TEXT:
“[1] For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—[2] assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, [3] how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. [4] When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, [5] which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. [6] This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Paul is suffering in chain on behalf of the Gentiles. Have you ever suffered in some way for the sake of the gospel? How should verses like this comfort us in the face of such opposition?
Paul was acknowledged God’s sovereignty over his suffering by saying he was a “prisoner of Christ Jesus.” How should this shape the way we view suffering? How should this shape the way we walk through suffering?
What is the mystery of the gospel? How was this something “predicted and fulfilled” and “hidden and revealed?””