Christ and the church

~~~~~~~~ This sermon was preached at the 33rd Anniversary Service of the Barn Chapel, West Row. - The 189th of when the Barn was first licensed as a place of worship. ~~~~~~~~ This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32) *1/ Christ's headship of the church - (Ephesians 5:23) 2/ The church's subjection unto Christ - (Ephesians 5:24) 3/ Christ's love to the church - (Ephesians 5:25) 4/ Christ's preparation of the church to present it to himself - (Ephesians 5:26-27)* **Sermon Summary:** The sermon unfolds the profound mystery of Christ and the Church as a divine, covenantal union rooted in Scripture, emphasizing four interwoven truths: Christ's sovereign headship over the Church, which is not merely hierarchical but life-giving and sacrificial; the Church's necessary subjection to Christ, grounded in reverence for His Word and sovereignty; Christ's self-giving love, demonstrated in His death for the Church and sustained by an everlasting, unbreakable affection; and the ongoing process of Christ's sanctification of the Church through the Word and trials, preparing believers for eternal glory. The message is both pastoral and convicting, calling believers to recognize the Church not as a human institution but as God's redeemed people, united by grace, cleansed by truth, and destined for eternal union with Christ, all while urging humility, submission, and a deep reliance on Scripture as the foundation of faith and practice.