“The Mystery Revealed”
Colossians 1:21–29
This section of Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians is
really an extension of his introduction – in which he describes, first of all,
the Colossian church (and, by extension, all Christians), and then second of
all describes his own ministry among them, and to all the Gentiles. What struck me about this reading was all the
adjectives – and so I want to highlight them for you as we drive toward the
point of it all: the mystery that is
revealed to the saints: Christ in you,
the hope of glory.
First Paul describes the previous state of the
Colossians. How they once were. And while many of us don’t have the
experience or memory of our own conversion, and were perhaps raised in the
church or even in this particular congregation – nonetheless, when scripture
speaks this way it’s talking to all of us.
We can all consider our previous state of being. YOU were once lost,
alienated, hostile doers of evil deeds.
For even if you were baptized as a little baby, you were still conceived
and born in sin. You still bear in your
flesh the inheritance of Adam, the legacy of sin, and the stink of death. A corrupted nature that needs more than just
a little helping hand, but must be completely renewed and regenerated. Just look closer at how bad this condition
is.
We were aliens.
People who don’t belong. People
from outside. People with no claim of
citizenship in the kingdom of God. Another
translation might be “you were once utterly estranged” from him.
If you’ve ever had an estranged family member, you
know the grief this can bring in human terms.
Families are not meant to be torn apart in such a way, but sin tends to
separate us. And sometimes nothing in
this world can bring reconciliation and restoration. The Christian, for his part, will
forgive. But that doesn’t always heal
the relationship. That doesn’t always
make everything better.
We were hostile in mind. Even our very thoughts are full of
corruption. And while it’s possible at
times to keep your outward actions in check, and keep up the appearance of
goodness. Your thoughts betray you. The sinful mind is not so easily brought to
heel. Moreover, the sinner naturally is
at odds with God, hostile, hateful.
And then the evil deeds come. They are outward fruit of the corrupted
nature. They are a tell-tale outward
sign of the sinner. Sinners do as
sinners do. And evil deeds isn’t just
blowing up buildings or murdering people, it includes even the “smallest” most
harmless little sins that we tell ourselves don’t really matter.
And then if you look at the rest of the adjectives,
you can see by implication or contrast how Paul would further describe our
previous state of being: Unholy. Full of blame. Worthy of reproach. Unstable.
Wavering and shifting. Hopeless.
But the Christian is different. The Christian is not like all that. The new creation is holy – and that means
“set apart”. Set apart for God. The Christian is blameless – there’s no
charge that can stick, no finger that can be pointed at us. We are above reproach – no one can call us
out or correct us, because we are in Christ – steadfast, unshifting and full of
hope. We are no longer aliens, but
citizens of God’s kingdom, insiders, people who belong. A perfect relationship with our heavenly
Father is restored. Everything is as it
should be once again.
But you might say, “yeah right”. I think I sound more like the first guy. I see more of the old way of life in me than
the new. And you may be right. Because we still have the flesh clinging to
us. We are both Old Adam and New. We are both sinner and saint. We are both Alien and Citizen. This is part of the great mystery. And Paul, himself, knew it well.
But what counts is the new creation. How God sees us, is in Christ. And we are in Christ, and Christ is in
you. So stand firm in this Gospel,
steadfast in the faith that God has revealed to you. And remain in the word which you have
received, and which will continue to reveal the mystery to you, his saints.
That is what Paul is all about, and that is what any
minister of the Gospel is all about:
revealing the mystery to the saints.
Now, a few comments on the biblical idea of “mystery”. We’re not talking about some Agatha Christie
whodunit type of mystery. But rather,
something that is hidden and inaccessible until it is revealed. It’s not like Thomas Acquinas and the
medieval Scholastic theologians taught – that natural human reason, if done
correctly, could ultimately arrive at the conclusion of the Gospel. It’s actually quite unlike that. It’s something that we could never access or
grasp without God’s action of revealing.
It’s something that makes no sense to human reason, and must instead, be
received by faith.
Nor is it something that you haven’t heard
before. Indeed, many of you have been
Christians since before I was ever born.
But all of us need to sit at the feet of Jesus, like Mary who chose the
better part, and hear from the word of God, be strengthened in the mystery of
Jesus Christ. We need the word
proclaimed and explained, rehearsed and repeated. Because it’s not just an intellectual
exercise which we understand fully and then move on to something deeper. Rather, it is a mystery to be embraced,
appreciated, and ultimately lived out.
Think of it – that Christ is in you. In you!
Sinful old you! That salvation
comes as a free gift, even though you bring so much of the baggage we mentioned
before. And that he would forgive you
and keep you even though you fall down like a spiritual house of cards at the
slightest temptation. That your baptism
still counts, a little water and a few words, maybe decades ago – but a power
that still covers you with the seal of God’s grace and mercy. And that Christ still welcomes sinners like
you to his table, to take and eat, take and drink, of his very body and blood –
why? Not because you deserve him, but
precisely for the forgiveness of your sins.
And what a mystery that Jesus did all this in the
flesh! So many modern thinkers and
theological innovators would spiritualize the Gospel. Or make salvation about bettering yourself,
your own spiritual journey of improvement – but really very much in the
abstract. But Paul says here, that
Christ reconciled us to God in his body of flesh – by death! This is the scandal of the cross that so many
find hard to swallow. That God would
bring salvation to a wicked world, to every creature under heaven, and do it by
offering up his son to die – in the flesh, shedding his blood, buried in a
tomb. That this spiritual and physical reality of our salvation is effected by
a physical, bodily death and resurrection - it defies logic. But it is what God reveals.
Here, Paul speaks especially of the mystery that God
would invite gentiles into the same kingdom, the same church, the same body of
faith in Christ. That God would proclaim
to everyone, warn everyone, and powerfully work within everyone and anyone
according to the riches of Christ.
For so many of those ancient Jews, that’s a message
that would knock their socks off. But
even today, the Gospel is just as much a mystery, just as much to be received
by faith.
Long ago God appeared to Abraham and Sarah and
promised them a miraculous son in their old age. Their human reason found it laughable. But God is true to his promises. Jesus Christ promised he would be crucified,
but on the third day rise, and his disciples couldn’t handle the truth, even
tried to rebuke him. But Jesus did just
what he said. And now, today, some still
doubt his word, disbelieve or even scoff at the promises that we proclaim. But fear not, Christian, and doubt it not,
believer. For in Christ, the mystery is
revealed – and revealed even to you. In
him, you receive the riches of his glory.
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