Welcome to Buoy, a Life in Deeper Water podcast.

Episode 95. What I Keep Asking God to Give You (the mystery of Christ)

Hello human.

It’s impossible to not be thinking about where I am on mywitness99journey of BUOY. The next four episodes will bring me to the threshold of episode 99. We are in the deepest water. My farthest swim into open water as a I stroke toward His Truth. Every thought has come at a spiritual price. Episode 95 is the first of two episodes that embrace and explore the WHY for BUOY. How for almost two years, I have lived Ephesians 1:17.

Ephesians 1:17

17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

This verse has sustained me through every episode creation and production, and every life circumstance (and there have been many, just like you human).

Ephesians 1:17 is the anchor verse for this journey. The WHY that motivates me to pray, to read, to share a few reflections weekly.

Because knowing God is my heart’s desire.

Because knowing God more deeply is what I want for you.

Just as God has used BUOY to grow my faith, my understanding of Ephesians 1:17 has deepened with a study I am doing via The Bible Project, taught by Dr. Tim Mackie. I want to note this because it is a life-changing study. While I quote Dr. Mackie in this episode and the next, I highly recommend making a personal investment in your spiritual growth. Commit to this Ephesians virtual classroom course. It’s free. It runs deep. And you go at your pace. I am taking it with a dear friend.

The Apocalypse Marks the Beginning

Our secular culture has defined an apocalypse as the end times, the end of the world. Movies like The Day After Tomorrow (2004), I Am Legend (2007), The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), and many others.

But is this what Paul means in His use of the Greek word “apokalypsis” in Ephesians 1:17. It means to uncover or reveal—literally and metaphorically. Per the course summary, “Ephesians summarizes the most important apocalyptic event in history: Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as well as the gift of the Spirit…. how to understand the apocalypse of Jesus, and how to respond to the apocalypse of Jesus.”

Within this context, here’s Paul’s full prayer to include Ephesians 1, verse 17.

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Paul prays for the Ephesians, Gentiles who want to engage in the mystery of Christ. He notes in verse 17, that God will give each of us an “apocalypse” … a revelation of the mystery of Christ.

As Dr. Tim Mackie notes, “So understanding the apocalypse brings you into a moment of worship, acknowledging one who is greater and more transcendent and beautiful and creative…. And you find your true self in humanity exalted, when you consider and ponder these mysteries.

I have always wanted to encourage a deeper relationship with God, but this prayer represents so much of my own growth over two years. How my insight has deepened into the mystery of Christ. Like Paul.

Consider Ephesians 3:1-5

3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

It is no longer 40 years of physical wandering in the wilderness, or an outward altar call at the temple with priests interceding throughout the day. It is time for an apocalypse, the mystery of Christ, when Jesus died on the cross, was resurrected, sitting at God’s right hand, when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us. That the moment we believe, in that moment, we enter His Kingdom in the here and now. Heaven on earth.

God’s story on earth for 2,000 years was about a people He chose to walk in His ways through His commandments. And to bring other nations to Him. But that didn’t work out so well.

So He sent His Son. The John 3:16 strategy. A divine one, motivated by His divine love.

From The Bible Project:

“Jesus’ identity as the beloved chosen one defines our identity as humans. His death becomes our death, his resurrection becomes our resurrection, and his rule over Heaven and Earth becomes our true calling as the images of God…. Ephesians is a letter inviting humans to comprehend and respond to an apocalypse.”

The Transformation of the Apostle Paul

To comprehend and respond to an apocalypse. That being a believer is always about knowing God more deeply and growing into His image. This is not easy stuff, nor earthly stuff, or impatient pursuit of a spiritual soundbite. While God is always present and willing, we live in this world of fleshly ways, as humans and all that comes from not being fully divine, but painfully human.

I would argue that no one expresses this battle better than Paul. And to understand the power of revelation, it is time well spent to look at his transformation. The light, the “uncovering” of the mystery, his transformation into Messianic Judaism. Three times in the book of Acts. The book that chronicles the early evangelical ministry of the apostles, and the beginning of the body of Christ on earth—the church.

Acts 9:1-6 (a light from heaven flashed, the uncovering)

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Acts 22:6-7 (bright light suddenly flashed from heaven, the uncovering, turn them from darkness to light)

6 But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, 7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

Acts 26:13-18 (light from heaven, brighter than the sun, the uncovering)

13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

The origin of Paul’s witness was on a dusty road.

Galatians 1:13-16

13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.

This is so clear to Paul. “…to reveal his Son in me…” That accepting Jesus brings an enduring revelation as to his life, his purpose and calling. And his immediate response was not to consult man. But God.

And so for us. 

Embracing Paul’s transformation teaches and releases the power of conviction when we seek this mystery. It is no wonder Paul fought the good fight through persecution after persecution. In the wake of a paradox from his past, that Paul used to be the persecutor.

He persecuted Jesus. Everyone who does not believe in Him does. And what believers do when we turn toward man. What believers do when we turn away from obedience to Him. When we turn away from His love.

When we turn away.

The Mystery of Jesus Christ, The WHY of My WHY

So this is the WHY OF MY WHY for you, the reason for BUOY, this first 99 episodes. That in the spirit of Paul, I want you to journey through life in the center of His mystery. To live a life of revelation about who He is.

Ephesians 1:9-10

9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Paul starts with the “mystery of His will” for the purpose of what? “To bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”

Where do I start? Stand beside me for this, human. We start by taking the timeline away, that perspective that thinks earth is now, heaven is later. That perspective contradicts that God is timeless. That perspective contradicts that the heavens have always existed.

We live in both realms now. One day, the heavens will reign in the fullness of Christ.

Why is this so important to how we witness?

Dr. Mackie captures it beautifully:

“Learning to think apocalyptically is key for followers of Jesus. It means to view this present moment in light of ultimate reality. And in ultimate reality, Heaven and Earth are one. But there are a lot of things that still need to be reconciled. We can identify places of disunity and brokenness in this world and in us, and we can work to live with an apocalyptic perspective. We typically think of the apocalypse as referring to a future event or the end of the world. However, it begins now.”

Ok. Thank you, Dr. Mackie. Mind blown.

The mystery of Christ is redeeming my earth-steps. The apocalypse of Jesus.

The mystery of Christ is shaping my mind. The uncovering.

The mystery of Christ is inworking my heart. The revelation.

The mystery of Christ is stirring my soul. My apocalypse.

What happens when Jesus stirs my soul? When a bright light flashes from heaven on my life? On your life?

What do we see? What do others see? Episode 96.