The Power of a Preposition
Ephesians 5:25
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Introduction: You who have heard me preach God’s Word over the years will not be surprised to see that the focus of our message this morning is primarily on one word. You know how important just a single letter or even punctuation mark is in Scripture. This morning I want to look at the word “for” found in our text. It is a preposition and it is a powerful little three letter word. What is a preposition you ask? Prepositions are words that show the relationship between elements in a sentence. They can express relationships of place, time, direction, and other abstract or logical connections.
A preposition is usually located directly before the word or phrase that it relates to – the object of the preposition. In our text Paul declares that Christ gave His life “for it.” For is the preposition and it is the object of the preposition. It is the church that He died for.
The Greek word ekklesia is the term used in the New Testament to translate "church". It appears in the New Testament 114 times and can have multiple meanings, including: The body of Christ worldwide, God's people in a specific region, A local Christian congregation, and A group of the Lord's people gathered for worship. Ekklesia is a combination of the prefix ek, which means "out of," and the verb kaleo, which means "to call". A literal translation of ekklesia would be "a called-out assembly".
I. It was a Voluntary Death
The death of Christ was a “life for a life.” He gave His life for the life of the church.
John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
The act is made His own, -a voluntary Surrender. "No man taketh, my life from me," He said. {John 10:18} In His case alone amongst the sons of men, death was neither natural nor inevitable. His surrender of life was an absolute sacrifice. He "laid down His life for His friends," as no other friend of man could do- the One who died for all. The love measured by this sacrifice is proportionately great. The sayings of Ephesians 5:25-27 set the glory of the vicarious death in a vivid light. Of such worth was the person of the Christ, of such significance and moral value His sacrificial death, that it weighed against the trespass, not of a man-Paul or any other-but of a world of men. He "purchased through His own blood," said Paul to the Ephesian elders, "the Church of"
Expositors Commentary
ONE BODY TO THE DEATH
On February 19, 1945, near the end of WWII, 800 American ships amassed to assault the island of Iwo Jima with its two strategic air strips 600 miles south of Tokyo. The Marines had fought a total of 43 months in the Pacific in World War II and in this one-month assault on Iwo Jima they incurred a third of thier losses. They won the battle and took the island, but left behind the largest cemetery in the Pacific: 6,800 American Marines, most of whom were 18-20 years old. How did they do it? Pushing forward into the thickest machine gun fire that you could imagine? The second battalion sent 1,688 boys ashore into the face of those guns. 1,511 were killed. 177 left the island. 91 of those were injured. What kept them going? Of course there is no one simple answer. But one answer that came out over and over in this book, Flags of our Fathers (New York: Bantam Books, 2000), was this: Those are my buddies, and they need me. James Bradley, the author, commented, "These boys would fight to the death for one another. And that motive made them invincible" (p. 147).
(Referenced in John Piper’s sermon No Condemnation In Christ Jesus, One Body In Christ)
II. It was a Vicarious Death
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Why did the Father will the death of his only beloved Son, and in so painful and shameful a form? Because the Father had “laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). Jesus’ death was vicarious (undergone in our place) and atoning (securing remission of sins for us and reconciliation to God). It was a sacrificial death, fulfilling the principle of atonement taught in connection with the Old Testament sacrifices: “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Heb. 9:22; Lev. 17:11).
James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986.
The love of Christ for His Church is such that He counts Himself incomplete without her (Ephesians 1:23), and raises her to be one with Himself; that He bears with her weakness and frailty; that He draws her on by the cords of love; and that He gives up Himself for her.
Ellicot’s Commentary
• Since the death of Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago, 43 million Christians have become martyrs
• Over 50% of these were in the last century alone
• More than 200 million Christians face persecution each day, 60% of whom are children
• Every day over 300 people are killed for their faith in Jesus Christ.
— World Evangelical Encyclopedia
III. It was a Victorious Death
He came from a blessed womb and was buried in a borrowed tomb but He didn’t stay there. He conquered death, hell and the grave! He died for a reason and that reason was us; it was you!
Revelation 1:18
“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
IV. It was a Virtuous Death
Christ did not merely pity the Church, or merely desire her good, but loved her; her image was stamped on his heart and her name graven on his hands; he desired to have her for his companion, longing for a return of her affection, for the establishment of sympathy between her and him. And he gave himself for her (comp. ver. 2), showing that her happiness and welfare were dearer to him than his own - the true test of deep, real love.
ILL. - SURVIVING THE RIVER OF DEATH
Max Lucado, in his book, “Six Hours One Friday,” tells the story of a missionary in Brazil who discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the jungle. They lived near a large river. The tribe was in need of medical attention. A contagious disease was ravaging the population. People were dying daily.
A hospital was not too terribly far away — across the river, but the Indians would not cross it because they believed the river was inhabited by evil spirits. And to enter its water would mean certain death.
The missionary explained how he had crossed the river & was unharmed. But they were not impressed. He then took them to the bank & placed his hand in the water. They still wouldn’t go in. He walked into the water up to his waist & splashed water on his face. It didn’t matter. They were still afraid to enter the river.
Finally, he dove into the river, swam beneath the surface until he emerged on the other side. He raised a triumphant fist into the air. He had entered the water & escaped. It was then that the Indians broke into a cheer & followed him across.
Isn’t that what Jesus did? He entered the river of death & came out on the other side so that we might no longer fear death, but find eternal life in Him.
SOURCE: Max Lucado, "Six Hours One Friday.”
WILLIAM GLADSTONE, IN ANNOUNCING THE DEATH OF PRINCESS ALICE TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, TOLD A TOUCHING STORY. THE LITTLE DAUGHTER OF THE PRINCESS WAS SERIOUSLY ILL WITH DIPHTHERIA. THE DOCTORS TOLD THE PRINCESS NOT TO KISS HER LITTLE DAUGHTER AND ENDANGER HER LIFE BY BREATHING THE CHILD’S BREATH. ONCE WHEN THE CHILD WAS STRUGGLING TO BREATHE, THE MOTHER, FORGETTING HERSELF ENTIRELY, TOOK THE LITTLE ONE INTO HER ARMS TO KEEP HER FROM CHOKING TO DEATH. RASPING AND STRUGGLING FOR HER LIFE, THE CHILD SAID, “MOMMA, KISS ME!” WITHOUT THINKING OF HERSELF THE MOTHER TENDERLY KISSED HER DAUGHTER. SHE GOT DIPHTHERIA AND SOME DAYS THEREAFTER SHE WENT TO BE FOREVER WITH THE LORD.
REAL LOVE FORGETS SELF. REAL LOVE KNOWS NO DANGER. REAL LOVE DOESN’T COUNT THE COST. REAL LOVE IS SACRIFICIAL.
Let there be no doubt, Christ loves the church and no matter what context the word church is used in Jesus proved His love by giving Himself for her life; His life for her life. That’s why we should love the church as well. Do you love the church this morning? Is your love for the church that Christ died for expressed in your loyalty to the church and its ministry?
