The Bride of Christ: April 27, 2025
Guess What? We're the Bride! (And God's Totally Smitten!)
We're diving into what the church is for the next few weeks. And guess what image we kicked things off with? We're God's bride! Isn't that wild?
Our pastor took us to Ephesians 5, and it's so cool how Paul talks about husbands and wives to explain how Christ feels about the church. He says stuff like, wives, you know, respect your husbands (just like the church respects Christ!), and husbands, you gotta love your wives like crazy, the way Christ loved the church so much He gave everything for her.
Then, Paul drops this ancient wisdom from way back in Genesis 2:24: "That's why a guy leaves his family and sticks with his wife, and they become totally connected." And then he's like, "Whoa, this is a huge deal, but I'm actually talking about Christ and the church!" Mind. Blown.
Basically, from the very first marriage of Adam and Eve, it's like God was painting a picture of His incredible love for us, His bride-to-be!
So, we hopped in our time machine (aka, our Bibles!) and went all the way back to Genesis 2. Even in perfect paradise, before anything went wrong, God saw that Adam was missing something. Verse 18 says, "It's not good for the man to be all by himself. I'm gonna make him a helper who's just right for him." Even in heaven-on-earth, there was this sense of longing for a partner.
And what does God do? He doesn't just snap His fingers and poof! Helper. Nope! He brings all the animals to Adam to name them. And you know what? None of them were the right fit! It's like God was intentionally creating this ache in Adam for his other half.
Then comes this super tender moment. God puts Adam in a deep sleep and, get this, He takes a rib and creates Eve! How amazing is that? It's like she came right from Adam's very being. And when Adam sees her? He's like, "YES! Finally! Someone who gets me, someone who's part of me!" He even names her "woman" because she came from "man." It's this beautiful picture of finding your perfect match.
And that brings us back to that Genesis verse about becoming one. Our pastor pointed out that this "mystery" in Ephesians 5 goes way deeper than just marriage. It's like God planted His own desires in us, this longing for connection, and it all points to our ultimate connection with Him.
But then, ouch, Genesis 3 happens. Adam finds his perfect partner, and then BAM! Betrayal, sin, the whole shebang. It's like this mini-movie of how humanity keeps running away from the One who made them for Himself. Over and over in the Old Testament, it's the same story – people choosing everything but God. It's like Eve saying, "Nah, Adam, that tree looks way more interesting!"
Our pastor even took us to Ezekiel 16, which is a pretty intense story. God finds Jerusalem like a helpless baby, all messy and abandoned. He cleans her up, dresses her beautifully, showers her with gifts, and then marries her! He's totally devoted. But then, verse 15 hits hard: "But you got all puffed up with your beauty and played the harlot because you were famous." The rest of the chapter? It's all about her turning her back on Him, taking everything He gave her and giving it to other "lovers." It's a tough picture.
And honestly, doesn't that sometimes feel like us? We hear people complain about the church all the time. "It's full of hypocrites!" "I went there hurting, and found people struggling with the same stuff!" It's like, yeah, throughout history, we, the ones God deeply desires, have often been a bit of a mess, haven't we? We're not always good enough. God gives us beauty, and we kind of waste it. He pours out grace, and we forget it.
But through it all, God's heart is still set on us. He's not some grumpy God shaking His head in disappointment. Instead, Isaiah 62 paints this incredible picture of hope. God's like, "I'm not gonna be quiet until Jerusalem shines like the sunrise, until her salvation blazes like a torch!" He promises a new name, a crown of glory, and says we'll no longer be called "Deserted" or "Desolate" but "My Delight" and "Married"! He's rejoicing over us, like a groom over his bride! How amazing is that?
Even though we go through tough times and get disciplined, it's because God is working on us, making our righteousness shine. His love doesn't give up! He's like this super dedicated groom, getting His sometimes-unfaithful bride ready for the big day. And this longing, this desire to be with us, goes all the way back to Genesis 2.
And guess how the Bible wraps up? Revelation 21 gives us this stunning vision. One of the angels shows John "the bride, the wife of the Lamb." It's like we're the betrothed of God! He sees this incredible city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, glowing with God's glory. It's like a precious jewel, pure and radiant.
And here's the mind-blowing part: this bride comes from God! It's like He took a part of Himself to create us, filled with righteousness from the start. And the ending of this picture? No more temple needed because God and the Lamb are the temple. No need for sun or moon because God's glory lights it up! This bride is untouchable by anything unclean or false – only those written in the Lamb's book of life get in.
This final image of the church is this totally flawless, untarnished bride. Even when we look at our own little, sometimes messy churches, God sees a glimpse of this future glory. He doesn't just see the dirty, blood-covered baby from Ezekiel 16. He sees beauty, and He's head-over-heels in love!
So, what can we take away from all this goodness?
God is head over heels for the church – for us! He wants us with a fierce love.
He's dreaming of making us absolutely stunning. Like a groom wants his bride to be the most beautiful in the room, God wants us to shine His glory to the world.
He's in the process of making us truly righteous. All those hard things we go through? It's part of Him shaping us into His character, His perfect bride. And it's not just a wish – it's His promise!
Jesus did the ultimate grand gesture to make us His beautiful bride. He left heaven, faced shame and death, all so our sins could be gone and He could wrap us in His righteousness.
And our part in all this? It's to recognize this incredible love and sacrifice. It's to receive His love and say "yes" to His desire for us – to be a good bride.
Our pastor even gave a sweet analogy: if you're married, think about what it means to be a loving spouse – the love, the honor, the time, the affection, the listening, the respect – and then offer that to God. If you're not married, use your imagination and the words of the Bible to grasp this beautiful picture.
But here's a super important point: we're not just doing this as individuals. All those Bible verses? They're talking about the church as a whole. We become this righteous bride together. So, let's encourage each other in this journey!
And hey, our Q&A time in the coming weeks is gonna be key! We're gonna dig into how all this beautiful "bride" talk actually looks in our everyday lives.
So, friends, let's hold onto this amazing truth: we are loved, we are desired, and we are being made beautiful by the One who gave everything for us. We are His bride, and He's absolutely smitten! Let that sink in!
