The sermon "Mystery Revealed," delivered by Garrett Bookout (minister at Oak Hollow church of Christ) on February 22, 2026, explores Ephesians 3, where Paul describes his ministry as revealing a divine mystery hidden for ages. Bookout uses a personal family story of secretly planning a Disney World vacation for years and dramatically revealing it to his young children to illustrate how God planned salvation long before revealing it fully through Christ. The core mystery is that Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, extending God's grace beyond Israel to all nations.

Bookout begins by expressing gratitude for his ministry as an undeserved grace from God, paralleling Paul's humble view of his own calling despite being imprisoned for the Gentiles. He recounts the elaborate three-year secret planning of a 2016 Disney trip with his family (including keeping the children unaware by code-wording it as "Brussels sprouts"), emphasizing the joy of the revelation moment as the highlight. This anecdote serves as an analogy for God's eternal plan: orchestrated before the world's foundation, hinted at in the Old Testament, yet largely hidden from humanity—and even spiritual beings—until revealed through Paul and the apostles by the Spirit.

He then unpacks the mystery itself from Ephesians 3:1-13, stressing that God's purpose has always been the salvation of the entire world, not just one family or nation, making Gentiles co-heirs with Jews in Christ's body and promises. He highlights Paul's grace-saturated language, viewing himself as the "least of all saints" yet chosen to proclaim the "unsearchable riches of Christ." Bookout concludes that the church's unified, loving life displays God's manifold wisdom not only to people but also to heavenly rulers and authorities (including demonic forces), countering their mockery by demonstrating through transformed believers that God indeed knows what He is doing. He prays for Oak Hollow to embody this wisdom visibly and invites responses for those seeking to follow Christ.

I. Introduction and Personal Gratitude for Ministry (Grace as Undeserved Gift)
- Speaker's thanks for preaching privilege, viewing it as God's grace (paralleling Paul's perspective).
- Paul's unique ministry described as revealing a mystery.

II. Illustrative Anecdote: The Secret Disney World Vacation
- Three-year planning process kept hidden from young children (using "Brussels sprouts" code).
- Joy in the dramatic revelation as the trip's highlight.
- Analogy to God's long-planned, gradually hinted, ultimately revealed salvation mystery.

III. Biblical Exposition of the Mystery (Ephesians 3:1-13)
- Paul as steward of God's grace, recipient of revelation about the mystery.
- The mystery defined: Gentiles as fellow heirs, members of one body, partakers of the promise in Christ through the gospel.
- God's eternal purpose hidden for ages but now revealed to apostles/prophets by the Spirit.

IV. Paul's Humble Ministry and Grace-Saturated View
- Paul as "least of all saints" yet graced to preach to Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
- Suffering accepted as part of calling; emphasis on humility to avoid disunity.

V. The Church's Role in Displaying God's Wisdom
- Mystery plan realized in Christ, making known God's manifold wisdom through the church to heavenly rulers/authorities.
- Even spiritual forces (Satan/demons) learn from the church's transformed life (love, unity, good works).
- Examples: loving enemies, family roles, serving the needy—showing heaven that God has a wise plan.

VI. Application and Invitation
- Prayer for Oak Hollow to reveal God's image and wisdom visibly.
- Invitation for non-believers to become followers of Christ (study, prayer, baptism).