The Beauty of the Church Is a Wonder to Behold — Part 4

The View From Above: Thoughts to Help With Everyday Life

August 10, 2026

Pastor Paul Stephens

The Beauty of the Church Is a Wonder to Behold — Part 4

The beauty of the church is a wonder to behold.

It’s a miracle, it truly is.

What is especially noteworthy in the Word of God is Christ’s love for the church.

The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

Scripture Focus

Ephesians 5:25–27

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR HER.

Jesus Christ is invested in His church—the assembly of believers who gather together to honor Him.

“He gave Himself for her,” the Scripture says.

He gave all of Himself, even to the point of death.

The church would not exist without His loving sacrifice.

The church is a miraculous gathering of people who have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus, forgiven and set free from sin, and who are now pursuing lives that glorify Him individually and through His church.

One of the great loves of my life is the church.

I marvel at this collection of people who come from all walks of life, gathered together and lifting holy hands in praise and adoration of our Savior and Lord.

Because of Christ’s love for the church—and because of our love for the church—it should have the highest priority in our lives.

What you love, you make time for.

You build your life and schedule around what you love.

You invest in what you love.

When there is indifference, however, something that should be loved can easily be dismissed or pushed into a secondary position.

There are many people today who treat the church with indifference.

That’s not Jesus.

What is loved is prioritized.

What is loved is given a prominent place in our lives.

So ask yourself:

Do I love the church?

And perhaps the more searching question:

How much do I love the church?

Do I love it enough to give it priority over other activities?

If Jesus prioritizes His church because of His great love for her, shouldn’t you and I do the same?

Consider again what a powerful statement Paul makes:

“Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…”

That is a picture of devotion, dedication, and sacrifice.

That is the cost and price of love.

Because of His love, Jesus reserves some of the most profound expressions of His power for the assembly of believers—the church.

The most dramatic moments of transformation in my life occurred in church.

The most powerful and life-changing revelations I have received—the ones that altered the direction of my life—came in church.

That is the way God intended it to be.

God moves powerfully in the midst of the community of believers.

Today’s Challenge

Take a moment today to examine—and perhaps re-examine—your affection for Christ’s church.

Is church simply somewhere you go?

Or is it something you genuinely love?

Does the priority you give the church reflect the value Jesus places upon it?

Consider your time.

Consider your schedule.

Consider your investment.

Consider your willingness to sacrifice.

Then ask yourself one important question:

Do I love His church as Jesus loves His church?