The Head of the Church (Ephesians 1:18-23)
This sermon invites listeners to consider the foundational truth of who truly leads God's people. It explores how Jesus Christ, as the head of the church, exercises sovereign authority, sacrificial love, and provides for His body.
Jesus Christ is the singular head of the church, exercising sovereign authority and sacrificial love. He fully supplies and empowers His body, calling believers to personal and corporate submission to His Lordship.
Overview
This sermon establishes Jesus Christ as the undisputed head of the church, drawing primarily from Ephesians 1:18-23. It challenges the common perception of leadership, asserting that true authority rests with Christ, requiring submission from every believer and the collective body.
The first implication of Christ's headship is His sovereign authority. He possesses absolute and final control over the entire body of Christ, a truth confirmed by His resurrection and preeminence over all creation. Secondly, His headship is defined by sacrificial love, evidenced by His willingness to die for the church and His continuous forgiveness and acceptance of its members.
Thirdly, Jesus Christ acts as the sufficient supplier, equipping the entire church with everything it needs. He is also the unifying force, holding believers together across all cultural and linguistic divides. Finally, His headship means the supernatural power of God is at work within the body, empowering believers to fulfill their mission through His resurrection power.
Ultimately, the sermon emphasizes that Christ's headship equates to His Lordship. While He is Lord over all, His Lordship becomes practical in an individual's life and a local body's decisions through active, daily submission to His word and commands, making obedience the rule rather than the exception.
Key points
- Jesus Christ is explicitly declared the head of the church in Ephesians 1:18-23, establishing His absolute authority.
- Christ's headship signifies His sovereign authority, granting Him final control over the entire body of believers.
- His leadership is motivated by sacrificial love, demonstrated through His death for our sins and continuous forgiveness.
- Jesus is the church's sufficient supplier, continuously equipping every member and holding the entire body together.
- The resurrection power of Jesus Christ is active within the church, empowering it to carry out God's mission.
- Practical submission to Christ's Lordship, individually and corporately, is essential to acknowledge His headship.
- A lifestyle of obedience to Christ's commands, where submission is the norm, reflects His Lordship in one's life.
In Charles Stanley's words
“Whether you recognize Jesus Christ as Lord or not does not alter one iota the fact, he is Lord.”
“A rebellious heart is not a growing heart.”
Outline
- I. Introduction: Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church (Ephesians 1:18-23)
- A. Implications of Christ's Headship
- B. Submission to the Head
- II. Implications of Christ's Headship
- A. He is the Sovereign Authority over the Body of Christ
- 1. Absolute and final control
- 2. Creator and preeminent over all things (Colossians 1)
- 3. Joining the church means submission to Christ as Lord
- B. He Demonstrates Sacrificial Love for the Church
- 1. Loves every member and forgives repeatedly
- 2. Earned the right to headship by laying down His life
- 3. All things ranked beneath Christ (Ephesians 1:21, "Hupotasso")
- C. He is the Sufficient Supplier of His Church
- 1. Continuously equips the entire body (Colossians 2:19)
- 2. Holds the body together through His indwelling presence
- 3. Individually supplies every member's needs
- D. He Implies the Supernatural Power of God in the Body
- 1. All authority given to Him in heaven and on earth
- 2. Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)
- 3. Resurrection power works within every believer
- 4. Delegates divine authority to the body for its mission
- III. Practical Acknowledgment of Christ's Lordship
- A. Christ is Lord over your life regardless of personal recognition
- B. Christ is Lord in your life through practical submission and obedience
- C. Submission is the lifestyle, not the exception
- D. Get involved in the body of Christ, submitting to Him and appointed authorities
- E. Give your life to Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord, and Master
Scripture references
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Insights
The true head of the church remains constant, unseen by many.
Christ's authority over all things is established by His resurrection.
His love for the church moved Him to lay down His own life.
Questions & answers
What does it mean that Jesus Christ is the "head of the church"?
It means He is the sovereign authority over the entire body of Christ, having absolute and final control. His headship is also motivated by sacrificial love, as He laid down His life for the church.
How does Jesus Christ's headship relate to individual believers?
As the head, Jesus Christ is the sufficient supplier of every individual believer's needs and indwells them by the Holy Spirit. Acknowledging Him as head requires personal submission to Him as Lord in daily life.
What power is available to the church through Christ's headship?
The church is indwelt by the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. This supernatural power is delegated to the body to carry out its mission, enabling believers to fulfill the work they are called to do.
What is the significance of "submission" in this sermon?
Submission is presented as the practical demonstration of acknowledging Christ's headship and Lordship. It means making decisions based on God's Word, obeying His commands without hesitation, and living a lifestyle where submission is the rule, not the exception.
Can someone join the church without making Jesus Christ Lord of their life?
The sermon states that joining the church implies becoming part of a body inherently subject to Christ. To say one wants to join without making Jesus Lord is described as a "contradiction in terms."
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Source
Unofficial AI summary for study purposes. Watch the full sermon on In Touch Ministries. Sermon Insights is not affiliated with or endorsed by the pastor or church.