Revealed.

“God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth” –Ephesians 1:9-10.

The crowd’s thunderous, “…Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” –silent now. Even the treacherous “…Crucify him! Crucify him!” vomited up from the mouths of the ones He had come to save, dried up. His Bloodstained Cross lay discarded, yesterday’s news. The very agent of their supposed victory abandoned now. His Cross, burned to ashes, perhaps? They didn’t want to leave behind even a trace of His Precious Blood, erase all evidence of Him, lest one of His radical followers claim this Bloodstained wood held power, leading others to believe that even in death, He lives. Has power, still. Not magic. Not some religious relic. Rather, Bloodstained wood that will never be silenced. Truth, some tried desperately to seal up in tomb-like silence, behind some weighty stone they mistakenly thought would shut up His claims of being their long-awaited Messiah—once, for all. The King of the Jews sealed neatly away, silent now, finally. Blood cleaned up. Body wrapped up. Problem solved!

But God had a plan.

Long before the Third Day Resurrection of our Lord, even before the Trinity stood over the dark void and spoke, God had a plan in place to redeem all of His children, Jew, and Gentile alike, one, in Christ Jesus. Child of God, Your Father has loved you with an everlasting love. I know, such a mystery is too great to take in. For me, it’s right up there with Jeremiah 1:5, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Wait, what? Even before I was in my mother’s womb? Wouldn’t that imply…

If you didn’t catch how purposefully loved you are after reading Jeremiah 1:5. Hand-chosen, a unique and vibrant thread intricately interwoven into a lavish tapestry far exceeding anything our finite minds and myopic vision can fully take in; all before that tapestry yet existed, then read this. Let it add some other beautiful layer of certainty as to how it is God sees you. “But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.

You are His. And, He has redeemed you.

To fully understand the full weight of those two statements, a more than cursory understanding of the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony is helpful here. I won’t get into it now, but I do encourage you to look up a reliable source and read the intricate and detailed process of ancient Jewish weddings. Or back click on the link I’ve provided. Times and customs may have changed, but God’s love and election haven’t.

Ancient Jewish Marriage

It has always been about Jesus—God’s redemptive plan, that is. When Adam and Eve sinned, we catch our first glimpse of “God’s plan” in Genesis. We, God’s children, being covered by the blood of something innocent—a foreshadowing, a sign. God has always given signs to those who have eyes to see. “And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them” –Genesis 3:21. An innocent life had to be taken. Innocent blood was shed. The guilty, covered. That’s you. That’s me. That’s the Gospel Message. The Living proof of John 3:16 foreshadowed in Eden. Sinful man saved by the redeeming Blood of God’s Spotless, Perfect Lamb. His One and only Son, our Lord, Jesus the Christ. The Way. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” –John 14:6.

“God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. – And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus” –Ephesians 1:9-11;3;6.

Easter is over. The Crown of Thorns vanished, His Cross, ashes. But Jesus is still here. Still very much alive and calling “whosoever will” to Himself. And the Power of His Blood, well, that’s forever. The Blood will never lose Its power—or voice. The work of the Cross is finished. Praise God! But the plan God had for the Cross, its true purpose, continues. I know this with certainty because I’m still here, but that’s for another day. God’s plan to redeem all those chosen in Himself since before eternity past is alive and well today. “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence” –Ephesians 3:12.

Consider this your invitation from God. Accept His love for you, the plans He has just for you. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” –Jeremiah 29:11. Be used by Him, not as man uses you, but be used for God’s glory and honor, weaved into His lavish and beautiful tapestry so resplendent in glory you cannot take it in, yet. But in just a moment, if you’ll but believe, you’ll see as Jesus sees, and every thread will make perfect beautiful sense.

Now I hear you saying, but I have no faith; I don’t know your Jesus. Take heart, friend; Jesus knows you; that’s why He sent me. The truth remains Truth even when you don’t believe it to be Truth. That’s the beauty of Truth, of God. He is unchanging. You can rely on Him, His Truth.

So If you are here, you’re here because God’s called you here. There is no coincidence. You are being invited to join Him; you are one of those spoken of in today’s Scripture. You are part of God’s plan. One He chose in Himself, before the foundations of the world. Accept His offer and come on back home. “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” –John 3:3.