation through Jesus Christ — and that will become manifest for the rest of time and throughout eternity. Amen!
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