SUNDAY TEACHING NOTES
October 19, 2025 (Sunday Worship @ 9:00am and 11:15am)
THIS IS THE CHURCH | A BRIDE
SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 5:25–33, 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, 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. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 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. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
WHAT IS THE CHURCH?
WHY THE BIBLE CALLS THE CHURCH A BRIDE
1. __________________________________________________________ (Ephesians 5:31-32)
4. __________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________
Ephesians 5:25–33, 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, 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. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 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. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
WHAT IS THE CHURCH?
- The church is not a ______________________. It is the ______________________ of Christ.
- You can't love ______________________ and not love His ______________________.
WHY THE BIBLE CALLS THE CHURCH A BRIDE
1. __________________________________________________________ (Ephesians 5:31-32)
- Out of all the metaphors, God chose a marriage picture.
- Intimacy = "____________________________________________"
- Observations: ____________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
- Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church... (Ephesians 5:25)
- Observations: ____________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________
- Just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Ephesians 5:25)
- Observations: ____________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________
- To make her holy, cleansing her by washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church... (Ephesians 5:26-27)
- The bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear. (Revelation 19:7-8)
- Observations: ____________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________
- The two will become one flesh. (Ephesians 5:31)
- Marriage is a picture of Christ's union with His bride, the Church.
- Observations: ____________________________________________________________
You can listen to the new songs for September-December on Spotify playlists: Acapella | Instrumental or YouTube
Our WEEKLY GUIDE is a great resource for group discussion questions and a deeper study into this week's lesson.
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