Ephesians 3:1-7 The Mystery of the Gospel

...that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. ...to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel

The "mystery of the Gospel." It sounds like a simple thing, that the Gentiles are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, just as the Jews are.

But the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles had massive repercussions.

In Acts, chapter 10, we find Peter on the rooftop praying. God gives him a vision, showing him "unclean" animals - those that were forbidden by the Law of Moses. In the vision, God says to Peter,  "Get up, Peter, kill and eat!" But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean." [ACTS 10:13‭-‬14 NASB]. God repeats the vision three times, so that the message will sink in.

The Spirit of God then tells Peter to go with some men to the house of a Gentile. So, the next day, Peter went with them and entered into the house of Cornelius. Understanding the vision that God had given him, even though the Gentiles were considered "unclean" by the Jews, Peter preached to them. We are told, "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also." [Acts 10:44-45 NASB]

Prior to this event, belief in Jesus as the Messiah was considered a strictly Jewish sect. After this, it was understood that Jesus' death and resurrection would bring hope to the whole world.

In Acts 11 we see that when Peter returned to Jerusalem, he was initially condemned for the mere act of entering the home and eating with Gentiles. After Peter explained about the vision God gave him, and the fact that God chose to pour out His Spirit on the Gentiles, the Apostles relented.

Even so, Peter's status within the group of Apostles changed. Prior to this event, he was the leader and prime spokesman. We see in Acts 15:13 that James has taken over the leadership role, and it was his final judgment that decided that Gentiles do not need to convert to Judaism to become a follower of Christ.

He said, " 'so that the rest of  mankind may seek the  Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by  my name,' says the Lord , who  makes these things known from long ago.'  Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles" [ACTS 15:17‭-‬19 NASB]

To the Jewish believers of the time, it was hard to comprehend that the "mystery of the Gospel" is salvation for anyone who will believe. 

The Spirit of God has made it clear. There is nobody who is beyond hope. There is nobody beyond His reach. No matter their background, ethnicity, or current religious belief (or lack thereof), God is willing to save them.

Do you know someone who needs Jesus in their life? Pray that God will draw them, and don't give up hope.

Remember that you too were once lost and without hope, but somebody prayed for you.