The Glorious Church
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
There are certain words or phrases found within the English language that can stir us up emotionally.
The simple little phrase “I love you” can change the course of someone’s day from bad to good.
In the same way the seemingly tiny phrase “I hate you” can shatter someone’s day.
It doesn’t have to be phrase as many different words can churn our emotions.
Words like peace, joy, freedom, hope, mom, dad, etc., can have a huge impact on people.
When it comes to words and phrases that conjure up great joy and happiness to hear I hope the phrase “The Lord’s Church” is among those phrases for ever child of God.
Does hearing or thinking about the Lord’s church bring a smile to your face or a frown?
Does hearing someone mention the Lord’s church cause you excitement or indifference?
I must be honest, in the past when I heard the phrase “the Lord’s church” I was typically indifferent to the term.
Intellectually for Christians it is easy to understand how wonderful the church is, but emotionally, I think, we often consider individuals in the church we are more close to more specifically than the congregation as a whole.
I by the time this lesson is over to cause a stir within you, as studying for this lesson has done for me, to find great joy when I hear the beautiful phrase “the Lord’s church.”
That is because the Lord’s church is glorious.
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.
So then, what makes the Lord’s church so glorious that the very mention of it should excite each of its members and spur us on to sing praises to our Creator?
It Has A Glorious Origin
It Has A Glorious Origin
Jesus Gave Himself For It
Jesus Gave Himself For It
While Jesus was in the flesh he made it clear that he would build his church, and that it would not be defeated.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.
When Jesus died on the cursed tree and was raise on that third day, he put an end to the old covenant and the old handwritten law.
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Putting an end to the old covenant and its law, made room for the new covenant.
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Upon the new covenant being established, it allowed for a new law to be enacted.
1 Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she marries another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.
With the new covenant being established and the new law being enacted this brought about the glorious church.
27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Summary
Summary
The Lord’s church should bring us great joy when we hear it mentioned because it has such an amazing and such a glorious origin through Jesus our Christ.
We also find…
It Has A Glorious Relationship
It Has A Glorious Relationship
It Is The Bride Of Christ
It Is The Bride Of Christ
There is no more beautiful earthly relationship then that which is found between a godly husband and a godly wife.
It’s no wonder then that we find Christ’s relationship with the church described as that of him being our husband and we the church his wife.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The joy a godly husband and wife have at the thought of being even just around each other is powerful.
This is the glorious relationship Christ wants us to consider and think about as his church, his bride whom he leaps for joy over in just considering.
11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Summary
Summary
Just hearing someone talking about the Lord’s church should bring us joy because the church is the bride of Christ and is in such a glorious relationship with God.
We also find…
It Has A Glorious Mission
It Has A Glorious Mission
To Be Fully United
To Be Fully United
Each individual brother and sister is blessed to have a glorious mission to seek unity with God and each other.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Each member of the Lord’s church is also blessed to have a glorious mission of striving to bring unity to the lost.
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
Each and every child of God in the Lord’s church is also blessed to have the glorious mission…
To Reach The Abode Of God
To Reach The Abode Of God
The church’s glorious mission, ultimately, is to reach the home of God, heaven.
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Summary
Summary
Just hearing the phrase the Lord’s church should being each Christian great joy because they are apart of the glorious church that has the most glorious mission of united humanity in Christ and reaching our eternal home in heaven with our God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The next time your mind ponders the Lord’s church or someone talks about the Lord’s church around you, I hope it will bring…
A smile to your face.
A bounce to each of your steps.
And a peace to your life.
Because once you obey the gospel and are add by the Lord to his church, you are part of The Glorious Church.
The church that has a glorious origin.
The church that has a glorious relationship with God.
The church that has a glorious mission.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent
32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
