Christ and his church
Why did Pastor Rob choose to begin a sermon series on Christ and His Church?
In every generation, the church faces the temptation to drift away from Christ as her center, from Scripture as her authority, and from God’s design for life together as His people. Cultural pressures, individualism, consumer Christianity, and confusion about authority and commitment have all contributed to a weakened understanding of what the church is and why it matters.
Pastor Rob desired to speak to the church as a unified body about the nature and purpose of the church, and about how we can honor and glorify Christ, His church, and one another. His hope is that this series will re-center God’s people on biblical truth, clarify what the church is called to be, and encourage faithful participation in the body that Christ purchased with His blood.
What better way to start the new year than growing together as Christ’s church?
1. Christ Is the Foundation and Head of the Church
Any discussion of the church must begin with Christ Himself. The church does not exist because of tradition, convenience, or human initiative. It exists because Jesus Christ willed it, established it, and sustains it.
Jesus declared, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The church belongs to Christ. He is its builder, owner, and defender. A sermon series on Christ and His church reminds believers that the church is not ultimately about programs, personalities, or preferences. It is about Christ’s glory.
Scripture teaches that Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 1:22–23; Colossians 1:18). This means He governs, nourishes, and directs His people. When a church neglects teaching on Christ’s authority over His body, it risks drifting into pragmatism or cultural accommodation. A focused sermon series helps realign the congregation under Christ’s lordship, reminding both leaders and members that they submit to Him alone.
By teaching Christ’s supremacy, the church learns humility, dependence, and obedience, essential qualities for spiritual health.
2. The Church Is Central to God’s Redemptive Plan
Many Christians today view the church as optional or secondary to personal faith. While personal faith in Christ is essential, Scripture never separates faith in Christ from belonging to His people. God’s redemptive plan has always included a gathered people who bear His name.
From Israel in the Old Testament to the church in the New Testament, God has been forming a people for His glory. Ephesians 3:10 teaches that through the church, “the manifold wisdom of God” is made known. That is a staggering truth the church is God’s chosen display of His wisdom to the world and even to the heavenly realms.
A sermon series on Christ and His church helps believers see the church not as a human invention but as a central part of God’s eternal purpose. It corrects the idea that the church is merely a weekly event and replaces it with a biblical vision of the church as God’s living, redeemed community.
When believers grasp this truth, they no longer ask, “Do I need the church?” Instead, they ask, “How can I faithfully serve Christ through His church?”
3. The Church Is Christ’s Bride, Body, and Family
Scripture uses rich and intimate imagery to describe the church. She is called the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25–27), the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), and the household of God (Ephesians 2:19). These metaphors communicate value, love, unity, and responsibility.
A sermon series devoted to Christ and His church allows these images to shape the church’s identity.
As Christ’s bride, the church is loved sacrificially, pursued faithfully, and being prepared for glory.
As Christ’s body, the church is interconnected, dependent, and gifted for service.
As God’s family, the church is marked by love, care, discipline, and commitment.
Without clear teaching on these truths, church membership can become casual, individualistic, or consumer-driven. A sermon series reminds believers that belonging to the church means belonging to one another and that Christ deeply cares how His bride is treated and how His body functions.
4. It Clarifies the Purpose of the Local Church
Many churches struggle with mission drift. Activities multiply, calendars fill, and priorities compete for attention. A sermon series on Christ and His church brings clarity by asking fundamental questions:
Why does the church exist?
What has Christ called us to do?
What does faithfulness look like?
Scripture teaches that the church is devoted to the Word of God, prayer, fellowship, and the ordinances (Acts 2:42). It exists to glorify God, make disciples, and build up believers for works of service (Matthew 28:18–20; Ephesians 4:11–16).
By walking through these biblical purposes, a sermon series helps the congregation evaluate what matters most. It encourages leaders and members alike to align their efforts with Christ’s priorities rather than cultural trends or personal preferences.
Clarity leads to unity. When a church understands why it exists, it is better equipped to serve faithfully and joyfully.
5. It Teaches Biblical Church Membership and Commitment
In an age of mobility and individualism, commitment to a local church is often undervalued. Many Christians attend services without meaningful involvement, accountability, or responsibility. A sermon series on Christ and His church provides an opportunity to teach biblical church membership.
The New Testament assumes that believers belong to identifiable local churches with recognized leaders (Hebrews 13:17), mutual accountability (Matthew 18:15–20), and shared responsibility (1 Corinthians 12). Membership is not about status; it is about covenant commitment to love, serve, and grow together under Christ.
Teaching on church membership helps believers understand:
Why commitment matters
What it means to submit to godly leadership
How mutual care and discipline function in love
Rather than viewing membership as restrictive, believers begin to see it as a gift, a means of grace God uses to protect, mature, and strengthen His people.
6. It Strengthens Biblical Leadership and Followership
A healthy church requires both faithful leadership and humble followership. Scripture clearly teaches that Christ gives pastors, elders, and deacons to serve and shepherd His people (Ephesians 4:11; 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). These roles exist for the good of the church, not for power or prestige.
A sermon series on Christ and His church allows teaching on:
The role and responsibility of elders and pastors
Servant leadership modeled after Christ
The call for members to respect and pray for their leaders
At the same time, it guards against unbiblical authority by reminding leaders that they serve under the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:1–4). Teaching both sides promotes humility, trust, and cooperation within the body.
When leadership and membership understand their biblical roles, the church is better equipped to grow in maturity and unity.
7. It Encourages Unity in a Divided World
The world is marked by political, generational, and ideological division. The church is called to display a different reality which is unity in Christ. Jesus prayed that His people would be one, “so that the world may believe” (John 17:21).
A sermon series on Christ and His church emphasizes the gospel foundation of unity. Believers are united not by background or preference, but by Christ’s saving work. Teaching on the church confronts sinful divisions and calls believers to humility, patience, and love (Ephesians 4:1–6).
This kind of teaching is especially important in seasons of cultural tension. The church must be reminded that its ultimate allegiance is to Christ and that its unity is a powerful testimony to the gospel.
8. It Reinforces the Church’s Witness and Mission
The church does not exist for itself alone. Christ commissions His people to make disciples of all nations. A sermon series on Christ and His church connects doctrine with mission, reminding believers that the church is God’s primary instrument for spreading the gospel.
Teaching on the church’s mission helps believers see their daily lives, work, family, relationships, as arenas for faithful witness. It emphasizes that evangelism and discipleship are not optional extras but core responsibilities of the church.
When believers understand who they are as Christ’s church, they are more confident and bold in living out their faith.
9. It Protects Against False Views of the Church
False teaching often thrives where biblical teaching is absent. Without clear instruction, people may adopt unbiblical views of the church, such as:
The church exists primarily to meet personal needs
Online content can replace embodied church life
Authority and accountability are unnecessary
Unity requires minimizing doctrine
A sermon series on Christ and His church provides theological grounding that guards against these errors. By anchoring teaching in Scripture, the church is equipped to discern truth from error and remain faithful in a changing world.
10. It Cultivates Love for Christ Through Love for His Church
Ultimately, a sermon series on Christ and His church is about cultivating love for Christ and love for His people. Scripture makes clear that Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25). To love Christ is to care about what He loves.
As believers grow in their understanding of the church, their perspective changes. Complaints give way to gratitude. Passivity gives way to service. Individualism gives way to joyful commitment.
Teaching on Christ and His church helps believers see the church not as something to consume, but as something to cherish, protect, and build up for God’s glory.
A sermon series on Christ and His church is not merely informative, it is formational. It shapes how believers think, live, serve, and worship together. It strengthens the foundation of the local church by rooting it firmly in Scripture and centering it on Christ.
In a time when the church is often misunderstood, undervalued, or neglected, teaching clearly and consistently on Christ and His church is an act of pastoral faithfulness. It calls God’s people back to His design, renews their commitment, and equips them to live as a faithful witness in the world.
When the church understands who she is in Christ, she is better prepared to reflect His glory until the day He returns for His bride.