The Bride
John 3:27-30
To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less."
I have dreamed about my wedding day ever since I was little. I mean, what girl hasn't. I know what flowers I want gracing the front of the church, stately, yet graceful. I have the vision of the colors blending together to paint a beautiful canvas to which my groom and I will be the centerpiece. I have thought of the position of every candle, petal, and piece of lace. Shane and Shane will be serenading me straight down to the spot where I will marry the one I've waited for. The only thing I don't know about is that one moment when they open the door and my dad walks me down the aisle. I don't know how my heart will feel once I truly see the man that I love for the first time on that day I pledge to be his.
In Revelation 19:6-8, the picture is painted:
"Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,
like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of
thunder, shouting:
'Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.'"
The church is that bride, and we are currently in the process of making ourself ready. John talks about how the bride belongs to the bridegroom. The church belongs to Christ! Subsequently, "The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice." In other words, we, as Christian leaders, are the friend listening for the groom. It is as if we are the Best Man. But sometimes, being the Best Man comes with it's vices. We are given accolades, praises, and honor for the things that we do, and how good we do our job. Our ego is given full opportunity to swell, so much so that we forget our purpose. We are to point the bride of Christ towards their bridegroom so that He may be revealed. However, our pride, untamed, causes us to try to get in the way. Meredith Andrews Sooter said, "When we seek to get in the way of the bride looking to the bridegroom, we are robbing the bride of the greatest joy they have ever known." I know that on the day that I get married, that I would feel cheated and crushed if the first person that I saw when they openned that door was the best man, and he wasn't doign anything to point me to the groom. My desire is to see HIM, not the best man. I want to see my love. The one I waited for! Right? Of course! Likewise, I would be devistated if the first person my groom were to see would be my Maid of Honor. While we appreciate their support, and the generosity and kindness they show towards us, in the end, their love is not the same as the love between a man and his bride. It is the same way with our relationship with Christ. We long to see HIM! Our LOVE! The ONE we waited for! The love that Christ has towards His bride is deeper than any other earthly love we will recieve, and the relationship we have with Christ is different than any other relationship on earth.
Oh that we would never seek to be standing in the way of the bride looking at her Bridegroom! May we realize, that our lifestyle of worship MUST point people to Christ. He is their love, and He is the treasure they are looking for.
To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less."
I have dreamed about my wedding day ever since I was little. I mean, what girl hasn't. I know what flowers I want gracing the front of the church, stately, yet graceful. I have the vision of the colors blending together to paint a beautiful canvas to which my groom and I will be the centerpiece. I have thought of the position of every candle, petal, and piece of lace. Shane and Shane will be serenading me straight down to the spot where I will marry the one I've waited for. The only thing I don't know about is that one moment when they open the door and my dad walks me down the aisle. I don't know how my heart will feel once I truly see the man that I love for the first time on that day I pledge to be his.
In Revelation 19:6-8, the picture is painted:
"Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,
like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of
thunder, shouting:
'Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.'"
The church is that bride, and we are currently in the process of making ourself ready. John talks about how the bride belongs to the bridegroom. The church belongs to Christ! Subsequently, "The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice." In other words, we, as Christian leaders, are the friend listening for the groom. It is as if we are the Best Man. But sometimes, being the Best Man comes with it's vices. We are given accolades, praises, and honor for the things that we do, and how good we do our job. Our ego is given full opportunity to swell, so much so that we forget our purpose. We are to point the bride of Christ towards their bridegroom so that He may be revealed. However, our pride, untamed, causes us to try to get in the way. Meredith Andrews Sooter said, "When we seek to get in the way of the bride looking to the bridegroom, we are robbing the bride of the greatest joy they have ever known." I know that on the day that I get married, that I would feel cheated and crushed if the first person that I saw when they openned that door was the best man, and he wasn't doign anything to point me to the groom. My desire is to see HIM, not the best man. I want to see my love. The one I waited for! Right? Of course! Likewise, I would be devistated if the first person my groom were to see would be my Maid of Honor. While we appreciate their support, and the generosity and kindness they show towards us, in the end, their love is not the same as the love between a man and his bride. It is the same way with our relationship with Christ. We long to see HIM! Our LOVE! The ONE we waited for! The love that Christ has towards His bride is deeper than any other earthly love we will recieve, and the relationship we have with Christ is different than any other relationship on earth.
Oh that we would never seek to be standing in the way of the bride looking at her Bridegroom! May we realize, that our lifestyle of worship MUST point people to Christ. He is their love, and He is the treasure they are looking for.
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