The Big Plus

Just finished family worship with Hazel and the boys - tonight we read, with comment, Ephesians chapter 1.

Quite breathtaking really, when you think about the glories of the great and gracious redemptive purpose of God - and best of all for us Paul ends up on the Church.

It's easy to be snippy - God forgive all sinful church negativity: the Psalmist got it spot-on when He sang of Zion's excelling glories in Psalm 87!

There only is one purpose - both overarching and sovereign - to incorporate Jews and Gentiles (Paul's we and you) into Christ's One Body, united under His headship, 1:10.

Out of Adam and into Jesus - that's God's gracious gift, through the inter-connector of faith, to snap the fetter of death and bond us into the life of Christ.

What a life it is - joined to our Risen Head, who plummeted Hell's depths to exalt to Heaven's heights: with measured participation in a glorious, Mediatorial, dominion.

OK, I'll admit God's church has a host of unsightly warts and spots: but pay heed and be glad - Church is as good as it gets, a full revealing and enjoying of grace, 1:22.

Christ's power is made available for the subjugation of sin, conquest of temptation, conviction of sinners and conforming of saints to Jesus our grace-filled Lord, 1:16-21.

And He (God) put all things under His feet (Christ) and gave Him as head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

How great it must be to win Wimbledon Center Court, or (if not on the Sabbath) bat or bowl at Lords in the World Cup Final of cricket, but it is far better and happier to be blest in the Beloved, a member of God's flock, and housed inside Christ's Church. So, on the Sabbath, as we enter His courts with praise, every child of God had good reason to be glad.