Day 1: The Mystery Revealed
Read Ephesians 3:1-6
"For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel."
Consider
Chapters 1, 2, and 3 in Ephesians are doctrinal in nature. They cover the salvation, grace, and the power of Christ. The next chapters (4-6) are all about practical application, but before we move on to application, Paul has something personal to share.
Paul is taking a moment in verses 1-6 to share a piece of his testimony. It's personal to him, and he wants to make it clear that he's preaching more than just knowledge about this subject; he's preaching from personal experience. The mystery was revealed to him, and it helps his audience to know that it's more than just words to him; it's real.
I'm reminded of a verse in Revelation that says we will defeat Satan by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Rev. 12:11). Yes, Jesus did the heavy lifting by making salvation possible, but you and I are invited to share this salvation with the world through our testimonies. That's what Paul is doing here!
Let me ask a personal question: When is the last time you shared your story (or even part of your story) with someone? I'm not asking this to make you feel bad (don't even go there!). I'm asking this to encourage you to start sharing your story. It doesn't have to be "The Testimony" (there one where you first became a Christian). God gives us testimonies all the time of His goodness and faithfulness. Sometimes we can share those stories to encourage others and point them to God's glory.
Think through a couple testimonies in your life where you clearly saw the hand of God. Then make a plan to share those this week. You never know who it could help!
Pray
Father God,
Thank you for giving us stories. We are so blessed to have example after of example of Your goodness, faithfulness, and love in our lives. Please give me the courage to share at least one of these testimonies this week, and please let it be 100% for Your glory. Amen.