Some storytellers can spin a tale with just enough facts that the work of fiction takes on a life of its own, and people begin to believe it as truth. Such was the case twenty years ago when Dan Brown’s novel, and subsequent movie, The Da Vinci Code hit the market. Dan wove together a few facts from Scripture, a little history of the Catholic church, legends of secret societies, and mysteries of Jesus to create a narrative that caused the conspiratorial and the cynical to raise their fisted hands in an ‘I knew it’ stance of victory. They believed Dan’s account ‘finally’ brought to light mysteries the Church had conspired to hide for centuries.
Dan’s narrative even had some Christians scratching their heads, wondering how they’d missed the ‘fact’ that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had been married and had a child together. So we could say that the greater truth the movie actually revealed is that a number of today’s Christians simply do not know the story on which their faith is built.1
When we open the pages of Scripture, it turns out the Bible is, indeed, laced with language of ‘mystery’. Paul, for one, employs the Greek word for mystery twenty-one times in his letters. One such passage is today’s focus:
“I have become [the Church’s] servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness — the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Colossians 1:25-27
With an eerie similarity to the mystery ‘seekers’ and ‘revealers’ of our day, the church in Colossae was bombarded by “empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense” that found its source in “human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (Colossians 2:8, NLT). Of course, scholars have debated what those “philosophies” might be, and some have landed on the “syncretistic,” a movement that combined several beliefs and focused on individualism, visions, asceticism, magic, and a particular application of the law of Moses.2
Other scholars point to Gnosticism as the main ‘philosophy’ to invade the Colossians’ church. They seemed especially bent on asserting their ‘higher version’ of Christianity onto the Church. Leaning into a mysticism that was shrouded in mystery, Gnostics believed themselves to possess a higher knowledge acquired by their elevated spiritual state.3 As such, they generally thought of Jesus as a “good place to start, but He wasn’t enough.”4
In his letter, Paul explained to the Colossians that the sought after secret really had been hidden for generations, for God was awaiting the right time to unveil it. But they didn’t have to wait or wonder anymore because the great mystery (drum roll, please) was Jesus. Jesus is the Christ, aka: Messiah (Colossians 1:26)! And because of the outside influences on the Colossians, Paul set out to address the missing truth at the core of all the false beliefs – Christ is always enough.
Friends, we’re wise to delve into Scripture, to know the story of God, to know our roots and beliefs because at every turn something new rises up to challenge the foundation of our faith. Everyday someone takes an assortment of facts and twists them until they are no longer truth. In other words, the same forces that challenged the early Church are at work today, so we need to know the message Paul was teaching the Colossians.
Rest assured, there is a mystery in Scripture, and His name is Jesus. There’s a greater secret, Christ in us (v.27)! In this Lenten series we’ll set out to unravel these mysteries that have so many skeptics inventing ‘better’ versions of God’s story. As we do, we’ll step into the most fantastic mystery of all – we can be hidden in Christ!
For the Ages
Paul was not the first biblical author to highlight the hints of the hidden and mysterious of Scripture. In the Old Testament, prophets evoked an enigmatic aura as they spoke words and performed actions that piqued curiosity, wonder, and ire – such as prophecies of virgins giving birth and visions of dry bones coming to life.
Daniel is, however, the only one to speak explicitly of ‘mysteries’ in the Old Testament, but it was always in the context of “hidden things soon to be revealed by God”5 – like the meaning of strange dreams. Therefore, we can know that ‘mysteries’ in the Bible aren’t uncertainties that will never be explained so much as they are inexplicable in the now, in the natural. They can, however, be made known supernaturally, in God’s time and way.5
For hundreds of years the Jews, full of knowledge that lacked clarity, kept a vigilant watch for Messiah because He was known to become their Savior (Isaiah 9:7; 42:1,4). However, what they sought was not what they got at Jesus’ first coming because they didn’t expect the Savior, who would rule forever, to also be the Suffering Servant, who must die (see Isaiah 53).6
Admittedly, making sense of the prophetic ideas that Messiah would be a light for the nations, a Son to be born, and a shoot from Jesse was difficult (Isaiah 1-2,6; 11:1). But even harder to explain was that this Savior would be despised, forsaken, and put to death for humanity’s sins (Isaiah 53:3-6). So, it’s no wonder the Jews struggled to embrace the paradox of Messiah.
Truly, the mystery for the ages – that God would come to earth as a human – seemed only hinted at, arguably hidden, in the Old Testament.5 At best, the Savior’s descriptions seemed cryptic. But, by the Spirit, those strange prophecies of old began to make sense once Jesus was on the scene – even more so after His resurrection and ascension.
But in the middle, during those centuries of silence and curiosities, the people of God awaited the coming of the Messiah with hope – because He would be the One in whom they could find safety and security.
The Hiding Place
One consistent, albeit mysterious, theme throughout the Psalms repeats the Hebrew word, cether, meaning a covering or hiding place. Note a few examples:
Psalm 27:5 – hide me in the secret/hiding place of his tabernacle
Psalm 31:20 – in the secret/hiding place of your presence you hide them
Psalm 32:7 – You are my hiding place
Psalm 61:4 – take refuge in the shelter/hiding place of your wings
Psalm 91:1 – in the shelter/secret or hiding place of the Most High
Psalm 119:114 – God is my refuge/hiding place and shield
I’ve been equal parts bewitched and bewildered by such imagery. God, Creator of heaven and earth, Father of all people, Sovereign and Almighty, chooses to hide little-ol’-me, and you, in the secret places of His presence. It hardly seems to make sense, but it brings great assurance.
The first century Jews, who had immersed themselves in the stories of their ancestors, could recall by recitation all the times God swept-in to become His people’s hiding place. And as their Roman oppressors demanded more money, more allegiance, more everything from them, they longed for God’s mysterious, all-powerful right hand to, at once, sweep them up into His hidden places and defeat their foes.
With such focus, the first century synagogue leaders lost sight of what God put right in front of them: the arrival of Jesus, the Word that existed before creation, who walked the earth, and who will reign for eternity. The One who always has been and will exist for all the ages. Messiah.
Christ in Us
Having unpacked “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people” (Colossians 1:26), let’s turn our eyes onto “the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you” (v.27).
The work and availability of the Holy Spirit during the era of the Old Testament remains a bit of an enigma today as it’s still a highly debated topic among scholars. At the risk of oversimplifying, we can look to Jesus for some clarity, who on the final day of the Festival of Tabernacles said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:37-38).
John clarifies in the next verse, “By this [Jesus] meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (v.39). Such statements – from both Jesus and John – leave the impression that up to that point in time, there was “some aspect of the work of the Spirit that had been previously unknown.”7
At least, unknown to humanity. 😉 But, completely known by Jesus because many times He prepared the Twelve for what was to come – especially, the arrival of the Holy Spirit who would dwell in them (John 14:15-17). Jesus went on to tell His disciples, and all believers to come, that we are in Him and He is in us (v.20)! The glorious riches of ages-long mystery is Christ in us!
Friends, we know the story, as mystifying as it might be – Jesus lived, He died, He rose again. And when He ascended into heaven, He sent His Spirit into all who follow Him. The once unknown, inexplicable works of the Holy Spirit have been and can be revealed to every believing person since Pentecost because, now, the Spirit Himself can be known.
So. Now we know. Without a doubt, our exploration of Scripture has confirmed that as mysterious as God’s ways can be, He has actually revealed the mystery of the ages: His Son – the Savior and the Suffering Servant. The One who died so we could live. The One who knew no sin yet took on our sin so that we could live free and forgiven.
Mystery solved.
Father God, nothing catches You by surprise. There’s not one mystery in all the universe that stumps You — because You created everything in existence. You know all. You are everywhere all at once. You have all the power. There’s no one like you anywhere, at all, ever. And that blows our minds! It also gives us great peace because we know You. And we are known by You. Lord Jesus, You are the mystery that led your people to wait for centuries; You’re the One who has caused such a stir since You were revealed. We’re so grateful for the reminder that the truth of who You are was hidden until You came to earth as a man. Too easily we take it for granted, this knowing You. Lord, we want to know You better — so much so, in fact, that we seek to be hidden in You. Holy Spirit, what a gift You are. Tucked in our hearts, You comfort and convict us. Wrapped around our souls, You lead and love us. Hemmed into our minds, You shield and show us how to live. Ultimately, You seal us, identifying us as the Father’s, demonstrating our faith in Him and securing us to Him forever. We ask your favor to fall on us as we move through this season of Lent so that we can hide ourselves in the shelter of the Almighty each day, glorifying Him as we nestle into His loving arms. In Jesus’ name, amen.
(inspired by Colossians 1:16; 1 John 3:20; Jeremiah 23:24, 10:12-13; 1 Corinthians 8:3, 2:9-10; Colossians 1:26-27; John 14:16-17, 16:13-15; Romans 8:16, 26; Ephesians 3:16-17, 1:13-14; Psalm 91:1)
Lent is the season leading up to Easter — forty days, if you don’t count Sundays — when Christians get a little solemn as we ponder Jesus in the wilderness, fasting and enduring temptations for forty days, and suffering the pain of crucifixion to the point of death. All the remembering helps align our hearts with God’s, anchoring us in the core truth of our faith — Jesus’ resurrection. The seventh Sunday of Lent is Easter — the day of celebration and rejoicing for Christ is risen! It’s the day of feasting after the ‘forty’ days of fasting.
- This year during Lent we’ll be moving through big chunks of Colossians as we put some effort into this season of reflection. It’s my prayer that we’ll each come to some significant realizations as we dig into all the layers of what it means to be hidden in Christ!
- The mystery of ashes, as shared on Lectio 365 on 2/14/24: In the Bible, ashes symbolize mortality (Genesis 3:19), are used to express grief (Isaiah 61:3), and are also a sign of repentance (Luke 10:13). At the beginning of Lent, some church traditions burn palms which were used in the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration and use the ash to mark a cross on the forehead of members of their congregation. This reminds them of their mortality and prompts them to examine their hearts and get right with God.
Resources: I love sharing with you the books, podcasts, articles, and anything else that has inspired, encouraged, or taught me. These are humble with no expectations.
- 1 – This article gives some interesting facts about the decline of biblical literacy.
- 2 – The Baker Illustrated Bible, p.1395
- 3 – This article about gnosticism offers a succinct but informative description of this sect.
- 4 – Aimee Walker’s study on Colossians, Enough, p.34. If you want to go a little deeper into Colossians this Lent, you can purchase this study on The Devoted Collective’s website!
- 5 – Jen Pollock Michel’s Surprised by Paradox,^ p.25
- 6 – This article offers a more indepth look at why the Jews didn’t accept Jesus as Messiah.
- 7 – Don Stewart’s, of The Blue Letter Bible website, thoughts on these verses.
- We have new tunes!! Our Hidden in Christ playlist is free on Spotify, and it’s packed FULL of songs that remind us about the season we’re in, the Lord we follow, the theme of ‘hidden,’ and the depths of worship. I feel like the opening song sets us up to live from God’s secret place — a set part space that surrounds us and grounds us in the holy. Yes, please!
- I haven’t quite thought out all the “Teacup Videos” for Lent, but I think it’s a great season to get a little more hands-on. Watch for a new video every Wednesday on my Facebook Author Page and Instagram.
- If you haven’t signed up for my monthly, The Abiding Life, Newsletter, please do! The first week of each month I pop into your inbox so we can talk a little more, go a little deeper on some thoughts, topics, and ideas — all with the heart of helping us abide in Christ. You can subscribe to it here!
Rhythms: As my newsletter’s title infers, we seek to develop an abiding life in this space — a place where we can get informed but also be transformed as we learn to abide in God’s presence throughout our days. I like to think that developing rhythms is what aids us in our desire to become more Christlike.
- Y’all, I’m super pumped about our abiding rhythm this Lent — WORSHIP!! You’ll notice our playlist is heavy laden with worshipful kinds of songs that intentionally seek to carry us into God’s hidden places of strength, hope, peace, healing, and joy. This week, make it a point to sing to Jesus at least once everyday — it can be from our playlist, from your heart, or anywhere else. The point isn’t so much what you sing as it is to Whom. Just share your heart and give Him all the glory. XOXO
- Finally, as a community, let us not neglect sharing God’s story with others! And, don’t be shy to tell your God-stories, too.
- Lent is a great time to invite a friend to walk through this series with us. Share this site. We don’t want anyone walking through this life alone, lost, or over-burdened and without hope. We can all get ‘hidden’ in Christ together!
Featured Photo by Gary Bendig on Unsplash. “All the Bits and Pieces” photo by Aleksandra Sapozhnikova on Unsplash.
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