In some ways, it seems sacrilegious to say that there is a mystery of Christ. We should seek to know him. We should look for the answers. God himself came to present himself in the form of a man, and one of the reasons that he did that was so that we could see him, understand him, and know him.
Yet the difficulty is that the more that we know him, the more that we learn how much we don’t know.
It seems so simple. Christ came and died. He gave himself as a sacrifice so that all might live because he himself overcame death and was resurrected three days later. And that is true. But it isn’t enough. Once we understand this, we begin to ask other questions. For example, why would God do all of this? Or Who was this for? Was this for everyone in the world? For the “good people” only? Or also for the “bad” people?
Well, in fact, Paul explains to us that this mystery of Christ is that everyone – not just the Jews – are invited to be God’s people through Jesus. Christ gave himself so that all people, all nations, would be able to come to God. God would be their God, and everyone would have the opportunity to be his people through Christ.
Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 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. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:2-6
We are no longer separate peoples, but we are one. We have been made to be one people, one nation, one body in Christ. We have all been made to be God’s people, if we will follow Christ. In him, we can know God, we can be reconciled back to God. In him, and only in him. There is no other way to be reconciled with God. Without Christ, we are not a people. But with him, and in him, we are one.
Jesus told the Jewish people of this mystery. He said that he has “other sheep”, the Gentiles, who will be brought into the sheep fold, into the flock. He is the shepherd who will bring all of the sheep together. He is the shepherd who will keep them together and lay down his life for all of them. He is the one who will lead them in an out of the sheep pen. He will call them and his sheep will hear his voice and follow him.
This is the mystery of Christ. He is for all people. He calls all people. And all people may put their faith in Christ to be able to return to God and to know him.