Whenyou read the Old Testament, it mainly is about the covenant promises and thework of God amongst the Jewish nation. The Jewish nation was called of God, setapart for Him and by Him for a specific purpose. That purpose was to make knownto the world that you can know God, the true and the living God, the creatorGod, the only God. And the only way you can know and experience Him is byfaith. That's what the life of Abraham teaches us as you study both the Old andthe New Testament. He not only is the father of the Jewish nation he is thefather of the faithful. This includes both Jew and Gentile who come toexperience God by faith. (Read Romans 4 and Galatians 3).  

Theonly way we can learn about God, that we can know God, that we can begin tounderstand and comprehend God, is by faith. The writer of Hebrews made thisclear in Hebrews 11.

TheJewish nation was chosen to be an example, to be an illustration, to be atestimony to the world that there is a creator God that wants us to know Him.God revealed Himself to Abraham and the Jews in various ways. As the people ofGod they gave us His written revelation, the Word of God, the Bible, God's holyinspired word and they also give us the Savior, Jesus Christ the Messiah. Godhad this specific purpose for them. But as you know, as you study both the Old  and New Testament and Jewish history, they failmiserably and rejected Jesus. But God already in eternity past had anotherplan. That plan was the church, the called out assembly, the body of JesusChrist.

Inthe Old Testament, the church was a mystery, a sacred mystery. It was not knownbefore. That's why Paul was writing here in these verses. In verse 5 he writes:"Which in other ages, was not made known to the sons of men, as it has nowbeen revealed by the spirit to His holy apostles and prophets." Now, myfriend, we've got to understand something. You know, it's been 2,000 yearssince the Apostle Paul was writing to this church at Ephesus and explaining tothem how as Gentiles, they are now in the body of Christ. They now can bereconciled to the Jewish people and be partaker of the promises with them. Thatwas a new thing, a brand new thing.

Nowtoday, after 2,000 years of history, we have churches on every corner inAmerica, churches all over the world, a church everywhere. And I’m afraid thatwe take the church for granted. You can go down any Sunday morning in Americaand walk into a church building and become a member of that church by goingforward professing Christ as your Savior, following the Lord in believer'sbaptism and you're part of that church. We take it for granted that we can be apart of the body of Christ.

NowPaul is telling the folks there at Ephesus, this is a mystery. It's now beingrevealed. So it was important to Paul because he knew he was a steward of thismystery. That was the dispensationgiven to him, the stewardship given to him to make sure that the body ofbelievers, the Gentiles and the Jews alike knew that anyone could be a part ofthe body of Jesus Christ by faith through the cross, by faith in Hisresurrection, by faith.

Todayyou and I become a part of the body of Christ, and we can now exercisestewardship and ministry and have the hope and the peace and the joy that comesfrom belonging to the body of Christ and being a part of that fellowship ofbelievers. How wonderful is that? I'm telling you, it's awesome.

 It is importantthat you also understand that the church, the body of Christ is so very special,just like His body was special on earth physically when He was here. Jesus wentto heaven in that body, but today He gave us the opportunity to be a member ofHis body the church. He is the head we're the members, and we're members one ofanother. We have different functions and activities and gifts in the church,but we belong to His church.

Myfriend, what a great privilege! Don’t take it for granted!!!!