Hello and welcome to Thursday’s Foundation Podcast. Today’s passage is Ephesians 3:8-13. We are going to focus on verses 10 -11:

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Each day this week we’ve been considering how and why we have hope in Jesus. Monday – We looked at how Jesus has made a way for us to know God. Tuesday –how he welcomes us home, into his church. Yesterday – that God has a plan for each of our lives. Today we reflect on how we don’t run that race alone; we do so in community. And that it’s through these communities of hope that God is choosing to reveal himself to those who don’t yet know him.

REFLECTION:

What we read in today’s passage should be a huge encouragement to us! God reveals his wisdom, his plan for salvation and the redemption of this world through us, the church. We are his plan! A plan which we read today that is of interest of the angels, the ‘rulers and authorities of the heavenly realms’ so that they might give God his true glory. Wow!

What does all this mean for us today and the church communities we are a part of?

Firstly this passage is clear. There’s something very special about the church community and about being a part of it.  I really like this idea that the church is talked about heaven. The angels are praising God for what’s he doing here on earth through us. It’s big news. It’s exciting! And to me, that’s what being part of the church should be …exciting! Because it’s as part of the church that we discover the better life that Jesus has for us and we are encouraged to seek more of that every day, not just for ourselves but for others.

I count myself incredibly fortunate to be part of the church here at STC. It was the place I came to faith aged 25 on an Alpha course. It’s a place where my relationship with God has been completely transformed. A place where God is continually shaping and moulding me– as a husband, father, as a youth leader. But not only that, it’s a place where as a collective people are constantly seeking to see God’s kingdom grow. It’s a church that has pioneered incredible work with children, teenagers and students. It’s a church which has sought to impact our local community, our workplaces and our city. It’s a church that doesn’t stay still. It’s always seeking more!

So, let’s take the time to give thanks for our church community here. If you’re part of another one, give thanks for that one too! Not only that, let’s actively look to support our church today. Let’s commit to being at our midweek community – these are the people who are helping us live more like Jesus. Let’s carve out the space and time to be there. And let’s be a people who support and encourage our leaders’ right across the church. God has carefully placed them in that role for a reason and our job is to love, to serve and bless them.

Secondly, let’s be encouraged today. We can have hope for our church.  The established church in our nation often gets a bad rep and let’s be honest – there are clear challenges which it faces that need to be addressed. But when we look at this passage it’s like Paul’s rallying cry to the church.

God’s plan for us is that we tell a different story. Our lives as a collective are the shop windows through which others glimpse God and this richer, fuller life he has for us.

There’s something in that word from verse 10 about wisdom for us today. In other letters of the Bible, Paul writes about the Jesus life, God’s plan for us and how it makes the foolish things of this world wise. The better life Jesus offers us – one of simplicity, purity, forgiveness and love expressed through our sacrificial acts for others goes totally against the culture of the world around us. And yet it’s a life which is so deeply satisfyin...