Fulfilled Love

Introduction

This morning we come to the end of our study of what it means to be the Bride of Christ. We’ve looked at Ephesians 5:22-30 and considered Paul’s metaphor of the relationship between the husband and the wife is like that of Christ Jesus and His bride, the church.

Like a marriage, Christ, as the husband does much for His bride:

We saw what has done of us as His bride.

We also saw what He is constantly doing for His bride.

Next, we’ve looked at what His bride does in response to what He has done and what He is constantly doing: we submit to Him. We do this by:

Being devoted to Him.

Showing faithful love to Him.

Through service to Him and His church.

This morning we are going to look at one final important aspect of Christ’s love for His bride and His bride’s submission to Him. It’s not necessarily found in the Ephesians text we’ve looked at, but it follows along the path of the metaphor of the love of the bridegroom for His bride that Paul uses in Ephesians.

I’m calling it a fulfilled love. What do I mean by that?

Just as we’ve seen with Christ and His church, in a marriage relationship we see the need for devotion to one another; to faithful love; and to serving one another. But, we also see a fulfillment of the hope that comes in that relationship.

I’ve never met a couple who wants to get married who says to me: I really hope we get married, stay married for a few years, fight a bunch, mistreat each other, then have a messy divorce that causes deep-seated emotional damage to the both of us.

No, when couples get married they have a hope that it will bring them the fulfillment they are looking for that can only come through the intimacy of a marriage covenant between a husband and wife.

So, the fulfillment is really about the hope that we have that the marriage will be all we imagined it would be at the outset (and even more).

In a marriage, the fulfillment of that hope comes only through time together. It’s something that grows and develops with time. And while there are always frustrations, disappointments and a need to readjust our expectations, many couples who have been married for a long time will say that the relationship not only fulfilled the hope we had for it, but often times it fulfilled more than we expected!

But that fulfillment doesn’t come cheap. There are no shortcuts and there will be pain and hardships.

I vividly remember the day my grandmother Marie died...

Unfortunately, when it comes to our human relationships they don’t always work out as we planned. This is especially true when it comes to the marriage relationship. And that’s where the metaphor falls short of the relationship between Christ and His bride; because when it comes to the bride of Christ, our hope will be fulfilled beyond all we could hope for or imagine!

We have a glimpse of this in the Revelation of Jesus. Turn to Revelation 19.

Body:

Context

The Revelation of Jesus Christ...

Not simply a road map to the end times...

Different interpretations…keeping an open mind…learning from all four major interpretations...

I’m only dipping my toe in chapters 19 & 21 this morning and next week... I’m going to and focus most of my attention on the fulfillment that is ours in Christ.

At some point in the future I’ll preach through this section and go more in-depth; but not this morning.

Major message of Revelation in it’s simplest form...

Up to this point, Revelation has painted a troubling picture for the world separate from Christ.

Now, we see the future of the bride of Christ, His church. The hope that the persecuted and mistreated bride finally comes to it’s realization…and it is very good!

Revelation 19:6-9

We see a heavenly worship scene in which all the heavenly choirs and redeemed sing out praises to God.

This worship has a couple of focuses:

That God reigns over all as the Almighty...

Flood of the Snohomish River...

God is mighty above all, and thus is worthy of all worship.

This was especially important for believers under persecution to hear because they were powerless over their circumstances.

They are encouraged here to remember that our God is even more powerful than those in power right now.

Therefore, He deserves all praises.

This is why, I believe, our worship today must be God-centric...

That the marriage supper of the Lamb has come.

Thus, our great hope as believers is our eternal union with Christ, not our circumstances.

Notice in verse 8 that the bride clothes herself in part by her righteous deeds.

The saints do not clothe themselves with white garments of salvation (often likened to a robe). This linen (likely undergarments) is what we put on by righteous deeds.

This is a call for right living.

What specifically are the righteous deeds of the saints? The text doesn’t say, specifically. However, throughout Revelation we find that it is all of the following:

Faithfully bearing testimony of one’s faith in Christ;

Living morally upright lives (especially in the area of rejection idolatry and sexual purity);

Not turning from the faith in the face of persecution.

Each day we go about the business, as believers, of sewing our wedding garment.

In verse 9 we find that true blessedness, true joy, does not come from our earthly circumstances, but from the invitation we received to take part in the marriage supper of the Lamb!

Some commentators believe there is a distinction between the bride and those invited. They would suggest that those invited represent the Old Testament saints.

The problem with this idea is that John often switches between metaphors for the same people. For example, he calls Jesus the Lamb but also the Shepherd. Here, the church is both the bride and the invited guests.

“Because human history began with a meal eaten without God, it is only fitting that history will end with God’s church, typified as a bride, eating a glorious meal with Jesus Christ, her groom.”

All this reminds believers that we are the bride of Christ today, but the full union with Christ will happen at some point in the future.

In theology we call this a “already/not yet” situation…

What happens after this?

((Pick up here next week…give the homework of reading Revelation 19-20.))

Revelation 21:1-4

After all the images of Revelation have come to pass, fallen history ends with God making all things new.

Much of John’s picture here goes beyond our understanding. But, there are some different interpretations of this section:

Literal interpretations see these verses representing a literal material universe, coming after the Second Coming of Christ and His final victory.

Symbolic interpretations believe these verses speak symbolically of the merging of Heaven and earth.

Spiritual interpretations believe these verses represent the New Covenant of the church replacing the Old Covenant of Israel.

Which is right? We won’t really know this side of glory. And that’s not really the point any way.

What’s the point, then?

This passage, like all of Revelation, is a call to overcome.

Consider what the people in the seven churches of Asia Minor were facing. After them, consider what the church faced for the first three hundred years of her existence. And after that, consider trials and tribulation that the church has historically faced. Even today, many of our Christian brothers and sisters face torture and death in parts of our world for their Christian testimony.

In that light, the encouragement from Heaven is clear: by faith, overcome!

My encouragement with Revelation is to try interpreting these passages in that light, and see what you get.

Now that sin and death has been conquered God reverses the Fall in Eden by making or remaking that which in the last passage “flew away.”

Does this mean a renovation of the old earth, or a complete remaking?

It’s probably a complete remaking, yet that isn’t really the point.

The point is relational. Meaning, humanity will have a renewed existence with God, where Satan and sin no longer have dominion.

This is why it so hard for us to grasp this image; because we have no frame of reference for an existence without sin.

Why is the sea no more? (I like the sea!)

Again, not really the point. For Israel, the sea represented danger and death, but it also represented the lost world.

The old order will be done away with. Why?

Because God would now create a dwelling place for His people with Him.

Whether this is literally a new city, or representing the picture of God’s bride the church forever dwelling with Him, no one can really say for sure.

But the point is, God Himself has prepared a place for his people to dwell with Him forever.

For a community that was disposed and mistreated, this is again a call to overcome. Meaning: “Yes, you are a people without a home right now…but the home God has prepared for you is greater than you could ever imagine.

Everything we see about God’s dwelling with man points to a wonderful relationship, beyond the limitations we face today:

Fellowship unhindered by human sin.

True safety and security under God’s perfect protection.

Don’t miss this: The word “people” should actually be translated “peoples.”

This points to a diverse people, not just Jews but all kinds of people from all different ethnicities.

A beautiful tapestry of people!

This is another reminder that racism has no place in Christ’s church because it has no place in His kingdom!

An interesting question comes up about verse 4:

Some have suggested that this means we will not recall times we failed, loved ones we lost, or the pains we’ve experienced in life, since that would introduce sadness.

However, I take a different spin on it. I think we will recall those, but we will see them from a different perspective. We will look to them and see how God’s grace worked in, through and sometimes in spite of our failures. That is a greater source of joy!

Revelation 21:5-8

Sin has become so entrenched in the world, that God must make all things new to remove sin forever.

But the focus here should be seen as redemption of the relationship between God and man, not just simply doing away with that which is old.

And this is so important that it must be passed on: thus, God Himself tells John to write it down so others will know.

Again, it’s a call to overcome. Why overcome?

Because God Himself is breaking into history to renew that which sin defiled.

Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last. It’s a way of saying “the entirety.” It’s a picture of completeness.

Verse 6 is one of the great verses of hope in Revelation:

“To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

This is a picture of being satisfied:

When you are thirsty all you want is to be refreshed with something to drink.

And when that drink doesn’t cost you anything, it’s even better!

John MacArthur – “Heaven belongs to those who, knowing their souls are parched by sin, have earnestly sought the satisfaction of salvation and eternal life.”

Verse 7 brings the focus back to the warning: keep the faith in the midst of persecution and trials.

John saw true believers as those who endured hardship and did not turn from God in the midst of those hardships.

There is another side to the warning, of course.

All of these point to those who’s faith failed in the midst of hardships.

Revelation 21:9-21

As always, scholars on Revelation interpret these verse differently depending on their interpretive perspective, but the important point is this: Someday all of God’s people will dwell with Him in a perfect paradise.

The Bride or the New Jerusalem?

John doesn’t make a strong distinction here; the New Jerusalem is more than a city, it is a people: God’s people.

Today much focus is placed on the city of Jerusalem for its historical significance, its religious significance for three major world religions, and its political significance as one of the most fought over places on earth. However, in the New Jerusalem, the significance is relational. Namely, it is the very picture of God’s eternal relationship with His people.

We see almost a blending of the two here because the focus isn’t location, but being related to God and dwelling with Him forever.

Another way to put it is: do you really care where you are if you are in the very presence of God?

Images John saw:

Holy City of God –

Much of this imagery comes from Ezekiel 40-48…though not exactly the same…

Jasper is likely diamond, not what we know as jasper…

Great High Wall –

I’ll talk about the wall when we get the verses 15-21…

Twelve Gates –

The number 12 is used 21 times in Revelation, and 7 in this chapter alone! To the Jews it represented completion.

Twelve names of Israel are there as a reminder that, through Israel, God made a way for the nations to enter into the City of God; namely through the Lamb of the tribe of Judah.

The gates on many sides show the access of all the believers, regardless of ethnicity.

Luke 13:29 ESV

And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.

Twelve Foundations –

Foundation stones. The point being that the apostles were the foundation stones for the church, which Christ Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone and capstone.

Measuring rod –

Why measuring?

Literalists say to show it is a real location…

Symbolists say show the enormous size, suggesting plenty of room.

In this argument, I tend to side with the symbolist…but it’s not a hill I’ll die on either. Heaven is real, and I’m going because I’ve trusted Jesus. That’s enough for me on that arugment!

12,000 stadia – roughly 1,500 miles

If we take this to be a literal cube, then it is almost two million square miles of ground space. That’s roughly equivalent to Australia.

As with the other visions within Revelation, the point is not whether it is a literal 1,500 miles or not. The point is, today much separates God’s people; from Him and from each other. In Heaven that separation does not exist.

Is the 144 cubits wide or high?

It would be 216 feet either way.

We don’t know. Not really the point either.

The point is the safety and security God’s people will enjoy forever with Him.

Building materials –

While John’s vision sounds quite literal (he is very specific about what he is seeing) we also must realize that the splendor and beauty of Heaven will far exceed anything we could hope for or imagine.

It’s like nothing we could every remake on earth. Only God could make something this incredible!

Jewels –

The jewels are difficult for us to identify today, because the names of many are different for us than them.

Eight of them were related to the High-Priest’s breastplate.

All pointing to the splendor: splendor worthy of God’s majesty!

Twelve Pearls –

Pearls held the highest rank among precious stones to the ancients.

Pearls are made when a rough grain of sand irritates the tissues of an oyster, which causes it to secrete a substance that transforms the source of irritation into a pearl.

Thus, this may be a reminder to the saints of the challenges that God brought them through to bring them to this wonderful place.

It’s the idea of seeing our challenges from a different perspective than we did before.

Revelation 21:22-27

What is the significance of there being no temple in the city?

The entire city is now a temple to God!

He is the Lord God Almighty, dwelling with His people!

“Lord God the Almighty” is one of the most important titles in Revelation because it is a reminder that God is in control, even when it might not seem like it.

Sam Storms – “The fullness of God’s presence among his people necessarily demands the banishment of any and all forms of suffering associated with the old creation…in the new creation God’s presence will abide in and with his people.”

I believe this was especially important to any Jews in John’s audience. The Jewish nation saw their blessings very much tied into the location of the temple and the worship therein. For followers of Christ, however, blessing should been seen in relationship to and with God.

The greatest blessing in Heaven is unhindered access to God. Pure, sweet fellowship is beyond any material blessings one might imagine.

Continually open gates –

There are no more dangers and all who would trust are welcome to enter into God’s kingdom through faith in Christ.

Purity –

Those not written in the Lamb’s book of life are never welcome, thus the New Jerusalem is completely pure, as Eden was before the Fall!

So What?