Loving the Bride of Christ:

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Loving the Bride of Christ
Part 1

• HEART FOR THE CHURCH

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Ephesians 525-32 (NIV)

• 25) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ
  loved the church and gave himself up for her
• 26) to make her holy, cleansing her by the
  washing with water through the word,

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Ephesians 525-32 (NIV)

• 27) and to present her to himself as a radiant
  church, without stain or wrinkle or any other
  blemish, but holy and blameless.
• 28) In this same way, husbands ought to love
  their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his
  wife loves himself.

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Ephesians 525-32 (NIV)

• 29) After all, no one ever hated his own body,
  but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ
  does the church---
• 30) for we are members of his body.

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Ephesians 525-32 (NIV)

• 31) "For this reason a man will leave his father
  and mother and be united to his wife, and the two
  will become one flesh."
• 32) This is a profound mystery--but I am talking
  about Christ and the church.

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The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ

• Negative Opinions.
• Labeled as BORING
• IRRELEVANT
• OUT OF TOUCH

• Statistics in Church Attendance.
• BEFORE

• TODAY

20
40-45
7
26
th
Anniversary
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The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ

• Pictures from the New Testament.
• BODY
• -to show our work for Christ
• FAMILY
• -to show our fellowship in Christ
• BUILDING
• -to show our unity with Christ
• BRIDE
• -to show our relationship with Christ

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The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ

- called out ones
EKKLESIA
1 Peter 29-10 (NIV) 9) But you are a chosen
people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
people belonging to God, that you may declare the
praises of him who called you out of darkness
into his wonderful light. 10) Once you were not
a people, but now you are the people of God once
you had not received mercy, but now you have
received mercy.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)

A. Unconditionally.
Romans 58 (NIV) 8) But God demonstrates his own
love for us in this While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)

A. Unconditionally.
Hosea 219-20 (NIV) 19) I will betroth you to me
forever I will betroth you in righteousness and
justice, in love and compassion. 20) I will
betroth you in faithfulness, and you will
acknowledge the Lord.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)

A. Unconditionally.
B. Sacrificially.
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for
her,
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)

A. Unconditionally.
B. Sacrificially.
Acts 94-5 (NIV) 4) He fell to the ground and
heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?" 5) "Who are you, Lord?" Saul
asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he
replied.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)
• CHOOSING to BEAUTIFY (v.26-27)

Ephesians 526-27 (NIV) to make her holy,
cleansing her by the washing with water through
the word, and to present her to himself as a
radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any
other blemish, but holy and blameless.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)
• CHOOSING to BEAUTIFY (v.26-27)

A. Its a Process.
B. Its through Proclamation.
John 1717 (NIV) 17) Sanctify them by the truth
your word is truth.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)
• CHOOSING to BEAUTIFY (v.26-27)

A. Its a Process.
B. Its through Proclamation.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church
Psalms 197-11 (NIV) 7) The law of the Lord is
perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the
Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8)
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to
the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes. 9) The fear of the
Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of
the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. 10)
They are more precious than gold, than much pure
gold they are sweeter than honey, than honey
from the comb. 11) By them is your servant
warned in keeping them there is great reward.

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)
• CHOOSING to BEAUTIFY (v.26-27)

A. Its a Process.
B. Its through Proclamation.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)
• CHOOSING to BEAUTIFY (v.26-27)

A. Its a Process.
B. Its through Proclamation.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)
• CHOOSING to BEAUTIFY (vv.26-27)
• CHOOSING to BEAR (vv.29-31)

Golden Rule for marriage is You shall love your
wife as yourself.
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)
• CHOOSING to BEAUTIFY (vv.26-27)
• CHOOSING to BEAR (vv.29-31)

A. Provision of the Spirit (Acts 18 Acts 2)
B. Provision of Shepherds (Acts 2028)
C. Provision of Spiritual Leaders (Acts 63)
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Loving the Bride of Christ Heart for the Church

• 3 Important Choices of Christ for the Bride
• CHOSING to BOND (v.25)
• CHOOSING to BEAUTIFY (vv.26-27)
• CHOOSING to BEAR (vv.29-31)

1 Kings 93 (NIV) 3) The Lord said to him "I
have heard the prayer and plea you have made
before me I have consecrated this temple, which
you have built, by putting my Name there forever.
My eyes and my heart will always be there.