The Bride of Christ Jesus is coming back for His bride. If that’s us, what that mean for us as the Church? We all like to go to a wedding, don’t we? Not all have the trappings of a full “white wedding” Lots of traditions that have built up around the ceremony It has great social significance even for people who don’t know or don’t care about the spiritual importance of a wedding. It’s “an occasion” Church is decorated with flowers Guests are dressed to the 9s Families and friends gather together Groom looking his absolute best to meet his bride Attended by his best man and maybe a couple of page boys. And the bride herself, pampered and readied for her great day, In her white bridal gown, her makeup and hair perfect beneath her modest veil, her dainty white shoes Attended by her bridesmaids It’s a very special day in society, in community. And it is a joining together of two people who want to become intimately joined, acknowledged by everyone to be together, known as a couple, treated by society as having that special status. Tax! It was the same for Jewish society, too. People in Jesus’ time had their own customs, rituals if you will. When God, when Jesus, when the Evangelists or Paul or others wrote about a wedding or a feast or a bride, everyone know in a moment that whole wedding scene.

The Bride of Christ Jewish wedding ceremony The Bride and the wedding guests Characteristics of the Bride Mature Bride as a Priest Choices Jewish wedding customs differ from ours today, they were different in Jesus’ time and very different when we go back to the time of Moses! So approach the picture differently! We will not spend a great deal of time on it, but we will pick out a few features relevant to our situation today as the Church, as we go on. ABRAHAM having travelled to the land God told him to live in, wanted a bride for his son Isaac. Story is in Genesis 24 1-4 God spoke to Abraham, about keeping His chosen people pure. Abraham sent back to his own people for his trusted servant (!) to choose a worthy bride for his son. There would have been a great price to pay. Lots of sheep and cattle and possessions – and in Jesus’ time, perhaps the value of a house. (tale from Syria?) Point is, the father of the groom pays a high price for her. Father God paid the highest price; the Bride is bought with the life of His son, Jesus! There is a great time of preparation before a wedding. Stage/hen night, grooming, hairdo etc etc. But longer in ancient times. READY, WISE, PURE, MATURE PREPAREDNESS is key – Matthew 25 1-12, ten virgins (bridesmaids to get bride ready) comes after a passage in the Bible about the Signs of the End of the Age! Matt 7:24, wise and foolish builders – build your house on a rock, prepare for storms but build to last! WISE can TEACH OTHERS – nation of priests. BRIDE – prepared, pure (unspoilt by the world), mature (ready for intimacy with her groom), ESTHER was in preparation for a year! BRIDE FROM AMONG GOD’S PEOPLE some are guests Whoever does what Jesus commands will be greatest in the Kingdom of God (My sheep know my voice / if you love Me, obey my commands

Jewish wedding ceremony Price to be paid Day and hour unknown Chuppah Celebration No-one knows the hour – either of the Second Coming, or of our own death! Either – both! – are bound to catch us unawares, off our guard. Either –or both! – may be a time of great testing. Wise or foolish virgins? Spoilt or unspoilt? Ready or no? Wise or foolish builders? Good foundations or no? Is our faith deeply grounded, or a flag of convenience? (ships; refugee converts) Hosea 4:6 “because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests: because you have ignored the law of your God, I will also ignore your children” Matthew 7:22 “Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Watch out for “big name” preachers – do they walk the talk? Who are they centred on? MATTHEW 25 31ff CHUPPAH – canopy over the wedded couple – togetherness of the bride and groom, intimacy, protection of the bride, Celebration!

The Bride & the Wedding Guests Preparation (adorning) Genesis 24 (bringing bride from family) 10 virgins (all invited) PREMEMBER picture of Church as the Bride of Christ is a picture, an image, an ASPECT of the relationship of Christ Jesus to His Church corporately, and so to us / NOT us! REPARATION – are we prepared, are we on that journey in keeping ourselves “set apart”, different from the world, seeking to know God more Bride will be DRAWN FROM God’s people; are we Bride, guest, or cast out? All are invited to participate; how intimate do we want to be with the Bridegroom? Master has prepared the Feast – some reject the invitation, so more are invited BUT we still have to make the effort

Characteristics of the Bride Holy Overcoming Obedient Priests and Kings

Choices Servant or Bride What can I do about it? Pray for God to show you Desire to make a difference in the world Accept His invitations to participate