(Most thoughts in this sermon taken from Joshua Harris’ book ’Stop Dating the Church’.)
How does Jesus see the church?
The passage in Eph 5 is usually heard at weddings - about the love between husband and wife. This is right and good, but these verses also reveal a lot about what Jesus thinks of His church. It tells us how much Jesus loves us - the church.
Take a look at these verses - now focus on what it says about Christ - His relationship with the church and what He has done for us. It is very obvious - Jesus loves the church very much.
• He saves the church (Saviour); He loves the church, He gave Himself up for the church
• He makes her holy, cleansing her to that she would be the radiant church without blemish.
• He feeds and cares for the church.
Jesus’ love for the church is so great - so exemplary - that it becomes the standard for husband and wife to follow. His relationship with the church is the model example for husband and wife. He sets the perfect example - of love, sacrifice and commitment - for the marriage relationship between a man and woman.
The Bible did not say, Christ loves the church just like a husband loves a wife. It’s the other way around - we are to learn from Jesus. Husband and wife are to look to Jesus and His church, and learn what it means to love and cherish one another.
Bro/Sis, do you see the DEPTH OF CHRIST’S LOVE FOR THE CHURCH? How do you view the church today? Do you love what He loves?
To what extent He loves the church? He loves us so much that He gave Himself up for us. He laid down His very life to redeem us.
And He is continually at work to cleanse and prepare us for eternity. We aren’t perfect. No church is perfect. But that doesn’t change His love for us. He is working in our lives - v.26 "to make us holy, cleansing us by the washing with water through the Word", so that one day - v.27 He can present us "a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
Husbands and wives, you would understand this. We do not love our spouse because he/she is without fault or flawless. They aren’t perfect. They aren’t good all the time. Yet we love and stay committed to this relationship. We are there to help each other grow to be a better person.
The sacrifices Jesus makes are for the benefits of the church. His love for His church is not fickle. It is committed. It is unchanging. He intercedes on our behalf constantly before the Father.
His love for His church is so deep, that the next few verses say HE VIEWS US AS HIS OWN BODY. This we can clearly identify - for we all cares for our own bodies. When there is discomfort, we feel the hurt. When there is sickness, we feel sad.
When this Body - the church - is sick, the Lord is sad. When we are healthy and strong, not only are we rejoicing, the Lord Himself is pleased.
When a couple experiences such a love and care, they will be able to catch a glimpse of Jesus’ love for those He died to save. He calls us His own.
That’s the love He has for you today, dear church. Do you see His heart for the church?
He loves the church and wants the best for us.
We often talk about God’s heart for the poor. Or God’s heart for the sick, or the lost. Today, in this passage, we see God’s heart for the church. Let us learn from Him:
(1) LOVE THE CHURCH
We are called to be like Jesus. Let us love what He loves. Let us be committed to the church.
That’s the example Jesus set for us.
We live in a fallen world. Our view of the Church is distorted by human failures and sinful behaviours. We find it hard to love an imperfect church. But we are just "work in progress" - Jesus is still doing the work of cleansing, and moulding us into His likeness.
The Bible says in v.27 that Christ is going "to present her as the radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
In Rev 21:9 the church is described as "THE BRIDE, THE WIFE OF THE LAMB." Jesus loves her.
ILLUSTRATION: INTRODUCING MY BRIDE
A man had been married for over 25 years. One day, as he was sharing with his friend about his family, he reached for his wallet, "Let me show you a picture of my bride," he said excitedly.
The friend thought he was going to show him an old wedding picture. Instead he handed him a recent picture of his wife - now in her 50s. "She is my lovely bride!"
This man’s obvious love for his wife was inspiring. She was not "the old lady" to him. Even the word ’wife’ did not express all that was in his heart. After more than 25 years of life together, she was still his bride. She still had his heart, his passion and affection.
The Bible tells us that Jesus has a similar and even greater love for us, His Church. Despite all our mistakes and imperfections, Christ’s love for His church has not changed over time.
One day Christ will receive this beautiful and glorious bride.
A Christian author John Stott writes:
"It is to this end that He has been working and is continuing to work. The bride does not make herself presentable. It is the bridegroom who labours to beautify her in order to present her to Himself."
Jesus is at work every day, to make us beautiful. He had us in mind as He hung dying on the cross. Since that day - more than 2000 years ago - His love for us has not change. Jesus still calls us His bride.
One day, we the church will be presented to Christ as the bride - the church from all generations, all tribes, all tongues, clothed in white, pure and spotless - presented at the marriage feast of the Lamb. So look at the church from heaven’s perspective.
The church will triumph in spite of human failures or the devil’s attacks.
If Jesus loves the church, you and I should too. Jesus has never give up on the Church. He never has and never will. He is helping us all along, until the Church is finally brought back to Himself.
(2) WE NEED THE CHURCH
We are all members of the church (v.30). Jesus calls and expects us to be part of it, because we are part of it.
When we gather in this church to worship and serve Him, we are allowing God to do His work through us. And the amazing thing is when we do that, we ourselves are blessed - we find ourselves growing strong in faith, in love with God and people, we find greater meaning and purpose to life, there is joy and fulfilment. Someone said the church is like God’s greenhouse (where plants are nurtured and grown) where we are cultivated and nurtured into our fullest potential.
The church is the CONTEXT whereby God grows us and conforms us to the image of Christ. The church community is
• where we learn to love God and others;
• where we are strengthened and transformed by the truth of His Word;
• where we’re taught to pray, to worship, and to serve;
• where we are investing our time and abilities for things eternal.
The church is God’s specially designed place where we experience all His blessings.
The church is the VEHICLE that Jesus chose to take the message of the Gospel to the world. The church matters because Jesus chose it to tell and show the world the message of His love. And this message is the world’s only HOPE.
God is rescuing the world, and He wants you to be a part of it. God has not only saved us; He has invited us to participate in His work of bringing the lost into His Kingdom. Through the church, we take part in this great work - so that God can rescue men and women from their sin and transform their lives.
In a world that is torn by hatred, violence and wars, the church will stand strong as a beacon of hope and love. We have the message of salvation; where else can the people turn to?
This is the mission of the church. It is our duty. It is our calling. It is our privilege.
Therefore let us (1) cultivate a deeper LOVE the church and (2)know our NEED for the church for our own good and for the proclamation of the Gospel.
Let me share in closing a poem:
Our church is not a great cathedral filled with works of art,
With statues carved of saints and cherubim,
But just a simple edifice that’s built to honour God,
And where we meet to praise and worship Him.
We don’t have famous preachers clad in crested, flowing robes,
Who speak of riches and prosperity,
But only humble men of God who tell how Jesus died
To pay for all our sins, and set us free.
We have no lofty stained glass windows drawing praise of men,
Or sounds of mighty organs in our ear,
But as we lift our voices and we sing of Jesus’ love,
We find the help to conquer doubt and fear.
We gather as a family to hear the Word of God,
And we are always blessed because we came.
Our fellowship and sweet communion fit us for the task
Of living to bring honour to His Name.
Our church is just for sinners who are washed in Jesus’ blood,
Who try to follow Christ, His works to do.
And every one who has a need is welcome in our midst.
We pray that you will come to know Him too.
... Betty Jo Mings
