Scripture

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display His wisdom in its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Observation

Paul is a prisoner of Christ for the sake of the Gentiles.

God’s plan is for both Gentiles and Jewish believers in Christ to share equally in God’s riches. Both are part of the same Body, and enjoy the same blessings because they belong to Christ.

God’s purpose is to display the riches of His wisdom in the variety of His people.

Application

The universal church is a majestic organisation composed of members from every tribe and every nation. Every culture is represented in the Body of Christ.

There are millions of congregations around the world, representing evangelical, orthodox, pentecostal, catholic and other streams. It seems chaotic because there is no centralised structure or chain of command,

Yet this amazingly diverse organisation is subject to Christ, and it reflects the glory of God.

We often think of the church in human terms- how we relate, styles of worship etc. We are often aware of our duty to proclaim the gospel to the people around us.

Paul tells us, though, that the church, in all its diversity, is a testimony to the unseen powers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

We preach the gospel to the world, but our most powerful testimony is in the heavens.

When christians gather to worship, or to evangelise, or to serve the poor, we are proclaiming the name of Christ add His victory, to the demons and principalities. They shrink in awe at the wisdom and power of God to redeem humanity.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing me into your Body, the church. Help me to find my proper place so that I can be a part of this powerful message of your love. Amen.