Why I Love The Church
Part 1
March 5, 2000 - Danny L. Williams
Ephesians 5:25-27, vs.32
The passage I just read is regarded many time’s in reference to husband and wife relationships.
But Paul says in Vs. 32 “I ‘am speaking in reference to Christ and the Church”.
We begin a new series this morning on Why I Love The Church………..
Before you are seated turn to your neighbor and welcome them will you?
I encourage you after service if you have time to look at these Pictures.
Wayne: you have changed man…
Shirley you haven’t changed a bit.
I want to tell you this morning why I love the Church.
There are 2 reasons why I love the church.
1. I love the bride and 2. I love the bridegroom.
I have never gone to a wedding and seen the bride all adorned in white and all the train and veil the flowers.
You know all the mushy stuff….
But I never remember sitting there going “Boy she is so ugly” I don’t know how in the world that she got him.
Now I have been to some wedding’s I thought Man how did he get her?
It must be the money or something….
Because he sure doesn’t have look’s.
But some how the wedding took place.
Well, I want to tell you this morning,
I love the church. Because I love the bride of the church.
And that bride is us.
It is those who are washed in the blood and those who have been redeemed from their sins.
They are the bride of Christ.
The person you are sitting next to this morning may not look like a female and they are not possibly in the natural or the gender since.
But Wayne I want you to know you make a good looking bride.
Darren, Well,,, You make a good looking bride
David , You make a good looking bride.
Ed, You ah it’s good to see you this morning…..
The Church is the Bride of Christ….
This passage share with us some truths and principles regarding the bride of Christ.
Bride
First of all the Bride
1. _Pledges her life to the groom.
When they come to the altar they make pledges one to another and in VS.25 it says “he gave him self for the bride.
What she says is that I will be faithful to you.
I will not give my self to another.
“We love Him because He first loved us. “ 1 John 4:19
You may be here this morning and you feel like no one loves you. They may have walked out on you or they have rejected your love.
I want you to understand this morning that He loves you when no one else does,
He loves you when you don’t even love your self
And he loves you regardless of whether you love him…
The second reason I love the bride is not only has she pledged her life to the groom but #2. She is
2. _Perfect in the sight of the groom.
You say Pastor I know some people and they are not perfect. Look with me at Vs. 27
Read vs 27. Illustration.
When the father looks at us he see’s his son not our sins. So when God looks at us he see’s a people who have been washed in the blood and that is perfect this morning.
And then the devil, says You don’t know what you are doing.
Do you remember what you did last night?
And he keeps bring up you past and he keep’s knocking you over the head.
The next time Satan reminds you of your past you remind him of his future………….
Some of you this will be hard but I want you to repeat this: “In the sight of the father, I am perfect in his eyes.
“That the man of God may be perfect (Complete) equipped for every good work”
2 Timothy 3:17
Third reason I love the Church.
Because the bride has:
3. Partnered with the groom.
Come here Susan Will You.
Folks I want you to know that she chased me , I mean I followed her and 9 ½ yrs ago, I chose to partner with her.
Weren’t we cute? Not ooh, yes…..is what your suppose to say.
Danny & Maudie you celebrated your 50th anniversary two years ago?
Never had a problem have you?
Danny has had health problems for years… Maudie has walked with you through that valley..
We have been married 9 ½ yrs. But I partnered with her.
Now we stood at a altar and a man stood there and said for better or for worse and believe me there has been both.
But when we get married we think it is only for the better…
You know I’m not really sure that premarital concealing really works.
Because you have two people come to you and they think they already know what it is all about.
And they are A- clue- istic
I think we need to make it mandatory 6 month to a yr. After they have been married.
Because you realize that you don’t know Jack and the Jack you do know sure isn’t married to Jill…….
And we partnered, and I could not have made a better choice….
But I want you to know this morning if you will partner with Jesus Christ ,,,,You could not make a better choice….
There will be difficult time and heartache but I want you to know that he is a friend that sticketh closer that a brother.
He ahs given his life and him self for you.
But look what he says…..in your notes
“God has chosen you… for salvation” II Thess. 2:13
I like to be chosen.
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you” John 15:16
Do you remember back when you where a kid and we would line up against the wall and you would have two captains that would come out front and chose teams?
Did any one ever have a time when you where one of the last ones picked?
Man you felt so bad, at being one of the last ones picked .
but do you know what?
When it come to the bride of Christ I was not one of the last ones picked.
He looked at me and he looked at you and he said I want you. I love you, will you pledge your life to me?
Question?
I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS MORNING HAVE YOU PLEDGED YOUR LIFE TO THE GROOM?
To keep one’s interest in Church
One needs to make an investment in the Church.
Bridegroom
I love the bride groom because he:
1. _Redeemed the bride.
“just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse her. Eph. 5:25-27
I want you to understand it will cost you something.
When Susan and I got married we didn’t have a whole lot in fact we had less than she realized. But it has cost us thing’s in our life.
But hear me this morning “It cost him his life.”
He willing came and gave him self as a sacrifice.
Why do I love the Bridegroom
Is because he is
2. __Responsible to protect and to provide for His Bride.
“nourishes and cherishes it (the Human body) just as the Lord does the Church” Eph. 5:29
I want to talk to the men, you women can listen in.
Men it is your responsibility according to the word of God to be the leader in your home, to provide, and as Eph 5:29 says to nourish and cherish.
Men it your responsibility to nourish till death do you part.
I wish it wasn’t so but I know many, some here in our body who’s husband wasn’t faithful/
He didn’t keep the promise, He didn’t want the responsibility.
Let me tell you something.
I don’t care what you feel or what you don’t feel you made a commitment and you said till death do you part so stick with it and be a man…
It doesn’t matter, I don’t have a choice I am married till death do us part.
I want you to understand if you are apart of the bride of Jesus Christ he is responsible for you.
There is no reason for you to stay up at night worring
He is going to stay up.
There is no reason for you to try and figure it out ,
He has got it figured out.
The last reason I love the bride the bridegroom and the church is because the bridegroom is going to:
3. __Return for his bride!
“For the Lord Himself will desend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. Thess. 4:16,17
I look forward to the trumpet, I look forward to the angels.
I look to meeting the one who I have prayed to, the one I have loved the one who I have studied about the one I have longed for.
He is coming Church!!!! To take us home….
I love the church,
Call Rebecca,
Father,
I thank you for the church but God I pray that in the next few miniutes that those individuals that do not know you, that they will come to a personal realtionship with Jesus before we leave today.
Pray sinners prayer….
