Bought to be the Bride of Christ

When Jesus went to the Cross, it was to purchase to Himself a faultless Bride – the church. In His eyes, the church is a previous thing, because it cost Him His very life.

I want to talk about Jesus Christ and His church. In this epistle, Paul parallels the marriage between husband and wife with Jesus Christ and His church. The church is the Bride of Christ. Jesus is our husband. We have the Cross here as a symbol of what Jesus has done for us. I want to convey the significance of the Cross and why Jesus came for us. Jesus had you on His mind when He was on that Cross. It was as if it as just you on His mind. All that happened at Calvary was because He had you on His mind. He wanted each of you to be set free inside to become part of the Bride of Christ, the church. That was the joy set before Him.

Ephesians 5:25

If you’re married here this morning, it’s significant that husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church. Christ loving the church was everything. Hew gave His whole life for the church.

Ephesians 3:10-11

Romans 7:4

Similar parallel. We’re dead to the law, alive in Christ. We’re married to another. If you’re a Christian here this morning, you have Jesus Christ on the inside and He is the common denominator. He is the author of your faith and mine. For the joy set before Him He endured the Cross.
He got very personal when He prayed :

John 17:9

He was aware of the people of God, the Bride of Christ. That extends to both Jew and Gentile – those who are part of His church. His death was sufficient for the whole world, efficient for the church. He draws people to Himself and those people form part of the church, the Bride of Christ, the one thing that He died for, the person He died for.

He purchased you, He purchased the church, and the price was ... everything, Himself, Him giving up His place in glory to become as a man. He became the servant of all. Why?

Philippians 2:5-10

Jesus did not regard His equality as a prize to hold on to. He didn’t cherish it, and say He would never give it up. He came to the earth as a man and went to the Cross because there were a people for whom He would die who would become part of His bride, to whom He would be a husband.

Everything was based in love, mercy and grace, based on service. He became a servant for you and me. He didn’t have to, but He did. Because He knew that at this time, all of us are part of God’s purposes as He forms His Bride, the church He died for.

Why do we preach the Gospel? Because there are others who will become part of the Bride, because there are others in desperate need, who need to be freed from the drives of sin. Is there a solution? Of course. The Word of God is powerful. And it’s by preaching that the Spirit of God can come inside and they can be born again. The membership criterion of the church is that we have Christ on the inside. We’re members of His body. We each have a part to play. The church is the Bride of Christ.

It’s wonderful how God organises things so that the church progresses, and at the time when He comes again the church will be ready. The work has already been done on the Cross. The outworking of time is while others are being brought into the body of Christ. As you share with your fried or neighbour ... you don’t engineer it, but a conversation starts up. And unbeknown to you, over the weeks people have been watching, seeing how you react to things, talk to people, react to them. And suddenly a need comes in their life and they need to talk to you.

Maybe you’re not a preacher, but God can speak through you. Be open to someone who will be drawn across your path this week. Invite them along. God is gathering together the people in His church. I don’t who those people are, but He does. And He’s perfecting what He has begun.

Titus 2:13-15

He’s redeemed us through the Cross from all iniquity and is purifying a special people, a set-apart people. You’re part of that people. This world is not your home – you’re just passing through.

That’s the priority of my life, you may think. I want to do what God wants in my life – number 1: God; number 2: everything else. Allocation of my time, of what I do, what I listen to, what I see. Whatever it is, it’s what I want You to do in my life.

If you’re planning a university course, the first question is to find out what God wants, because that will be the right way for you. “What do You want my life? I want to do what You want me to do. Im being zealous of good works.”


Ephesians 5:25-28

He’s sanctifying the Christ, cleansing it. He’s cleansing you. That’s why it’s important to hear the Word of God of preached. In the beginning was the word, and a word communicates.

He wants to present to Himself a glorious church – not any old thing, but one holy and without blemish. Things are happening because He is sorting things out in His church. It matters to Him. He gave His life for it. His purpose is to present the church faultless. He knows what’s He’s doing, and the church worldwide is part of what He’s doing. It’s the thing He came and died for – the church, and the church is made up of you and me. Our citizenship is in heaven.

Philippians 3:20

If you get out your passport, it says, “European Community, Great Britain, citizenship of this country.” As a Christian, you’re a citizen of heaven, part of the family of God, part of the church He came for, part of something which He is purifying and cleansing for the time when He incoming back. Everything is being prepared. He came for the church. He’s cleansing it, purifying it, working things out so that everything is on time in accordance with His purposes. It’s His decision to sanctify us, not ours.

He gave up His position in heaven and came as a servant because He knew that there needed to be a people. the Bride of Christ, the church. He knows all about the circumstances of your life. Where you wonder how you are going to get through things, He is the solution. And He has called you to be a part of His church, and to do the things which please Him. He wants you to be totally open with Him, knowing that you are part of the family of God, part of the church. And that’s why it’s important we play our part in the church, that we operate so that everything can function correctly.

Ephesians 5:27-34

Whether married or not, as individuals we are part of the Bride of Christ.
Anyone who is married ... they are a couple. I have no wish to exert control over Ben, Stephen or Amy. As they get married, they become their own unit – part of the wider church, but their own unit.

Some of you have doubts, because you look at other people getting married and think it hasn’t happened for you. But do you really thing that a God who created heaven and earth is not able to sort out a life-partner for you?

Somewhere on this planet God has your husband, your wife. Don’t think it will never happen to you. Please don’t. God loves you, and He makes provision and is faithful.

Revelations 21:2-4

Revelations 21:9-12

Revelations 21:22-28

Your name, my name, in the Lamb’s book of life, part of His church, why He came. That’s why we’ll never forget the Cross. That’s why He came – for you and me. Remember how important it has been for God to come to this earth for you. He loves you. He knows the future. He has made provision. And what He has stated in your life, He will complete. The work on the Cross is completed, and the outworking of it is happening now.