BRIDEGROOM OF THE MARRIAGE-THE SON!
John 3: 27-30
Lesson #8
(V27) "John answered and said, 'A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.' "
(V27) At this time Jesus and His disciples had come into the land of Judea where He witnessed to Jerusalem, the rest of this verse is John describing the Lord proclaiming the good news of salvation.
(V28) "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him' "
(V28) John calls his disciples' attention to the fact that time after time he had told them that he was not the Christ, but was merely the voice of one crying in the wilderness preparing the way of the Lord and making His paths straight. (see Isaiah 40:3; Luke 3: 4)
(V29) "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."
(V29) The bridegroom was the Lord Jesus Christ. The friend of the bridegroom was John the Baptist ("the best man"). The bride does not belong to the friend of the bridegroom (John the Baptist), but rather to the groom Himself (the Lord Jesus). Because of that it was appropriate that the people follow Him rather than John. Generally speaking here, the bride means all who would become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(V30) "He must increase, but I must decrease."
(V30) Israel was spoken of as the wife of Jehovah in the Old Testament. Later on in the New Testament every one that is a member of Christ's church is described under the figure of a bride. So here in this verse John the Baptist declares that Jesus must increase and he must decrease.
Dear Reader, Are YOU ready for the Wedding of all Weddings??
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB: PART 2
HOST OF THE MARRIAGE - THE FATHER!
Lesson #7
Luke 14:16-24
(V16) Then said he unto him, "A certain man made a great supper and bade many:"
(V16) The certain man here is God who provided a great supper gratuitously and many guests were invited.
(V17) "And sent His servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, come: for all things are now ready."
(V17) When the meal was prepared, he asked his servant to tell the invited guests that everything was ready now. William MacDonald says on page 1426 of the Believers Bible Commentary (Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers), "This reminds us of the great fact that the Lord Jesus finished the work of redemption on Calvary, and the gospel invitation goes out on the basis of that completed work".
(V18) "And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused."
(V18) However all the guests consented to make ecuses. One asked to be excused because he must go see a piece of ground that he had bought.
(V19) "And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused."
(V19) Another had purchased five yoke of oxen and had to go and verify them.
(V20) "And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore cannot come."
(V20) The last excuse maker let it be known that he had married a wife and therefore could not come.
(V21) "So that servant came, and shewed his Lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind."
(V21) The servant returned and told his Lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, take it to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, and the crippled, and the limp, and the blind.
(V22) "And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room".
(V22) The servant told the Lord that he had done what was commanded of him and there was still room.
(V23) "And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled."
(V23) Then his Lord told the servant to go out into the highways and hedges and impel them to come in that his house may be filled.
(V24) "For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall tast of my supper."
(24) Then he tells his servant that none of those that were instructed would taste of his supper. Those no-shows were much like millions of people today who are spiritually dead, and many of those who once frequented the church have drifted so far from the shore that a church bell can't wake them up and a tugboat can't pull them in. Their conscience has been seared as with a hot iron till they no longer realize that the majority of their excuses are lies. There is a still penalty for liars (see Revelation 22:2). In constrast, every person that has answered the call by the gospel over the last 2000 years has found God's beautiful supper table loaded with grace, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.
Dear Reader, I hope and pray that you will take heed to the Father's call, and find your place at the table paid for by His Son. In closing, let me ask again, Are YOU Rapture Ready??
Lesson #7
Luke 14:16-24
(V16) Then said he unto him, "A certain man made a great supper and bade many:"
(V16) The certain man here is God who provided a great supper gratuitously and many guests were invited.
(V17) "And sent His servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, come: for all things are now ready."
(V17) When the meal was prepared, he asked his servant to tell the invited guests that everything was ready now. William MacDonald says on page 1426 of the Believers Bible Commentary (Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers), "This reminds us of the great fact that the Lord Jesus finished the work of redemption on Calvary, and the gospel invitation goes out on the basis of that completed work".
(V18) "And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused."
(V18) However all the guests consented to make ecuses. One asked to be excused because he must go see a piece of ground that he had bought.
(V19) "And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused."
(V19) Another had purchased five yoke of oxen and had to go and verify them.
(V20) "And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore cannot come."
(V20) The last excuse maker let it be known that he had married a wife and therefore could not come.
(V21) "So that servant came, and shewed his Lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind."
(V21) The servant returned and told his Lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, take it to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, and the crippled, and the limp, and the blind.
(V22) "And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room".
(V22) The servant told the Lord that he had done what was commanded of him and there was still room.
(V23) "And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled."
(V23) Then his Lord told the servant to go out into the highways and hedges and impel them to come in that his house may be filled.
(V24) "For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall tast of my supper."
(24) Then he tells his servant that none of those that were instructed would taste of his supper. Those no-shows were much like millions of people today who are spiritually dead, and many of those who once frequented the church have drifted so far from the shore that a church bell can't wake them up and a tugboat can't pull them in. Their conscience has been seared as with a hot iron till they no longer realize that the majority of their excuses are lies. There is a still penalty for liars (see Revelation 22:2). In constrast, every person that has answered the call by the gospel over the last 2000 years has found God's beautiful supper table loaded with grace, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.
Dear Reader, I hope and pray that you will take heed to the Father's call, and find your place at the table paid for by His Son. In closing, let me ask again, Are YOU Rapture Ready??
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