The Bride Waits, Works and Remembers

For the past few months I have encouraged us to think about the Church in the way the Bible describes her in several places:

As the Bride of Christ

The scripture I have read multiple times that reminds us that the Church is the Bride AND that makes us long for the wedding supper of the Lamb:

Revelation 19:7–8 (NASB95) “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to [God], for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. [that is US!]” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

This metaphor, that describes the church as the Bride of Christ, will be illustrated in tonight’s video, Before the Wrath.

Pre-Wrath Rapture

Just a real quick disclaimer

Just because the movie is called, Before the Wrath, doesn’t mean that I personally am looking for the coming of the antiChrist.

I say it that way because

Technically, a Pre-wrath view of the Rapture of the church, believes the Rapture, the “catching away” will happen at the mid-point of the tribulation, at the Abomination of Desolation when the antiChrist sets himself up in the Temple (that doesn’t exist), in the Holy of Holies as God.

I am not focused on that event.

If you are, that is fine.

You have a much more precise understanding of the timing of the Rapture.

AND, you will be a Prepper — buying survival food, ammunition, etc.

Some of which we ALL need to do no matter what. Have you paid attention?

We need to be ready, at least in the short-term, for natural disasters, governmental failures and the like.

Pre-Tribulation Rapture

I, on the other hand, am looking for the coming of Jesus in a pretribulation Rapture.

This has been the 110 year-old belief of the AG.

The organization through which I am ordained.

Even in the AG there are many eschatological beliefs, but a pretribulation belief is traditional AG eschatology.

That said, I am really less concerned about AG opinions and more about what the Bible says.

But to be clear, thankfully, the AG has in the past and continues to do in the present, base its eschatology and theology on the Word of God.

Some of that eschatology is expressed in…

Mark 13:28–37 (NASB95) [Where Jesus said] “Now learn the parable from the fig tree [thought to be a prophetic metaphor for the nation of Israel]: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 “Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He [Jesus] is near, right at the door. 30 “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. 32 “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. [When Jesus was on this earth, He willingly emptied Himself of that knowledge] 33 “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. 34 “It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. 35 “Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’ ”

It’s kind of hard to not know the day or the hour when you know who the antiChrist is, you see the miraculous rebuilding of a Temple in Jerusalem, and a one-world government established under the dictatorship of said antiChrist.

You KNOW the Abomination of Desolation is going to occur. You can fairly accurately even point to the day it will happen.

As I say, I personally am not looking at the political situation, a rebuilt Temple or the antiChrist. I’m looking for Jesus:

Titus 2:11–14 (LSB) For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, [the Rapture] 14 who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all lawlessness, and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works.

1 Corinthians 1:4–7 (NASB95) I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Philippians 3:20–21 (NLT) But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

Looking, awaiting eagerly, eagerly waiting FOR JESUS!

Timing Irrelevant, IF …

All that said, it seems to me, that our understanding on the exact timing of the Rapture is unimportant, maybe even irrelevant,

As long as we believe in, are looking for and working towards the return of the Bridegroom.

Jesus told us about His return to give us, His Bride, hope.

As I read in Titus 2:13, Jesus coming is our BLESSED Hope.

Because of that HOPE we work towards the coming of Jesus.

Thursday is the 4th of July — it should remind the Bride that resides in the U.S. to pray and work for the salvation of the people of this country.

Even in the darkness we can labor in HOPE.

The Worldview Magazine: Vietnam

Planting seed (page 32)

Secondly, the timing of the Rapture is less important than OUR ALWAYS BEING READY FOR HIS COMING — whenever it is.

AND, thirdly, the timing of the Rapture is less important than our LIVING FOR JESUS — NO MATTER WHAT is going on in the world.

Because they may not be THE antichrist, but there are plenty of antiChrists amongst us.

And not only that, according to 1 John 4:3 (LSB) … every spirit [lower case “s”] that does not confess Jesus [is come in the flesh (from Vs.2)], is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

The primary value and point of tonight’s movie is to ILLUSTRATE the teachings of Jesus concerning the church and His coming.

Jesus Himself compares His church with being His Bride.

He speaks of the Church using wedding metaphors.

The Lord’s Supper

Part of the wedding metaphor even spills over into our partaking of the Lord’s Supper together this morning.

As we will see in the movie tonight, in the Jewish culture, in a Galilean wedding…

When it was time for a man and woman to marry, the fathers would negotiate a wedding proposal

Such a proposal would include the price the bride ‘s family would be paid.

This acknowledged that the bride would be a precious loss to her family.

And, it would provide for the Bride if the groom should die — something WE will never have to worry about.

As Hebrews 7:25 says: Jesus EVER, ALWAYS lives…

But this agreement, including price that the father of the groom paid to the father of the bride…

Was sealed with a drink of wine.

So, after the proposal was read and an agreement was reached, the prospective groom would take a cup of wine that his father had brought, drinking from it and offering it to the woman, symbolically saying that he wanted to make a covenant with her and that he would be willing to give his life for her.

Which Jesus, OUR Bridegroom did.

If the woman accepted the proposal she would seal the engagement by drinking from the same glass. From that moment on she was referred to as one who had been “bought with a price” .

To whet your appetite for the movie tonight, here is a clip that illustrates what I am talking about.

VIEW “BEFORE THE WRATH” CLIP

As Christ took the cup of wine, during the last supper, as He took it in His hands, we read in:

Luke 22:17–18 (LSB) And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 “For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”

I’m sure that his disciples recognized the imagery of the marriage proposal.

The groom offering the cup to the one he hoped would be his future bride, symbolically saying that he wanted to make a covenant with her and that he would be willing to give his life for her.

And as the disciples accept the cup from Him, they are, in effect sealing the engagement, signaling their acceptance of and their commitment to Him.

As the disciples understand this, they begin to understand the depths of Jesus’ love…

A love so deep that He made a covenant with them and was willing to give His life.

That was the bride price-

the price He had to pay for us-

He gave His life-

His body and His blood.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 [Asks]“Or do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

So, let’s glorify God in our bodies, by partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

By renewing our wedding vows to Him.

PREPARATION

Before we do this, let’s make sure we are ready — emotionally and spiritually.

1 Corinthians 10:14–17, 21 (NLT) So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15 You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. 16 When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. 21 You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too.

1 Corinthians 11:26–31 (NLT) … every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until He comes again. 27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. 31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.

Spiritually, through confession and power of the Blood of Jesus, we separate from idolatry and sin.

Emotionally, we ask the Lord to help us be mindful and serious about what we are doing.

PRAYER

Distribution of Elements:

Becky comes…

Worship Team comes...

You don’t have to be a member to partake of The Lord’s Supper with us.

Are you in right relationship with Jesus?

Have you asked the Lord to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness?

If you have, let’s sing a song that reminds us of the work to be done as you come to receive and HOLD the elements so we can all partake together.

World Needs Jesus

BREAD

Matthew 26:26 (LSB) Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it. And giving it to the disciples, He said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Cynthia Broadhead will pray over the bread

End prayer with prayer from Seder:

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who brings forth bread from the earth.

Partake together.

CUP

Matthew 26:27–28 (LSB) And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

(Ron Broadhead) will pray over the cup.

End prayer with prayer from Seder:

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Partake together.

JESUS IS COMING AGAIN

1 Corinthians 11:26 (LSB) For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.

Are we laboring for Jesus?

I’ll go where You want me to go.