This sermon delves into the mystery of Christ as revealed in Ephesians chapter 3, emphasizing the importance of humility, honesty, and unity in the body of Christ. It contrasts the proud and the humble, highlighting the significance of being a peacemaker and a servant rather than seeking prominence. The message underscores God's wisdom in building His church with those who are truly humble, honest, and pure, while warning against pride and impurity that can hinder one's place in God's kingdom.

I want you to turn to Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians chapter 3. One of the great mysteries that we read in scripture is mentioned here. It's called the mystery of Christ in verse 4. You know, there are certain things we tell everybody, but there are certain secrets we tell only to close friends. There are some secrets a husband will tell his wife, which he won't even tell his children. He won't tell your neighbors. He won't even tell your friends. But there is other public information we can tell everybody. In the Bible also there are some secrets. And those secrets Jesus will tell his bride. So, if you have a close relationship with the Lord Jesus, He will reveal some things to you which other people don't know. And what is this mystery mentioned here? See, Paul is saying here that the Jewish people who for 1500 years were the only people of God are now going to become one with people in other parts of the world. In Christ. So, he was saying, now in the church there is no such thing as Jew or any special group of people. Now we all know that in our villages there is high caste and low caste people. And the high caste people will not mingle with the low caste people. There are some temples in India where the low caste people cannot even go inside those temples. In every country there is this type of problem. In America some white people will not fellowship with black people. But all that is destroyed when we come to Christ. That in Christ there is no difference. That we become one in Christ. Because God looks at everybody equally. God doesn't see whether you are black or white. He doesn't see whether you are educated or not educated. He doesn't see whether you are high caste or low caste. He doesn't look at any of these things. But he does look at one thing. Whether you love Jesus Christ with all your heart. And obey all his commandments. Then you are the highest in God's kingdom. So there are differences in God's kingdom. But it doesn't depend on education. It doesn't depend on money. It doesn't depend whether you are black or white. It doesn't matter whether you are high caste or low caste. It only depends on how much you obey God's word. And how much you have faith in God as your father. So all of us have equal opportunity to rise up in God's kingdom. And in a true church. We will not value people who are rich. Or those who are educated. But we will value those who fear God and who are humble. I can say that for 37 years in all the churches we have built. Some of the most carnal worldly people are the educated people and rich people. And spiritual people are sometimes the ones who are not so educated. Not because God is against education. But generally I have found those who get more education become more proud. God is against the proud. Many rich people are proud. They don't treat poor people as equals. So God also puts away those rich people. That is why Jesus said it is very difficult for a rich man to enter God's kingdom. Because they become proud. Not because they are rich. But because they become proud. It is very rare to find a rich person who is humble. There are a few but they are very few. It is very very difficult to find an educated person who is humble. There are a few but they are very few. So God is uniting the humble people. You see, just like in the world they have different ways they divide people. In the villages it is high caste, low caste. In the big big colleges it will be brilliant, educated and not so educated. God also has got a dividing line. You know among all of us sitting here God is drawing a line. He divides us into two. You know how? The humble and the proud. Which category are you? You yourself know. You know the thoughts that go on in your mind. You know how you compare yourself with other people. You know whether you mingle only with certain high class people or you mingle with very poor people also. See I have seen even in CFC in Bangalore. In a conference. Some CFC brothers they will not mingle with the poor people who come from Tamil Nadu. They will mingle with all the foreigners and educated people. I have seen with all those people they do not grow spiritually. Because God is the enemy of the proud. And he gives grace to the humble. So if you want God's blessing on your life I will give you one advice. Always remain humble. And mingle with humble people. I seek for fellowship with humble people. I have no interest in fellowshipping with proud people. The Bible says God keeps proud people far away. I also keep them far away. Because I want to be like God. I see some young people who are proud. They think they are better than others. I keep them far away like God keeps them far away. You know it is very easy to sense in a person as you talk to him whether he is proud. And if you watch him, you see his movements you can find out this is a proud person. And one characteristic of proud people is they cannot fellowship with anybody. They can only fellowship with those who obey them 100% like they are slaves. There are some elders also like that. They cannot fellowship with people who disagree with them. Anybody who bows down and does whatever he says, he has fellowship with them. And you can see the result in such churches. There are always problems. One problem goes, another problem will come. It will never end. The problem is with the elders. Because they are proud. They are the enemy of the proud. You see some homes, they always have problems because they are proud people. Both husband and wife are proud. So God is not on the side of the poor, he is on the side of the humble. So if you are poor, don't think I am poor, God will be on my side. There are some proud people, poor people also who are quite proud. And there are some rich people who are very humble. There are some uneducated people who are very proud. And there are some educated people who are very humble. So this is the dividing line, who is proud, who is humble. And over a period of time, God gets rid of all the proud people. And he unites the humble people together to make a church. Now church doesn't mean all the people who come on Sunday meeting. So many people come on Sunday meeting. But in the midst of all those people, there is a small group of people who are really humble. Maybe one sister sitting here, one brother sitting there, one young person here or there. God sees them. And in God's eyes, those are the church. And in the midst of what we call the church, God sees the real church inside that. You know like in these gold mines, like in Kolar, there is a gold mine. That is more than 5000-10,000 feet in the ground. They go and dig it up. And what they dig up is not all gold. There is mud and so many other metals and all that. In the middle, there will be some gold. But it is inside this big lump. So this lump is what we call the church. All the people who come on Sunday. But God sees a lot of them are just mud. They are not serious Christians. They like what we preach in CFC, they come here. And they have met up with some other church and they come here. They say these are nice people who will help us and also we come here. But it is all mud. But in the middle of that, there will be a little bit of gold. That is the real church in God's eyes. And I find in all of our CFC churches, there is a lot of mud and a little bit of gold. You must seek to be part of that gold. Because that is the church that Jesus will one day come and take. This is the mystery. How God brings people together And through them, He speaks here about wisdom. Where is 10? The wonderful wisdom of God, Ephesians 3.10, will be made known to all the rulers in the heavenly places through this church. Through the church. Which is this church? Not this whole lot of mud, but a little bit of gold inside it. Why do the people go down 10,000 feet and pull out this mud? In Kolar. Because they know in the middle of this mud, there is a little bit of gold. And that is why God gathers all these people to the church, because in the middle of it, He finds some really humble brothers and sisters. See, now in CFC Bangalore, we have got about, including children, about 400 people who meet on Sundays. You think they're all gold? I don't think so. See, most of them are not really serious about following Jesus as disciples. They're not ruling themselves, I can see that. I can see pride in their eyes. They don't see it themselves. But you know, if you keep on thinking high thoughts about yourself, finally, the pride will come in your eyes. I don't know whether you know that. For example, if you keep on lusting after women, after some time, your eyes will become impure. And a spiritually minded man can see in your eyes, that you are not a pure person. You know, even believers. Sometimes I see some people and I can sense, this person is not pure. I see some sisters. See, they're not pure. I can see it in their eyes. See, Peter also could do that, not only me. See, 2 Peter chapter 2. He talks about certain people. They come to the church. They even preach in the church. But Peter calls them, verse 1, false prophets and false teachers. And many will follow them, it says, because most people in the church don't have discernment. But one characteristic of them, verse 14, their eyes are full of adultery. Their eyes are full of adultery, verse 14. He says, their eyes are full of adultery. Now you say, hey, I thought adultery was in the mind. Yeah, but if you keep on thinking in the mind, it affects your eyes. That's the way God has made us. You keep on lusting after women, after some time, something happens to your eyes, which other people can observe, if they are spiritually minded. But you may not realize it yourself. But it affects your eyes. Young person or old person? I can tell you, you keep on lusting after women, nobody may know it, but your eyes will know it. And it will become manifest in your eyes. The same way with pride. See Proverbs in chapter 6. Verse 16. It says, there are seven things which are an abomination to God. Seven things that God thinks is terrible, where he hates them. What is number one among them? Verse 17. Proud eyes. You say, I thought pride is in the heart. But if you keep on thinking pride in your heart, it will finally come into your eyes. So these are two things, I find it quite easy now to find in people. I can say, this man is not pure. This sister is not pure. This man is proud. I can see it in his eyes. And usually I avoid seeing such people. I say hello, praise the Lord, goodbye. I don't have time for such people. Because God doesn't have time for such people. They are hypocrites. They sit in the church pretending to be holy, and all the time they are lusting after women and they are not even repenting of it. Single people and married people. God has forgiven them, but they take advantage of God's forgiveness. God has forgiven them terrible sins, but they just take advantage of God's forgiveness. The same with proud people. So, we must pursue after humility. You know, I have even told some elder brothers in our church, Brother, you are too proud. I said, that's why you have problems in your church. Humble yourself, God will support you. See, the devil has tried to attack CFC Bangalore so many ways for 37 years. But, do you know, in 37 years he has never succeeded? And I don't believe he will succeed. Because the leadership is in the hands of humble people. That is how it is in every church. God will preserve a church where the leadership is in the hands of humble people. And who are trying to keep themselves pure in their heart. But we read in Ephesians 3, there is a wisdom that God wants to show to the angelic authorities in the heavenly places. Those authorities are not the good angels, but the bad angels. Do you know how the devil became the devil? Long before God created man, he made the heaven and the earth, and then he made the angels. And he made one person the head of the angels. We don't know his name, but he was the head of the angels. But one day he became proud. I am the head of the angels. And I don't want them to worship God, I want them to worship me. I have seen some elders like that, who draw the attention of people to themselves and not to God, who want people to appreciate them and not appreciate God. This is the sin by which an angel became a devil in one second. This head of the angels, he was proud because he was the most beautiful. He was proud because he was the cleverest. It's very dangerous when you are the most beautiful. And it's very dangerous when you are the cleverest person in your church. I am not saying you have to fall, I am just saying you are in danger. And he had this high position also, this angel. He had three things. He was good looking, he was clever, and he had a high position. And as soon as he became proud of these three, God cast him down and he became the devil. So there are three heavens, God is in the third heaven. The first heaven is what you see, the sun and the stars and all that. Third heaven is right on top where God dwells. In between is the second heaven. So the angel was cast down from God's heavens and he came to the second heaven. That is where all the devil and his angels are today. That's why when you try to pray to God, there is a lot of obstruction. Because between you and God, the devil is trying to stop you from praying. Why is it we find it easier to speak to people than to speak to God? Because between you and people, the devil is not trying to stop you. But when you try to reach the third heaven to God, the devil is in the second heaven trying to stop you. And there is only one way to penetrate through that second heaven. And that is to praise God and thank him. So, have you found whenever you kneel down to pray, you feel sleepy? And you begin to think of all the 101 things you never thought about as soon as you kneel down? Because that's what the devil, he doesn't want you to pray. Why? When that happens, you must stop praying. Stand up, just raise your hands and start praising God. And give thanks to him. And you do that for two, three minutes, you'll get through to God immediately. Then you pray. It's always the best way. You try it. If you don't believe me, you try it. If you praise God, you'll never have a problem praising God. And you keep on praising God, one day God may give you the gift of tongues as well. Some people say, I want the gift of tongues. God says, you're not even praising me in English, why should I give you another language? No need. You first learn to praise me in your own language first. We don't give thanks to God, we don't praise him and we want to speak in unknown tongues. So the devil was cast down. But now, God is showing the devil, see this wonderful group on earth called the church. The devil says, look at all that mud. But the Lord says, in the middle of that mud, can you see that gold? Yeah, that is my true church. See, it says in Zephaniah. Do you know the books in the Old Testament? It's good to know the books in the Old Testament if you have a Bible. Where is the book of Zephaniah? It's about 3-4 books from the end of the Old Testament. Zephaniah. Now Zephaniah, see what the Lord says in chapter 3. It's a very wonderful verse which the Lord says, he's gathering people together. He's going to unite people that they work together. And they're going to be pure. Verse 9. Zephaniah chapter 3, verse 9. I'll give my people pure lips. And they will call on the name of the Lord. And they will work shoulder to shoulder. They'll work together. With one shoulder, with one shoulder they will work. That is the church. With pure lips. Calling on the name of the Lord. And serving together. From way, from the rivers of Ethiopia, my worshippers all over, they will come. From the whole world. And then, but some of them are mud. So God says in the middle of verse 11. From the midst I will remove all the proud people. Middle of verse 11. I will remove all the proud people from there. That's like these people who mine for gold. They remove all the mud and all the metals. And then, what will be left? Verse 12. There will be left among you a humble people. And they are people who will trust in the Lord. Verse 13. They won't tell any lies. That is the true church. God is going to remove all the proud people. And he will leave the humble people who don't tell any lies. So that teaches me one or two things. There are two things God values very greatly. Humility and honesty. They will be humble people who tell no lies. I say, Lord, I want to be in that number. What does it mean that I don't tell lies? It means if I did something wrong, I will say, yeah, I am sorry, I did something wrong. It doesn't mean perfect. Supposing you break some machine in your office. You used it and you spoiled something. But nobody saw you. So the manager in the office comes and calls all the staff and says, who spoiled this machine? Everybody will keep quiet. But if you are a Christian you say, yeah, I am sorry, I did that. That is honesty. You may lose your job but God will be happy with you. He will give you a better job. God loves honest people. He loves children who don't cheat in their examinations. The people who cheat may get better marks but the people who are honest God will lead them higher in the Christian life. So always seek to humble yourself. Make sure you never tell a lie because all the others God will remove. And this is the wisdom God is showing to the devil. God is saying to the devil and all his demons See the world how you have corrupted everybody in the world with pride and telling lies and impurity but see in the midst of it can you see these little few people I have got Have you seen these people in Hubli and Hulugi in few places not everybody who sits in the church but the few people in the midst of the church who are really humble who are really honest and pure and the devil he tells the devil see them this is the people I have in the midst of the church there are these few who are my body you must seek to be in that number that is the body that the Lord Jesus is building today you know in the beginning we read in Genesis we read in Genesis how God made man he made man from the dust of the ground we read in Genesis in chapter 1 God in verse 127 he created man in his own image and we read in Genesis 2 verse 7 how this man was made from the same dust that you see here outside God put some water there made a mud and he shaped a man can you picture that in your mind God pouring some water on the mud he must have poured water because there is a lot of water in our body there is a lot of water in the blood so he poured water in the mud and mixed it up and he shaped a man eyes and hands and everything I picture that in my mind how he takes a little bit of mud and shapes the man and then when he picks up one piece of mud that is very hard sometimes you find mud like that very hard he tries to crush it it won't crush it is very hard what does he do he just throws it away and takes some other mud and he makes a body and he finds another hard piece tries to crush it won't crush throws it away takes another mud finally the body is made and then it says in verse 7 God breathed into this mud now the mud looked just like a man just like me and then God breathed into his nose and suddenly he became a man a little while ago he was just like the mud on the ground now he walked away what about those rest bits of mud which were hard which God threw away they remained mud they had a chance to become a part of Adam's body when God tried to crush them they wouldn't be crushed so he threw them away they remained mud but the other soft bits of mud became the body of Adam now this is how God is building the body of Jesus Christ today from different parts of the world he is picking up some mud, you and me and he is building the body of Jesus Christ whether it is Bangalore or Hubli or Hulugi or anywhere man, woman, children he picks up I want to make this person a part of the body of Jesus Christ but sometimes he picks up somebody who is proud so God sometimes when he picks up a person he is proud he is hard he thinks he is better than others God tries to break him no he is proud he looks down on others God throws him away he is still sitting in the church in Hubli and Hulugi no problem God is not adding him to the body of Christ today we can't find out who is part of the body and who is not everybody sings the songs and they all join together and pray and all that but one day Jesus will come and the real body like the real body of Adam will go away and the bits of mud will still be left behind yeah it's going to be like that the body of Christ will go away the bits of mud will remain why did God reject them only one reason they were proud they thought they are better than others cleverer than others they thought oh I will go definitely because I am a friend of brother Jack that won't that won't help you God is looking for the friends of Jesus Christ not for the friends of brother Jack humble yourself you know the devil is full of pride and God is going to show him see on earth do you see that clever educated person how humble he is you see that very high caste person how humble he is Satan that is the wisdom of God see how much I blessed that man see how humble he is my blessing has not made him proud so what is the wisdom that God is showing to the devil God is saying to the devil you were so good looking and you became proud but look at that good looking brother and sister they are not proud Satan you became proud because you were so clever see that clever child of mine so clever but he is not proud you had such a great ministry Satan and therefore you were proud see that brother that sister what a great ministry I have given them they are not proud that is the wisdom that God is showing through the church to all these demons and devils that is the wisdom that God is showing to all these demons and devils now the question is can God point you out to the devil and say look at that person see that young man he never lusts after any woman he is not looking at the dirty movies and television shows of these half dressed women he is not looking he is so pure he is a young man with all the passions but he keeps himself pure that is the wisdom God is showing Satan and the other thing he is showing is this see all the demons in hell they don't know what it is to be one body demons are not one body Satan is like a dictator he tells the demon go come here they are just listening to orders that is not divine wisdom Jesus never ordered his disciples like that he was a servant I have seen two types of elders in our churches those who are like the devil who just ordered do this do that do the other thing and those who got the spirit of a servant like Jesus Christ who say God may have given me a position but I am your fellow brother and I got to work with you and through such humble brothers God builds the church and then in the church God makes us all one that is a great mystery how two people can become one that is why I say the best brother in any church is the one who can build fellowship between people the best elder brother is not the best preacher or the best organizer men will appreciate all that but God sees who can build fellowship who can make people one only those who have the spirit of a servant so if you have the spirit of a servant you are the best brother and sister in the church you may not be an elder you may not be you may never become an elder but in God's eyes you are the best brother in the church if you can build fellowship between people see this verse Matthew chapter 5 Jesus said in verse 9 he didn't say blessed are the preachers they shall be called the sons of God that's what we say oh those who can preach well they are the sons of God he said blessed are the peacemakers you may never be a preacher in your life can you be a peacemaker when there is fighting in your home can you be a peacemaker when somebody comes to fight with you can you be a peacemaker when the problems in the church can you be a peacemaker they are the sons of God it's easy to criticize but to be a peacemaker is very difficult that's why Jesus said in Matthew chapter 19 verse 30 last verse many who are first will be lost and the lost first why is that why are many who are lost going to be first in the final day and many who are first will be lost I'll tell you why it's got nothing to do with position in the church or preaching gift or any such thing because many who stood up as first in the church were proud not everybody but many some who are first are also humble they will be first in eternity also many who are first are proud in eternity God will push them to the end and there are some who are lost they are humble God makes them first in eternity not everybody some who are lost are lost because they are lazy and they are not interested they will be lost here and they will be lost in eternity also but there are some who are humble who don't have any position or prominence in the church but they quietly serve and help in whatever way they can God will exalt them when he comes again so dear brothers and sisters don't seek to be prominent in the church now seek to be prominent when Christ comes again God bless you let's pray let's bow our heads before God please take very seriously what you have heard today it's very important God is drawing a line between the proud and the humble make sure you are on the right side of the line don't just imagine that you are humble if you look down on others you are not humble if you don't have the spirit of a servant you are not humble if you are impure in your eyes in private you are not humble repent if you are seeking for prominence in the church you are not humble if you are seeking to let everybody know what you do for God you are not humble but if you can serve God and keep it hidden then you are humble heavenly father help us all to follow in Jesus footsteps so that you can manifest your wisdom to the demonic powers through us we pray in Jesus name Amen