With the many transitions presently occurring in our church body, it is important that we, as a congregation, pray diligently for and think seriously about the leadership of our body of believers.  We just recently elected new deacons to provide guidance and service to the church; a few months ago, we added a new face to the nursery; we will soon be creating a committee to direct our search for a pastor; and eventually, we will welcome a new preacher to our church. Such leadership roles demand people of character, integrity, and, most importantly, spiritual maturity.

In the midst of such changes, we often overlook the true leadership of the Church, Jesus Christ. Of course, we all KNOW that Jesus is the head of the church because, well, that is what our faith is based on, but we don’t always ACT like He is. We often focus more on the people doing the work of the church and their decision making instead of faithfully relying on Jesus to “rule” the church. A look at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, though, gives us a great illustration of the relationship our church should have with Christ:

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Ephesians 5:22-33

We often hear this scripture within a sermon on marriage, but it’s insights on Jesus’ role within the church are probably even more vital. As always, however, Jesus illustrates a complex idea with an analogy that makes his teachings relevant and accessible. Let’s use this analogy, then, to think more deeply about Jesus’ position as leader of the Church.

If maintained as God designed, a marriage is probably the most intimate relationship humans develop—physically and emotionally. In order to continue a marriage relationship, a couple must spend quality time together—talking before bed, participating in shared interests, cooking dinner together, or taking walks—things that allow them to stay connected to each others’ lives.

A successful marriage also demands sacrifice. I try to remind myself daily to do whatever I can to make the life of my husband easier. If we both live by such a mantra, our relationship will easily grow and mature and remain fulfilling. However, if we decide to live selfishly, resentment and hurt feelings will begin to divide us.

These two ideas of intimacy and sacrifice are important factors in defining love—the main reason most of us would say we decided to marry in the first place. Love is a choice we make, a choice to continue an intimate relationship by being willing, daily, to care sacrificially for another human being. Because of our sinful nature, we don’t always love unconditionally, even in our marriages, but we can be thankful that God’s Son does.

If we think about these aforementioned parts of marriage as we reread Ephesians 5, God reveals the amazing way Jesus loves and rules the Church.

1. Jesus’ Intimacy with the Church

This letter by Paul illustrates the closeness Jesus desires with the Church through verses 22-24. These verses on submission are often misinterpreted, implying submission is a result of control or dominance. However, the submission of a wife to her husband has much more to do with trust. A wife allows her husband to have the final say in major decisions about the family because she has chosen a man who has earned her respect and confidence not because she is forced to do so. The same is true with the Church. Believers can find intimacy with Christ once we trust Him enough to submit our own desires to His will and decision making. Submission is about a mutual affection and loyalty.

Verses 31-33 even more directly demonstrate Jesus’ desired intimacy with His Church. Just as the man leaves his family to join his new bride, Christ draws close to the Body. This is most obviously confirmed as he left the comforts of Heaven to live, suffer, and die as a man. He temporarily left His Heavenly Father to physically fellowship with the men he chose as the cornerstones of the Church. Though He no longer walks on Earth, the teachings of those disciples close to Him and the promised Holy Spirit still offer us a chance to intimately know Jesus.

2. Jesus’ Sacrifice for the Church

Ephesians also makes it clear that Jesus, just as a husband and wife, lives sacrificially for His bride, the Church. Verses 25-27 remind us of Jesus’ commitment to take the place for our sins, but what most stands out to me is the reason he did so. He loved us so dearly that he wanted us to stand perfectly before God, and if that took a torturous death and separation from the Father, we was willing to do it. He wasn’t just willing to do whatever it would take to make our lives “easier,” He did whatever it took to make them perfect.

As we think about the future of our church, let’s stay focused on the marriage between the body and Christ. Let’s develop a intimacy with Jesus, let’s acknowledge and praise his sacrifice, and let’s rely on Him to rule our decisions. The Church’s life will be a lot easier this way!