Tap Into the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Ephe 1:15-23 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places], Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Here the Bible speaks of EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF GOD'S POWER for us who believe.

• it is power available for those who believe.
• Paul prayed that the Christians could SEE THIS.
• He called it RICHES of GLORY of His inheritance in the saints.
• only the saints of God can receive this.
• saints of God
• HOLY ONES

Paul called the members of the church the saints.

Phil 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

• But he said it was something which the EYES OF UNDERSTANDING must be enlightened to see.
• and he prayed their eyes of understanding could see it.
• UNDERSTANDING IS a thing of the mind.

So if your eyes of understanding can be unenlightened, they can be blind.

2Cor 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away...

2Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

• Satan did a most wicked and devious thing. He blinded man's mind. He made man DOUBT God.

Gene 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Notice the result...

1Cor 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

• Man could not see nor hear nor understand the things of God after Satan blinded man's mind.
• And Paul said that the preachers of the Gospel are those who reveal the MYSTERY.

1Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

• Before the world began, God had something in mind.
• God had a plan in mind before the world.
• man has been blinded from it since that time until Jesus and the age of the Gospel.

Roma 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

• last week we discussed how that God held a mystery since the beginning of the world.
• it was kept secret since the world began.

Roma 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

• it was not revealed until the preachers of Jesus came.
• for thousands of years God kept holding it in secret for a certain time to come.
• The apostle Paul dedicated his life

COLOSSIANS

The book of Colossians makes a reference to a mystery planned by God since the beginning of the world.

Colo 1:26-27 [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Colo 2:2-3 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Paul the apostle dedicated his life to make known the mystery which was hidden for ages and from generations. He said the glory of the mystery is veritable riches and treasures. And these riches are all found in Christ.

EPHESIANS

Ephesians speaks of the same theme when it says that our eyes are unenlightened to the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. There is where we find truth of the great power of Christ taht is available to those who believe.

So we have Colossians telling us of the riches in Christ for the saints of God, and the glory of those riches has been a mystery since the beginning. And Ephesians tells us that our eyes must be enlightened to know those riches and all that they entail. They are the power of God available to us. Then Paul says that this power of Christ is towards those who beleive.

Ephe 1:17-20 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places],

• This power is offered to us through one single avenue.
• It is through the occurances of Christ's death and resurrection when God raised him from the dead.
• The knowledge of these riches of glorious inheritance were kept secret since the beginning of the world because Christ had to yet be raised from the dead.
• There was no use in revealing these riches until Christ actually did resurrect from the dead.
• In fact, we discover that man could not understand these riches had God tried to reveal them anyhow, because there was something within man blocking him from knowing God's plans which was removed when Christ was resurrected.

ALL EPISTLES

• If we study the epistles closely we discover that almost all of them deal with this same theme.
• There is a mystery which people must be made aware of.
• And there is a veiling, as Corinthians puts it, upon the hearts of people which hinders them from seeing that mystery.
• So actually, it is not so much that God chose to keep something secret for generations, but that man could not receive anythig about this mystery due to that innate hindarnce in us all.
• This veiling was there and had to be removed.

CORINTHIANS

• 2 Cor. 3:14-15 says that a veil exists in the hearts of people who do not believe upon Jesus Christ.
• When the heart turns to Jesus that veil is removed.
• And the manner in which the heart turns to Jesus is
• through believing.
• If the heart is veiled because of unbelief, then belief is the only thing that can unveil that heart.
• And that is what Paul meant when he said that the heart must be turned to Jesus so that the veil can be removed.

• 2 Cor 4:4 says the mind is blinded because the devil blinds those who do not believe.
• There was a purpose.
• A purpose is what people have been blinded from.
• The mystery is about that purpose.

• Back to Ephesians 3.
• God has riches of inheritance for us.
• So we know there has been something in store for mankind for thousands of years.
• But nobody could see it due to a blinding. - A veiling.
• Book of Corinthinans said our minds were blinded, and Ephesians says the eyes of our understanding must be enlightened. these are both saying the same thing.

Ephe 3:1-11 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly [places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Paul always mentioned God's wisdom when he remarked about the eternal purpose of Christ for the world. Paul desired the people to comprehend the scoep and magnitude of the love of Christ which involves all these, the greatest of all truths.

THIS UNDERSTANDING CHANGES LIVES!!

Ephe 4:1-2 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

• In Eph. 4 Paul says we should walk worthy of our vocation
• walk worthy of such an awesome mystery being opened up to us.
• It was as though Paul said, "When you appreciate what great and aweseom truth this mystery involves, you will live such a humble and lowly life of respect towards God and towards all life in general. This is so mighty a truth that comprehending it will change your very attitude about everything."

Ephe 4:17-18 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

• We will not walk or act our daily lives in the manner in which the world acts.
• Those whoknow nothing about this great truth simply live disrespectfully and sinfully and lowly.
• Their understanding is darkened, but when we understand the mystery, we will be so affected that we will walk so holy a walk.
• We simply will never be the same again.

Ephe 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

• We are meant to be enlightened and filled with understanding about this great truth.
• This mystery encourages one to godliness.
• That is how it affects people.
• What other truth can affect someone so much that they change their entire lives around and are simply not the same people any longer?
• Paul says it is this mystery that is revealed to these people.

• Today, so many believers are dimsighted when it comes to this mystery.
• They really do not see the full scope of it.
• And that causes them to live slackly and lowly like sinners who fuss and feud all the time.
• But the ones who are godly and changed and pumped up with holiness are the ones who have seen the mystery and are ever aware of it.

THOSE WHO KNOW THE MYSTERY

• They see the Sparkle in the riches of the inheritance given to man only through Christ.
• Watch closely.... you will see a glistening in the eyes of these believers.
• Their hearts are blown away in awe so many times because they tasted of the wonders of these treasures.
• They reveal their wonder.
• They expose their astounded hearts.
• They are renewed in the spirits of their minds.
• The mind is blinded by the enemy in the people who do not believe.
• But these have not only beleived and seen the treasure, but they kept their eyes focused on the treasure.
• They did not lose sight of it.
• Their unsderstanding continued to dwell upon it.
• And they became more excited and fired up in awe the longer they thought about it.

Do not be blinded in your minds! Be renewed in the spirit of your minds. There is a spirit of your mind. A part of you that becomes excited and stirred and in awe.

• Paul said, "I am desiring to get this through to you.
• I have dedicated my life to making it known to people.
• Become enthralled with it and let it blast away all darkness and ungodliness found in minds and hearts of people who are blinded by the cobwebs of thick and dank sin.
• The Spirit is like a fresh wind and gale which blows out all the spiders and cobs of sinful thoughts which crawled in the mind from the pits of the world.
• The heart opens up to light and receives a flooding of glory."
• the mind's creatures of the night cannot exist in a light-filled mind.
• a fear and respect of God overtakes a person.
• God glows from their lives.

WRATH OF GOD

• He told the Ephesians to keep enlightened.
• The reason the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience is due to the lowly living they exist in.
• Children of God should ensure they are enlightened to this great truth.
• The best in this world cannot compare in glory to what you are involved in, if you could only see it!

After talking about no love for each other and anger and feelings towards others, we read...

Ephe 5:6-8 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

• The book of revelation deals with the theme of this great mystery of all ages.
• That is why it is called the book of REVELATION
• What other revelation would it deal with that could more glorious than the mystery of this Gospel?
• And Revelation likewise warns us to come from among her that we be not partakers of her plagues (Rev. 18:4)
• a harlot which drinks the blood of saints.
• a group of people who fight one another and LIVE OFF THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS.
• do not be involved in a world in which people thrive upon hurting and such.

God's people can slip into a lower lifestyle of murky, sticky ugliness. And that will be due to losing sight of the mystery! Losing the glister of the riches and treasures.

Reve 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

• Paul requested prayer to make this mystery known to all the world.

Ephe 6:19-20 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ephe 3:7-9 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

• So Paul prayed for the people's understanding.

Ephe 3:14-16 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

• These riches in glory that are for you must be experienced by you. They strengthen not only your emotions and mind, but your inner man itself. The human spirit!

Ephe 3:18-19 May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

• It is all in Christ. Know every inch of this terrotory! Know all of the riches... understanding every truth intended and prepared and purposed for you! It is all in Christ. Know this love of Christ.

SPIRIT OF GOD

1Cor 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 1Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

1Cor 2:9-10 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Paul says that the spirit of a man is the only thing in the universe that can know the thoughts of that man. You cannoty know my thoughts because there is no possible way for you to have my spirit. But God revelaed His plans and purpose to mankind by giving us His Spirit. I cannot give you my spirit to have you know my thoughts, but Pauo said God can give us His Spirit.

1Cor 2:11-12 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

• Knowing the very thoughts of God!!!!!!

We may not be intened to command God, but we certainly can have tthe mind of Christ!!

1Cor 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

• Paul quoted Isaiah 40:13-14, and said we may not be able to instruct God, but we can certaoinly know His thoughts now!!

1Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

ONLY IN CHRIST

• A mystery is hidden wisdom. Only in Christ has this been purposed. That is why he is the Lord of Glory.

1Cor 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

• It is a mystery consisting of things prepared for mankind by God - for our glory.

1Cor 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

• Only by the Spirit can we receive revelation.

1Cor 2:10 But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

• To the ones who followed Jesus, The Lord said:

Matt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Roma 16:25-26 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

POWER is for YOU, according to th etruth that you must get it in JESUS. It is by the preaching of Jesus it is made known and supplied.

Ephe 1:19-20 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places],

• The heart turns to Christ and a veil and blinder is removed. You will not see this truth thropugh university or studies. You will not see it by looking for a sign in the sky or in the clouds. Because...

1Cor 1:22-23 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

• God will not allow this because we could brag of how observant we were, more than others. Or we could brag at how smart we were more than others. And God said...

1Cor 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

• By putting it all in Jesus, and requiring us to BELIEVE only
• believe so much that nothing in your life is so important, you will be granted this revelation.

• walk away from him and you lose it all.

PAUL'S DESIRE

• Paul was so caught up in trying to get peopl eto see the importance of sticking with Christ, that he wrote:

Colo 1:25-29 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. All of this truth is made avail;able to mankind, after centuries and thousands of years, in one place only. It is in Christ. It is through the event of Christ being resurrected.

• Paul said to be rooted in Him. Be built up in him.

Colo 2:6-10 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

• All of this grand mystery and glory of the purpose of God for mankind hidden for thousands of years since the world began is available to you tonight!!

BAPTISM

• We are about to baptize two candidates in water in Jesus' name.
• Col. 3 says we can join Jesus and share His glory and righteousness and redemption and sacntification. All that is His can be our's. But only so long as we STICK TO HIM. That is why Paul said to not allow anyone or any idea or teaching to make you leave Him, for we are only complete when we are in Him.

Water baptism is a grand experience of unveiling.

Colo 2:11-13 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

• Water baptism is the grand unveiling as it removes the veil of the sins of the body.
• Circumcision is removing of flesh.
• It was an Old Testament ritual to bring a male Israleite into the faith.
• The apostles reveal to us that it was only a foreshadow of the TRUE unveiling so that we can be let in on the greatest secret of all the universe.

Baptism removes the veil to allow you to be let in on the truth of all truths. The mystery of all mysteries. The wonder of wonders. The purpose of all purposes. The understanding that changes lives utnil they are holy living and godly in character.

The mystery is mentioned in Col. 1:26, and to every mystery a veil must be removed. And that veil is said to be removed at water baptism.

Roma 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.

Baptism is a burial with Christ.

Colo 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, ...

• Why must we be buried with Christ in order to get all this wonderful involvement? Well, we can answer that by asking why was Christ buried. He died. Why did He die? He was crucified. Why was He crucified? He was crucified and died because we were doomed to die, and Jesus did not want us to die. So He jumped in our cell in death row, and offered His life instead of ours in substitution. And His death removed the need for the people who believed in and dedicated their lives to Him to die.

• Baptism identifies you with that death. God said that the only thing that allows us to expereience the riches of the power of God purposed for mankind is the resurrection of Jesus. You involve yourself in that faith by obeying the command to be baptized in water in Jesus' name - buried with Him.

• You must be WITH HIM to glory and share in His righteousness and redemption and sanctification. Therefore Col. says...

Colo 2:12-13 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

• It is your conscious choice to involve yourself into this purpose for which God has waited thousands of years to reveal and put into action for all the human race.

Ephe 1:19-20 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places],

• He wrought, or worked it in Jesus Christ. There is where you find it. He worked it in there. In Jesus and the event at the resurrection.

• Water baptism is not a goal to chalk down on your list of goals in life. It is the ENTRANCE into a life of revelation and spiritual growth. It BEGINS a church-life of receiving revelation of all the power God has for you. You tapped into the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You opened your heart through the only means available to receive revelation from God. The unveiling is taking place at your baptism. The sins which clouded your dark heart are removed like a dead body.

Colo 2:11-12 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism,