1 Timothy 3:14-16   ¹⁴ I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that,  ¹⁵ if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.  ¹⁶ Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.

            Yesterday our New Testament lesson (1 Corinthians 4:1-5) started with this:  “1 Corinthians 4:1  Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries.”  What are God’s mysteries?  Paul goes on to say in his first letter to Timothy that God’s mysteries are the things that we cannot see or understand.  We know that God was revealed in the flesh through his Son Jesus, we know that he was vindicated by the Spirit, seen by the angels.  We know he has been proclaimed (WE STILL DO!!!), and we know he was taken up in glory.  Yet none of us have actually “seen” any of these things.  Nor do we fully understand them.  But because God has given us faith, we are able to believe. 

           These things about our religion are indeed “mysteries”, because we are not able to fully understand or explain.  But at the same time, they are known truths, and they help us with our faith journey of life.  Not everyone in this world believes in them, but it is also a mystery of our faith how God is also able to send his grace even upon the ones that deny his existence.  This is partly  how we come into the picture, since we are a part of the “stewards” of God’s mysteries.  We share and  invite and pass on the Gospel onto others through the use of the Means of Grace.   It doesn’t mean we have to agree with everyone, but that instead we share with others the things that God has shared with us, baptism, Holy Communion, and the Proclamation of His Word.  Those are visible and tangible elements to our faith that can be regarded as part of God’s mysteries, to which we are entrusted to care for and share.

In our prayers this week:  Ann, Harold, Gail, and Don.

God’s Peace,