Unveiling the Great Mystery of Christ and 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.

Title - Fulfilling the Great Mystery

Background

Paul was teaching about mutual submission between husbands and wives

then he showed how wives are to submit to their husbands, just the church

he also showed how husbands are to love their wives, just as Christ

The Main Point

then he declared how the believers - who make up the church - are members (or parts) of the Body of Christ

the great mystery is the fact that the believers - who make the church - are “one flesh” with Christ.

Note - that Adam and Eve were one flesh was no mystery. It was clearly accounted for in .

It is a “mystery” because it - the union of Christ and the church - was already prefigured and symbolically represented in the union of Adam and Eve.

A Mystery can be defined as a divine plan of God that was hidden for ages and revealed in the proper time.

- revealed (grk, phaneroo)

- manifested (grk. phaneroo)

it is “great” because it encompasses and includes all the elects of God from all generations and ages, and elevates them above mere humanity into a glorious place with Christ!

it is now called a “mystery” because it has been revealed, otherwise it will be remain a secret.

But how can the great

Questions:

which church is truly one with Christ?

how will the true church be revealed in the last days?

Sermon Points

We are part of a “great mystery”

Ephesians 5:30–31 NKJV

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.”

Ephesians 5.30

What is the “great mystery”

the great mystery is the fact that the believers - who make the church - are “one flesh” with Christ.

It is a “mystery” because it - the union of Christ and the church - was already prefigured and symbolically represented in the union of Adam and Eve.

A Mystery can be defined as a divine and secret plan of God that was hidden for ages and supernaturally revealed in the proper time.

- revealed (grk, phaneroo)

- manifested (grk. phaneroo)

it is “great” because it encompasses and includes all the elects of God from all generations and ages, and elevates them above mere humanity into a glorious place with Christ!

it is now called a “mystery” because it has been revealed, otherwise it will be remain a secret.

This great mystery is unveiled in two parts:

one part is that of Jesus Christ

the other part is that of the church

This ‘great mystery’ is now divinely revealed by Christ

When He gave Himself for the Church

Ephesians 5:25 NKJV

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Ephesians 5.25

Note - Adam must be put to sleep in order to bring forth his wife! -

By Adam sin and offenses abounded - by Jesus Christ grace and life abounded to many.

Romans 5:12–15 NKJV

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

Romans 5.12-

God showed that Adam’s “comparable helper” can only come from his own body

By Adam’s offense death reigned - by Jesus Christ’s righteous act many were justified!

Jesus’s death on the cross was the only way and means of bringing forth His own Wife - the Church!

Romans 5:18 NKJV

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

Romans 5.18

The first Adam became a living being - the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:45–49 NKJV

45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

1 Corinthians 15.45-

The first man was earthy, dust - the second man is the Lord from heaven.

When Jesus died on the cross, out came water, blood and Spirit

When Jesus died and rose again, the church came out of His own body!

This great mystery is still unfolding - in the life of every true believer

Note - the great mystery is composed of Christ and His church.

Therefore, the great mystery is not fully unveiled until the true Bride of Christ is manifested!

herefore, the great mystery is not fully unveiled until the true Bride of Christ is manifested!

Which one is His church - the true church?

How will the true members of His body be manifested@

The keyword is submission:

- “respect” is fear (grk. PHOBEO) which is an element of true “submission”

- wives, “submit” in the fear of God

Submit - grk. HYPOTASSO, to make subservient, to force to submit or be subdued

The true Bride and Wife of Christ is unveiled by her own submission to the headship - authority - of Christ!

no church has a right to claim to be Bride of Christ, who does not completely submit to Christ’s WORDS!

Ephesians 5:23–24 NKJV

23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Christ is head of the church

Christ is Savior of the body

the church is SUBJECT to Christ

When the Bride of Christ is fully submitted to Christ

THE UNION IS COMPLETE!

THE GREAT MYSTERY IS FULLY MANIFESTED!

She - the Bride - has done her part in the plan of God!

Ephesians 5:31 NKJV

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.”

Note: Jesus left the glory to become one with His Bride on earth. -

Soon, the Bride will leave this worldly - her earthly family - to become ONE with Christ in GLORY!

- we shall be like Him!

Conclusion

What’s the point?

If you are truly a believe of Christ -

BECOME ONE WITH HIM TODAY - SURRENDER YOUR WILL, YOUR AMBITIONS AND LET GOD HAVE HIS WAY IN YOUR LIFE

DON’T FOLLOW THE MODERN CHURCH - FLIRTING WITH THE WORLD’S SINFUL WAYS.

BE THE LIVING WORD TODAY - ACT AND LIVE EVERY WORD OF GOD

HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING - THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL LEAD YOU TO GLORY - YOUR FINAL DESTINATION, YOUR INHERITANCE!

SONG

I Know I Am The Bride

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