Title: The Beautiful Church/James 4:1-6
Contents
Just as the sweet whisper of love cannot be known by those who have not loved, so cannot be known by those who have not experienced the love of the Lord. No matter how much you know the Bible, if you do not know the love of this Lord, it is in vain.
The text is about the groom praising the bride with pure and clear love for her beauty.
This can be understood as saying that Jesus, the bridegroom, praises the beauty of the church as the bride. When we compare this text with the holy love of Christ and the church, we learn valuable lessons.
It directs our eyes to the Lord and transcends simple human emotions to look to the Lord, the bride and groom of the church, with true love and holy love.
Now, let us receive grace together by looking at the beauty of the church revealed in the text.
1. Overall beauty
1) Because it is the Lord's Church, it is beautiful. When the Lord was going to build the first church, He said to Peter (Matthew 16:18) "I tell you, you are Peter. On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." As you said, the owner of the church is the Lord who established the church. Ephesians 5:23 says that the Lord is the head of the church.
No one can deny that the Lord is holy and exalted. Therefore, it is the Lord's, and the Church, which the Lord's body prays for and has chosen as his bride, is undoubtedly the most precious and beautiful thing that exists on earth.
2) Because the Lord saw it beautifully. The church on this earth is by no means a perfect community of flawless people.
Rather, the church is where sinners gather and are saved by the blood of the Lord, and the Lord considers such a church 'pretty'.
2. Concrete beauty
1) Beauty like hair (verse 1 and half) A woman's hair represents fidelity and beauty. In the text, the expression that the hair of a woman is like a herd of goats lying at the foot of a mountain gives a feeling of abundance and peace. A clean and beautiful church overflows with abundance and tenderness.
2) This beauty of giving birth to twins (verse 2) The bride's teeth are white and clean, and they look beautiful as if they were twins. The beauty of teeth that are always moist as if soaking in moisture is not a pretentious and decadent beauty. The church is the pure and orderly, beautiful bride of the Lord.
3) The beauty of the bride like a scarlet thread (verse 3). The bride's red lips have been as beautiful as red thread. It is a symbol of a healthy body, and the words that come out of its lips are like the sound of silver beads. The church is the source of the healthy word through which the gospel of salvation is constantly preached.
4) The beauty of one-sided pomegranate cheeks (verse 3 and below) The reason why the bride's cheeks are compared to pomegranates is because of her beautiful, blushed face. The cheeks of a shy woman easily blush. Rather, it exudes the beauty of purity and humility. The Church is the bride of Jesus with purity and humility.
5) Beauty like the tower of David surrounded by a shield (verse 4) The neck of the bride who stands out like a tower is beautiful. Just as the shields of the warriors hang from the tower, the beautiful bride's neck is adorned with a shield that no one can easily touch.
6) Condition The beauty of the breast like a roe deer This verse is a beautiful, almost perfect, delicate metaphor that tells of the balanced appearance, perfect figure, and freshness of the bride's breast.
The bride's breasts are as rich and beautiful as a "twin roe deer." The church is a source of life food that distributes the rich milk of God's Word. Therefore, it must always have vitality in a balanced order. Jesus was pleased with the beauty of the church and chose it as his eternal dwelling place. We pray in the name of the Lord that we will share love and work together to become the church that pleases the Lord forever, the saints who please the Lord, and the church and saints that fulfill the Lord's will.