Reflecting Christ's Love: Embracing the Church Together
Summary
In today's reflection, we delve into the profound love Christ has for His church and the call for us, as His servants, to mirror that love. The church is not merely an institution; it is the beloved bride of Christ, for whom He gave Himself. This love is not abstract but deeply personal and sacrificial. We are reminded that to love Christ is to love what He loves, and He loves the church. This love calls us to engage deeply with the church, not just in theory but in the tangible reality of our local congregations, with all their imperfections and challenges.
The Great Commission in Matthew 28 is a clarion call to make disciples, and this mission is intrinsically linked to the church. The church is God's chosen instrument for discipleship, and there is no alternative plan. It is within the church that believers are baptized, taught, and nurtured in the faith. Despite the challenges and heartbreaks that may come from serving within the church, we are called to remain steadfast in our love and commitment, just as Christ remains committed to His bride.
Furthermore, the sacraments are highlighted as vital means of grace, designed to assure us of God's promises. They are not mere rituals but covenant signs that confirm God's faithfulness and our place in His family. Through the sacraments, we experience a tangible connection to the divine promises, strengthening our faith and deepening our communion with God.
In essence, our journey as believers is not solitary. We are called into a community, a fellowship of believers, where we grow together in grace and truth. This community, despite its flaws, is the very body of Christ, and our love for it is a reflection of our love for Him.
Key Takeaways:
1. Love for the Church: To love Christ is to love His church, the bride for whom He sacrificed Himself. This love is not theoretical but requires us to engage with the local church, embracing its imperfections and working towards its sanctification. [05:18]
2. The Church as God's Plan: The church is God's primary means for discipleship and spreading the gospel. There is no alternative plan; the church is central to God's mission in the world. Our commitment to the church reflects our commitment to God's plan. [09:52]
3. Endurance in Ministry: Serving the church can lead to heartbreak, but we are called to endure and continue loving the church as Christ does. Our perseverance in love and service is a testament to our faith and commitment to Christ's mission. [22:27]
4. The Role of Sacraments: Sacraments are covenant signs that assure us of God's promises. They are not just rituals but means of grace that strengthen our faith and deepen our communion with God. Understanding their significance is crucial for our spiritual growth. [40:11]
5. Community and Discipleship: Discipleship occurs within the context of community. We are called to grow in grace together, supporting and loving one another as members of Christ's body. This communal aspect is essential for true spiritual growth. [24:14]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction to Matthew 28
- [00:23] - Exhortation to Love the Church
- [01:27] - Prayer for Understanding
- [02:35] - The Great Commission
- [03:30] - The Importance of Loving the Church
- [04:27] - The Church's Relevance Today
- [06:08] - The Church as God's Plan A
- [08:32] - Discipleship in the Church
- [10:36] - Paul's View on the Church
- [12:36] - The Church as the Household of God
- [15:01] - The Assembly of the Living God
- [16:23] - The Church as the Pillar of Truth
- [18:39] - Paul's Heart for the Church
- [22:27] - Loving the Church Despite Heartbreak
- [30:04] - The Assurance of Sacraments
- [40:11] - Covenant Signs and Promises
- [46:29] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 28:18-20
2. Ephesians 5:25-27
3. 1 Timothy 3:14-15
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Matthew 28:18-20, what specific instructions does Jesus give to His disciples regarding their mission? How does this relate to the role of the church? [02:35]
2. In Ephesians 5:25-27, how is Christ’s love for the church described? What purpose does His sacrificial love serve for the church? [26:45]
3. What does Paul emphasize about the church in 1 Timothy 3:14-15, and how does he describe its significance? [12:01]
4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between the sacraments and God's promises? [30:04]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 emphasize the importance of the church in God's plan for discipleship? What implications does this have for believers today? [09:52]
2. In what ways does Ephesians 5:25-27 challenge believers to reflect Christ’s love for the church in their own lives? How can this be practically demonstrated in a local congregation? [26:45]
3. Considering 1 Timothy 3:14-15, why might Paul refer to the church as the "pillar and support of the truth"? How does this shape our understanding of the church's role in the world? [16:23]
4. The sermon mentions the heartbreak that can come from serving the church. How does this reality affect one's commitment to the church, and what can be learned from Paul's experiences? [22:27]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current involvement in your local church. How can you more actively engage with and support your church community, even amidst its imperfections? [05:18]
2. The sermon highlights the importance of enduring love for the church despite challenges. Can you identify a specific situation where you have felt discouraged in your service to the church? How might you approach it differently now? [22:27]
3. How can you personally contribute to the discipleship mission of the church as outlined in Matthew 28:18-20? Identify one practical step you can take this week. [09:52]
4. Consider the role of sacraments in your spiritual life. How can you deepen your understanding and appreciation of these covenant signs to strengthen your faith? [40:11]
5. In what ways can you foster a sense of community and fellowship within your church, especially for those who may feel disconnected or disheartened? [24:14]
6. How does understanding the church as the "pillar and support of the truth" influence your view of its importance in your life and community? What changes might you make to align with this perspective? [16:23]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt your heart was broken by the church. How can you find healing and continue to love and serve the church as Christ does? [22:27]
Devotional
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Quotes
Paul says that Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. So if you're his servants, you'll love what he loves and to explain to and to encourage your people to commune with God in the sacraments. That's my outline today. [00:00:52]
Here's the problem: how can you love Jesus and not love what he loves? Or if I could put it the right way, how can you love Jesus and not love who he loves? He has said that he will build his church. It is his one great work to present to himself and to the Father at the end of all time his perfected bride. [00:05:13]
In ministry, I think it is safe to say that over the course of time there has been nothing that has broken the hearts of the servant of the Lord like the church. And if you are called to serve in the church, you are called to have your hearts broken by the church and still love her because Christ does. [00:08:00]
Disciples are to be made where they're to be made in the place where we baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And where is that? The church. You see what Jesus is saying: what is my plan for discipling the nation? The church. [00:09:06]
The church is plan A, and there is no plan B. I want you to disciple the nations, and I want you to do it where you baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. That's where you teach, that's where you disciple, that's where disciples are created. [00:09:49]
No one ever loved the church more than the apostle Paul except for Jesus. And I want to suggest to you that it may well be that no one ever was hurt more by the church than the apostle Paul but Jesus. [00:18:13]
And you hear what Paul is saying to Timothy: Timothy, that's the church I want you to love because that's the church that I love, and that's the church that the Lord Jesus loves. And you know what? We all deserted him too in the great hour of his death. [00:22:27]
There is no discipleship in solitude. There is no growing of grace in isolation. Jesus calls us one by one through that narrow gate, but when he calls us through that narrow gate, he calls us into a fellowship. [00:24:14]
Sacraments are covenant signs that is they are signs and seals, pictures and confirmations of promises that God has given to his people which are yea and amen in Christ. But in God's kindness in accommodating the weakness of our faith, he has added to those promises a covenant. [00:30:04]
The sacraments never ever are the instruments by which the promises of God are initiated to us but by which they are assured. And when God invites you to the Lord's table, as you rest and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation as he is offered in the gospel. [00:42:11]
At the Lord's table and in baptism, the Lord is saying, child, your faith is weak, you need a sign. Here you will meet me face to face and be assured that my promise is yea and amen in Christ. [00:45:04]
We love your church, oh Lord, the house of your abode, but we don't love her enough, and we're thankful for your covenant signs, but we haven't begun to scrape the merest surface of the glorious reality and assuring power of them. [00:46:29]
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