Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (2)
Message Nine
The Mystery of the Church
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Eph. 3:3-5 That by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have written previously in brief, by which, in reading it, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in spirit.
Rev. 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he is about to trumpet, then the mystery of God is finished, as He has announced the good news to His own slaves the prophets.
Word of Appetizer
What is the mystery that were hidden in times of the ages?
The mystery of Christ, the church, was hidden in other generations but has been revealed in the New Testament age. In the dispensation from the incarnation of Christ to the millennial kingdom—the church age, the age of grace—everything is a mystery. Christ Himself (Col. 2:2), the church (Eph. 3:4-6), the kingdom of the
heavens (Matt. 13:11), the gospel (Eph. 6:19), the indwelling of Christ
(Col. 1:26-27), and the coming resurrection and transfiguration of the
saints as the end of this dispensation of mystery (1 Cor. 15:51-52) are all
mysteries that were hidden in times of the ages (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:5;
Col. 1:26).
Spiritual Burden
The church is the hidden mystery in God’s eternal economy. The mystery of the church is the ultimate mystery in the universe. The economy of the mystery hidden in God throughout the ages is the mystery of the church as the Body of Christ.
The Body life is the ultimate satisfaction of our spiritual experience. The mystery of Christ and the mystery of the church should be our daily life; without this mystery, our life would be merely the life of a human being, not the life of a Christian.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
Ephesians 3:3-11 reveals that we may experience and enjoy Christ as the mystery of the church.
The seventh trumpet, as the conclusion of the eternal economy of the processed Triune God, closes the present age of mystery; hence, Revelation 10:7 says, “The mystery of God is finished”.
God’s hidden purpose is the mystery, and the unveiling of this mystery is revelation; the Bible speaks of the revelation of the mystery.
The mystery of the church is the ultimate mystery in the universe.
The Experience of Life
The mingled spirit is the means by which the New Testament revelation concerning Christ and the church is unveiled to the apostles and prophets. When our spirit is mingled with the divine Spirit, our spirit becomes the organ to which the mystery of Christ is revealed.
The desire of God’s heart is to have the mystery of Christ—the Body of Christ as the increase and expression of Christ. The Body life is the ultimate satisfaction of our spiritual experience.
Practice and Application
If we would see the revelation of the hidden mystery, we need to be strengthened into our inner man, our regenerated spirit, and allow Christ to make His home in our heart.
Our spirit needs to be strong and full of wisdom and revelation so that we may know the mystery of the church. The mystery of Christ and the mystery of the church should be our daily life; without this mystery, our life would be merely the life of a human being, not the life of a Christian.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 Christ as the Mystery of the Church (Eph. 3:3-5)
(Please illustrate that Christ as the mystery of the Church was hidden in other ages but revealed only in the New Testament age.)
T2 This mystery was revealed to the apostles and prophets in the spirit (Eph. 3:3-5)
(Please illustrate that this hidden mystery was revealed in the mingled spirit of the apostles and prophets, not in their mind.)
Day 2
T1 Christ is the Mystery of the Church (Rom. 16:25-26; Eph. 3:6)
(Please illustrate what each of the following indicates: “fellow heirs,” “fellow members of the body,” and “fellow partakers.”)
T2 To see and understand such a mystery, our human mind is completely insufficient (Rom. 16:25-26)
(Please illustrate that the two main aspects of this mystery, which was kept secret for ages but revealed in the New Testament age. )
Day 3
T1 When the seventh trumpet sounds, all these mysteries will be completed, finished, and pass away (Rev. 10:7)
(Please illustrate with examples that how everything from Christ to the millennium is a mystery.)
T2 After Christ completes the judgment of the world, He will return to possess the entire earth (Rev. 10:7; Dan. 9:24)
(Please illustrate that when Christ possesses the entire earth, He will complete the mystery of God.)
Day 4
T1 The mystery of the universe is God, the mystery of God is Christ, and the mystery of Christ is the Church (Col. 2:2; Eph. 3:4)
(Please illustrate that in reality, these are merely three stages of one mystery.)
T2 There are mainly two mysteries in God’s economy (Col. 2:2; Eph. 3:4)
(Please illustrate that what the two main mysteries of God’s economy are.)
Day 5
T1 In the generations before the New Testament, the mystery of the Church was hidden from men (Col. 1:26; Eph. 5:32)
(Please illustrate that today all the saints have the position and privilege to receive what was not revealed to God’s Old Testament people. )
T2 The New Jerusalem is the ultimate expression of God coming into man (Rev. 21:2)
(Please illustrate that this is the story of the universe, which is the ultimate mystery of the universe—the mystery of the Church.)
Day 6
T1 Creation is related to the Church (1 Tim. 3:15-16)
(Why is it said that God created all things for the sake of the Church?)
T2 God’s desire is to gain the real expression of Christ, the Body of Christ, the increase of Christ (1 Tim. 3:15-16)
(Please illustrate that this is the ultimate satisfaction of man’s spiritual experience.)
