THE BRIDE OF CHRIST (CHURCH: WEEK ONE) – DYLAN JAHNIG
Scriptures:
Ephesians 5:25-29
2 Corinthians 11:2-4
Points:
1. We are led by a flawless Saviour
2. We are loved with a perfect love
3. We are living under friendly skies
4. We are lost without Him
We’re talking about the Church as God sees her, you and I, the bride of Christ.
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church…” Ephesians 5:25-29
In the profound mystery of marriage as we know it, we see this beautiful relationship between us and Jesus, as he calls us, the bride of Christ.
Four things we can be sure of as the Bride of Christ:
1. We are led by a flawless Saviour
“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.” Ephesians 5:22-23
As the bride of Christ, He is our head and we are His body – that means we have His mind and He helps us make our next move. We’re led by a perfect Saviour.
If we are His bride and He is our groom, we rest in knowing that we’re led by a perfect Saviour, by the liberator of our souls. Husbands do not liberate their wives’ souls. Only this groom liberates our soul. And so before there’s any pressure in our home, we go back to the promise of this relationship between the true groom and His bride.
He is head of the church. It doesn’t just mean he’s in charge. It means He’s communicating where we should be going. He is the mind that leads and shapes our future. He is a perfect God. He doesn’t make a wrong move. He’s flawless in his leadership. And so we move from seeing how this is a scripture to help husbands and wives to a profound mystery of this promise of God in our lives.
2. We are loved with a perfect love
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27
He gave himself up to make us holy, to set us apart. We are loved.
As a part of this bride of Christ we’re led by a perfect saviour and loved by a perfect love. Before we love anyone, we’re loved. Before we let down anyone with our lack of love, we’re loved. Because we’re loved by a perfect saviour. It’s not dependent on our love for Him. It’s all because of His love for us.
Our marriage with Him is covenantal. He is committed to us for the rest of time and we will enjoy His love for the rest of time.
Covenant vs contract:
– Covenants are binding agreements, not easily broken. Contracts are legal agreements terminated under conditions.
– Covenants are based on a relationship of trust. Contracts are focused on the exchange of goods or services provided.
– Covenants are signed off in the presence of community. Contracts are signed off in court.
– Covenants are signed in colour and life, contracts in black and white.
The covenant on your life is signed off in colour. God put a rainbow across the skies to make a covenant with Noah to say, “I’ll never flood the earth again”. He will not judge you, Jesus was judged for you at the cross, and now we live under this colorful covenant – under friendly skies.
3. We are living under friendly skies
He goes on to say that he gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing of water through the word and to present her to himself.
His work is presenting her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. The way He sees his bride as He presents her to Himself is without stain or wrinkle or blemish, but holy and blameless.
If we are the bride of Christ then we are living under friendly skies.
Jesus steps onto the scene under the new covenant of grace and He stands up in the temple and he reads out Isaiah 61. Except at the end He says, “…to proclaim a year of the Lord’s favour” and then He rolls up the scroll and sits down. He leaves out the day of vengeance for our God. Why? Because when grace comes, vengeance is taken care of.
God’s not looking for your perfection he’s looking for the purity of your hearts.
Proverbs 31 – a picture of the Bride, His church.
4. We are lost without Him
“After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church — 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[c] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:29-32
Why is it a mystery? Because when we’re without Him, we’re lost.
The invitation of the gospel is for us and him to become one flesh. This is a profound mystery that He would share His perfect life with ours. That He would give of His perfect self and son for us. That He would send His holy spirit to go to work in the depths of ours hearts so that we could become one.
Discussion Questions
1. We are led by a flawless Saviour:
– Reflect on Leadership: How does understanding Christ as the head of the Church influence the way you view His leadership in your life? In what ways do you seek guidance from Jesus as your flawless Savior?
– Trust in His Plan: What does it mean for you to trust that Jesus is flawless in His leadership of your life and the Church? How can this trust affect your response to uncertainty or difficult circumstances?
2. We are loved with a perfect love
– Perfect Love: How does knowing that you are loved by a perfect Savior impact your sense of identity and worth? How does this understanding influence your relationships with others?
– Covenant vs. Contract: How does the idea of a covenant with Christ differ from a contractual relationship? What are some ways you experience His covenant love in your daily life?
3. We are living under friendly skies
– Living under Grace: How does living under the new covenant of grace change your perspective on God’s favour and His view of you as His bride?
– Purity of Heart: How can you cultivate a heart that seeks purity over perfection in your walk with Christ
– Radiant Church: How do you envision the Church as a radiant bride of Christ? What role can you play in contributing to the Church’s mission and beauty?
4. We are lost without Him
– Unity with Christ: How does the mystery of becoming one with Christ through the gospel challenge or encourage you in your faith journey?
– Dependence on Him: In what areas of your life do you feel most lost without Christ’s presence and guidance? How can you intentionally invite Him into those areas?
– Mystery of the Gospel: How does the profound mystery of Christ’s love for His Church inspire you to live differently?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your perfect love and leadership. Thank You for calling us Your bride and for leading us with flawless guidance. Help us to trust in Your plans and to rest in the assurance of Your grace. May we live as radiant reflections of Your love, seeking purity of heart and unity with You. We acknowledge that we are lost without You and ask for Your presence to fill every area of our lives. Guide us, shape us, and use us to build Your Church as a beacon of hope and love in this world. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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