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With all wisdom and understanding, \\xa0he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment\\u2014to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:8b-10)

The final verb is \\u201cbring,\\u201d as in, \\u201cGod\\u2019s will is to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.\\u201d \\xa0The Greek root of this verb is the word \\u201chead.\\u201d \\xa0As in: all things are brought in and gathered up under one single head\\u2014which is Christ. \\xa0It\\u2019s the same kind of body language that Paul uses later in Ephesians where \\u201cwe in all things grow up into Him who is the head\\u2014that is, Christ\\u201d (4:15). \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0

This bringing to unity under the head of Christ is that mystery of the cross that God has made known to us. \\xa0In the cross, all things are reconciled. \\xa0All the disparate, sin-broken people and realities of the Creation and cosmos are reconciled back together, healed, and made well and whole through the cross. \\xa0Of course we\\u2019re not there yet\\u2014but that is the destination\\u2014to be realized when the times reach their fulfillment. \\xa0It is good news, a word of great hope. \\xa0This too is a work and gift of God that we are slowly drawn ever deeper into as his grace continues spilling out lavishly into our lives and through them, to our world.

Much more will be said about this unity through the cross under the head of Christ later in the letter. \\xa0But for now, I\\u2019d like to draw your attention to a different point.

Throughout these opening eight verses from verse 3-10, we are simply bombarded by the action of God through these verbs Paul launches at us. \\xa0Yet, it is actually Christ who has been the primary actor. \\xa0Peterson points out that His name is used 11 times either as a proper noun or pronoun. \\xa0Jesus Christ is the one who reveals and who executes each of these actions of God: God has blessed us in Christ, chose us in Christ, predestined us through Christ, gave us grace in Christ, we have redemption in Christ, etc. etc. Then, when the times have reached their fulfillment, the will of God is that all things should be reconciled and brought together in one body, and under one head\\u2014which is Christ. \\xa0That\\u2019s the great cosmic vision of the big story of God.

But remember how we began last week\\u2014it is not just that we hear this big story of God\\u2019s cosmic work from beginning to end. \\xa0The good news is that our own smaller stories are also caught up into it! \\xa0Just as Jesus is named 11 times in these first eight verses, so we are too. \\xa011 times we women and men of God\\u2019s choosing are drawn in, gathered up, personally brought together in unity under the headship and Lordship of Christ\\u2014in his story.

We are there and we\\u2019re present within the plan of God, personally, and intimately, like a child with her Father. \\xa0We are part of the Family of God and the Body of Christ. \\xa0All that\\u2019s left is to receive it and to praise him for it. \\xa0So, as Paul says multiple times in these opening verses: praise be to God!

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