“Living With Mystery”

Living With Mystery

Mark 4:11-12 (NKJV)11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all

things come in parables, 12 so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing

they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven

them.’ ”

Living With Mystery

Mark 4:11-12 (NLT)11 He replied, “You are permitted to

understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to

outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: 'When they see what I do,

they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise,

they will turn to me and be forgiven.’

1 Corinthians 2:6-12 (NKJV)6 However, we speak wisdom

among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of

the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God

ordained before the ages for our glory, 

1 Corinthians 2:6-12 (NKJV)

 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have

crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those

who love Him.”

1 Corinthians 2:6-12 (NKJV)

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things,

yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so

no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

1. God and His kingdom is a mystery to the natural man and the culture.• Mystery – mystērion - hidden thing,

secret, to shut the mouth• What you do not know!• What you do not see!• What you do not understand!

All of us are living with mystery!

2. God’s desire is for us to search out the mysteries.Proverbs 25:2

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

(NIV)

It is God's privilege to conceal things and the king's privilege to discover them. (NLT)

2. God’s desire is for us to search out the mysteries.

• Slaves have no privilege to search it out

• God hides it for you, not from you

• Search/ Seek/ Pursue

. . . search out the mysteries

Romans 11:25a (NKJV)For I do not desire, brethren, that you should

be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion,

For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

... search out the mysteries

• We often have a problem with people who have a revelation we do not have

• Sometimes we need to be careful how quick we discredit others

3. God reveals mysteries to us by Holy Spirit!

1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a

mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,

3. God reveals mysteries to us by Holy Spirit!

Ephesians 1:9having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure

which He purposed in Himself,

Ephesians 3:3how that by revelation He made known to

me the mystery

REVELATION

Ephesians 3:9and to make all see what is the fellowship

of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

Colosslans 1:26the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has

been revealed to His saints

REVELATION

Colossians 1:27aTo them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery.

Mark 4:11And He said to them, “To you it has been

given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all

things come in parables,

REVELATIONREVELATION – to pull back the veil to be able to see what was hidden or a mysteryBut God has revealed them to us through His Spirit:1. Holy Spirit2. My spirit3. Heart (passions)4. Mind (soul)5. Life (changed)

REVELATION1. Revelation is, by nature, usually contrary

to natural wisdom, and culturally congruent.

… Too smart for revelation• Why is it often the least educated have

greater spiritual revelation?• It makes me uncomfortable... yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

REVELATION

2. Revelation is not primarily a theological argument!

John 5:39 "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these

that testify about Me” (NAS)"You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures

point to me!” (NLT)

REVELATION3. Revelation comes most often by pursuit!

Ephesians 3:3-4 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the

mystery of Christ• The Word, Prayer, Worship, Prophecy,

Preaching, Teaching, Fellowship, Doing

REVELATION4. Revelation comes primarily from

relationship!• People know by relationship

• “The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Revelation comes primarily from relationship!

Colossians 2:2that their hearts may be encouraged, being

knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of

understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of

Christ the son”

REVELATION

Ephesians 1:17-18 (NKJV)17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of

Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know

what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the

saints

Praying Ephesians 1:15-18

For this reason, ever since I heard about Grace Chapel’s faith in the Lord Jesus and Grace Chapel’s love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for Grace Chapel, remembering Grace Chapel in my prayers.

Praying Ephesians 1:15-18I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give Grace Chapel the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that Grace Chapel may know him better.I pray also that the eyes of Grace Chapel's heart may be enlightened in order that Grace Chapel may know the hope to which he has called them, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.