The Bible expects the church to function as a family - if it doesn't, both we and our witness will suffer
The Church: Branches of a Vine
On his last night on earth, Jesus gave the disciples his final description of what the church should be like | John 15:1-17
The Church as the Bride of Christ
The Church is pictured as the Bride of Christ:
- Marriage exists as a picture of Christ and the church
- For the church to be Jesus' bride, there was a great cost
- The church is like a bride because she's most radiant on her wedding day
- The church must submit to Christ in everything
The Church as a Light
The world is in darkness, and the church is to be a light. In the face of growing darkness, the church is to act like the church and not be too perturbed when the world acts like the world
The Church as a Flock of Sheep
There are many misconceptions today about what the church is. The Bible uses a number of different pictures to show us what the church is to be like. Here we see how the church is like a flock of sheep because sheep often go astray, are a constant target for wolves and need a shepherd.