The Mystery - Revealed!

"I have become its (the church's) servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness -- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people. 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 1:25-27 NIV

Paul understood his commission in the Lord Jesus. It was to serve God's people. Sometimes we limit our understanding of our call by relating it solely to the Lord Jesus. However, it is very clear here that Paul saw himself as not only called by God and in the service of the Lord, but commissioned by God to the Lord's people. The gospel he proclaims is for the people and he labored to not just convert people but to disciple them. In fact, we are not told any where in the Word to go make converts. We are commissioned to go make disciples. It is not enough to call people to repentance, and to enable them to move into a relationship with the Lord. We are to be those who disciple others;  love, encourage, teach and model for them the call and life-style that is empowered in Him. This is made clear in this passage as well as in all the books Paul has written for us.

The "mystery" here is something that was hidden before the time of the church. The Old Testament (Old Covenant) people did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would come upon a prophet, King, and priest to enable a supernatural dimension to their service, but the indwelling did not occur until Pentecost. At Pentecost, Jesus Christ began to indwell His people. The Holy Spirit not only came within, He came upon.

We, in the New Covenant, are ushered into the "fullness" of God in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit brings to us the character, the power, the very breath of God Himself in Jesus Christ. We are born of His Spirit into a completely different form of being than was previously known and that being is filled with Christ's fullness. This fullness is awesome and opens for us doors of Spiritual presence that were never possible for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Isaiah, etc.... They longed to see what we now possess.

We are privileged people in every sense of the term. I encourage you to sit with this passage and let it wash over you. He has much to teach us here. May we have hearts open for insight and wisdom in the Holy Spirit. How He loves us with an eternal love, providing Himself as every provision for every need.