The Bride's Husband

Q: What does the Bible say about Christ as the husband of the church?

The Bible describes Christ as the husband of the church, illustrating His love and sacrifice for her. According to Scripture, Christ is identified as the husband of the church, emphasizing the profound relationship between Him and His people. Proverbs 31:23 states, "Her husband is known in the gates when he sitteth among the elders," which signifies His reputation and honor among His people. This is further supported in Ephesians 5:25-28, where husbands are instructed to love their wives as Christ loved the church, illustrating the depth of sacrificial love and commitment He has for His bride. This relationship showcases not only His love but also the responsibility He bears as protector and provider.

Q: Why is it important to understand Christ's relationship with the church?

Understanding Christ's relationship with the church is crucial for grasping His love, grace, and our identity as believers. The significance of understanding Christ's relationship with the church cannot be overstated. It shapes the believer's identity and purpose within the greater narrative of redemption. As Spurgeon noted, finding Christ in the Scriptures illuminates our understanding of His nature and promise. The concept that Christ is married to His people, as expressed in Jeremiah 3:14, portrays a relational dynamic filled with love and loyalty. This understanding calls believers to reflect on their identity as part of Christ's bride and prompts them to respond in love and obedience, thus fulfilling their roles in His design for the church.

Q: How do we know Christ loves His church?

We know Christ loves His church because He gave Himself for her sanctification and cleansing. The love of Christ for His church is evident in His sacrificial act of giving Himself for her sanctification and cleansing. Ephesians 5:25-26 highlights that Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, intending to present her as a glorious church. This selfless love is an essential doctrine within sovereign grace theology and reflects the depth of commitment He has for His bride. His actions ensure not only salvation for believers but also spiritual growth and maturity, showcasing the ongoing relationship He nurtures with His church.

Q: What does it mean for Christ to be known in the gates?

Being known in the gates implies that Christ is publicly recognized and honored, especially where His word is preached. The phrase "known in the gates" indicates that Christ holds a position of honor and recognition, particularly in the context of His people gathering in worship. Gates symbolize places of public discourse and decision-making. In this sense, Christ is known among His people when His word is preached and honored, as cited in Philippians 3:8-11, where Paul expresses a burning desire to know Christ intimately. This public acknowledgment highlights the importance of corporate worship and the collective recognition of Christ’s authority and preeminence in the life of the church.

I'm going to ask you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Proverbs, chapter 31. Proverbs 31. I'd like to look at one verse of scripture, verse 23. Proverbs 31. I'm sure all of us or most of us have heard this. Richard Baxter, one of the old preachers, once said, I desire to preach as a dying man to dying men, to preach as one who may never preach again. I thought about that, and I thought to myself, that's an attitude that every God-called preacher ought to have, be made to remember. I know so little, and I know that you that believe know and have that same attitude. I think to myself, this may be the last time I ever preach. This may be it. I don't know. Lord knows.

But I thought, if this be the last time I ever preach, I pray that the Lord give me grace and direct my heart to preach Christ and Him crucified. the only thing that the Lord blesses, the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. So in this passage of scripture, with that thought, Proverbs 31 verse 23, I pray that the Lord direct my heart and all of our ears to hear the glory of Christ This is what scripture says. Her husband, we're talking about the bride of Christ, her husband is known in the gates when he sitteth among the elders. Now, I know this, that verse of scripture is concerning the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is the calling of every God-called preacher.

Mr. Spurgeon said this. You find Christ in that passage. You find Christ in that passage, and you preach a rite. And knowing that The time in this life is short. I want us to be very mindful of the fact this could be it. That thought has gone through my mind over and over and over, especially this morning as I got up trying to prepare for this service this morning. I want us to remember something.

When we read this, and I want you to ask the Lord to notice how this verse begins. These words, verse 23, her husband. Just reading those two words, her husband. Now, no other then the Lord Jesus Christ is the husband of the bride. When we just read her husband, our hearts must fly to him. Her husband.

And when I read those words again this morning, I thought about Jeremiah 3 verse 14. Jeremiah was moved to write these words. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord. For I am married unto you, and I will take you, one of a city and two of a family, while I bring you to Zion. Just stop. One second.

Turn, oh backsliding children, I'm married to you. The Lord of glory is married to his people. And he alone is revealed in the scriptures to be the glorious bridegroom of his people, the church, the bride of Christ. The church is married to him. I don't understand the fullness, but there's some things that I know about this thing of marriage. Turn with me. Hold your place right there. Turn with me to Ephesians 5. Ephesians 5. Ephesians chapter 5.

We're so blessed to be able to have the Word of God to go to and to find out what does God have to say about this thing. I'm married to you. What does the Lord have to say about a husband, a wife, the marriage? I'm married to you. Ephesians chapter 5, I'm going to read verses 25-28. Husbands, verse 25, husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy, without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

I've told you before, but I can't help but think on it even now, reading those scriptures right there, when I'm to perform a wedding. I want to tell the people, I said, I know that a lot of times you, you know, somebody wants to get married and they go to, you know, they go to a class and, you know, they're taking, take these classes on getting married. And I said, there's only, there's only two rules in scriptures concerning marriage. Wives, submit yourself unto your own husband, number one, as unto the Lord. And husbands, You love your wife as Christ loved the church.

The scripture says here, and gave himself for it. He gave himself. He humbled himself, made himself of no reputation, made himself to be her savior, her protector, her provider, He loved his church. He loved the bride. And he gave himself. He gave himself whatever she needed for her good, for his honor, for her. He gave himself. Husbands, you give yourself to your wife.

I told him, I said, you put her on a pedestal. Think what the Lord has done for His people. He's exalted His people in Him, in Himself. He treats her with respect. He speaks to her with respect. He speaks to her as one that He loves and wants to teach, honor. That's what the Lord. Turn, oh backsliding children.

I'm married to you. Oh, this is the key, this is the key. You want to know what a good marriage, you want to know what a good marriage is made of, here's the key. As Christ loved the church, as Christ gave himself for his church, so ought men. to love their wives. You give yourself. You teach her. Teach her by example. This is the rule. You want to know the rule of marriage. I can text today what Scripture says. Her husband. Her husband. Here's the next thing it says.

Her husband is known in the gates. He's known in the gates. He's known. Now when that word known, her husband is known. Now you know me well enough. The Lord helped me to not just read a word, just read it, not know what it means and stand up here and preach. But I want to know what that word known, he's known. Now that word known right there is one it means intimately taken notice of.

Her husband is known. The bride, the people of God, the church, toward the Lord Jesus Christ, they take notice of him. Whatever you do, whether you eat, whether you drink, whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. Do it for his honor and his glory and his praise. Philippians 3. Turn over to Philippians 3. Philippians chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3. I want to read verses 8 to 11. Philippians 3. The bride, she knows him. He's known. He's known in the gates. I'll look at the gates in a second.

Let's just look at known for a minute. Philippians chapter 3, verse 8. Yea, doubtless, the apostle Paul said, I count all things but loss. for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of all things that do count them but done, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of God, that I may know him. and the power of his resurrection, the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Paul said, this is what I desire.

I want to know him. I want to know him. I want to know him. I want to know him. All those words just excites the heart of God's people. You that know him, is that your desire? I want to know him. I don't want to know what people say about him that don't know what these scriptures are saying. I don't want to hear a lie. I don't want to hear something that's not true. I want to know him.

The scripture declares concerning the bride, her husband, is known. They know Him. And I tell you what they want to do. They want to know Him more. I want to know Him and I want to know more of Him. And I want to come and I want to hear what God has to say about the Lord Jesus Christ. But then back in our passage, her husband is known. Now look at the next few words.

In the gates He's known in the gates. Now, here again, I wanted to know what that meant. Actually, when you looked up that word, the gates, it means a public meeting place or a temple. But it could also refer to this word, the word city, city, city. I'm going to read this for you. Ruth, chapter 3, verse 11. Scripture says, and know my daughter, fear not, I will do thee, I will do thee all that thou requirest for all the city, all the gate of my people doth know thou art a virtuous woman. Now, when it says, uses that word right there back in our our passage, her husband is known in the gates.

That word also is the city. It means it's a city. It's a place of public meeting. It's like this right here. According to the scriptures, when we meet together, this, according to God's word, it's a city. It's a city called, arranged, organized according to God's purpose. Where do you worship? I worship in the city of God. I worship for this congregation here. We worship in the city of Katie, Katie Baptist Church. According to God's word, this is a city.

And the scripture says that concerning the bride, the Lord is known. He's known. in the gates, whether it be in Fairmont, whether it's in Lexington, whether it's in Kingsport. He's known, he's taught, he's preached, and the Lord blesses where he is set forth. Her husband is known in the gates, gathered together, when he sits among the elders.

You know, we read this passage of scripture, we know it by heart. When two or three are gathered together in my name, he's known in the gates, he's known where he is proclaimed, he's known where he is set forth and honored. Not where people sit and try to, you know, whip people into submission. Preach the gospel. Preach Christ. Honor him. Exalt him. Where two or three are gathered together in my name.

That word name right there, it means rank, authority, pleasure. where two or three are gathered together in my name, where he is set forth as God. I thought about that when I was looking up that word, gathered together in my name, and first word comes up, it was rank. You know, in the military, you may not, you know, there may be somebody that's in there that you don't really care for personally. But I tell you what, if they've got a, you know, a bird on their collar and, you know, or if they've got a silver bar or gold bar or they got two stripes and you got one, you know what you honor? You honor that rank, that authority. And that's what, where two or three are gathered together in my name, in my rank, in my authority, There am I in the midst of them. It is no insignificant matter when God's people are assembled together in the name, in the rank, in the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That place is a gate. It's a city. It's a place of honor, honored by the Lord. Her husband is known in the gates, and this last part says, when he sitteth among the elders of the land, when he sitteth. Oh, I think about that precious passage of scripture. Turn with me.

Hebrews chapter 10, Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10, when he sitteth. Here again, as I was reading this passage this morning, I couldn't, I just, each, each part of that passage of scripture brought me to these thoughts right here. Hebrews 10, verse 11 and 12.

Every priest standeth daily ministering, offering oft times the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this man, oh, but this man, this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, he sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. When this man offered one sacrifice himself, himself, one sacrifice himself for sin, he sat down.

It was over. This is what our scripture says concerning the bride. Her husband is known in the gates when he sitteth among the elders. You know the joy of a preacher that God has called to preach to the people, to preach to God's congregation. It's finished. It's over. It's over. The war is won. The battle is over. It's finished. What do we have to do? He provides. He gives us a heart to believe him. I believe you. Lord, as you say, you have finished the work. Lord, I believe you. I believe you. I believe that you've put away my sin. I believe you paid the debt of my sin. I will rest my soul.

I know that, relatively speaking, that I and you, we're not long for this world. We're going to leave this world. Every believer knows he's going to leave this world and he's going to face God. And I know what the scripture says, to leave this world without Christ. God's going to say unto me, if I leave this world without him, The Lord's going to say, I never knew you, Marvin. I never knew you. And my heart, even now, just quoting that scripture, it makes me think, oh, that I might know him and be found in him, having not my own righteousness, which is of the law, but the righteousness of Christ.

Lord, save me. Lord, speak to me. Lord, have mercy upon me. David said, Psalm 122, verse one, I was glad when they said unto me, let's go to the house of the Lord. I was glad when they said to me, I'm glad, I'm thankful when somebody said, let's worship God together. Let's go worship the Lord together. Let's hear what God has to say.

Let's rejoice in him where two or three are gathered together. I mean, someone may come over to the house, you know, and just be two of us, maybe three of us. We sit around, we talk about the Lord. You know what that is? That's church. That's church. That's church. That's the assembled bride.

Oh, I was thankful when the Lord was pleased to call me out, not as thankful as I should be. I know that. I know that. But I'm thankful that God was pleased to show me myself and reveal unto me my need of him. Because if he had not given me a heart for him, I'd be going to some, you know, place where, oh, they try to teach morality that I can't accomplish. I know that. But to just take this worthless sinner and show mercy to me, I wish I knew how to thank him. One day, by the grace of God, I will. By the grace you will. By God's grace, you will. Her husband, he's known in the gates when he sitteth among the elders. those that he's called out of darkness.

Oh, how blessed is these precious scriptures that teaches us once again, wherever you go, you look into God's word and every one of them. The Lord said concerning the scriptures, you search the scriptures and in them you think you have eternal life. These are they that speak of me. They testify of me.

Doesn't it rejoice your heart when you Take a passage of scripture. When you first read it, you know, you think, her husband is known in the gates when he sitteth among the elders. And here's our first thought. I don't get it. Have you ever felt like that? I don't get it. I don't get it. But then afterwards, if God has called a man to preach and he sets forth and we see Christ in it, then all of a sudden you think, you know what? My heart rejoices in that, that's the truth. I pray that God bless this to our hearts for Christ's sake.

The Bride's Husband

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Christ as the husband of the church?

Why is it important to understand Christ's relationship with the church?

How do we know Christ loves His church?

What does it mean for Christ to be known in the gates?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

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The Bride's Husband

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Christ as the husband of the church?

Why is it important to understand Christ's relationship with the church?

How do we know Christ loves His church?

What does it mean for Christ to be known in the gates?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

Comments

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