January 25th, 1961                                     “Revelation”                                              Late Mr. N. Daniel

 

Ephesians 3:3-20

St. Paul is speaking about a mystery which was not revealed before Jesus came into this world. The Old Testament is a combination of books with progressive revelation of God. A man's spiritual level depends on the amount of revelation he receives from God. Christianity is a religion of revelation, not of thinking or study. If you lead a Christian life, the unlimited power of God also follows. St. Paul was once a Pharisee very carefully he tried to follow his knowledge. He tried to follow what he had learnt from his parents, and from his teacher Gamaliel. Yet he had no revelation. He speaks of coming from darkness to light. His goodness was the goodness of darkness. Many Christians have this kind of goodness. There is nothing achieved by it but self-glory. God's children who have revelation are not satisfied with themselves. Their goodness is the goodness of light. It is God's goodness. It is an unlimited goodness. It is a goodness that is humble and realizes more and more its falling short of God's good­ness. It rises higher and higher. Eph. 3:7. This revelation came to Paul so that he may give it to the gentiles. “Unsearchable riches of Christ!” Did you ever wonder at that riches? When you wonder at it, you will despise the riches of this world. He speaks of the fellowship of the mystery. It is a stewardship. We are stewards. Each one will get a revelation. By that revelation we will each fit into the Kingdom of God. When bridges are built, different parts are manufactured by different companies. But when they are assembled they fit in perfectly and there is a perfect bridge. When the revelation of our stewardship comes to each one of us, we will fit in perfectly in the Fellowship and we will show forth the glory of God perfectly. When that revelation does not come to you, your attitude will be, “what shall I get out of the Fellowship?” When that revelation comes to you, your attitude will be “what does God want me to do in the Fellowship?” Then His high wisdom will be revealed to the world by the Fellowship.

Eph.3:16 People without revelation are Christians in name only. When God's revelation comes to you, you will know you are a sinner and Jesus is your Saviour. Then the mystery of fellowship is revealed. Then the revelation of your stewardship is revealed to you. From the spreading of mats for worship here, to leaving all and going as a missionary is one stewardship. You will be rooted and grounded in love. Christ dwells in you by faith. You are strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man. You are growing all the time. I preached as a young man and as a teacher and as a married man. But one day the revelation came that I should leave all and follow Him. The Spirit was strengthening us both in the inner man. At Ephesus St. Paul loved the gentiles. It was a great revelation to him that the Gospel should be given to the gentiles. Where there is no revelation the people perish. The Spirit will strengthen you in the inner man, and suddenly the revelation will come and we will not make our own plans. The revelation must come from above. Acts.18:9,10 St. Paul was very troubled in Corinth. Then the revelation came. It is a progressive revelation all the time, that is to a man who has the Spirit of God in Him.