BUILDING THE BRIDE
Eph. 2: 18-22
INTRO: The church is : A chosen bride, a cherished bride, and there is a chastening of the bride
Christ said He would build—“upon this rock” but He was not referring to Peter (Matt. 16: 15-18)
“Rock”—the gr. word “Petra” ; meaning a mass of rock
“Peter”---the gr. word “petros” ; meaning a piece of the rock
Jesus is stating that blessed it is, for such a bolder of a truth to come from such a small pebble.
The Bible gives many different names for the church: the assembly of saints, the body of Christ,
The flock, the bride, the pillar and ground of truth, the salt and light of the world, a sanctuary
The Bible tells of His love for the church: He prays for us, Dear to Him, Safe in His care, God defends, Provides ministers for us, and clothes us in righteousness.
Jesus is building His church; we are commissioned to build the church; I want to help build the church and you should too.
The bride of Christ is being built up of unworthy, sinful people, to be an everlasting demonstration of God’s love, mercy and grace. He is the builder but He has given us the privilege of helping.
There are men, women and children being overtaken by storms and evils of life, and they are looking for shelter, a sanctuary and the church is to be a sanctified sanctuary.
If we, the little rocks don’t do our part the building fails, if it fails there is no shelter for lost souls, or saints.
In Ephesians ch.2 Paul tells us of how we were all “dead in our trespasses and sins”v.1 and that we all “fulfilled the desires of the flesh”v.2 .
He calls for us to “remember” in v.11 when we were “uncircumcised”, “without Christ”, “aliens”, “strangers”, “no hope”, “without God”, we were headed toward the flames.
But God, who is rich in mercy…v3 even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.
Those that are saved “are made nigh”, they have “peace”, He made “both one”, He has “broken down the middle wall of partition” He has “reconciled us unto God” and given the saved “access”
ACCESS TO WHAT ? Access to marriage feast, Jesus is building His bride
I want us to look at the “building of the bride” ( Eph. 2: 18-22 )
I. IT’S FOUNDATION (Eph. 2:20) (Matt. 7:24-27)
A. strong foundation (safe, secure, unmovable, permanent , on The Rock)
B. shifting foundation (ie. Florida, California, Washington state)
C. storms for your foundation (both faced storms)
D. sorrowful foundation (great was the fall of it)
II. IT’S FRAMING (Eph. 2:21)
A. “fitly framed”
1. not by accident, not by chance, not by coincidence
2. God has “fitly framed” us together
B. Different but, together
1. different sizes and colors
2. all working together to make up the whole
C. God, the master builder
1. He can put together people that would probably never meet otherwise
2. He has people working together that would never work together on their own.
3. He has people fellowship that would probably never fellowship otherwise
III. IT’S FELLOWSHIP (Eph. 2: 18-19)
A. “access through one Spirit” (notice the capital, “S”= Holy Spirit)
B. “no more strangers and foreigners”
C. “but fellowcitizens with the saints”
D. “of the household of God”
1. I’m in His “house” 2. I’m in His “hold”
IV. IT’S FINISH (Eph. 2:21-22)
A. For the “habitation of God”
1. No defects, dents, or dings
2. No, we are called to be Holy
3. know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
B. For the salvation of the sinners
1. A place where they will feel God’s love
2. A place where they will feel God’s righteousness
3. A place where they will be convicted on their sin
4. A place where they will feel God’s holiness
5. A place where they must face His glory
6. A place where they will desire to come in
V. IT’S FUTURE (Eph. 2:22)
A. If we slumber and sleep
1. Souls will suffer
a. demonic possession
b. destroyed homes
c. “depart from me you worker of iniquity I never knew you”
2. Saints loose rewards
a. don’t you want to hear “well done thy good and faithful servant”
b. don’t you want to hear “great is your reward”
c. those bench warmers won’t hear that, we must get in the game
3. It will fall (Matt. 7:27)
a. “and great was the fall of it”
b. like a tree, it takes out others with it
c. once the little ones reached toward heaven, but now they are broken and bent.
d. the one that fell was the cause
B. If we rise up and build
1. The Sinners saved
2. The Sanctuary furnished
3. The Souls find joy
4. The Singing restored
5. The Saints rewarded
CLOSING:
I don’t know about you, but I want to be at the marriage feast of the Lamb
I don’t know about you, but I want to hear “well done, great is you reward”
What about you? Do you have shelter from life’s storms ?
Don’t you want a place where you can be built up, be lifted up, and draw nigh to God ?
Maybe you feel like your life is crumbling ?
Maybe you need some shelter ? Come to Jesus, Why don’t you come right now ?
