THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH
***********************************************
OUTLINE
1. CHRIST HAS BOUGHT THE CHURCH
2. CHRIST IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH
3. CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
4. CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH
5. CHRIST ADDS PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH
6. CHRIST MUST BE GLORIFIED IN THE CHURCH
7. CHRIST IS COMING BACK FOR A PREPARED CHURCH
THE MESSAGE
THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH
***********************************************
1.CHRIST HAS BOUGHT THE CHURCH
*****************************************
Christ has bought the church with His own blood. Every person in the church must realise that they belong to Christ. We are precious to Christ because He has paid a great price for us. The Lord keeps us safely in His hand. We are not orphans wandering in the wilderness with no one to guide us and care for us. We are bought with a price and we belong to Christ. The Church does not belong to any man but to Christ. We are only overseers of the church which Christ has bought with His own blood.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
*************************
EPHESIANS 5:32
This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
ACTS 20:28
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
1 PETER 1:18-19
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
JOHN 10:27-29
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
2.CHRIST IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH
***************************************************
Christ is the foundation of the church. Therefore the church has been able to withstand all the attacks of the enemy. Christ has been upholding the church since its inception. Unless the church is established on the solid foundation of Christ , it will collapse under the onslaughts of the enemy. We cannot establish the church on wealth , worldy wisdom and human popularity.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
*************************
1 CORINTHIANS 3:10-11
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
EPHESIANS 2:20
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
MATTHEW 7:24-25
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
MATTHEW 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
3.CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
*************************************************
Christ is the head of the church. Therefore the church must be obedient to Christ. The church is the body of Christ. Every healthy body will obey the commands of the head. When a body does not obey the commands of the head , it is a sign of paralysis. We should not be a sick and diseased and paralysed church which does not obey the commands of the head , the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord wants us to be a healthy church which is submitted to the Lordship of Christ.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
*************************
EPHESIANS 1:22-23
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
EPHESIANS 5:23-24
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.
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
COLOSSIANS 1:18
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
4.CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH
***************************************
Christ loves the church. Every member in the body of Christ is greatly beloved by Christ. We must realise how much we are loved by Christ. The church is based on a relationship of love with Christ. All our church activities are in vain if our hearts are not filled with the love of Christ. We should not be part of the church because of tradition and habit . We should belong to the church because we love Christ passionately.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
*************************
EPHESIANS 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
REVELATION 2:2-4
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
5.CHRIST ADDS PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH
**********************************************
Christ adds people to the church. The Lord draws people to Him and adds them to His church. Our churches must grow as the Lord adds people to the church those who have been drawn by Him. Only those who have been drawn by the Lord will be be faithful till the end. Those who join the church because of ulterior motives for some selfish earthly gain will not remain faithful during times of trials and tribulations.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
*************************
ACTS 2:47
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
ACTS 16:5
So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
JOHN 6:44
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
6.CHRIST MUST BE GLORIFIED IN THE CHURCH
***************************************************
Christ must be glorified in the church. The church exists to bring glory to God. All our endeavours in the church must be carried out with the motive of glorifying God. We should be careful not to do anything in the church in order to glorify ourselves or magnify any man. We must also be careful that we do not do anything in the church that will bring dishonour and disgrace to Christ.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
*************************
EPHESIANS 3:21
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
7.CHRIST IS COMING BACK FOR A PREPARED CHURCH
**********************************************************
Christ is coming back for a prepared church. Christ is preparing His church through a process of purification because He is coming back for a glorious church without stain or wrinkle or any blemish. The church is the bride of Christ and the bride must prepare herself to meet the bridegroom. Christ is coming back for a bride who is eager and ready to welcome Him. The Lord uses His servants to prepare us to serve Him and to help us attain maturity.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
*************************
EPHESIANS 5:26-27
to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
EPHESIANS 4:11-13
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
REVELATION 22: 17, 20
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
***************************************************************************
