The Hidden Value of the Church

"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" Ephesians 1:16-18 ESV

Paul saw something about God and His Church that he wanted the Church as a whole to see. It was something hidden that needed to be unveiled. It is like the invisible army seen in 2 Kings 6:17. The prophet saw the army that was there as a provision but his servant did not.

This unveiling must be a sight seem from Christ's vantage point. God must open the scriptures to us and open eyes to see value in things that would be invisible and almost contradictory.

"and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." Ephesians 1:19-21 ESV

When Jesus rose from the dead and then rose from the Earth to sit at the Father's right hand. Not only His position was elevated... ours as individual believers was also. The Father put Christ in a place of overruling authority.

That authority can seem invisible.

"And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." Ephesians 1:22-23 ESV

Christ in His fullness is expressed it the Church. Yet, That is invisible to us unless we have our eyes opened.

Jesus won't be known to the World at large just yet. Christ can be known in the Church. Our calling relates directly to the corporate experience in the same way that our gifts are oriented toward the Christ in the corporate experience.

"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ... And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" Ephesians 4:4-6, 11-13 KJV

If we magnify the flaws of the seeming imperfect people in the local assembly we will miss the overarching glory of what God wants to do in our lives and the community. Things that can only happen if Christ is expressed in a Church.

It is my firm conviction that there are some prayers that God will only answer if they are prayed corporately. May God open our eyes today. That He would give us a capacity to live in faith and dispel any disillusionment. Two or more gathered together praying is what changes the course of history.