Brethren, on this anniversary of God's explosive empowering of His firstfruits within the New Covenant church, we must consider the church and how enigmatic it is to this world, especially to those who regard themselves as followers of Jesus Christ. The reality of the work of the church and God's predetermined calling of each one of us into it at this time is clear to us, yet it remains almost a complete mystery to the world. God has revealed the mission of the church so that, as the world falls apart around us, we can see His sovereign authority in it all and continue to patiently do the work He expects within the body of Christ by the power of His Holy Spirit. We are not here to be entangled in the catastrophic problems of a world that is at enmity with God, but to be trained to move forward together with Christ at His return. God has taken a small, select group to be trained to lead when the time comes under Christ at His return, a purpose that is an absolute mystery to the world. As stewards of this mystery of the church, we are predestined to live within what is akin to a teacher's college, maintaining the absolute unity God expects through the gifts He has given. We are an army of leaders in training, patiently working within our gifts to serve all and those yet to come, as God patiently works His plan toward its end. God's patient work with both Israel and His church remains clouded in mysteries to this world, baffling those who cannot see His continued purpose and relationship with His people.

The existence of the church is a mystery to most people in the world. The church is in the process of being transformed from a living body of spiritual embryos into the mature, pure, and perfect spiritual body of Christ. The apostle Paul refers to this concept as a great mystery, something that cannot easily be understood, only grasped as the Holy Spirit enlightens us. If we are to become mature Christians and rise to the height of our calling in Christ Jesus, we must exercise our minds and senses to gain some conception of ourselves within the great context of the body of Christ. Paul frequently uses the metaphor of the church as the body of Christ to convey this truth, varying his comparisons to include a building with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone, a household or family as members of the household of God, a great empire, a bride in relationship with Christ as the bridegroom, and a vine with its branches. These illustrations aim to help us understand our relationship to Jesus Christ and how His mighty power operates within us. The church should not be considered in a theoretical or academic way but as a means to realize how the exceeding great power of God actually works in us, which is exciting, positive, and uplifting. Certain principles emerge from the picture of the church as the body of Christ. First, we are joined to Christ in a vital and living way, not mechanically or loosely, but through a spiritual and mystical unity that is indissoluble. This unity is not something we can create ourselves; it is the result of the power of God working in us through the Spirit, making us different from the world. The church of God, the body of Christ, is not restricted to a physical group or organization; it is a living, spiritual, and dynamic union. Second, Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, the sole authority and the source and center of its life. As the Head, He provides the vital energy and power to the body, enabling each member to perform their individual functions. All His life and attributes are in us as members of His body, making us partakers of the divine nature. Even in our weakness, we are reminded that all things are possible through Christ, for His strength is in us if we live as He lives, abiding in His teachings and truth. The church, as the body of Christ, is being perfected and completed in an ongoing process since Jesus established it. This spiritual organism is not a mere physical association or corporation but a vibrant, unified body where the energy of God's power resides through our relationship with Jesus Christ, the Head. We must use this energy, continually seeking and setting our minds on things above, with our interests, attitudes, and ambitions molded by Christ's relationship with us. May God, by the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ, enlighten our understanding as members of the body of Christ, that we may work to be unified as one body, one church.

We are living in a unique time in church history, where the environment of the church is unlike anything seen before. When Jesus founded the church of God on the Pentecost after His death, resurrection, and ascension, it was a unified body. This singular church spread from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, held together by the cooperation of the apostles despite their far-flung missions. Over time, false gospels and ministers caused damage, leading to the rise of a false church that overshadowed the true church, which then shrank into obscurity after the mid-first century, its congregations sundered and hidden from the false church for much of the intervening time until the 20th century. Today, we face a different situation with what is called the greater church of God, comprising numerous groups, hundreds in fact, all claiming to be part of the true church with historical and theological roots in various church organizations. Some larger groups wrongly claim to be the exclusive body of Christ, dismissing others as deceived or fallen away, yet many smaller churches with just a few members also have ties to the true church. Only Christ, the Head of the church, can determine who truly belongs to His body. The scattered condition of the greater church of God is seen as God's doing, a low point in the church's progress through the ages, and a sign of the end, used by Jesus to test His people's stance at critical times—whether they align with Him and His teachings or pursue their own ways. This scattering, combined with human nature, creates a state of constant friction—cultural, doctrinal, governmental, and interpersonal—making the situation spiritually dangerous. The wide choices of affiliation or even complete independence from any group tempt individuals to follow their deceitful hearts, justifying division as unity in their minds. This environment allows people to move from one church to another, carrying wrong ideas and attitudes, causing repeated divisions without resolving underlying issues. Though God scatters due to sin and rebellion with the intent of spurring spiritual repentance and a return to righteousness, the church has contributed to its own disunity, still dealing with the repercussions of past apostasy and the resulting distrust among members and ministry. Jesus Christ, as Head of the church, desires unity, as expressed in His prayer in John 17:20-23, wanting His disciples to be one, marching in step toward the Kingdom as a singular spiritual body of elect servants acting in harmony and godly love. This oneness, though seemingly incredible, is not an impossible dream but the end that will be, as His Body will be united. Spiritual completion makes its longest strides when God's people are unified and at peace with one another, producing the fruits of righteousness in peace. The purpose of the church, often overshadowed by individualism, is not merely personal salvation but integration into the body of Christ through character growth for a greater future work. God made the church to give us spiritual siblings, challenging us to get along, forgive, serve, and submit to one another, fostering a big, happy family despite differences and human nature's tendencies to offend and hold grudges. The church's high point of unity at its beginning in Acts 2, marked by a lavish effusion of God's Holy Spirit, overcame diversities of ethnicity, status, culture, and language, molding different people into a unified whole. This oneness, a fulfillment of prophecy and a sign of the last days, shows how crucial a unified church is to the completion of the elect and the progress of God's plan. God is willing to pour out His Spirit again if His church is prepared to receive it. Christ's work has broken down walls of separation, uniting us in Him as one new man, reconciled to each other and to the Father through His Holy Spirit, providing an environment of peace in the church. Yet, human nature