The Preparation of the Bride
Notes
Transcript
Ephesians 5:25–33 “25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 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. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
Introduction: We have been talking about the church in our series called “I Love the Church.” As a reminder, I want to repeat that I was very intentional about the title. I didn’t title the series “I Love My Church,” or “I Love LifePoint Church” although I do. The reason for the title is I love the church in its various biblical expressions. I believe there are certain beliefs that an assembly must hold to be a church (we’ll talk later about this), but I love churches that fall within those beliefs although they may be different than us. I love the church because Christ loves the church.
Another reason for this series is the fact that we are and have been living in a culture that discounts the value of the church in the Christian life. The Bible teaches that the church is absolutely essential to the Christian life. We presented the portraits of the church the past two weeks, and the picture painted was that of a sacred, holy assembly. I challenge you to find a passage of scripture where someone believed the Gospel and didn’t become part of the church, or an incident where the Gospel was shared in a city that a church wasn’t planted. The church is at the center of the Christian experience! It is the bride of Christ!
There is a mystery about the nature of the church. The church is operating on two planes of existence. There is a flawed church that is far from perfect here on earth, it is but a marred reflection of the heavenly church perfected in Christ.
On one plane there is not a building that could contain the church because of the innumerable company. On another plane the church is 15 people huddled in the back room of a storefront business or 50 people gathered in a brick and mortar building.
The church is both all the saints of all ages. All the churches of genuine faith combined and the local assembly gathered right here this morning at the same time. What am I saying? The church is universal and local. It is visible and invisible at the same time. It is both perfected and being perfected at the same time. What does this mean? I’m glad you asked, I want us to look at a few implications of this reality.
Implication 1: We are a Part, not the Whole.
Implication 1: We are a Part, not the Whole.
If the church is both us and all of us, then we must have a God-ordained part not the whole.
The church is not a business that is looking for its portion of the market-share. We are a body and building that is fitly framed together to glorify God.
Not only does God gift the local church with individuals who fill every ministry and service needed to accomplish His will; He structures the universal church so that each local church fulfills a certain aspect of His will.
There is no greater than or less than church when it comes to importance. There is either a church or not a church. We will look in another message at the characteristics of a true church.
So, there is no room for the arrogance that we see in churches today. No looking down our noses like we are in a superior church or we are “the” church in town. We all have a part to play.
So, the challenge is finding where we fit in the whole.
This is not an easy task, but I believe it begins with the proper stops and starts.
Stop comparing ourselves to other churches and ministries.
Start doing what we know the scriptures direct the church to do.
Stop marketing the church like a business.
Start viewing evangelism and discipleship together as one command.
Stop judging the church through the lenses of your entertainment preferences.
Start viewing it as the mechanism for your spiritual growth.
Stop thinking of ourselves as an island.
Start thinking of our our church in connection with other churches. Make an asserted effort to build relationships.
This list is just enough to get us thinking. I’m sure there are many more stops and starts to consider.
The point is we need to view ourselves as part of the whole and not the whole. Maybe we can’t just do our own thing. What if God wants us to do something that benefits our fellow churches?
Implication 2: We are Whole in Our Part
Implication 2: We are Whole in Our Part
The local church is a reflection of the universal, heavenly church.
When you receive the Gospel through repentance and faith; you join all the saints of all the ages. Every person who has ever put their faith in God and been made complete by the finished work of Jesus Christ.
You become a part of the BIG church that we see in Revelation 7:9-10
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Listen to me here, this is important, membership in the heavenly church always declares itself through membership in the local church. Our love is not divided! You can’t have a complete disinterest in the local church and claim membership in the heavenly church. Why? Your heart gives you away.
Christ loves the church in both of its expressions and we will too. I’ll say more in a minute about this, but here the point I want to make.
We see the reflection of the whole in each local church. God gifts the local church with every gift necessary to fulfill its purpose.
We are not a bunch of dismembered limbs strewn around the world. God builds the local church as He is building and perfecting the universal church. I believe every church has every gift needed to be complete and carry out the work God has for it.
Therefore, churches of all sizes need to stop bemoaning what they don’t have and start seeking what God would have them to do with what they do have.
There will always be obstacles, shortcomings, and needs.
We will always see something that we wish was different or better.
We can always find a reason to not even try or to think we are inferior.
The truth is, God has equipped the body as He sees fit. That doesn’t mean that we don’t work, strive, plan, dream, or try. It does mean in the midst of all those things we trust! Trust God’s provision. Trust God’s Call. Trust God’s Equipping. Trust God Gifting.
I was talking to a fellow pastor one day about preaching sermons. We shared out desire to be able to preach a message on any passage out of the Bibles. He said I believe that I could almost do that now. So, I challenged him with Judges 3:31
31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel.
I’ll never forget what he said. I believe it applies to point I’m trying to make. He said, I would preach about taking what you have, and doing what you can. Shamgar didn’t have a sword, spear, ax, or shield; he had an ox goad. Basically a sharp point stick! The battle wouldn’t wait for another weapon. Shamgar couldn’t sit back and wait for reinforcements. He trusted that God would give the victory with what he had, and God did!
I want to remind you of something. There are a whole lot more little churches throughout this country than mega-churches, and they are not less than or incomplete. They are whole in their part!
Implication 3: We Need to Learn to Love Largely
Implication 3: We Need to Learn to Love Largely
Our text in Ephesians 5:25-27 admonishes us to love our wives as Christ loves the church.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 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.
The main point of the text is the love Christ has for the church. The instruction on marriage is an important but additional teaching. Ephesians 5:32
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Tucked away in this truth-filled passage is a warning. The warning is this: “You better be careful with the church, because Jesus loves it.” Barry, what would you do if someone talked about or tried to harm Lana?”
Now, Barry knows that Lana is not perfect, but she’s perfect for him. If you could see her through Barry’s eyes it would change your perspective. If you could see Barry through Lana’s eyes, you would lay down your life for him.
What’s my point? We need to love the church in all of its various expressions. We should especially love our faith family. You let me hear someone talk about our faith community. If we could see the church through Christ’s eyes we would love the church.
There would less criticism and more unity.
There would be less competition between churches and more cooperation.
There would be less greed and more generosity.
I think we can all admit that the church is not perfect, but it will be. How? The same way we are — through the Gospel.
This text reminds us that the Gospel of Jesus formed the church and will sanctify it.
