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Wedding Day
Revelation 19:1
I can see on your faces
you need a little break from all the bad news in this world.
And in the end of Revelation God takes a break from all the carnage
here on earth, as we go jumping up to heaven to see what will be going on at
the same time as the tribulation on earth.
The church will not go thru the tribulation…we will be part of
an evacuation! Everyone loves a wedding,
and this one is far better than anything We are the bride of
Christ! We will be made one w/
Christ perfectly / permanently…be glorified!
It all happens at this marriage of the Lamb.
It’s a wedding in the sky! [slide]
A million mile high club that nothing of earth can compare with.
I.
The
Analogy of a marriage. v. 6
The Music will be
magnificent. First we see the wedding music in v. 6. v. 7 God chose this method of illustrating our relationship / consummation w/ Him. An exciting / happy / joyful occasion. “John at his wedding was a
most excited creature. He gave his bride the
marriage fee and tried to kiss the preacher!” Even us pastors can get
caught up in the excitement, as one preacher said, “It is now kisstomary to
cuss the bride!” 18 years ago right now
Kimberly and I were counting down from 150 days ‘til our wedding / a psalm a
day…and it’s exciting / anticipation breeds enthusiasm! This marriage analogy is
nothing new in scripture. Mt. 22—marriage feast.
22:9
Go ye
therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the
marriage.
Mk. 2—
18 And
the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and
say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but
thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them,
Can the
children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as
long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
20 But
the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and
then shall they fast in those days. II Cor. 11:2
For I am
jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one
husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. This reveals some certain
truths about our relationship w/ Christ…what makes a good marriage on earth
will unveil truths about our spiritual relationship w/ Jesus!
4
things any real marriage on earth should have:
1.
Genuine
love [unconditional/unselfish]…we
do a lot of preaching about sin / tackle lots of questions about life…but it
all comes down to how much do we love Him?
When Christ rose from the dead, and encountered Peter, who denied
Him, for 1st time what did He say?
“Are you gonna cuss me anymore? /
deny me? / be a coward? / lose your faith?”…no those were all symptoms…Jesus
went to the heart of the matter and said:
“Lovest thou me?” And
the bride of Christ should build our relationship w/ Christ on undying love!
2.
Intimate
Communion
– marriages that last have emotional,
spiritual connections, not just physical.
And we can have that as believers…what a privilege to live in these
last days / not like OT saints [had no love letters of scripture! / couldn’t
go beyond the temple court, into the holy place…only priests, and only high
priest in the holy of holies, and only once per year w/ very strict
standards and a penalty of death!]
But when Jesus died on the cross the veil of the temple was ripped
from top to bottom [symbolic of God doing it], and now NT saints can have
intimate communion with Him.
But we take it for granted or else we’d pray and fellowship w/ God much,
much more! It’s a sign of being
a faithful bride!
3.
Joy
–
marriage is supposed to bring joy
[joke:
pastor counseled alcoholic who told him he drank because of what a
bad wife he had. Pastor assured
him it was no excuse to drink, and couldn’t be that bad.
The man offered to let him meet her.
They went to the man’s house and he started talking privately w/ her
while the husband waited in the kitchen.
After only 5 min. the pastor walked into the kitchen and said, “pour
me one!”]
Marriage is
supposed to be a taste of heaven here on earth!
You should be a better person because you’re married to them!
And Jesus brings joy to our lives, but the question is, is His
kingdom better because YOU are a part of the bride?
Are you walking in joy?
Many believers look like they got baptized in pickle juice! 4. This also should tell us about the permanence of both! How long is eternity? [Marriage is an eternal bond / marriage is for life] That’s the analogy of a marriage…
II.
The Array of the
Bride.
v. 7
The
Bride will be beautiful. I’ve done a number of
weddings, but I’ve never done one where the bride was not beautiful [except
the smoking one I have told you about…I’ve known only 2 ugly women in my
lifetime…and she was both of them!]
But even SHE was at her very best that day! We, the church, are the
bride of Christ. Eph. 5:25…
Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That
he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot,
or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without
blemish. Joke—couple and their son
went to town for first time in their lives, had never seen skyscrapers and
traffic, and the wife went to the restroom while the man and son were in the
lobby of their hotel. They had
never seen an elevator before, and now the man sat mesmerized by one.
The son watched his dad stare for a few minutes, and finally asked
him why. The dad said, I’ve
seen 4 ugly women go thru those doors, lights and bells go off, then hotties
get off...quick, go find your mother! We need to prepare for
this marriage, and go thru
4
beauty treatments before the big day!
*Justification:
inner beauty [at salvation]
*Sanctification
by:
·
Scriptures = “washing of
water by the Word”
·
Supplication
= prayers of repentance
·
Suffering
= we don’t like this one as much, but He
uses it to knock off the rough edges sometimes / conform us to image of
Christ / it is on the fires of suffering that the dross is removed! Examples: Moses on backside of
desert / David running for his life from king Saul like an animal / Peter
being sifted like wheat / Paul being beaten, stoned, imprisoned…anyone used
greatly of God has been sanctified by God, partly thru suffering. 3rd
treatment:
*glorification—a
new body!
[at rapture] 4th:
Then there’s the actual
*consummation
at the judgment seat of Christ / our one on one interview w/ Jesus
Christ, where we will be judged / rewarded, much will be burnt up by fire!
[on the positive side:
all our faults and failures will
also go up in smoke!
The final beauty treatment is over, and we will be presented to the
bridegroom w/out spot or blemish!]
analogy of marriage / array of the bride…
III.
The Accompaniment at the
Supper.
v. 9
The
Guests will be glad. Who are these guests who
are called, they are not the bride. Who has already been mentioned?
Those saved before church age?
There is a distinction in Scripture between OT saints and those saved
during the church age…OT saints are never called the bride of Christ. John the Baptist called
himself the friend of the bridegroom.
[trying to convince the people he’s not the Christ] Jn. 3:29 He that hath the bride is
the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth
him, rejoiceth greatly because of the
bridegroom's
voice: this my joy therefore
is fulfilled. John was part of the OT
dispensation…a friend of groom, not the bride! Makes Jesus’ words later
make more sense:
Lu 7:28
For I say unto you, Among
those that are born of women
there
is not a
greater prophet
than John the Baptist:
but he
that
is
least in the Least in the church age?
Perhaps! Greater in
privilege…not greater in stature or character.
We are greater in privilege to be a part of the bride of Christ! Abraham will be at the
supper, but won’t be part of the bride Jacob / Isaac / Daniel /
Isaiah / Moses, etc.
They will rejoice and have their own privilege, but they are
different and probably seated accordingly!
The
food will be fabulous. How privileged are
we!…Especially to be able to sit w/ some like these…we will be in great
company!
IV.
The Awe of John.
v. 10
John is so caught up in all he’s seeing, that he falls at the feet of
this angel showing him these things, and begins worshipping.
The angel has a tone of “we’re both gonna get in trouble!”
John commits the mother of all social blunders:
giving worship to anyone other than God Almighty.
Would to God that when someone kneels and kisses the pope’s ring he
would say, stand up and worship God only!
Even Mary would say, get up!
Worship is reserved for God alone!
V.
The Announcement of the
Groom.
At most weddings you sing,
Here Comes the Bride…but not at this one! v. 7
‘give honor to him’
The
Groom will be glorified. We make the groom enter
the “side” door / dress in black / just stand there and look stupid! / no
cameras flash and there’s no song for him / nobody stands up for him…he just
walks out and everyone yawns and looks at their watch!
But when the bride enters it’s to her own special song about her /
flashbulbs erupt / everyone stands. IN heaven, it’s all about
the groom…He’s the one worthy!
No one will sing how great I am, but [thou art].
v. 10
When cults look at prophecy they look at all the things that
may happen, but not necessarily the focus.
[v. 10b—Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.] Let’s look for the person of prophecy, not the particulars! Everyone here will attend
a supper…hopefully this one of the Lamb, not the one in v. 17 [read] “The
Supper of the Great God”
What is referred to in Mt. 24 / Lk. 17 about one being taken and the
other left is not about the rapture, and not the supper you wanna be at…in
other words, you wouldn’t want to be the one taken [actually either one, for
it would mean you were present at Armageddon!] Mt. 24:28
28 For
wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Blood running as deep as
horses’ bridles for 200 miles! / will take 7 months to bury the dead / so
angel invites birds of air to join in disposing of all the flesh! v. 21
Scary, but not if saved!
What a wonderful wedding
is the Marriage of the Lamb!
Beautiful pictures will remain framed for all eternity…the pictures of
marriage: The love / communion / joy
of this marriage are eternal in nature, and will never fade or crack!
The white garments He’s made us worthy of won’t have to be vacuum
sealed, and can be worn all the time as more than a memory, but a reality! The analogy of marriage / the array of the bride… / also, the accompaniment at that supper table / the awe…at the announcement of the real guest of honor, the host, the groom! The Lamb slain from foundation of the world, our Father, our Savior, our friend, our bridegroom of the ages, Jesus Christ!
Grace Notes Sermon Ministry:
NOTICE! Our sermons are free to download, copy and paste, edit and use as you see fit...but only our free subscribers get the newest messages, featured sermons, and some free gifts we shower on them from time to time! Help keep this service free by recommending it using the links above the sermon
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