“When Christians who are His church, fail to live by His standards, and thereby fail to show our love to Him, it's concluded we don't love Him. But the root problem is that we fail to realize how much He loves us.” - Pastor Jeff Cranston

Hello Kitchen Table Theology Family! We’re your hosts, Jen Denton, and Pastor Jeff Cranston. This is our third episode in a new series on the Church. The Doctrine of the Church is also known as the doctrine of Ecclesiology. Previously we’ve discussed how the church is like a flock, fellowship, and body. Today we’ll discuss how the church is the bride of Christ.

[00:29]  How is the Church Like the Bride of Christ?   

• Pastor Jeff and Jen share some fun wedding stories
• Several places in the Bible that use the imagery of marriage to describe the relationship between Christ and the church

[12:35] Jesus is the Bridegroom    

• John 3:29 is the first place in scripture that mentions Jesus as a bridegroom by John the Baptist
• The symbology of wedding ceremonies shows us the relationship of Christ to His church
• Revelation 19-21 clearly paints a picture of a bride made white in the blood of the Lamb, the marriage feast, and the marriage supper of the Lamb

[17:28] The Bride of The Lamb  

• The church as the bride of Christ is compared to the image of a husband and wife's relationship and marriage
• These scriptures and references indicate proximity and intimacy between Christ and His Church
• We are in a waiting period, the church age. The bride is simply waiting for the bridegroom to return

[20:41] Christ’s Limitless Love

• We see in the teaching of this bride and groom picture that it's a reminder of the demonstration of Christ's limitless love for us
  • Christ loves us in spite of ourselves, and not because of what we do but because Jesus is God, and God is love 
• Final words from Jen and Pastor Jeff

Key Quotes

“The passage of Ephesians 5 on marriage teaches us that mutual love and respect form the basis for a very God-honoring marriage. And likewise, Christ's love for the church. And the churches love and respect for Christ forms the basis for a God-honoring church.” - Pastor Jeff Cranston 

“The relationship of Christ and His Church is the motto for us as husband and wife. The marriage relationship rightly practiced, reflects many of the ways Jesus loves his people, and the church, as its husband and as its bridegroom.” - Pastor Jeff Cranston 

“In modern marriage culture, we can get really excited about the celebration. And sometimes forget about the foundation of the marriage just as we can get caught up in the things of the church and forget about our relationship with Christ.” - Jen Denton 

Scripture Mentioned

• Eph 5:22-32
• 2 Cor 11: 2 
• Rev 21: 9-21
• John 3:29
• 1 John 4:16

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Visit my website jeffcranston.com and subscribe to my newsletter. Join me on Sunday mornings at LowCountry Community Church. 

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Remember, the real power of theology is not only knowing it but applying it. Thanks for listening!