Main idea: If we are to rightly grasp the beauty of Christ’s church, then we must behold his bride through the lenses of the cross and the consummation.
Outline:
- We behold the church’s blood-bought beauty through the lens of the cross (Ephesians 5:25-26)
- We behold the church’s unblemished beauty through the lens of the consummation (Ephesians 5:27)
Secondary sources cited:
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “The Best Donation” (sermon, April 5, 1891), in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit: Containing Sermons Preached and Revised, vol. 37 (Pasadena: Pilgrim, 1975).
- Jamie Dunlop, Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy: Eight Truths for Pursuing Unity in Your Church (Wheaton: Crossway, 2023).
- Dustin Benge, The Loveliest Place: The Beauty and Glory of the Church (Wheaton: Crossway, 2022).