I’ve always had trouble with parts of Ephesians 3, especially:

…so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3.10, ESV)

What’s the manifold wisdom of God and how is it communicated “through the church…to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places”? But I think the answer is in plain sight, and it has to do with the second half of Ephesians 2 that we wrote about yesterday. Here’s how Paul describes the “one new man” composed of Jews and Gentiles in chapter 3:

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 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. 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. (Ephesians 3.4 – 6, ESV, emphasis mine)

If our churches are reflecting this reality, individually and collectively, we are making a statement to the world and to the “rulers and authorities.” Alas, we are often plagued by the same racial unrest as everyone else. And if someone or a group of folks try to do something about it, they’re perceived by others to be on the wrong side of one political agenda or another. I refer you to Tony Evans’ plea for us to be reconcilers, not combatants.

If Jews and Gentiles can get along, so can the rest of us.

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 7.9 – 12, ESV)