Jesus: Bridegroom
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26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” 27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28 “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. 30 “He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 “What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 “He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34 “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. 36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
The Bridegroom of the Bride
He who has the bride is the bridegroom (John 3:29).
Who is Jesus to us?
First of all, do we see ourselves as a part of the Bride of Christ — His church?
Because scripture is very clear, the Bride is the Church of Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ Church is the Bride and His Bride is the Church — inseparable.
We cannot separate ourselves from the church and be part of the Bride.
And Jesus cannot be our Bridegroom if we are not part of the church — the Bride.
The local church, little “C,” is part of the big “C” Church — it is the Bride of Jesus.
If you don’t love the local church — and if you can’t find a local church — shame on you — you are not looking.
In a county with over 80 churches, there has to be at least one, if not several churches, of which you can be a part — if you are willing.
Ah!
There’s the rub — we have to be willing to let go of our own selfish prerogatives in order to be a part of a local bODY.
We have to do what says:
Philippians 2:3–4 (NASB95) Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
If we can’t be a part of the local church because none of them are “right” for us — again shame on us!
May we get down on our knees until the Holy Spirit conforms us to the image of Christ to the degree that we CAN be a part of a local church.
And then may we continue to pray until the Holy Spirit leads us to a local church in which we can be a part.
The One who has the Bride is the Bridegroom.
As Charles Rolls says it:
The Son of God became the Son of man, our near kinsman (Book of Ruth); so that by identity of life and integrity of love, He might redeem and raise up His Bride, the Church, to share the intimacy and immortality of an eternal union with Himself.
The Bridegroom invites His bride to “sup” with Him. To feast with Him at His banqueting table.
7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 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. 9 Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”
But if we are NOT a part of the Bride it makes sense that we are not invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb — and Jesus is NOT our bridegroom.
May the Holy Spirit lead us to the place where we look at Jesus and say:
“Jesus, I am a part of the Bride, You are My Bridegroom.
“I am looking forward with great desire to sit down with you at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
“As you say in Rev.19:9 I am BLESSED to be invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
“Lord, may I become more and more like that Bride you are looking for, described in Ephesians 5:26-27. A Bride that is:
Sanctified, set apart from the world
That is cleansed by the washing of the water of Your Word
A glorified church
A church without spot or wrinkle
Holy
Blameless