What is the Church? | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

If you have your Bibles, please meet me in the book of Acts chapter 20. The book of Acts chapter 20. And as you're turning there in a moment, we're gonna pray once more. Ask God to help us with his word. Acts chapter 20, and please put your finger on verse 28.

Let's pray together. God, we thank you for this church. We bless your holy name. Lord, we want you to help us. We need you to help us with the eternal word that you have decreed and declared.

The very thing that we hold in our hands, we believe to be true. We believe to be infallible. We believe to be inerrant. We believe to be your word and your word alone. We ask God that you would give us the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our hearts, that the ministry of the word would be assisted by his power, and that, Lord, we would be transformed.

Help us see what we are speaking about with your eyes, and, Lord, help it deepen our love for the person of Jesus Christ. Lord, we trust in you for this morning's service. We lean upon your promise. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

We continue to thank God that we can meet at the church. Amen? It's, it's been a lesson these past few months about, how much the church really means to us, I'm sure. More important to realize that we're supposed to be thankful for a church that loves the church, and that loves the church. And that's important because the church means many things to different people.

And And as we understand what the church is, I'm sure at this point we realize that it's not a building, it's not a denomination. You know this very well. It is comprised of those who have been bought by the blood of Jesus, and we're not ashamed to be yoked to Christ, When they gather together, that is the church. Now we know that there's the universal church, that makeup of all those who have confessed Christ. But then that the church is experienced and expressed how in the local assembly.

Right here, right now, we are experiencing what Christ established concerning the church. Now, as we understand that, that's a basic understanding, so we perhaps need to remind ourselves of what the church really is. We perhaps need to understand how precious, how profound, and just how powerful this entity is, because we can almost lose our understanding by thinking that church is is nothing but a gathering of people who have a common conviction. If that is the case, then we are no different in definition than a club or an organization. People gather around passions and desires and convictions all over this place.

And the church is not just that. It's far greater. It's far more profound. And as we realize what the church is, there is a perspective that Christ has. And as we see how Christ defines his church, as we realize what the church means to him, my prayer this morning is that the goal of this message was simply deepen our appreciation and the commitment that we would have to the church of Jesus Christ.

If anybody were to ask you what the church, not the universal church, I'm talking about your church, this church means to you, I'm sure you would express how it has contributed many things concerning your faith remaining steadfast, I'm sure. And that's a good thing, but Jesus has much more to say, much more to say. And when we explore it as we do, and we will right now, I want you to interpret these different truths, not just as the global body of Christ, but I want you to see it through the lens of your local church. And if this is your local church, this local church. And so we're going to explore at least four facets, maybe more, maybe less, of how Jesus expresses and defines and adorns his church.

And we start in acts chapter 20 verse 28, and the first point as we read, is we wanna realize the price that the church needed to be bought. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Paul is speaking to pastors, pastors of a local church. And in order to sober them in realizing the the magnitude of their responsibility as leaders of the church, he says two main things. The first thing he says is that the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.

Pastors, you're gonna be overseeing this church. You're gonna be the bishops of this church, the pastors of this church. I want you to understand that the Holy Spirit is the one who called you. He's your boss. No denomination called you, no man called you, no seminary ordained you.

You've been ordained by the Holy Spirit himself. You need to realize that you're gonna be held accountable to him. You need to be you need to realize that he is ever present in all your meetings and all your planning and all your endeavors. The Holy Spirit who called you is the Holy Spirit who's watching you. And not only is he watching you, but this very same Holy Spirit will empower you.

He will strengthen you. He will do what he needs to do in and through you to be faithful and to be a faithful shepherd. Remember, the same Holy Spirit who brooded over the earth in Genesis is the same Holy Spirit who will brood over your life and the church that you are running and leading. But he doesn't just say that the Holy Spirit is the one who called you. He goes on to say, you have not just been ordinarily called by man, you're also called to serve a people who are no ordinary people.

The Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Do you realize the price that Jesus paid? And what an awesome verse to prove the deity of Christ, Does God have blood? Yes, he does. Because he took on flesh.

And God came down in flesh to make a purchase, and to call a people, and to purchase a people, and to gather a people that would be connected to him, and that would worship him and represent him. You need to understand pastors very clearly. You need to understand church, the price that was paid for this to become a reality. For this to be true, for this to be real, for this to be something that we would experience. And what's amazing is that how true it is for human nature, maybe not for many, but for some to to know how to treat and experience, or know how to protect a possession when they understand the investment that was made for them to have it.

Again, that's not the case for anybody, but it is the case for some. Perhaps university students in here who are being pulled through school because your parents are making an investment. They went on a loan. They went and grabbed some money so that you could what? Fulfill an education.

And because of that, perhaps, I hope that's your motivation at least in part to say, I'm gonna not treat this experience lightly. I'm gonna be faithful. I'm going to I'm going to continue to do what I can, knowing what was made for me to come to this point. And we could look at it in all matters. I mean, you can look at it even as trivial things as an outfit.

You treat your outfits differently depending on how you know you spent on this one and that one. You protect it, you're not just so loose with it, you you guard it, you take care of it, and you treat some outfits better than others. Because you know I saved up for this one, I'm not gonna just let anybody touch me or spill things on me. And so, it's just a simple principle that when we understand what was paid or what investment was made for something, it should cause us, it should cause us to be sober, it should cause us to to think differently and to act differently and to respond differently and it's no different than what we see here. Christ gave his blood.

You know what's amazing about the scripture? Paul is not speaking about the universal church. We all would agree with that and it can be applied to the universal church. But Paul is speaking in the context of the local church. Do you understand how profound that is?

That's where we feel the weight of this reality. Let let's just apply it here. It says, though the scripture can be implemented in this way, United Evangelical Church, Jesus paid with his blood for you to be here, to be a part of this family. Peter says it in a different way as you're familiar with in first Peter one chapter one verse 18 to 19, knowing that you are ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold. Never mind silver or gold.

Never mind money. Never mind a mountain of jewels. This is what men live and die for, but you have been ransomed with a greater price. With the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. And when we understand that, we interpret that, we have to understand at least one thing.

I pray that if that truth is stapled on our hearts, it should be a truth that is stapled on every local church. That we would be reminded every time we step in as a church together to realize, to realize the depths of the sacrifice. That leaders will be reminded how to treat their people and the congregation will realize what it is that was paid for them to be a part of something so wonderful and glorious. Now if I understand the price that was paid, should I not honor this assembly differently? Should I not honor this assembly in my holiness, in my faithfulness, in my love, in my commitment?

Should I not hear the word of God differently? Should I not look at my brothers and sisters differently? We often limit our gratitude to the functioning of our gathering, to maybe leaders who have sacrificed so much to make it happen, or or faithful few amongst the people that give much of their time and energy to make it happen. But look deeper. Look deeper and realize that there is blood that was shed.

There is blood that was shed. And this truth is absolutely necessary for what? In order to defend the church. In order to defend the church and honor the church the way Christ intended it to be honored, why? Not just because we honor the word of God, but we honor the purchase that was made to make it so.

We have no right to make the church what we think it should be. Christ made a clear payment with a clear with a clear set of commands of how she ought to look. When we understand that, we will be more faithful. When we understand the price that was paid, we will understand the value of this church. You know, it's amazing.

I can't help think of Genesis, when the first Adam was promised by God after a declaration that him being alone was not good. And so what does he do? He causes a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. And in that state of sleep, we are told that the Lord God came and took a rib from Adam, from his side. And from that rib, we are told, he created his bride and brought Eve to him, and they became one flesh.

And then we come to the new testament and we see the last Adam, Christ, who through a deep sleep, namely his death that God brought upon him, through his pure sight, through his sacrifice, through his torn flesh came out his bride, the church of Jesus Christ. And so it was his very body beaten and bruised, blood that was spilled, that made the bride of Christ who she is today. But not just the price that was paid. Turn with me in your bibles to John chapter one verse 18. We believe that Jesus Christ is God, and we believe that he took on flesh and added to his nature humanity for all eternity.

And while on earth, Christ came as truly God, truly man. And what we have to understand is that Christ took on a body so that he can be the appropriate sacrifice for our atonement. There is a body prepared for him for one single reason to die. And as we just heard, for a church to be birthed, and a people to be raised in his name. But understand this, that Jesus Christ had a multipurpose reason for coming to this earth, specifically to die.

But we also know that he came in the flesh to do what? John one eighteen tells us, no one has ever seen God. The only God who's at the father's side, he has made him known. Christ came to display the father. Christ came to show a world that desperately needed to know who God was, who God was perfectly.

The exact imprint of his nature. And Christ, yes, did come to show that he was God. But Christ also came to show what God was like. And so we understand the nature of God, the character of God, the love of God, the compassion of God, the mercy of God, the forgiveness of God, the power of God manifested in flesh. See, when God came on Mount Sinai, it was a terrifying sight.

The Israelites could not even dare think about climbing that mountain. So they called for Moses, you go up there. And knowing the frailty and the fear of man, Christ in his compassion comes and takes on flesh to meet us at our level and to show us who God is. And that's why Jesus in part says something so wonderful as John chapter 12 verse 45. You ready?

Whoever sees me sees him who sent me. Whoever sees me sees him who sent me. If you wanna know exactly who God is, you wanna know how God responds to sinners, How God responds to hypocrisy, to sin, to brokenness? Just look at Christ. And what's amazing is that we can see Christ through his word.

We've been given full display exactly what we need to know about God through whatever is recorded concerning Jesus' life and ministry. And what we know about Jesus when he was on the earth representing God, he what? Dies? He's buried. He raises and he sends into heaven.

And currently, right now, he is the God man. Seated at the right hand of God. But I wanna make a a claim that although physically Jesus' body is in heaven, mystically or symbolically, his body is still on the earth. His body is still on the earth. I'd be thinking, how can you say such a thing?

Well, go to Ephesians one and look at verse 22 to see what I mean. Paul tells us, and he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church. Verse 23, which is what? Which is his body. The fullness of him who fills all in all.

We believe that Christ raised bodily. We believe that Christ will return bodily. But know this, metaphorically, symbolically, the body of Christ is still on the earth. And that is crucial because it means many things. But if there's one point to consider it is this, that as Christ's symbolic body, we are to continue the mission that he fulfilled while being physically on the earth.

Not to die, not to make a payment for sin, but in that one specific thing that Christ did while on the earth. The same way Christ said, when you see me, you see him who sent me. The church of Jesus Christ should be able to look at the world and say, when you see us, you'll see who God is, and you'll see what God is like. Oh. Yeah.

What do we make church to be? Let's come and hear a guy speak about who God is and leave. No. You're the body of Jesus. That is much more complex and much more honorable and much more profound than we can ever imagine.

And here's what we have to understand from that simple but profound truth. If the world were to look in this church, if the world were to peek in, if the world were to spend a week with us, a month with us, three months with us, what would they see? What would they see? Would they see how God forgives the way we forgive one another? Would they see how God is in humility when he sees how his body serves, as he served when he became a man?

Would they see that the passion for the lost as Jesus did when he went to Samaria for one? And when he was willing not to eat to serve people? To teach them and to even physically feed them, would they see the body of Christ today doing the same? What would the world see with the body of Christ still on earth? What would the world see with the hands and feet of Jesus that he left on this earth?

It is no small thing. Indeed, it is a high calling to be the body of Jesus Christ. If you don't think that this is what we are called to, do you realize what Jesus said of himself in one of those I am statements? He says what? I am the light of the world.

I'm the light of the world. He says that earlier in John chapter eight, but when you go further in John chapter nine, he says, as long as I am in the world, verse five, I am the light of the world. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. So do we say Jesus is the light of the world? Yes.

And he will remain forever. But if you're very specific in the practical implications of that, to say Jesus is currently the light light of the world. He is in divine truth. He is in who he is providing the way to salvation. But who's the light of the world now if he's not in this world?

Well, he said in the the Sermon on the Mount, you are the light of the world. You're still in this world. My body, I'm out of here. I'm ascending on high. And as long as I'm here, I will radiate what God is like perfectly.

But that responsibility is now given to you as I abide in you by my spirit, and you now are the light of the world. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine that awesome responsibility be handed over to vessels of clay? Oh, you better believe it. This is what he intended.

And how marvelous. Right? That his global church, the people of God sprinkled all over this planet would be the light of the world. The body of Jesus Christ. Different continents in different countries and cultures.

If this world does not see Jesus through the body, then we are failing in our mission. We are failing in our mission. And as glorious as this is, we are informed something further about the body of Christ. In the same verse, what are we told? That he is made head overall, including his church.

Christ is the head of this body. That means a lot, and if there's one core principle to take out of that is simply this, the same way your mind is the command center of your body, is the same way that Jesus Christ is the command center of his church. No man can claim to be the head of the church. We only have one head. And what's incredible about that truth is, the same way your mind, that muscle in your cranium determines the direction in which you walk, where your eyes turn to, how your hand moves.

What's doing this right now? My brain is telling me to do it. It's the same way that every move, every breath, every step, every blink should be determined by Christ's authority in our lives. Again, the church does not have the freedom to express herself the way she wants. Believers don't have the right to say that you can live autonomously.

No, you have a head. There is something else that is commanding you, and directing you, and leading you, and moving you. And wouldn't you say that a sign of a person who is not healthy is if their nerves or their muscles do not respond quickly enough to the desires of the mind? When you say that there's something drastically wrong, if a body or part of a body is paralyzed and does not move based on the desire of someone, yes, you would say that that person is sick to a certain level, physically. And you have to use that same measurement with the body of Jesus Christ.

The body of Jesus Christ does not respond to the words of God, the mind of God revealed in the scriptures. There's something wrong with that body. That body is sick, limp, paralyzed, in need of healing and restoration. And so the profoundness of us being the body of Christ, being the hands and feet of Jesus is one thing, but it goes beyond that when we understand who we're connected to, and who it is that leads us, and guides us, and directs us, and feeds us. That's the evidence of a healthy church.

The word of God is cherished and submitted to as our body would be to the signals and the commands that our brain would give to us. The church is the body of Jesus Christ. But we go further than that. Let's go to first Timothy chapter three. Let's look at another truth.

First Timothy chapter three verse 15. Paul says, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the Living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Notice how the Church of the Living God is described. A pillar and buttress or ground for the truth. Two structures, physical structures that were designed to do one main thing, support a building, to keep it in right standing, to keep it firm and immovable.

And those are the two definitions that he gives for the church. And what is the church supporting? What is the church upholding? Truth. What's being said here is very simple yet very sacred.

That what the church is, is a holder and a displayer and a confident source of divine revelation. That's what the church is. Not just a global church, every local church should be a pillar. Should be as public as a pillar to the world, adorned with beauty, and to be as solid and constant as a foundation would be to a structure. And that's important because the church must handle truth as concretely as those things, as firm as those things.

As dependable on those things, people should come to the church and know that they are not something that is waved back and forth, tossed to and fro. And as world religions crumble, and as philosophies, and psychologies, and different studies, and different things that are invented and promoted, are raised and promoted, The church itself should be the same throughout the ages. Things will crash, things will come, things will grow, things will die, but the church should prove that we believe the same through different cultures and different ideas and different generations. And the church fails there, she fails to serve her purpose for existing on the earth. She serves as God's moral compass in this world.

So that people who need direction for salvation and knowledge of God, the will of God, the will of man from God, they would be directed by the church. And if it fails to do that, then we fail to even exist appropriately. And we have to be called stewards of the truth. Right? God has given us this, so that we can uphold and not be ashamed of it.

Declare to not try to explain it away. Defend it when it is being challenged. Fight for it when people wanna interpret it differently. And from cover to cover to keep it, and to willing to die for it. And that is more true today than ever.

Because that's what the church is. It doesn't matter what you think the church is. It doesn't. There's a higher calling the church for the church than the modern American Christian believes. A pillar in the buttress for truth.

A ground for truth. A support system for the truth. You know what that means? We think that that's the responsibility for the leaders of the church. Right?

You think so? Did he say for the leaders of the church? Or did he say, the church of the living God? He didn't say the elders of the church. He didn't say pastors of the church.

He says, the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress for truth. Meaning what? If you claim to be a part of the church of Jesus Christ, then you simultaneously claim that you are one who holds the truth so dear to your heart. That you will know the truth, you enjoy the truth, you study the truth, you declare the truth, you will defend the truth. The church.

And so if we thought that the church is just a place to come and hear some motivational message, and you have failed to understand what you've been connected to and what you've been called to. It's much more profound than that. You're committed to truth, if you're a Christian. So let me say it even more boldly. If you claim to be a part of a church, and you even claim to serve in a ministry of the church, but you do not value truth, then it doesn't matter what building you go to, it doesn't matter what kind of title you have, you are not a part of the church.

You're part of a building, you're part of a program, you're part of a ministry, but if you do not care to know this, and to defend it, and to even die for it, Then what does first Timothy three fifteen mean? Is the scriptures optional? Is truth interpreted individually? Do we have the right to come and bend and and and shift and change because the culture is pressuring us to? No.

Every person who claims to be a part of the church claims also to be committed to divine revelation. At no matter cost. It doesn't matter. And that's what Paul is saying because Jesus said in John seventeen fourteen, listen to this. He says about his disciples as he's praying to the father, I have given them your word.

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world. He's praying to the father in the high priestly prayer, and he says, father, I've done what you've called me to do as I'm preparing to now ascend and be glorified again. I have given them your word. I've made them stewards. I've made them responsible.

They are now carriers of the truth that I have deposited in them. The Holy Spirit will come to reveal more truth and explain and expound on the truth that Christ has brought. I've given them your word. This is the source of this word. It's from heaven, from God.

And he handed it down to the apostles, and the apostles being the foundation with the prophets of the church, passing down the truth that we now have today. Passing down the truth that we now have today. And the responsibility is the same. We've been given the word, entrusted with it. And notice, Jesus didn't just say, I've given them your word.

He expounds on that reality. I've given them your word and what? And the world has hated them. The world has hated them because they are not of the world. What's what's the connection between that?

What does me receiving the word of God have to do with the world hating me? Well, the reason why the world will hate you is because of the word. Call yourself a Christian all you want. Everybody's a Christian. Everybody claims to be a Christian.

Even Christians are impressed when some celebrity or some politician says something about Jesus. But take a man, take a woman, who loves this word, who cherishes it from cover to cover, who will declare it, who will interpret every facet of life through it. You'll get a different reaction from this world. You'll get a different reaction, different response. The world doesn't have a problem you saying you're a Christian.

The world doesn't even have a problem you saying you go to church. I remember telling people that I used to go to church and they would say, that's nice. That's nice. Tell them what you believe and let's see if they say that's nice. Churches now have rainbows in front of it.

I would love for the church to find a way to reclaim that rainbow, wouldn't you? The Noah covenant. Oh, I go to church. Well, that's nice. Tell them what you believe about salvation.

Tell them what you believe about sexuality. Tell them what you believe about holiness and righteousness. You wanna be a steward? What an awesome responsibility. To be the support system of truth.

To be a dependent place for people to come and know who God is. Awesome responsibility, very high cost. And the price to be the church, oh, it was a great price to purchase her, but you will pay a great price to be a part of it. Might even cost your blood. Jesus says, I have given them your word.

And he says, you'll be hated for it. Attend a bible believing in a bible obeying church, quote the scriptures when people ask what you believe on different issues, and don't be surprised if people hiss at you. If you do not stand for this entire book or do not hold to what it clearly teaches on the apparent controversial issues that this world is trying to normalize, you might attend a building, might be part of a program, but know this, you may not very well be part of the church. That is crucial. Let's go back to Isaiah chapter eight to see what Isaiah said in that scripture we were just reading.

Remember, he tells his prophet, do not fear what these people fear. Do not call conspiracy all that these people calls conspiracy. But the Lord of hosts, verse 13, him shall you honor as holy. Let him be your fear and let him be your dread. Now go down to verse 19 of Isaiah chapter eight.

And when they say to you, inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter. See, the people were in such a fearful state because of the coming invasion. The partnership between Israel and Syria, they were terrified and so they were running for answers. They were searching. And the word of the the town was, let's go seek those who are in contact with the dead, the spiritists, and the mediums.

Let's go see what they've tapped into, what kind of truth they have. People are still doing the same today. I've given this example but I'll give it now. I remember being in college and having lunch with my young adult pastor and when he dropped me back off on campus, we entered in and when I entered in, rather he dropped me off, I walked in and I saw a huge lineup in the cafeteria and I thought to myself, is the food really that good here? And as I approached the lines, I realized this wasn't a line for the food, there were tables set up, four or five tables, and what were what were people doing at those tables?

You had people that were reading cards, tarot cards. And there was a line to hear what they had to say. And so I approached the lady that was doing the registries, says, how long does it take for me to sign up? And she says, well, there's a couple hours wait, so people are leaving their cell phone numbers so that we can text them when they're up. I thought to myself, don't sign me up, but I'll be back.

And so I called my young adult pastor, says, you won't believe what I just walked into. Come, and I'll show you. So he parks the car, he comes inside, and we're staring at this. We can't believe our eyes. This apparent college where people are being taught that there's no God, and that you're just you're just a product of mush that came together and all these things.

Look how many people are hungry for the supernatural. Look how many people are looking for answers outside of themselves, trying to find some kind of guidance for this life. And so what happened? I wanted to talk to one of those tarot card readers, so I did. I had to interrupt the session though.

I said, excuse me. Do you realize what you're doing? And she looked at me and she was just kinda shocked and I says, you have no idea what you're dabbling in. And there's no answer apart from Jesus. And she looked at me, she just you wonder what she says?

She says, I'm just an entertainer. She says, well, you're entertaining things that you don't wanna entertain. When they say to inquire of the mediums and necromancers who chirp and mutter, this is what God says in response to that. Should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?

Never mind necromancers. Anybody else that's tapping into people that are dead and long gone. Whether spirits from your ancestry or saints of old. Why are you speaking to the dead on behalf of the living? Now look what he says in verse 20.

To the teaching and to the testimony. What is he saying? To the word of God. To the scriptures. To the teaching and to the testimony.

And look at this claim, if they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. If a church does not speak according to this word, there's no light in that church. There's no illumination in that church. If anybody who claims to have answers does not find their answers from the word, there's nothing in them that is enlightened. The only source of light and truth and guidance is here.

And Isaiah was being reminded of that, to remind the people of that. Why are you running to different answers? And the church has been called to be that very source of guidance. So when people run-in here, they will find answers. I gave this testimony at one of the prayer meetings, that a very well known pastor was preaching on a certain message concerning homosexuality.

He was giving this illustration. That one day a man who was on his death bed because of aids called him to attend to him, and to tell him about the gospel, and to share what it means to be saved. And this pastor who was sharing this message with his congregation, was explaining how this man who was living out in the world, living a a homosexual lifestyle, who was dying because of his lifestyle, who invited him, was then questioned by the pastor in that room, how did you hear about our church? Why did you call me of all places? And that man on his death bed said, when I realized that I was diagnosed with this disease, I was so afraid.

I was so terrified. I didn't know where I was gonna go when I died that I asked my other gay friends, what do I do? Where do I get answers? And they told me to come to your church. They told me to come to your church.

And here's the church in America, trying to accommodate and compromise, thinking that we're doing that community a favor. When they need truth, that will set them free. And if a soul is desperate enough, even a soul in that kind of a community, they will search for truth. But will they find it in a church in America? We're too busy bending over and trying to comply and trying to remove the sting of sin in our preaching, and in our counseling, so they can like us now, but die and go to hell forever.

What a testimony. What a testimony for a church, that when a sinner knows that he needs an answer for salvation, they will go to a place that hasn't compromised, when there is pressure. When the world sees a church that's not willing to bow down to the pressures and the persecutions, those same people will realize they have something worth dying for. And so when they're dying, they'll come to those who are willing to die for the truth that they claim is to be true. To the word and to the testimony, if they will not speak according to this word, know this, it is because they have no dawn.

The church is a support. The church is the display, the adornment, the protector, the provider of the word of God. But there's something even greater concerning the church. Go to Ephesians chapter three with me. And let's go to verse 10.

Notice what Paul says here about the church. So that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. The main audience of the church is a broken world. The onlookers are sinners of those who believe different things, of those who are living different ways. But know this, from this verse, we realize that the only audience is not this world.

There is another realm of spectators and onlookers. Some would say that what Paul is saying here about those who are, principalities and those who are rulers and authorities are governments and establishments of this world who are an authority, but that can't make sense when he says in heavenly places. And so what he's saying is quite amazing. There's a whole different realm. There's a whole different breed of creatures.

Spirit beings, both fallen and holy, who are beholding the church day after day after day. And you think for what reason? Oh, by the way, even today. For what reason? Because in the church, globally and locally, they are studying the wisdom of God.

They are studying the wisdom of God. You know, when God laid the foundations of this world and created all things, we are told in Job 38 verse seven that the angels rejoice. They sang. Wow. Look at God's power.

Look at God's ability. Look what his word can do. Planets and stars and trees and seas and animals. But when angels looked at the formation of the church of Jew and Gentile coming together by a common faith. You can argue that they did sing, but the scriptures give the impression that they are almost stunned.

First Peter tells us concerning this covenant that they long to look into these things. There's a contemplation. There's a mesmericion. They're almost taken back by the wisdom of God in the formation of this church, of his church. I wonder what questions they have in mind when they see the church of Jesus Christ growing.

How was the Lord able to take sinners, rebellious and corrupt in nature, to now become worshipers, and not just worshipers, but his bride? How was this embedded curse that deformed the souls of men? How is it now that it has been reversed by the blood of the lamb? And now they are vessels and temples of the Holy Spirit? How is it that the same spirit that hovered over the earth is now abiding in these vessels and these jars of clay?

How is it that God could take every person from every race, tribe, and tongue, culture, and background, and bring them together as one body united in spirit, bonded together in love, creating one new type of people, while still representing different backgrounds. How is it that God is able to be so patient with a church that fails so often? How is it that God, who started a work in these broken men and women, will one day bring them to completion? I wonder what the conversations that angels are having. You know, it's so fascinating.

You have people in this life, books that are written best sellers about fascinations about angels and spirit beings. Well, angels are fascinated with you and me because we are the church. And as the church is still growing, you better believe that the angels are still pondering. It's a mixture of pondering and rejoicing because when one sinner repents and is added to the church, what happens? All the angels rejoice.

And they rejoice and they look. Do they communicate with each other? I'm not sure. Maybe they're too busy worshiping. But nonetheless, we are told that the church is the manifold wisdom of God.

So awesome, so glorious, so beautiful is the body of Christ that it doesn't just influence our world, but another one. Do you realize what you're a part of? Don't you ever think from this moment on that you just come to a building a few times a week to be with some people who believe what you believe. Realize the price that was paid for you to be a part of this. And realize that you are connected to Christ.

You are the body. You are the light of the world. Realize that this world that is so confused, so messed up, that you are the very thing that they will run to if they need to find answers for their lives today and for the world to come. And realize that your life is not just being watched by this world. Your life as the church is causing angels to worship God.

Let's pray. Father, we are honored, blessed, overwhelmed to be part of your church. Lord, it fills so many voids, but if there's one void that it fills, it's the sense of a lack of purpose in this life. Thank you, Lord, that your church is an entity unlike any other. Called to a purpose unlike any other.

And we ask God that you would just open our eyes to knowing just how awesome it is to be your bride. God, we pray that we would be a faithful church. Strong, that we would represent you well. Help us love truth, hold truth, defend truth. Help us treat one another, and see each other with the value that you've placed on us, blood bought.

To care for what you have purchased and to hold it dear to our hearts. Lord, we pray that you would open the eyes of this world to see just how beautiful you are because of the body of Christ on the earth. And we ask God that you protect us from misrepresenting you or trying to drift into something that you've not called us to be. Please, Lord, we wanna be the true church. We wanna be as true as we can be.

We wanna be as holy as we can be. And so give us the Holy Spirit's help as a church to be faithful. We worship you. We worship you. We worship you in light of what you've called us to be, and we thank you with everything within us to be the church of Jesus Christ.

In your name, we pray. Amen.