One of the greatest mysteries we find in Scripture is that God created this incredible organism we call the Church. The word church comes from the Greek work ekklesia, which means "an assembly or gathering of people."  New Testament authors understood ekklesia in both a local and global context: local churches in specific cities are each a part of a global movement of faithful Christians throughout the earth.  Both the local and the global church are made up of imperfect people who have been united by a perfect God, saved by a sinless Savior, and called to live as a holy, united family until Jesus returns.

One idea that Scripture uses to describe the mystery of the Church and its connection with Jesus is the image of a marriage.  The Church is the Bride of Christ, betrothed to Jesus the Bridegroom and faithfully waiting for the "wedding ceremony" to take place when Jesus returns.  The Apostle Paul address the complexities of this idea in Ephesians 5:22-33 by making a direct comparison between the relationship of a husband and wife to the way Jesus relates to the church.   Just as a healthy marriage needs divine guidance and encouragement, so the Church relies on God's word for guidance and encouragement as we struggle and strive to be the Church that Jesus wants us to be.  We succeed in some ways while falling short in others, but thanks to the grace and mercy of God, our ekklesia can make progress in becoming more like Jesus.

This week, we'll focus on what God has called our church to be. We are the Bride of Christ, and we have much to celebrate!