02-27-2011 Experiencing God in the Church-The Bride of Christ-Part 2

8/7/2019 02-27-2011 Experiencing God in the Church-The Bride of Christ-Part 2

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Experiencing GodIn The Church:

The Bride ofChrist: Part 2

Pastor John Isaacs

Kingsway Community Church

February 27, 2011


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Metaphors Used To

Describe The Church

1. Body2. Bride

3. Family4. Building

5. Vine6. Sheep Fold

7. Army


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The Church is the

Bride of

Christ


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2 Corinthians 11:1-2

1 I hope you will put up with alittle more of my foolishness.

Please bear with me.2 For I am jealous for you with the

jealousy of God himself. I

promised you as a pure

bride to one husband - Christ.


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The Jewish Marriage

Stage 1: The Engagement

Stage 2: The BetrothalStage 3: The Wedding


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The ChurchWe are now in the Betrothal Stageawaiting the Wedding.

1. A pledge has been made.2. Payment of the Bride Price.

3. Bridegroom has gone toprepare a place for us.

4. Bride is getting herself ready


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In The Body

1. Unity

2. Fellowship3. Spiritual Gifts


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As The Bride

Devotion toJesus


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But I fear that somehow your pure andundivided devotion to Christ will becorrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the

cunning ways of the serpent. 4 You happilyput up with whatever anyone tells you, even

if they preach a different Jesus than the one

we preach, or a different kind of Spirit thanthe one you received, or a different kind of

gospel than the one you believed.


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In the same way, a woman who is nolonger married or has never been married

can be devoted to the Lord and holy in

body and in spirit. But a married woman hasto think about her earthly responsibilities

and how to please her husband. 35 I am

saying this for your benefit, not to placerestrictions on you. I want you to do

whatever will help you serve the Lord best,

with as few distractions as possible.


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Matthew 6:24

No one can serve two masters.For you will hate one and love

the other; you will be devotedto one and despise the

other. You cannot serve bothGod and money.


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Today we have substituted creedalbelief for personal belief, and that is

why so many are devoted to causes

and so few devoted to Jesus Christ.

People do not want to be devoted toJesus, but only to the cause theyve

started. Jesus Christ is a source ofdeep offence to the educated mind of

today that does not want Him in any

other way than as a Comrade.


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Our Lord's first obedience was to thewill of His Father, not to the needs of

men; the saving of men was the

natural outcome of His obedience to

the Father. If I am devoted to thecause of humanity only, I will soon be

exhausted and come to the place

where my love will falter; but if I loveJesus Christ personally and

passionately, I can serve humanity


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though men treat me as a door-mat.The secret of a disciple's life is

devotion to Jesus Christ.

- Oswald Chambers


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Devotion

profound dedication

feelings of ardent love earnest attachment to a person


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Revelation 2:4-5

4But I have this against you, that youhave abandoned the love you

had at first.5Remember therefore from where youhave fallen; repent, and do the works

you did at first. If not, I will come to youand remove your lampstand from itsplace, unless you repent.


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As The Bride

BlamelessLiving


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Ephesians 5:26-2726

to make her holy and clean, washedby the cleansing of Gods word.27 He did this to present her to himself

as a glorious church without aspot or wrinkle or any other

blemish. Instead, she will be holy andwithout fault.


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Psalm 1011

I will sing of your love and justice, LO

RD.I will praise you with songs.2 I will be careful to live a blameless life

- when will you come to help me? I willlead a life of integrity in my own home.3 I will refuse to look at anything vile

and vulgar. I hate all who dealcrookedly; I will have nothing to do withthem.


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4 I will reject perverse ideas and stayaway from every evil.5 I will not tolerate people who slandertheir neighbors. I will not endureconceit and pride.6 I will search for faithful people to bemy companions. Only those who are

above reproach will be allowed to serveme.


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7 I will not allow deceivers to serve inmy house, and liars will not stay in my

presence.8 My daily task will be to ferret out thewicked and free the city of the LORDfrom their grip.


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Blameless Life1. have integrity at home2. not look at the vile or vulgar

3. not associate with thecrooked

4. avoid all evil and wickedness5. not endure people full of

conceit and pride


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1 Peter 1:13-1513

So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to thegracious salvation that will come to

you when Jesus Christ is revealed tothe world. 14 So you must live as

Gods obedient children. Dont slipback into your old ways of living to

satisfy your own desires. You didnt


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know any better then. 15 But now

you must be holy in everythingyou do, just as God who chose youis holy. 16 For the Scriptures say,

You must be holy because I am

holy.


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Blameless Life

6. holy living

7. set apart from the world8. consecrated living

9. as obedient children10. not living to satisfy own

desire


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1 John 1:9

But if we confess our sins toHim, He is faithful and just to

forgive us our sins and tocleanse us from all

wickedness.


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As The Bride

GoodDeeds


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Revelation 19:8

She has been given the finestof pure white linen to wear.

For the fine linen representsthe good deeds of Gods

holy people.


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Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship,created in Christ Jesus for

good works, which Godprepared beforehand, that

we should walk in them.


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Titus 2:13-14

While we look forward with hope tothat wonderful day when the gloryof our great God and Savior, Jesus

Christ, will be revealed. He gave Hislife to free us from every kind of sin,

to cleanse us, and to make us Hisvery own people, totally committed

to doing

good deeds.


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Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let yourgood deeds shine out for

all to see, so that everyonewill praise your heavenly

Father.


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Good DeedsDoing whatever God has asked youto do!

Serving Giving

Helping Caring

Leading


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Nevertheless, in a response ofgratitude we are called to obey. Jesus

said, If you love me, keep my

commandments. Martin Luther

taught that justification is by faithalone. But he expanded the concept

by sayingthat justification is by faith

alone, but not by a faith that is alone.A person who is truly trusting Christ

and resting on Christ for redemption


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receives the benefits of Christs meritby faith. But if that person has true

faith, that true faith will manifest

itself in a life of obedience. Simply

put, I get into heaven by Jesusrighteousness, but my reward in

heaven will be distributed accordingto my obedience or the lack of it.

- R. C. Sproul


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As The Bride

1. Devoted to Jesus

leads to

2. Blameless Living

leads to

3. Good Deeds

Documents

02-27-2011 Experiencing God in the Church-The Bride of Christ-Part 2