Embracing Our Identity as Christ's Bride
Summary
In Ephesians 5, Paul presents a profound analogy between the relationship of Christ and the church and that of a husband and wife. This passage calls husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church, emphasizing a sacrificial, nurturing, and cherishing love. This love is not merely theoretical but is demonstrated through Christ's actions—His sacrifice, His ongoing work, and His ultimate plans for the church. As members of Christ's body, we are intimately united with Him, much like a wife is with her husband. This unity restores the brokenness of humanity, bringing us into a relationship where we share in Christ's life, name, dignity, and privileges.
The sermon highlights the failure of many Christians to grasp the immense privilege and dignity of being part of the church, the bride of Christ. This lack of understanding contributes to the church's weakness and the world's broken state. Recognizing our identity in Christ should fill us with pride, joy, and a sense of glory. As Christians, we share in Christ's life, taking on His name and becoming part of His family. This new identity transcends all previous distinctions, uniting us as one in Him.
Furthermore, we share in Christ's dignity and standing, seated with Him in heavenly places. This position grants us access to the Father's love and privileges, allowing us to approach God with confidence. We are also co-heirs with Christ, sharing in His possessions and interests. This includes participating in His mission to save the world, praying for the success of the Gospel, and being actively involved in His work.
The sermon also emphasizes the role of angels as ministering spirits, serving those who are heirs of salvation. As the bride of Christ, we are surrounded by these heavenly servants, ensuring our protection and guidance. However, being united with Christ also means sharing in His sufferings and challenges. We are called to bear His burdens and partake in His mission, experiencing the pain and struggles that come with it.
Ultimately, we look forward to sharing in Christ's glory and prospects. When He returns, we will be with Him, sharing in His eternal glory. This hope should inspire us to live with purpose and passion, recognizing the incredible privilege of being the bride of Christ.
Key Takeaways:
- The relationship between Christ and the church is the ultimate model for marriage, emphasizing sacrificial love and unity. As Christ gave Himself for the church, husbands are called to love their wives with the same selflessness and devotion. This analogy reveals the profound mystery of our union with Christ, where we share in His life and identity. [02:00]
- Understanding our identity as the bride of Christ should transform our perspective on life. We are not mere members of a religious institution but are intimately united with Christ, sharing in His life, name, and dignity. This realization should fill us with joy and purpose, motivating us to live out our faith boldly. [06:25]
- As Christians, we have access to the Father's love and privileges, allowing us to approach God with confidence. This relationship grants us the right to enter His presence, knowing that we are loved and accepted as His children. It is a privilege that should inspire us to pray and seek His guidance continually. [26:32]
- Being united with Christ means sharing in His mission and sufferings. We are called to participate in His work of saving the world, bearing His burdens, and experiencing the challenges that come with it. This partnership is a privilege that requires commitment and dedication. [39:10]
- Our ultimate hope lies in sharing in Christ's eternal glory. When He returns, we will be with Him, experiencing the fullness of His glory and the joy of being united with Him forever. This future prospect should inspire us to live with purpose and anticipation, knowing that our present struggles are temporary. [41:28]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Ephesians 5
- [00:26] - Christ's Love for the Church
- [01:03] - Unity in Marriage
- [01:42] - The Doctrine of Christ and the Church
- [02:17] - Understanding Christian Duties
- [03:00] - Christ's Sacrificial Love
- [04:40] - Privileges of Being the Bride of Christ
- [05:36] - The Church's Identity Crisis
- [07:30] - Sharing in Christ's Life
- [12:06] - Taking on Christ's Name
- [18:07] - Sharing in Christ's Dignity
- [24:34] - Sharing in Christ's Privileges
- [30:26] - The World to Come
- [39:10] - Sharing in Christ's Sufferings
- [41:28] - Sharing in Christ's Glory
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 5:25-33
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Observation Questions:
1. What analogy does Paul use in Ephesians 5 to describe the relationship between Christ and the church? How does this relate to the relationship between a husband and wife? [00:10]
2. According to the sermon, what are some specific ways Christ demonstrates His love for the church? [03:00]
3. How does the sermon describe the privileges and dignity of being part of the church, the bride of Christ? [05:36]
4. What role do angels play in the lives of Christians, according to the sermon? [36:29]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding our identity as the bride of Christ transform our perspective on life and faith? [06:25]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that Christians share in Christ's dignity and standing? How does this affect our relationship with God? [18:07]
3. What does it mean to share in Christ's sufferings and mission, and how might this manifest in a believer's life? [39:10]
4. How does the hope of sharing in Christ's eternal glory influence the way Christians live today? [41:28]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your understanding of being part of the church, the bride of Christ. How does this identity impact your daily life and interactions with others? [06:25]
2. Consider the sacrificial love Christ has for the church. How can you emulate this love in your relationships, particularly in marriage or close friendships? [02:00]
3. The sermon emphasizes the privilege of having access to the Father's love and presence. How can you cultivate a more confident and consistent prayer life, knowing you are loved and accepted by God? [26:32]
4. Sharing in Christ's mission involves bearing His burdens. What specific steps can you take to be more actively involved in spreading the Gospel or supporting your church's mission? [39:10]
5. The sermon mentions the role of angels as ministering spirits. How can you become more aware of and grateful for the unseen spiritual support in your life? [36:29]
6. Reflect on the future hope of sharing in Christ's glory. How does this eternal perspective help you navigate current struggles or challenges? [41:28]
7. Identify one area in your life where you feel disconnected from your identity in Christ. What practical steps can you take this week to realign with your identity as part of the bride of Christ? [05:36]
Devotional
Day 1: The Model of Sacrificial Love
The relationship between Christ and the church serves as the ultimate model for marriage, emphasizing sacrificial love and unity. In Ephesians 5, Paul calls husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church, highlighting a love that is sacrificial, nurturing, and cherishing. This love is not just theoretical but is demonstrated through Christ's actions—His sacrifice, His ongoing work, and His ultimate plans for the church. As members of Christ's body, we are intimately united with Him, much like a wife is with her husband. This unity restores the brokenness of humanity, bringing us into a relationship where we share in Christ's life, name, dignity, and privileges. [02:00]
Ephesians 5:25-27 (ESV): "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."
Reflection: In what ways can you demonstrate sacrificial love to those closest to you today, mirroring Christ's love for the church?
Day 2: Embracing Our Identity in Christ
Understanding our identity as the bride of Christ should transform our perspective on life. We are not mere members of a religious institution but are intimately united with Christ, sharing in His life, name, and dignity. This realization should fill us with joy and purpose, motivating us to live out our faith boldly. Many Christians fail to grasp the immense privilege and dignity of being part of the church, the bride of Christ, which contributes to the church's weakness and the world's broken state. Recognizing our identity in Christ should fill us with pride, joy, and a sense of glory. [06:25]
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
Reflection: How does your understanding of being part of Christ's bride influence your daily decisions and interactions with others?
Day 3: Access to the Father's Love and Privileges
As Christians, we have access to the Father's love and privileges, allowing us to approach God with confidence. This relationship grants us the right to enter His presence, knowing that we are loved and accepted as His children. It is a privilege that should inspire us to pray and seek His guidance continually. We are seated with Christ in heavenly places, sharing in His dignity and standing, which allows us to approach God with confidence and assurance. [26:32]
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV): "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Reflection: What specific area of your life do you need to bring before God in prayer today, trusting in His love and guidance?
Day 4: Sharing in Christ's Mission and Sufferings
Being united with Christ means sharing in His mission and sufferings. We are called to participate in His work of saving the world, bearing His burdens, and experiencing the challenges that come with it. This partnership is a privilege that requires commitment and dedication. As the bride of Christ, we are surrounded by heavenly servants, ensuring our protection and guidance, but we are also called to bear His burdens and partake in His mission, experiencing the pain and struggles that come with it. [39:10]
2 Timothy 2:3 (ESV): "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus."
Reflection: What is one way you can actively participate in Christ's mission today, even if it involves personal sacrifice or discomfort?
Day 5: Anticipating Christ's Eternal Glory
Our ultimate hope lies in sharing in Christ's eternal glory. When He returns, we will be with Him, experiencing the fullness of His glory and the joy of being united with Him forever. This future prospect should inspire us to live with purpose and anticipation, knowing that our present struggles are temporary. We look forward to sharing in Christ's glory and prospects, which should inspire us to live with purpose and passion, recognizing the incredible privilege of being the bride of Christ. [41:28]
Colossians 3:4 (ESV): "When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
Reflection: How does the promise of sharing in Christ's eternal glory influence your perspective on current challenges and struggles?
Quotes
The Apostle in giving his message to the husband does it through this particular medium of the comparison of the relationship between Christ and the church. That is the analogy that the husband is ever to bear in mind. And so we are looking at these two doctrines that to be found in this one statement. [00:02:00]
The main problem, the main trouble today is the failure of Christian people, you and myself, to realize the privileges and the dignities of being members of the Christian church and of the body of Christ. I know and I agree that it's right to be concerned about the state of the world. [00:05:36]
The first thing of course is his life. We already been looking at that but I again must mention it in this connection. He gives us a part of his own life. We become sharers in his own life. That is what happens isn't it when a man gets married. [00:07:30]
We are in Christ. We are sharers of his life. The Apostle in writing to the Colossians uses this extraordinary phrase in the third chapter verse 4 he says when Christ who is our life shall appear he is our life which is another way of saying that we are sharers of his life. [00:12:06]
He bestows upon us his name. We take on us his name because he gives us his name. He bestows his name upon us. What are we? Well, we are called Christians and that is the greatest truth of without us. We are no longer what we were. [00:18:07]
The Apostle has already told us this in Chapter 2 where he has told us the amazing thing that he has raised us up together with Christ and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That is true of us now if we are Christians at all. [00:24:34]
The glory which thou gavest me I have given them. There it is. The glory, he says, which the father had given him he has given to his people. Of course, it is something that happens invariably in a marriage. The bride being a part of the husband having his name has his whole position. [00:26:32]
The father is ever ready to receive the Bride of his son. She hadn't that access to him before. There was no relationship but the moment she becomes married to the son she has a right of access into the presence of the father as the father is ready to receive the son. [00:30:26]
We are sharers of his interests, his plans, and his purposes co-workers together with God. Don't think of your local church or any other Church in terms of just you yourself and what you are doing or your denomination or this or that. [00:39:10]
We are surrounded by angels and they're appointed to look after us and to minister us guardian angels. I don't understand it. I know no more than the Bible tells me but I do know this that his servants the angels are my servants. [00:41:28]
We share in all the glory of his prospects that is that world to come once more when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him if in glory a glorious church not having spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing. [00:48:33]
Having taken the church as his bride he bestows all that upon her, his prospects are ours, his glory is ours, Everything Is Ours all things are ours, the meek shall inherit the earth we'll be landlords we'll Reign Over the whole universe will judge Angels you and I. [00:51:28]
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