The Church-- Metaphorically

1. The Church--Metaphorically “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” {Ephesians 3:10,11}

2. The Church—Greater Than All Human Institutions • Because of its author. • “According to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” {Ephesians 3:11}

3. The Church—Greater Than All Human Institutions • Because Christ is its head. • “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” {Ephesians 1:22,23}

4. The Church—Greater Than All Human Institutions • Because Christ is its builder. • “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” {Matthew 16:18}

5. The Church—Greater Than All Human Institutions • Because Christ purchased it with His blood. • “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” {Acts 20:28}

6. The Church—A Building • Stability • “For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.” {1 Corinthians 3:9}

7. The Church—A Building • A strong foundation • “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” {1 Corinthians 3:11}

8. The Church—A Building • Killing its builder could not stop the church. • “…Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then the Jews said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body.” {John 2:19-21}

9. The Church—A Building • Formed of various materials • Made up of people who were once in the world • “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” {Colossians 1:13,14}

10. The Church—A Building • Formed of various materials • All invited to be part of it • “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” {Matthew 11:28-30}

11. The Church—A Building • Formed of various materials • Living stones • “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” {1 Peter 2:5}

12. The Church—A Building • Formed of various materials • Perfectly matched and fit together • “In whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”{Ephesians 2:21,22}

13. The Church—A Building • Formed of various materials • Anchored to the Rock. • “Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” {Ephesians 2:20}

14. The Church—A Body • Unity and fellowship • Relation of Christ to the church—its head. • “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” {Colossians 1:18}

15. The Church—A Body • Unity and fellowship • Christ’s relation to Christians—their Savior. • “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.” {Ephesians 5:23}

16. The Church—A Body • Unity and fellowship • Christians’ relation to one another—members • “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” {Romans 12:5}

17. The Church—A Body • Unity and fellowship • Common entrance • “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” {1 Corinthians 12:13}

18. The Church—A Body • Unity and fellowship • Each part has a function • “If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?” {1 Corinthians 12:17}

19. The Church—A Body • Unity and fellowship • Harmony of the body • “That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.” {1 Corinthians 12:25}

20. The Church—A Body • Unity and fellowship • Harmony of the body • “From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” {Ephesians 4:16}

21. The Church—A Vineyard • The work • Foreman went out early—important work! • “Then He said to His disciples, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” {Matthew 9:37,38}

22. The Church—A Vineyard • Went to hire laborers • Did not use force • “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” {Revelation 22:17}

23. The Church—A Vineyard • Went to hire laborers • Offered reward • “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” {1 Corinthians 15:58}

24. The Church—A Vineyard • Went to hire laborers • Must work hard • “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” {Hebrews 6:11,12}

25. The Church—A Vineyard • Went to hire laborers • Must bear fruit • “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” {John 15:7,8}

26. The Church—The Bride of Christ • Purity. • Bride forsakes all others for her husband. • So should the church. • “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” {Romans 12:2}

27. The Church—The Bride of Christ • Purity. • Bride forsakes all others for her husband. • So should the church. • “Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” {2 Corinthians 6:17}

28. The Church—The Bride of Christ • Purity. • Must not view the world with affection. • “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” {1 John 2:15}

29. The Church—The Bride of Christ • Purity is precious to Jesus. • “That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” {Ephesians 5:26,27}

30. The Church—The Bride of Christ • Price of the church and its members. • “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” {1 Peter 1:18,19}

31. The Church—The Bride of Christ • Its mission is important. • “But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”{1 Timothy 3:15}

32. The Church—The Bride of Christ • United with Christ. • “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ‘the two,’ He says, shall become one flesh.” {1 Corinthians 6:15,16}

33. The Church—The Bride of Christ • The church’s destiny demands purity. • “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.” {Revelation 21:27}

34. Concluding Thoughts • The church made up of those who are pure • 1 Timothy 5:22 • Washed of their sins • Acts 22:16 • Been baptized into Christ • John 3:3-5; Romans 6;3,4 • Christians must remain pure • 1 Thessalonians 5:22