Questions:
11. a. Through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
b. God’s purpose to bring all things together under Christ, all as one body all share the same promise – that Christ is in us and we are in Christ and able to approach God with freedom and confidence. – also given specifically to Peter by revelation (Acts 11:1-18), and it is consistent with prophecy in the Old Testament (such as Isaiah 49:6) and the specific words of Jesus (Acts 1:8)
12. That regardless of how much I and them might feel there is an un-crossable chasm, God has purposed that we will be joined together and that, in truth, we already are in Him if we both believe and profess. No matter the barrier (pain, disagreement, wrong, anger), it was destroyed on the cross.
Final Thoughts:
Let’s discuss the word mystery. What an interesting word. For most of us, it brings to mind Sherlock Holmes and deductive reasoning. But in the context here it is actually a much simpler meaning.
As a visual reference, think about a door frame in your house. On one side of the door frame is the answer to all of lives big questions (why am I here, where did I come from, what is everything all about, is there a God, what happens to us after we die, etc., etc.). From where you stand you can see people gazing up at the wall above the door, but on your side it is just painted wall. You see them living differently. You see them dropping to their knees. You see them loving and sacrificing everything worldly for the message.
But, here’s the thing that makes it a mystery. You can’t understand it, you can’t know it without passing through the doorway and, you can only pass through the doorway by accepting that it is where the answer lies. Once you are through, you can’t imagine not knowing ever again.
This is the mystery of faith – it is shielded on the other side of the door, but by crossing through the door (Christ) we have already received all of the blessings of God. The words on the wall are not the critical element, although they are of help and benefit and growth to us – crossing through the doorway is the what it is all about.
In the Roman Catholic faith there is a great element of the order of mass related to this:
Priest: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
All: A – Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Doxology and Great Amen:
Priest: Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.
For the first to have meaning we must step through the door. When we step through the door we accept Christ and realize everything is about him: through him, with him, in him. The entire reason for everything pivots around Jesus.
The Notes are Good 