Sunday Sermon Summary / May 3, 2026

Ephesians 5:22–23 / Just as Jesus Loved the Church, We Must Love the Church (Cross-Resurrection-Church-Holy Spirit Series, Part 10)

 

Today’s text concerns the relationship between husband and wife. The principle of building a home is for the husband to love his wife unconditionally and for the wife to respect her husband unconditionally. The core of human relationships is to first establish the bond between husband and wife, followed by the parent-child relationship, and then relationships in the workplace. The biblical order is: relationship with God, then family, and then the workplace. Keeping this order is a principled life, and it is within such a life that God’s history unfolds. However, this passage actually uses the marriage relationship to explain the relationship between Christ and the Church. The Bible explains the spiritual world through physical life. Through the physical family, it explains the Church—the spiritual family. By raising physical children, we learn how to nurture souls—the spiritual children. Through physical livelihood (job, business, or studies), we learn how to complete our spiritual mission. We engage in physical livelihood “by necessity” (budukbul); likewise, we must carry out our spiritual mission “by necessity.” One who only knows the flesh and looks only at this earth is an enemy of the cross. True faith consists of looking toward heaven and building up the spiritual body.

 

Through today’s text, we learn about the relationship between Jesus and the Church: ①It is a relationship of the Head and the Body. Jesus is the Head of the Church, and the Church is His Body. 1)The Head is the Leader: Since Jesus is our leader, we have no reason to be discouraged under any circumstances. 2)The Head and Body share a relationship of life: If the head and body are separated, they die. Furthermore, touching the Church, which is the Body, is touching Jesus, the Head. When Saul was on the road to Damascus to persecute believers, he heard the voice of Jesus saying, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" At that moment, Paul realized that the Church and Jesus are one body. Loving and serving the Church is loving and serving Jesus; grumbling, complaining, or opposing the Church is opposing Jesus. We are members attached to the Body of Christ: As members, we meet and walk with Jesus, the Head, through the Body—the Church. If the relationship with the Church collapses, we cannot meet or walk with the Lord. The Word does not reach us, and the power to live by the Word disappears.

 

②Jesus loves the Church. Each individual is important, but no one is more important than the Church. Jesus gave His everything for the Church. We receive love when we remain attached within the Church. 1)The Lord cleanses us within the Church through His Word and enables us to bear fruit. 2)We are nurtured within the Church. When we take root in the Church, we—who were once lowly and weak like common doves—are transformed into precious beings like golden doves (Psalm 68:13). No one becomes perfect in Christ without being nurtured by a leader (Colossians 1:28-29). ③The Church is a place of protection. The sheep who hear and follow the Lord's voice will never be snatched away by the devil (John 10:27-28). When we are inside the Church, the Lord never loses us.

 

How should we live our life of faith? (Colossians 2:6-7) We must recognize that Jesus has called each of us as members of the Church. ①We must confess Jesus as ‘Lord’: The reason the Church was given is for salvation. The Church was given so that we might be born again, grow, and reach maturity. ②We must take root in the Church: The devil makes the heart waver. Whenever the heart wavers, if you move from church to church, the evil one shoots arrows to kill the soul. ③We must be built up: Being built up means having the wounds torn by the devil healed, and having spiritual eyes, ears, mouths, hands, and feet restored through the Word. We are built up through words of instruction and rebuke. ④We must be taught to stand firm in faith and overflow with thankfulness: By receiving life lessons and acting in faith, we witness the Lord’s work, leading to a life overflowing with gratitude. Building the spiritual body in this way is the correct life of faith. In all these processes, submission (obedience) is essential. Submission is necessary to deal with our "self" (ego). The greatest enemy of faith is the "self." The "self" is not the true "me," but the devil deceiving me—it is the devil prompting me to reject God and live as my own master. How do we deal with the self? Denying oneself is not a vague concept. It happens when the leader’s command clashes with my schedule, my plans, my money, my heart, or my human relationships. Breaking the self and obeying the leader's command is true self-denial. A life that tries to take both half-heartedly while only watching for an opening is ultimately a life following the self. There are three things we must submit to in self-denial: ①Submit our thoughts to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). ②Submit to the spiritual leaders and cell leaders set before us. Allowing them to serve with joy is beneficial for you (Hebrews 13:17). ③Submit to the Word (James 1:22-25). You must practice the Word of God that you hear. Knowledge that is heard but not acted upon becomes a tool for the devil to bind us.

 

The one thing we must do throughout our entire lives is "build the Biblical Church." The purpose of life is to be saved and go to heaven. It is not just about my salvation, but also saving those around me. Following the finite flesh leads to futility, but heading toward the eternal kingdom holds eternal value. Salvation must be done according to the Bible and can only be given through the Church. Building the Biblical Church is the unique value of life. May we all be dedicated to the work of building the Biblical Church. I bless you in the name of Jesus that your life may be one of rightly knowing, loving, dedicating to, and submitting to the Church.