The Bride of Christ Lesson 5c (The Bridegroom: Preparation and Provision for Wedding)

Today we will continue looking at the fifth characteristic of the Bridegroom: Preparation and Provision.   

As I’ve stated, we are investigating the traditional Jewish wedding customs/ceremony as they were practiced in Biblical times. Today we will continue to look at part two: the time of preparation (the bride).    

Webster 1828 dictionary defines prepares as: To make ready; To set; to establish; To appoint.   

John 14:1-3, “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also.   

Revelation 19:7, Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. (NLT) 

The Bride’s Responsibilities During the Preparation 

Ephesians 5:27, and that He might present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. 

Jesus is coming back for a spotless bride. Our responsibility during this time of preparation (the time we are living in now!!) is to work to maintain our spotless gown (our life).  We will investigate 5 things that we can do to help keep us walking in holiness, prepared for our Bridegroom’s return.  We will us the acronym BRIDE as we look at each of our preparation responsibilities as the Bride of Christ. 

B –Be Filled with and Led by the Spirit (Walking in Anointing) 

Ephesians 5:18, Do not be drunk with wine, for that is reckless living. But be filled with the Spirit. 

Galatians 5:25, If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

Romans 8:14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. 

To “be filled with the Spirit” pictures a continual filling. We’re not filled once for all but filled constantly. Christians aren’t to be emptied of the Spirit to later become full again; rather they should constantly draw on the direction and energy of the Spirit. 

Consider the Mississippi or the Amazon. Much may be taken from them, but they do not run dry. The sources from which they come keep sending water down their course. These rivers illustrate the life of the Spirit-filled Christian. Jesus said, “He who believes in Me … out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). He did not speak of drops of blessings but rather rivers of living water. The supply’s never exhausted because it has its source in the Holy Spirit who is inexhaustible. This is a tremendous blessing and promise of God.i 

Being Spirit-filled is centered upon a continual process of spiritual growth and maturity that can only be found and cultivated by the Spirit of God. By submitting to this process, we glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed while being conformed to His image through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within and filling us continually.ii 

We must daily seek Holy Spirit to fill us with fresh oil (anointing).  

2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and established the guarantee with the Spirit in our hearts. 

Spiritual anointing with the Holy Ghost is conferred also upon Christians by God. (2 Corinthians 1:21) " Anointing "expresses the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit upon Christians who are priests and kings unto God.iii 

R- Remain Watchful 

Titus 2:13, as we await the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. 

The Lord is coming again; this supplies the motive for godly living in this present world. It is mentioned in almost every one of the New Testament books.iv 

Luke 19:13, And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 

Webster 1828 dictionary defines occupy as: To employ; to busy one's self. Every man should be occupied, or should occupy himself, in some useful labor. 

Being watchful does not mean just sitting around and waiting for Jesus to return.  Rather, it means to be busy about the King’s business while always remembering that Jesus could come back at any time.  

The return of Christ is always presented in Scripture as a great motivation to action, not as a reason to cease from action. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul wraps up his teaching on the rapture by saying, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:6, Paul concludes a lesson on Christ’s coming with these words: “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.” To retreat and “hold the fort” was never Jesus’ intention for us. Instead, we work while we can. “Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4).v 

I-Invest in Love 

John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

The most important instruction that Jesus left for the Eleven was this fresh, "new commandment"—to love one another. If their motive in following him had been to obtain a high place in the messianic kingdom, Jesus knew that the spirit of rivalry would disrupt their fellowship before they could accomplish his commission to them. The attitude of love would be the bond that would keep them united and would be the convincing demonstration that they had partaken of his own spirit and purpose. He had loved them without reservation and without limit and expected them to do the same.vi 

It was new because the Holy Spirit would empower believers to obey it. It was new in that it was superior to the old. The old said, “Love your neighbor,” but the new said, “Love your enemies.”vii 

For the first and only time in history, Jesus created a group whose identifying factor is love. Skin color doesn’t matter. Native language doesn’t matter. There are no rules about diet or uniforms or wearing funny hats. Followers of Christ are identified by their love for each other.viii 

Matthew 5:44-45, But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 

The distinguishing mark of Christians is their love for others.    

The fact that love is commanded shows that it is a matter of the will and not primarily of the emotions. It is not the same as natural affection because it is not natural to love those who hate and harm you. It is a supernatural grace and can be manifested only by those who have divine life.ix 

In closing, the responsibilities of the bride in preparation for the return of the bridegroom are: Being filled with and led by the Spirit, Remaining watchful, and Investing in Love.  Next week we will look at the last two responsibilities of the bride: Devotion to intimacy and Embracing holiness.   

Questions for reflection:            

1. Do I daily seek to be filled by Holy Spirit?        

2. Am I busy about kingdom business, while remaining watchful for the return of the Bridegroom?    

3. What kingdom business have I been called to fulfill during this time of preparation?      

4. Do I know how much I am loved by my Heavenly Father?  Am I allowing His love in/for me to radiate out to those around me? Am I choosing to invest my life in loving others?   

Note: All Scripture references are from the MEV unless otherwise specified.      

Works Cited:

i https://billygraham.org/answers/what-does-it-mean-to-be-filled-with-the-spirit 

ii https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holy-spirit/what-does-it-mean-to-be-filled-with-the-spirit.html 

iii Smith, William, Dr. "Entry for 'Anointing,'". "Smith's Bible Dictionary". . 1901. 

iv Halley's Bible Handbook with the New International Version, Copyright © 2000 by Halley's Bible Handbook, Inc. 

v https://www.gotquestions.org/live-lives-Christ-return.html 

vi Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament Copyright 2004. 

vii Believer's Bible Commentary Copyright © 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2016 by William MacDonald. 

viii https://www.gotquestions.org/love-one-another.html 

ix Believer's Bible Commentary Copyright © 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2016 by William MacDonald.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vision of the Lord’s Army

As I was praying this morning I saw a vision.  In my vision I saw a might, vast army marching shoulder to shoulder, row after innumerable row.  This army was marching from two places: Heaven and Earth.  As they marched, they were merging into one POWERFUL AND VAST ARMY. THE LORD’S ARMY!!! They were being led by a chariot of fire.  Next, I saw a battlefield strewn with bodies and the Lord’s army taking out the enemy forces left and right. Angels and men, linking arms and fighting back-to-back.  The slain were not from the Lord’s Army.   In the Lord’s Army, whenever a man was injured, his angel counterpart would lift him up and touch the wound bringing instant healing so he could resume his position in the battle.  The Lord spoke to me and said, “The human portion of the army is made up of my sold out, surrendered, obedient children who are willing to take a stand for righteousness.   They are workplace warriors, homemakers, neighborhood “...
Read more

Lessons From the Secret Place Special Edition – Intimacy- An Attitude of Gratitude

Webster’s 1828 dictionary says gratitude is an emotion of the heart, excited by a favor or benefit received; a sentiment of kindness or good will towards a benefactor; thankfulness.  God desires relationship and intimacy with us.  One way we can share intimacy with him is through thanksgiving.  When someone does something for me, no matter how great or small, I say, “Thank you” and try to return in kind.  That is how I was raised.  We show gratitude when others bless us. In our culture today, you can often tell which young adults, teens and children were/are being raised by Christian parents, by their level of gratitude.  Sadly, we have a generation of children who were/are being raised to think more of themselves than of others.  This breaks my heart because I know it breaks God’s heart.  Not only do many fail to be grateful for what God has done, many fail to acknowledge his existence at all, passing Christianity/the Word off as a myth or man-ma...
Read more

Lessons From the Secret Place - Lesson 1: God is calling us to a place of intimacy with Him.

I don’t know about you, but in my life, it seems like everywhere I turn the Lord is speaking about intimacy. I can be listening to music and the songs all have the message of time alone w ith God. Scott and I belong to multiple Bible Study groups, and they all seem to have a similar message these days: intimacy.  Even in our pastor’s messages of late, there is always some mention of time with God, receiving God’s love, knowing God’s heart for us...   I think there is a message that they L o rd is trying to convey to His Bride !   As I write this, I can hear Him saying, “I want to spend ti me with you.  I want to share my love, my heart, my strength, my peace, and my joy with you. I want to hear about your life, your hopes, your dreams, you r joys, and your struggles.  I want to be the first one you share with.  I desire to walk with you every day and to share in every high and low.  My plans for you are greater than you can even imagine, an...
Read more