WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.560
 Good morning, church. Would you turn with me to Revelation chapter 19.

00:00:06.660 --> 00:00:10.160
 We are continuing our series in the book of Revelation today,

00:00:10.519 --> 00:00:15.900
 picking up in chapter 19, looking at verses 1 through 10.

00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:22.640
 Last week, if you were here, we considered the fall of Babylon, the worldly city.

00:00:23.580 --> 00:00:29.160
 And in that chapter, we heard a call for followers of Jesus to make sure our

00:00:29.160 --> 00:00:34.820
 allegiance was not bound up with the broken structures of this world, but rooted in Christ our King.

00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:41.840
 We're called to be citizens of Christ, first and foremost, no matter what earthly city we find ourselves in.

00:00:43.120 --> 00:00:47.240
 And in our text today, as we kind of continue this same section of Revelation,

00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:51.280
 we'll hear the praise of heaven, glorifying God,

00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:57.799
 not just because the worldly city has fallen once and for all with all of its injustice and oppression,

00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:04.659
 but also glorifying God because of the glorious future He has in store for His redeemed people

00:01:04.659 --> 00:01:06.640
 and His redeemed creation.

00:01:07.060 --> 00:01:10.659
 So let me pray, and then I'll read this text for us.

00:01:10.859 --> 00:01:11.679
 Let's pray together.

00:01:14.459 --> 00:01:20.459
 Father in heaven, we do ask for the work of Your Holy Spirit to come

00:01:20.459 --> 00:01:26.879
 and to take these words that He has inspired and He has preserved

00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:31.899
 and He has used so often in Your church to build up the saints.

00:01:32.019 --> 00:01:35.859
 We pray that His work would continue today in our midst

00:01:35.859 --> 00:01:44.039
 and that above all, we would see Christ more clearly in His saving power and goodness and glory,

00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:50.400
 that our hearts might come to love Him and worship Him and serve Him all the more.

00:01:50.900 --> 00:01:54.040
 We pray this in Jesus' mighty name, Father. Amen.

00:01:55.100 --> 00:01:56.940
 All right, Revelation 19, 1 through 10.

00:01:56.940 --> 00:02:04.960
 After this, I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven crying out,

00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:10.639
 Hallelujah, salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

00:02:11.419 --> 00:02:14.879
 for His judgments are true and just.

00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.599
 For He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality

00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:21.939
 and has avenged on her the blood of His servants.

00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:27.139
 Once more they cried out, Hallelujah, the smoke from her goes up forever and ever.

00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:33.000
 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God

00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:36.620
 who is seated on the throne saying, Amen, Hallelujah.

00:02:37.939 --> 00:02:43.039
 And from the throne came a voice saying, Praise our God, all you His servants,

00:02:43.620 --> 00:02:45.960
 you who fear Him, small and great.

00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:51.420
 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude,

00:02:51.420 --> 00:02:57.500
 like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder crying out,

00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:02.420
 Hallelujah, for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:08.199
 Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory,

00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:14.639
 for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.

00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:20.780
 It was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure,

00:03:21.620 --> 00:03:25.520
 for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:29.600
 And the angel said to me, Write this,

00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:34.820
 Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

00:03:35.760 --> 00:03:39.420
 And he said to me, These are the true words of God.

00:03:40.420 --> 00:03:42.939
 Then I fell down at His feet to worship Him,

00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:45.879
 but he said to me, You must not do that.

00:03:45.879 --> 00:03:52.579
 I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus.

00:03:53.359 --> 00:04:00.019
 Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

00:04:03.019 --> 00:04:05.419
 So, when you think about eternity,

00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:08.840
 when you think about eternity, what comes to mind?

00:04:08.840 --> 00:04:14.060
 That is, when you think about kind of the ultimate future towards which all of creation is headed,

00:04:14.539 --> 00:04:18.259
 what does it look like or what does it feel like in your mind or in your imagination?

00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:24.939
 Because, you know, it matters, actually, what sort of future you believe in.

00:04:24.939 --> 00:04:31.740
 If the future is just a cold expansion of atoms into limitless space,

00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:34.600
 if that is ultimately where everything is headed,

00:04:35.540 --> 00:04:39.459
 you know, then perhaps you might be motivated to make the best use of the few years you have.

00:04:40.899 --> 00:04:47.139
 But that future ultimately leads to a very bleak and even meaningless approach to life now.

00:04:47.139 --> 00:04:51.939
 But what sort of picture does Scripture give us,

00:04:52.099 --> 00:04:57.199
 does the gospel give us, of the future God has in store for His creation and for His people?

00:04:58.219 --> 00:05:00.120
 Well, over the next couple of months,

00:05:00.159 --> 00:05:02.680
 that is much of what we are going to be considering in the book of Revelation.

00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:05.039
 How does the story end?

00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:07.079
 What does the last chapter look like?

00:05:07.740 --> 00:05:09.579
 Is it just the end?

00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:10.259
 Is it nothing?

00:05:11.939 --> 00:05:14.879
 Or is it, as C.S. Lewis put it so wonderfully,

00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:16.740
 at the end of his Chronicles of Narnia,

00:05:17.139 --> 00:05:20.139
 is it chapter one of an even greater story,

00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:23.339
 which no one on earth has read,

00:05:24.139 --> 00:05:25.279
 which goes on forever,

00:05:26.019 --> 00:05:29.659
 in which every chapter is better than the one before?

00:05:32.039 --> 00:05:38.060
 Well, chapter 19 gives us Revelation's first glimpse of this ultimate future.

00:05:39.219 --> 00:05:41.240
 And the first glimpse is pretty surprising.

00:05:41.740 --> 00:05:46.039
 The first taste that we get of the future that God has in store for His people

00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:47.980
 is the taste of a feast.

00:05:49.420 --> 00:05:51.319
 But not just any feast.

00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:53.460
 A wedding feast.

00:05:54.960 --> 00:05:56.879
 Look again at our text.

00:05:57.520 --> 00:05:59.680
 First, in verses one through five,

00:05:59.760 --> 00:06:02.240
 the heavenly host praises God for His justice

00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:05.879
 because the worldly city that's full of evil and idolatry has fallen.

00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:08.980
 Now, since we looked at the fall of Babylon last week,

00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:11.600
 we won't spend much time there in those first five verses today.

00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:14.540
 But then, in our text, in verses six through ten,

00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:17.379
 the heavens erupt into song for a second time.

00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:20.839
 And there's rejoicing and exultation.

00:06:21.659 --> 00:06:22.040
 Why?

00:06:23.459 --> 00:06:24.219
 Verse seven,

00:06:24.220 --> 00:06:30.760
 And in verse nine,

00:06:30.820 --> 00:06:40.600
 The ultimate future that God has in store for His people,

00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:42.800
 for His redeemed creation, is a feast.

00:06:44.180 --> 00:06:46.000
 But not just any feast.

00:06:46.220 --> 00:06:48.440
 Heaven is a wedding feast.

00:06:50.080 --> 00:06:51.420
 Heaven is a wedding feast.

00:06:51.420 --> 00:06:55.379
 Now, I want to do something a little different this morning

00:06:55.379 --> 00:06:58.140
 than what we typically do in our Sunday morning sermons.

00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.199
 Typically, as you know if you've been at Trinity,

00:07:00.640 --> 00:07:03.879
 we kind of walk piece by piece through a text

00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:06.200
 explaining and applying the main ideas as we go.

00:07:06.860 --> 00:07:08.740
 But rather than going verse by verse today,

00:07:08.740 --> 00:07:11.580
 I want to just pull this single thread

00:07:11.580 --> 00:07:16.360
 and see how the whole Bible contributes to this beautiful idea.

00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:20.000
 The story of the Bible from a very important angle

00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:21.740
 is the story of a wedding.

00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:24.980
 History culminates in a wedding feast

00:07:24.980 --> 00:07:26.600
 between God and His people,

00:07:26.699 --> 00:07:28.060
 between Christ and His bride.

00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:31.259
 So let's look at that story together,

00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:33.079
 and then after we've done that,

00:07:33.139 --> 00:07:35.360
 let's consider what difference it makes in our lives today.

00:07:36.040 --> 00:07:37.480
 So first, let's consider the story,

00:07:37.540 --> 00:07:40.160
 the biblical theme of marriage, of a wedding.

00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:43.120
 And you know, we might think of this theme in three parts.

00:07:43.939 --> 00:07:46.040
 In Scripture, we see the making of marriage,

00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:49.120
 and we see the marring of marriage,

00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:51.220
 but then we see something that we might call

00:07:51.220 --> 00:07:52.460
 the mystery of marriage.

00:07:53.560 --> 00:07:55.980
 Now, we read about the making of marriage.

00:07:56.420 --> 00:07:58.060
 We read about that earlier in the service,

00:07:58.140 --> 00:07:58.840
 in Genesis 2.

00:07:59.400 --> 00:08:01.340
 God creates the institution of marriage.

00:08:01.620 --> 00:08:04.400
 It's not something that humans originally came up with.

00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:07.160
 God brings male and female together

00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:08.800
 into a one flesh union,

00:08:08.900 --> 00:08:09.660
 into a covenant,

00:08:09.860 --> 00:08:11.120
 into a binding promise.

00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:15.340
 And that joining of male and female in marriage,

00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:17.500
 this union is meant to have priority

00:08:17.500 --> 00:08:19.280
 over all other relationships, right?

00:08:19.340 --> 00:08:21.780
 The narrator in Genesis puts it this way.

00:08:21.899 --> 00:08:22.060
 He says,

00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:24.319
 Therefore, a man will leave his father and mother

00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:26.040
 and hold fast to his wife,

00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:27.660
 and the two will become one flesh.

00:08:28.180 --> 00:08:29.560
 All other human relationships,

00:08:29.660 --> 00:08:30.300
 even to parents,

00:08:30.360 --> 00:08:33.279
 become secondary to this new thing made in marriage.

00:08:34.019 --> 00:08:35.899
 And the sense you get from Genesis 2

00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:39.360
 is that the making of marriage brings great joy, right?

00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:42.500
 The man exclaims upon seeing the woman,

00:08:42.919 --> 00:08:45.180
 This at last is bone of my bones

00:08:45.180 --> 00:08:46.659
 and flesh of my flesh.

00:08:47.220 --> 00:08:48.120
 At last!

00:08:49.080 --> 00:08:51.779
 There are words of joy, of surprise.

00:08:53.019 --> 00:08:56.180
 You know, the first attempts of human poetry

00:08:56.180 --> 00:08:58.060
 were right there in Genesis 2.

00:08:59.259 --> 00:09:00.860
 The first attempts of human poetry

00:09:00.860 --> 00:09:02.759
 were written in the wonder of love.

00:09:03.800 --> 00:09:05.759
 So, you know, when you feel romantic

00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:07.360
 and you want to start writing love poetry,

00:09:07.460 --> 00:09:09.080
 there's a deep human instinct there.

00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:10.040
 You can take part of.

00:09:12.139 --> 00:09:13.100
 At last!

00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:15.480
 Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.

00:09:17.100 --> 00:09:18.540
 But now, no sooner do we see

00:09:18.540 --> 00:09:20.440
 the making of marriage in the biblical story,

00:09:20.560 --> 00:09:22.580
 but we learn, too, tragically,

00:09:22.660 --> 00:09:24.460
 of the marring of marriage.

00:09:25.400 --> 00:09:26.200
 In Genesis 3,

00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:28.300
 sin enters the world through the first humans.

00:09:28.460 --> 00:09:30.160
 Adam and Eve disobey God,

00:09:30.259 --> 00:09:32.480
 and through sin comes the curse.

00:09:33.340 --> 00:09:34.620
 And it's not just their relationship

00:09:34.620 --> 00:09:35.900
 with God that's broken.

00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:39.459
 It's also their relationship with one another, right?

00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:43.860
 Because of sin, the joy and the union of marriage

00:09:43.860 --> 00:09:48.220
 will now be marred with strife and with discord.

00:09:49.500 --> 00:09:51.720
 And the sad history of humanity plays this out.

00:09:51.959 --> 00:09:54.699
 Marriages in Scripture and out are marked

00:09:54.700 --> 00:09:57.540
 by the tragic consequences of sin,

00:09:57.640 --> 00:10:00.420
 by selfishness and neglect and even violence.

00:10:01.680 --> 00:10:05.620
 The Bible is at times almost embarrassingly honest

00:10:05.620 --> 00:10:09.040
 about how broken human relationships in general

00:10:09.040 --> 00:10:12.160
 and human marriages in particular can become.

00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:15.399
 And it might seem like the story, then,

00:10:15.419 --> 00:10:16.299
 of marriage ends there.

00:10:16.379 --> 00:10:17.259
 It was a pretty short one.

00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:19.600
 It was made by God and then marred by sin.

00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:22.600
 But that's not the final chapter

00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:23.879
 that we see in Scripture.

00:10:25.259 --> 00:10:27.399
 As the story of Scripture progresses,

00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:29.719
 we see that there's also

00:10:29.719 --> 00:10:33.679
 an unfolding mystery to marriage.

00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:35.939
 And I use this word mystery

00:10:35.939 --> 00:10:37.860
 because it's one that the Apostle Paul uses

00:10:37.860 --> 00:10:38.959
 in Ephesians 5.

00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:41.660
 In Ephesians 5, Paul's talking about

00:10:41.660 --> 00:10:43.240
 how husbands and wives should love

00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:44.240
 and honor one another.

00:10:44.440 --> 00:10:46.980
 And then he quotes that verse we read earlier

00:10:46.980 --> 00:10:48.080
 from Genesis 2.

00:10:48.220 --> 00:10:50.320
 Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother

00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:52.060
 and hold fast to his wife,

00:10:52.460 --> 00:10:54.100
 and the two shall become one flesh.

00:10:54.139 --> 00:10:55.120
 And then he says this.

00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:59.420
 He says, this mystery is profound.

00:11:01.320 --> 00:11:04.000
 Marriage is a profound mystery, according to Paul.

00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:06.780
 And the word mystery there

00:11:06.780 --> 00:11:08.600
 has a bit of a technical meaning.

00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:11.060
 You know, it means more than just

00:11:11.060 --> 00:11:13.600
 sort of something that's tricky to figure out, right?

00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:15.180
 Like a Sherlock Holmes story.

00:11:15.860 --> 00:11:17.720
 No, for Paul, the word mystery

00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:22.480
 means a redemptive reality

00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:26.740
 that has only now fully come to light

00:11:26.740 --> 00:11:29.379
 because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

00:11:29.379 --> 00:11:33.159
 Something that was there all along,

00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:35.960
 but we didn't see it

00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:39.580
 until the day broke, as it were,

00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:40.879
 and sunlight flooded the room.

00:11:41.399 --> 00:11:42.559
 And then in the light of day,

00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:44.639
 the thing that was there all along

00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:46.039
 suddenly became clear.

00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:48.679
 That's what Paul means by mystery.

00:11:49.899 --> 00:11:52.240
 So what is this mystery of marriage?

00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:55.720
 What's the thing that marriage has been saying

00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:57.659
 for generation after generation,

00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:00.779
 but we didn't necessarily have the ears to hear it

00:12:00.779 --> 00:12:01.980
 or the eyes to see it?

00:12:04.259 --> 00:12:05.740
 Paul says the mystery of marriage

00:12:05.740 --> 00:12:06.899
 is that all along,

00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:09.779
 it referred to Christ and the church.

00:12:11.379 --> 00:12:13.720
 That from its institution in creation,

00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:17.440
 it always had a more profound significance.

00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:21.080
 It was a living signpost

00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:22.640
 in the middle of human history.

00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:25.740
 Marriage was like performative art all along,

00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:27.920
 enacting the story of the gospel.

00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:31.580
 And consider even the Old Testament,

00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:35.020
 you hear echoes there of this mystery.

00:12:36.900 --> 00:12:38.220
 There are echoes of this mystery

00:12:38.220 --> 00:12:39.680
 even in the Old Testament,

00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:40.660
 prefiguring the new.

00:12:40.780 --> 00:12:43.200
 Isaiah telling the people in exile,

00:12:44.100 --> 00:12:46.480
 your maker is your husband.

00:12:47.440 --> 00:12:49.280
 God commanding Hosea

00:12:49.280 --> 00:12:51.060
 to take back his faithful spouse

00:12:51.060 --> 00:12:52.520
 to demonstrate God's own love

00:12:52.520 --> 00:12:53.560
 for his wayward people.

00:12:54.020 --> 00:12:56.400
 The song of Solomon flowing with poetry,

00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:57.780
 I am my beloved's

00:12:57.780 --> 00:12:59.400
 and my beloved is mine.

00:12:59.880 --> 00:13:01.980
 And then you hear the central covenantal promise

00:13:01.980 --> 00:13:03.140
 of the whole Old Testament.

00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:03.720
 What is it?

00:13:03.760 --> 00:13:06.140
 What is the one thing that God keeps saying,

00:13:06.280 --> 00:13:08.140
 this is the core of my covenant

00:13:08.140 --> 00:13:09.000
 with you, my people?

00:13:09.060 --> 00:13:09.560
 What is it?

00:13:10.520 --> 00:13:11.660
 I'll be your God

00:13:11.660 --> 00:13:13.480
 and you'll be my people.

00:13:14.400 --> 00:13:15.900
 I'll give myself to you

00:13:15.899 --> 00:13:18.079
 and you'll give yourself to me.

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:21.899
 And then as the New Testament opens

00:13:21.899 --> 00:13:24.759
 and Jesus begins to teach

00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:26.159
 and to heal

00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:28.480
 and to forgive sins.

00:13:29.639 --> 00:13:30.860
 He's doing all this,

00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:33.319
 but the people are confused.

00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:35.459
 Jesus, they ask,

00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:37.199
 our religious leaders,

00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:39.259
 you know, they all say

00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:41.199
 that we should be fasting.

00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:43.740
 But you and your disciples,

00:13:44.020 --> 00:13:45.259
 you don't really seem to be fasting.

00:13:45.900 --> 00:13:47.300
 You seem to be feasting.

00:13:48.140 --> 00:13:49.640
 Your first miracle was turning water

00:13:49.640 --> 00:13:50.980
 into wine at a wedding feast.

00:13:51.180 --> 00:13:52.280
 What kind of religious leader are you?

00:13:53.980 --> 00:13:55.240
 And then Jesus says this.

00:13:56.860 --> 00:13:57.240
 He says,

00:13:57.420 --> 00:13:59.440
 can the wedding guests fast

00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:01.920
 while the bridegroom is with them?

00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:06.460
 Now, is Jesus just using

00:14:06.460 --> 00:14:07.480
 an illustration there?

00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:11.019
 Or is he uncovering the mystery?

00:14:13.060 --> 00:14:15.000
 The mystery that he is

00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:16.740
 the bridegroom.

00:14:16.899 --> 00:14:20.000
 He is the great divine husband.

00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:22.200
 Come for his beloved.

00:14:22.420 --> 00:14:23.460
 Come for his bride.

00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:25.420
 Come to get her back

00:14:25.420 --> 00:14:26.420
 from her waywardness.

00:14:26.800 --> 00:14:28.180
 Come to win her freedom.

00:14:30.560 --> 00:14:31.420
 That's certainly

00:14:31.420 --> 00:14:32.980
 what Jesus' apostles taught.

00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:34.899
 Paul will say

00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:36.240
 in 2 Corinthians 11

00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:37.180
 that when the Corinthians

00:14:37.180 --> 00:14:38.840
 heard the gospel and believed,

00:14:39.180 --> 00:14:40.779
 it was as if they were betrothed

00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:42.460
 to Christ as their true husband.

00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:43.240
 And again,

00:14:43.299 --> 00:14:44.159
 in 1 Corinthians 6,

00:14:44.259 --> 00:14:45.060
 Paul will say that

00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:46.039
 Christians are now

00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:47.759
 spiritually united to Christ.

00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:48.720
 They're one flesh

00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:49.519
 and one spirit with him

00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:50.440
 by faith.

00:14:52.340 --> 00:14:54.000
 So the mystery of marriage

00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:56.320
 is that human marriage

00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:57.419
 was always meant to be

00:14:57.419 --> 00:14:58.159
 a projection

00:14:58.159 --> 00:14:59.940
 of a greater divine reality,

00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:01.060
 the divine reality

00:15:01.060 --> 00:15:01.840
 of a Savior

00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:03.320
 who gives himself

00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:05.139
 sacrificially for his bride,

00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:05.740
 the church.

00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:07.340
 And of his church,

00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:09.139
 the bride that gives itself

00:15:09.139 --> 00:15:10.419
 willingly back to him.

00:15:13.019 --> 00:15:14.379
 And here in Revelation 19,

00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:16.180
 the mystery of marriage

00:15:16.180 --> 00:15:17.180
 reaches its fulfillment

00:15:17.180 --> 00:15:19.460
 in this feast of eternity.

00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:21.779
 The feast of eternity

00:15:21.779 --> 00:15:23.200
 will be the wedding feast

00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:24.360
 between Christ

00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:25.360
 and the church.

00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:27.759
 And notice again

00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:29.019
 how Revelation describes

00:15:29.019 --> 00:15:29.700
 Jesus here.

00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:31.659
 He's the Lamb,

00:15:31.659 --> 00:15:34.679
 the Lamb who was slain.

00:15:36.360 --> 00:15:38.240
 Is there any greater love story

00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:39.600
 than a lover

00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:41.339
 laying down their life

00:15:41.339 --> 00:15:42.360
 for their beloved?

00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:45.879
 You know,

00:15:45.899 --> 00:15:46.680
 when I was in high school,

00:15:47.100 --> 00:15:49.080
 the movie Titanic came out.

00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:51.740
 You know,

00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:54.279
 the one with Leonardo DiCaprio

00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:55.000
 and Kate Winslet?

00:15:55.580 --> 00:15:55.840
 You know,

00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:56.740
 you know that one, right?

00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:57.480
 Now,

00:15:57.500 --> 00:15:58.180
 when I was a high schooler,

00:15:58.259 --> 00:15:59.500
 I thought that was a dumb movie.

00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:00.560
 I thought that was really dumb.

00:16:00.800 --> 00:16:01.940
 I still kind of do, actually.

00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:04.659
 But at the end of the movie,

00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:07.180
 why does it grip us?

00:16:07.179 --> 00:16:08.559
 Why does it move us?

00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:12.359
 Because Jack is willing

00:16:12.359 --> 00:16:13.259
 to put himself

00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:14.759
 into the cold depths of the sea

00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:16.779
 so that Rose can stay safe.

00:16:19.139 --> 00:16:20.359
 He goes down

00:16:20.359 --> 00:16:22.059
 so that she can stay afloat

00:16:22.059 --> 00:16:23.379
 amidst what would otherwise

00:16:23.379 --> 00:16:24.339
 be certain death.

00:16:27.379 --> 00:16:27.819
 Friends,

00:16:27.899 --> 00:16:29.379
 the story of humanity

00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:31.759
 is the story of marriage.

00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:34.779
 Your story is the story of marriage.

00:16:34.819 --> 00:16:36.839
 No matter what your relational status is,

00:16:37.179 --> 00:16:39.299
 we're made by God.

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:41.439
 We're marred by sin.

00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:43.059
 God made us

00:16:43.059 --> 00:16:44.599
 to be united to Him in love,

00:16:44.739 --> 00:16:47.259
 to receive the poetry of His love

00:16:47.259 --> 00:16:49.299
 and to make our relationship with Him

00:16:49.299 --> 00:16:50.679
 the highest of our loves.

00:16:51.599 --> 00:16:53.019
 That's why we were made.

00:16:53.899 --> 00:16:55.359
 But we've marred it.

00:16:56.079 --> 00:16:57.639
 We've rejected His love.

00:16:57.719 --> 00:16:59.239
 We've rejected His rightful place

00:16:59.239 --> 00:16:59.979
 in our lives.

00:17:01.579 --> 00:17:03.459
 And our result of rejecting

00:17:03.459 --> 00:17:04.859
 our heavenly Creator,

00:17:05.019 --> 00:17:05.940
 our heavenly Lover,

00:17:05.940 --> 00:17:07.320
 the result of that rejection

00:17:07.320 --> 00:17:09.100
 is the curse of death.

00:17:10.620 --> 00:17:11.740
 How could it be otherwise?

00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:14.400
 If we cut ourselves off

00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:15.440
 from the source of life,

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.360
 what is left for us

00:17:16.360 --> 00:17:16.860
 but death?

00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:21.539
 But there's a mystery.

00:17:22.860 --> 00:17:24.600
 There's a saving mystery.

00:17:24.779 --> 00:17:25.720
 Though we have been

00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:27.059
 unfaithful spouses

00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:28.519
 to the God who made and loved us,

00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:29.720
 Jesus came and was

00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:30.779
 completely faithful.

00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:32.819
 On the cross,

00:17:32.879 --> 00:17:35.000
 He willingly plunged down

00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:36.940
 into the cold depths

00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:38.160
 of death and hell.

00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:40.240
 So for us,

00:17:40.619 --> 00:17:41.359
 His beloved,

00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:42.160
 His bride,

00:17:43.220 --> 00:17:44.539
 so that we might be rescued.

00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:47.000
 On the third day,

00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:48.079
 He rose from death

00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:50.160
 so that all who trust in Him

00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:51.660
 will be forgiven of their sins

00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:53.180
 and reunited,

00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:54.879
 reconciled to God

00:17:54.879 --> 00:17:56.940
 in an unbreakable bond

00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:58.480
 of love and union.

00:17:58.480 --> 00:17:59.480
 He rose from death

00:17:59.480 --> 00:18:02.279
 and the day will come.

00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:03.279
 The day will come

00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:03.960
 when the King

00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:06.200
 will return for His bride

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:08.259
 and the marring

00:18:08.259 --> 00:18:09.180
 will be healed

00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:10.319
 once and for all.

00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:13.279
 The tables will be set

00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:15.099
 and the wedding feast

00:18:15.099 --> 00:18:15.779
 will begin

00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:17.579
 and we will be

00:18:17.579 --> 00:18:18.160
 with the lover

00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:19.740
 of our souls forever.

00:18:22.360 --> 00:18:22.980
 Friends,

00:18:23.019 --> 00:18:24.140
 that's the biblical theme

00:18:24.140 --> 00:18:25.539
 that reaches its climax

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:26.360
 right here

00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:27.819
 in Revelation 19.

00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:30.439
 So what difference

00:18:30.439 --> 00:18:31.039
 does it make?

00:18:31.879 --> 00:18:32.439
 What difference

00:18:32.439 --> 00:18:34.399
 does this story make today?

00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:35.359
 Let's consider

00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:36.659
 three points of application.

00:18:37.939 --> 00:18:38.579
 First,

00:18:39.139 --> 00:18:40.199
 if history is headed

00:18:40.199 --> 00:18:42.579
 toward this heavenly wedding feast,

00:18:42.659 --> 00:18:43.439
 if history is headed

00:18:43.439 --> 00:18:44.879
 toward this heavenly wedding feast,

00:18:45.479 --> 00:18:46.839
 then earthly marriages

00:18:46.839 --> 00:18:48.979
 are charged

00:18:48.979 --> 00:18:50.599
 with eternal significance.

00:18:51.719 --> 00:18:52.559
 Earthly marriages

00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:53.319
 are charged

00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:54.599
 with eternal significance.

00:18:54.599 --> 00:18:54.959
 You know,

00:18:55.159 --> 00:18:56.279
 if you were to ask

00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:57.079
 most people in history

00:18:57.079 --> 00:18:58.519
 what the point of marriage was,

00:18:59.399 --> 00:19:00.379
 they'd probably give you

00:19:00.379 --> 00:19:01.219
 one of two answers.

00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:03.419
 They'd probably say

00:19:03.419 --> 00:19:04.179
 that the point of marriage

00:19:04.179 --> 00:19:04.759
 is either

00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:06.399
 to provide social stability

00:19:06.399 --> 00:19:08.459
 or to bring

00:19:08.459 --> 00:19:09.419
 personal fulfillment,

00:19:09.819 --> 00:19:10.079
 right?

00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:11.059
 You know,

00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:11.939
 if you were in more like

00:19:11.939 --> 00:19:14.439
 socially conservative circles,

00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:15.699
 they'd probably emphasize one.

00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:16.359
 If you were in,

00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:16.859
 you know,

00:19:16.879 --> 00:19:17.819
 more progressive circles,

00:19:17.879 --> 00:19:19.019
 they'd probably emphasize the other.

00:19:19.740 --> 00:19:20.759
 But those are the two answers

00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:21.579
 most people would give.

00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:21.919
 And you know,

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:22.539
 in a sense,

00:19:23.139 --> 00:19:24.179
 marriage does bring

00:19:24.179 --> 00:19:25.019
 both of those things.

00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:26.279
 Marriage does bring

00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:28.019
 social and financial stability.

00:19:28.159 --> 00:19:28.899
 Studies have shown that

00:19:28.899 --> 00:19:29.439
 again and again.

00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:31.039
 And marriage does bring

00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:31.939
 personal fulfillment,

00:19:32.339 --> 00:19:32.579
 right?

00:19:32.619 --> 00:19:33.059
 It does.

00:19:34.379 --> 00:19:35.819
 But the real point of marriage

00:19:35.819 --> 00:19:37.519
 is in either of those things.

00:19:39.159 --> 00:19:40.039
 According to Scripture,

00:19:40.139 --> 00:19:41.220
 the point of marriage

00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:42.220
 is to picture

00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:43.720
 the love of Christ

00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:44.500
 and His church.

00:19:44.639 --> 00:19:45.639
 It has a significance

00:19:45.639 --> 00:19:46.759
 far beyond

00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:47.720
 whatever social

00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:48.919
 or personal benefits

00:19:48.919 --> 00:19:49.639
 come out of it.

00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:52.220
 But because it has

00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:54.160
 this eternal significance,

00:19:54.980 --> 00:19:56.480
 that means for Christians,

00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:58.940
 marriage should be filled

00:19:58.940 --> 00:20:01.380
 with just the deepest

00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:02.800
 reservoir of joy.

00:20:05.020 --> 00:20:06.120
 Because marriage is a,

00:20:06.700 --> 00:20:07.800
 for a Christian,

00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:10.740
 marriage is a knowing reflection

00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:12.680
 of the joy of heaven.

00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:16.000
 It's a picture of the future

00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:17.220
 come into the present.

00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:19.559
 It is imperfect,

00:20:20.019 --> 00:20:20.400
 yes,

00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:23.120
 but it is greatly

00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:24.079
 to be enjoyed.

00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:26.720
 Marriage is a greater

00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:27.700
 and more precious gift

00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:28.839
 than we often realize.

00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:31.360
 And that's why

00:20:31.360 --> 00:20:33.000
 Christians have also had

00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:35.440
 a very countercultural

00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:36.759
 approach to marriage.

00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:38.400
 Christians have always had

00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.299
 a very countercultural

00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:41.259
 approach to marriage,

00:20:41.380 --> 00:20:43.059
 understanding its significance

00:20:43.059 --> 00:20:43.779
 in this way.

00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:45.639
 I mean,

00:20:45.660 --> 00:20:46.139
 if you would ask

00:20:46.139 --> 00:20:46.599
 most people

00:20:46.599 --> 00:20:47.500
 in the first century,

00:20:47.940 --> 00:20:49.079
 what made Christians

00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:50.119
 really weird

00:20:50.119 --> 00:20:50.940
 or offensive,

00:20:51.879 --> 00:20:52.180
 right?

00:20:52.579 --> 00:20:53.200
 This is what,

00:20:53.399 --> 00:20:54.019
 this is one of the things

00:20:54.019 --> 00:20:54.259
 that would have been

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:54.519
 really,

00:20:54.639 --> 00:20:55.279
 really high on the list.

00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:57.879
 First century people

00:20:57.879 --> 00:20:58.859
 looking at Christians,

00:20:59.000 --> 00:20:59.440
 one of the things

00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:00.079
 that they would have said,

00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:01.180
 Christians are totally weird,

00:21:01.700 --> 00:21:02.440
 one of the things was

00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:03.440
 how they approached

00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:04.579
 marriage and sexuality.

00:21:05.559 --> 00:21:06.539
 In the first century,

00:21:06.619 --> 00:21:07.819
 Christians were very strange.

00:21:08.460 --> 00:21:08.879
 First,

00:21:09.299 --> 00:21:09.779
 they believed

00:21:09.779 --> 00:21:10.299
 believed

00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:11.980
 that sex should

00:21:11.980 --> 00:21:13.259
 only be between

00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:14.079
 a man and a woman

00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:14.619
 in marriage.

00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:17.180
 And that was just confusing

00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:18.259
 to first century folk.

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:19.259
 They looked at that

00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:19.660
 and they thought,

00:21:19.899 --> 00:21:22.379
 why should your sexual appetites

00:21:22.379 --> 00:21:23.240
 only be confined

00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:23.819
 in that way?

00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:25.019
 Right?

00:21:25.180 --> 00:21:26.299
 That just seems unnecessary.

00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:27.799
 That seems unhealthy.

00:21:28.579 --> 00:21:28.740
 Right?

00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:30.779
 But second,

00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:31.539
 here's the other thing

00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:32.000
 that made Christians

00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:33.039
 very weird in the first century.

00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:34.180
 Christians believed

00:21:34.180 --> 00:21:34.779
 not just that,

00:21:35.299 --> 00:21:36.339
 but they also believed

00:21:36.339 --> 00:21:38.680
 that a life of singleness

00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:40.680
 and a life of

00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:41.740
 a life without marriage,

00:21:41.820 --> 00:21:42.600
 without sex,

00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:44.279
 was just as meaningful

00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:45.880
 and fulfilling a life

00:21:45.880 --> 00:21:47.880
 as someone who was married.

00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:50.779
 Lifelong singleness

00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:51.380
 and celibacy

00:21:51.380 --> 00:21:52.180
 was held up

00:21:52.180 --> 00:21:53.600
 as a perfectly normal

00:21:53.600 --> 00:21:55.200
 and fulfilling way to live.

00:21:56.759 --> 00:21:57.980
 This is what made Christians

00:21:57.980 --> 00:21:58.960
 very strange,

00:21:59.039 --> 00:21:59.560
 one of the things

00:21:59.560 --> 00:22:00.680
 that made them very strange

00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:01.620
 from the very start.

00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:05.000
 Now, perhaps you're saying

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:05.420
 to yourself,

00:22:06.320 --> 00:22:06.799
 you know, Nick,

00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:08.759
 I have news for you.

00:22:09.159 --> 00:22:09.940
 It's not just

00:22:09.940 --> 00:22:10.859
 first century people

00:22:10.859 --> 00:22:12.639
 who found the Christian ethic

00:22:12.639 --> 00:22:13.619
 around marriage strange.

00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:14.379
 Right?

00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:16.019
 Maybe you find this

00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:16.700
 pretty hard too.

00:22:17.700 --> 00:22:17.960
 Right?

00:22:19.159 --> 00:22:20.279
 Maybe this is a fairly

00:22:20.279 --> 00:22:21.539
 significant barrier

00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:22.720
 for you to becoming

00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:23.220
 a Christian.

00:22:25.379 --> 00:22:26.399
 Now, if that's you,

00:22:26.460 --> 00:22:26.899
 and honestly,

00:22:26.980 --> 00:22:28.039
 that is most of us

00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:29.220
 at one point and another

00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:30.399
 in our spiritual journey,

00:22:31.419 --> 00:22:32.039
 if that's you,

00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:32.619
 if you're wrestling

00:22:32.619 --> 00:22:33.899
 with this kind of

00:22:33.899 --> 00:22:35.180
 biblical Christian approach

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:35.820
 to marriage,

00:22:35.940 --> 00:22:37.259
 I think it helps

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:39.720
 to see this teaching

00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:40.580
 in the context

00:22:40.580 --> 00:22:42.240
 of this bigger story,

00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:45.140
 in the context

00:22:45.140 --> 00:22:47.120
 of the mystery of marriage

00:22:47.120 --> 00:22:49.240
 and the coming wedding feast.

00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:52.259
 You see,

00:22:52.320 --> 00:22:53.580
 if you are married,

00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:55.060
 then your marriage

00:22:55.060 --> 00:22:56.240
 is meant to display

00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:57.080
 Christ's love

00:22:57.080 --> 00:22:57.759
 for the church.

00:22:59.140 --> 00:23:01.380
 And at a definitional level,

00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:03.080
 what is marriage?

00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:04.559
 It's two fundamentally

00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:05.500
 different partners,

00:23:05.679 --> 00:23:06.500
 a male and a female,

00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:07.980
 becoming one

00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:09.079
 in a lifelong covenant

00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:11.119
 to live in sacrificial service

00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:11.899
 and self-giving.

00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:13.559
 Just as,

00:23:13.619 --> 00:23:14.319
 that's a mirror,

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:16.139
 just as Christ

00:23:16.139 --> 00:23:16.740
 and the church,

00:23:16.879 --> 00:23:17.639
 two fundamentally

00:23:17.639 --> 00:23:18.599
 different partners,

00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:19.399
 human and divine,

00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:20.220
 are united

00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:22.279
 in an eternity-long covenant

00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:23.740
 that will continue

00:23:23.740 --> 00:23:25.000
 in sacrificial service

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:26.519
 and self-giving love forever.

00:23:28.039 --> 00:23:29.460
 You see how it's meant

00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:30.680
 to display that.

00:23:34.539 --> 00:23:35.539
 So, married couples,

00:23:35.620 --> 00:23:36.160
 if you're finding

00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:37.299
 married life hard

00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:38.819
 and every marriage

00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:39.900
 goes through those seasons,

00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:42.160
 remember that your faithfulness

00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:42.819
 to one another

00:23:42.819 --> 00:23:44.180
 through hard times,

00:23:44.860 --> 00:23:45.600
 through trials,

00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:46.620
 through disappointments,

00:23:46.940 --> 00:23:47.579
 your choice

00:23:47.579 --> 00:23:48.600
 to continue loving

00:23:48.600 --> 00:23:49.720
 and forgiving one another

00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:50.579
 and staying faithful

00:23:50.579 --> 00:23:51.279
 to each other,

00:23:51.740 --> 00:23:53.640
 that is bearing forth

00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:55.039
 a weight of glory

00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:56.960
 that is so much greater

00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:58.559
 than what you can see right now.

00:23:59.460 --> 00:24:00.299
 Your perseverance

00:24:00.299 --> 00:24:01.200
 in trials

00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:03.140
 and your celebration

00:24:03.140 --> 00:24:03.940
 in joys,

00:24:04.140 --> 00:24:05.500
 these are bearing witness

00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:07.059
 to the greater marriage,

00:24:07.140 --> 00:24:08.759
 the reality of Christ's love

00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:09.539
 for His church.

00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:13.920
 But there's a message here

00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:15.259
 for single Christians as well.

00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:17.279
 If marriage really is

00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:18.340
 about the union of Christ

00:24:18.340 --> 00:24:19.220
 and His church,

00:24:20.380 --> 00:24:20.819
 then friends,

00:24:20.819 --> 00:24:22.860
 every Christian

00:24:22.860 --> 00:24:26.220
 has the substance

00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:28.960
 of which earthly marriage

00:24:28.960 --> 00:24:30.319
 is only the shadow.

00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:34.579
 The joys of earthly marriage

00:24:34.579 --> 00:24:36.180
 are but a reflection

00:24:36.180 --> 00:24:38.360
 of the greater feast,

00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:40.160
 the greater consummation

00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:40.720
 that awaits

00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:41.799
 the bride of Christ.

00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:45.839
 This is why Christians

00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:46.799
 in the first century

00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:48.480
 and in the 21st century

00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:50.600
 could live their lives

00:24:50.600 --> 00:24:51.700
 in singleness

00:24:51.700 --> 00:24:53.019
 their whole lives

00:24:53.019 --> 00:24:56.480
 and be completely fulfilled,

00:24:57.740 --> 00:24:58.420
 dignified,

00:24:58.619 --> 00:25:00.079
 and take their place

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:00.799
 in the community

00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:04.019
 because they knew

00:25:04.019 --> 00:25:05.980
 that the greatest love

00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:06.960
 and greatest joy

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:08.079
 was already theirs.

00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:10.039
 They had a lover

00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:11.119
 who would not disappoint

00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:12.480
 and their wedding feast

00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:13.920
 was already being prepared.

00:25:15.879 --> 00:25:17.200
 Now, that's not to downplay

00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:17.859
 the challenges

00:25:17.859 --> 00:25:18.779
 of single life,

00:25:19.019 --> 00:25:19.859
 but it's to put it

00:25:19.859 --> 00:25:21.480
 in the right biblical

00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:22.860
 and theological perspective.

00:25:25.620 --> 00:25:26.519
 You know, you can read

00:25:26.519 --> 00:25:27.440
 the old spiritual writers

00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:27.960
 of the faith

00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:29.099
 and sometimes it can

00:25:29.099 --> 00:25:30.680
 almost be a little shocking

00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:33.079
 to hear how they spoke

00:25:33.079 --> 00:25:34.059
 of their intimacy

00:25:34.059 --> 00:25:35.059
 with Christ.

00:25:36.460 --> 00:25:37.400
 I think we've lost

00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:38.099
 some of this.

00:25:39.099 --> 00:25:40.019
 I was reading the letters

00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:41.279
 of Samuel Rutherford

00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:42.259
 a few years ago.

00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:44.360
 Rutherford was a 17th century

00:25:44.360 --> 00:25:45.319
 Scottish pastor

00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:46.259
 who was persecuted

00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:46.880
 and imprisoned.

00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:48.960
 And in his letters,

00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:50.759
 he often speaks

00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:51.640
 of his communion

00:25:51.640 --> 00:25:52.440
 with Christ

00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:53.100
 with language

00:25:53.100 --> 00:25:54.420
 that just overflows

00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:55.180
 with love

00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:56.380
 and intimacy

00:25:56.380 --> 00:25:57.420
 with passion.

00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:58.019
 He speaks of

00:25:58.019 --> 00:25:59.380
 going to Christ

00:25:59.380 --> 00:25:59.819
 in prayer

00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:00.819
 as being a tryst

00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:01.579
 with his beloved.

00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:04.579
 If I said that

00:26:04.579 --> 00:26:05.000
 in a sermon,

00:26:05.079 --> 00:26:05.440
 you'd probably be like,

00:26:05.480 --> 00:26:05.980
 I don't know what's up

00:26:05.980 --> 00:26:07.039
 with Pastor Nick, right?

00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:10.079
 But this was the kind

00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:10.579
 of intimacy

00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:11.400
 that they had

00:26:11.400 --> 00:26:12.180
 with their Savior

00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:13.400
 that I think

00:26:13.400 --> 00:26:14.120
 we've lost.

00:26:16.299 --> 00:26:17.400
 You can almost hear

00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:19.180
 Rutherford just echoing

00:26:19.180 --> 00:26:20.680
 back that ancient poem

00:26:20.680 --> 00:26:21.240
 to Christ,

00:26:21.340 --> 00:26:22.019
 at last,

00:26:22.420 --> 00:26:23.080
 here is bone

00:26:23.080 --> 00:26:23.759
 of my bones

00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:24.320
 and flesh

00:26:24.320 --> 00:26:25.140
 of my flesh.

00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:26.800
 He just breathes

00:26:26.800 --> 00:26:27.880
 intimacy with Jesus.

00:26:28.980 --> 00:26:29.160
 And you know,

00:26:29.180 --> 00:26:29.740
 if you were to visit

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.860
 Rutherford's tombstone

00:26:30.860 --> 00:26:31.240
 today,

00:26:31.840 --> 00:26:32.320
 you know what you find

00:26:32.320 --> 00:26:33.680
 on his tombstone,

00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:34.560
 on his monument

00:26:34.560 --> 00:26:35.240
 over his tomb?

00:26:36.100 --> 00:26:36.860
 Acquainted with

00:26:36.860 --> 00:26:37.840
 Emmanuel's love.

00:26:40.100 --> 00:26:41.120
 That was his life.

00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:44.420
 Here was a saint

00:26:44.420 --> 00:26:44.840
 who knew

00:26:44.840 --> 00:26:45.600
 what it was like

00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:46.879
 to live

00:26:46.879 --> 00:26:48.099
 in the mystery

00:26:48.099 --> 00:26:48.759
 of marriage

00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:50.299
 and who knew

00:26:50.299 --> 00:26:50.899
 that history

00:26:50.899 --> 00:26:51.459
 was headed

00:26:51.459 --> 00:26:52.299
 toward a heavenly

00:26:52.299 --> 00:26:53.099
 wedding feast.

00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:54.799
 And that meant

00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:56.240
 his life of faithfulness

00:26:56.240 --> 00:26:57.359
 was not just one

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.379
 of mere duty,

00:26:58.699 --> 00:26:59.699
 but of delight.

00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:02.259
 Because he knew

00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:03.439
 intimately

00:27:03.439 --> 00:27:04.839
 his heavenly bridegroom.

00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:08.119
 Rutherford once said,

00:27:08.639 --> 00:27:09.259
 faint not,

00:27:10.119 --> 00:27:11.279
 the miles to heaven

00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:12.480
 are but few in short.

00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:15.299
 faint not,

00:27:15.420 --> 00:27:15.680
 Christians,

00:27:15.799 --> 00:27:16.660
 the miles to heaven

00:27:16.660 --> 00:27:17.759
 to this heavenly

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:18.640
 wedding feast

00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:19.700
 are but few in short.

00:27:21.900 --> 00:27:22.620
 History's headed

00:27:22.620 --> 00:27:23.240
 toward the heavenly

00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:23.860
 wedding feast,

00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:24.440
 and that makes

00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:25.319
 all the difference

00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:26.160
 of how we approach

00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:26.900
 marriage today.

00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:29.420
 There's another

00:27:29.420 --> 00:27:30.160
 application here,

00:27:30.200 --> 00:27:30.360
 though.

00:27:31.319 --> 00:27:32.299
 If history is headed

00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:32.980
 toward the heavenly

00:27:32.980 --> 00:27:33.980
 wedding feast,

00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:36.400
 then our earthly loves

00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:37.360
 should be ordered

00:27:37.360 --> 00:27:38.519
 more and more

00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:40.099
 to eternal realities.

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:41.440
 If we are headed

00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:42.120
 toward this feast,

00:27:42.119 --> 00:27:43.299
 then our earthly loves

00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:43.899
 should be ordered

00:27:43.899 --> 00:27:44.479
 more and more

00:27:44.479 --> 00:27:46.299
 to these eternal realities.

00:27:46.619 --> 00:27:47.299
 Notice what we see

00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:47.819
 at the end of verses

00:27:47.819 --> 00:27:48.299
 seven and eight.

00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:49.359
 Seven and eight says,

00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:50.599
 and his bride

00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:51.979
 has made herself ready.

00:27:52.819 --> 00:27:53.759
 It was granted her

00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:54.579
 to clothe herself

00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:55.319
 with fine linen

00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:56.179
 bright and pure,

00:27:56.579 --> 00:27:57.419
 for the fine linen

00:27:57.419 --> 00:27:58.559
 is the righteous deeds

00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.239
 of the saints.

00:28:00.339 --> 00:28:01.019
 The idea here

00:28:01.019 --> 00:28:01.919
 is that the church

00:28:01.919 --> 00:28:03.419
 has been preparing

00:28:03.419 --> 00:28:04.619
 for this great feast.

00:28:05.619 --> 00:28:06.679
 Now, if you've been married,

00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:07.579
 you know that planning

00:28:07.579 --> 00:28:08.399
 for a wedding day

00:28:08.399 --> 00:28:10.379
 can become an all-consuming task,

00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:10.659
 right?

00:28:10.679 --> 00:28:11.159
 There are seemingly

00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:12.500
 endless details to arrange

00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:13.360
 and decisions to make,

00:28:13.840 --> 00:28:14.540
 but in the midst

00:28:14.540 --> 00:28:15.140
 of all that,

00:28:15.300 --> 00:28:16.220
 the couple is usually

00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:18.019
 consumed by the coming

00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:18.420
 wedding day,

00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:19.040
 not just because

00:28:19.040 --> 00:28:19.460
 there are all these

00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:20.460
 social expectations

00:28:20.460 --> 00:28:21.259
 about how many guests

00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:21.960
 you should invite

00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:22.900
 and what sort of meals

00:28:22.900 --> 00:28:23.320
 you should serve

00:28:23.320 --> 00:28:23.640
 and all that.

00:28:23.779 --> 00:28:24.519
 They're consumed

00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:25.920
 by the coming wedding day.

00:28:26.060 --> 00:28:26.340
 Why?

00:28:27.400 --> 00:28:28.360
 Because they can't wait

00:28:28.360 --> 00:28:29.060
 to spend the rest

00:28:29.060 --> 00:28:29.680
 of their life

00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:30.360
 with their beloved.

00:28:31.800 --> 00:28:32.500
 They're eager

00:28:32.500 --> 00:28:33.800
 to begin the journey

00:28:33.800 --> 00:28:34.440
 of marriage

00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:34.980
 and union

00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:35.820
 of common life

00:28:35.820 --> 00:28:36.640
 and common joy.

00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:40.560
 And that same anticipation

00:28:40.560 --> 00:28:43.340
 should fill the heart

00:28:43.340 --> 00:28:44.080
 of the Christian

00:28:44.080 --> 00:28:44.960
 in this life.

00:28:46.360 --> 00:28:47.140
 We are soon

00:28:47.140 --> 00:28:47.960
 to be seated

00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:48.800
 at the feast

00:28:48.800 --> 00:28:50.320
 with our heavenly lover

00:28:50.320 --> 00:28:51.500
 never more to part,

00:28:52.080 --> 00:28:52.900
 ready to begin

00:28:52.900 --> 00:28:53.759
 the great adventure

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.420
 of eternity

00:28:54.420 --> 00:28:55.600
 in the new heavens

00:28:55.600 --> 00:28:56.180
 and new earth.

00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:58.240
 And how do we get ready

00:28:58.240 --> 00:28:59.560
 for that great day?

00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:00.980
 Well, verse 8

00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:02.020
 has this wonderful phrase.

00:29:02.180 --> 00:29:02.500
 It says,

00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:10.160
 Isn't that an interesting

00:29:10.160 --> 00:29:10.779
 turn of phrase?

00:29:11.259 --> 00:29:12.480
 It was granted her,

00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:13.819
 something was given

00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:14.839
 to her as a gift,

00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.680
 to clothe herself.

00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:17.500
 She then took it

00:29:17.500 --> 00:29:18.059
 for herself

00:29:18.059 --> 00:29:18.980
 and made it her own.

00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:22.099
 What is this fine linen?

00:29:22.819 --> 00:29:23.619
 What is this fine linen

00:29:23.619 --> 00:29:24.460
 that on the one hand

00:29:24.460 --> 00:29:25.579
 is a free gift of grace

00:29:25.579 --> 00:29:26.579
 and on the other hand

00:29:26.579 --> 00:29:27.259
 is something that we take

00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:27.799
 for ourselves

00:29:27.799 --> 00:29:28.440
 and make our own?

00:29:29.660 --> 00:29:30.539
 Well, verse 8 says,

00:29:30.539 --> 00:29:32.399
 It's the righteous deeds

00:29:32.399 --> 00:29:33.519
 of the saints.

00:29:35.359 --> 00:29:36.559
 But how are the righteous deeds

00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:37.339
 of the saints

00:29:37.339 --> 00:29:38.899
 both freely given

00:29:38.899 --> 00:29:39.500
 as a gift

00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:41.039
 and something we make

00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:41.539
 our own?

00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:44.420
 Well, I think this idea

00:29:44.420 --> 00:29:45.460
 is similar to what Paul

00:29:45.460 --> 00:29:46.599
 says in Ephesians 2.

00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:48.279
 In Ephesians 2,

00:29:48.639 --> 00:29:49.440
 Paul brings these things

00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:49.720
 together.

00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:50.079
 He says,

00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:52.079
 For by grace you have been

00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:52.859
 saved through faith.

00:29:53.339 --> 00:29:54.659
 This is not your own doing.

00:29:54.740 --> 00:29:55.819
 It's a gift of God.

00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:57.059
 It's not a result

00:29:57.059 --> 00:29:57.480
 of your work

00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:58.720
 so that no one can boast.

00:29:59.859 --> 00:30:00.500
 And then he says,

00:30:00.539 --> 00:30:02.099
 For we are His workmanship

00:30:02.099 --> 00:30:04.139
 created in Christ Jesus

00:30:04.139 --> 00:30:05.700
 for good works,

00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:08.139
 which God prepared beforehand

00:30:08.139 --> 00:30:09.740
 that we should walk in them.

00:30:11.180 --> 00:30:13.119
 Did you catch the balance there?

00:30:13.639 --> 00:30:14.539
 There is no doubt

00:30:14.539 --> 00:30:15.559
 where our righteous status

00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:16.700
 before God comes from.

00:30:16.819 --> 00:30:18.079
 We're forgiven and accepted

00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:19.339
 solely by grace,

00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:20.180
 not by works.

00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:21.639
 But,

00:30:21.859 --> 00:30:23.079
 though we're not saved

00:30:23.079 --> 00:30:24.019
 by our good works,

00:30:24.399 --> 00:30:25.440
 God does create us

00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.139
 in Christ Jesus

00:30:26.139 --> 00:30:27.240
 for good works.

00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:29.240
 They flow out of a life

00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:31.120
 changed by the gospel of grace.

00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:31.779
 In fact,

00:30:32.279 --> 00:30:33.059
 Paul says that God

00:30:33.059 --> 00:30:34.500
 prepared those good works

00:30:34.500 --> 00:30:35.039
 beforehand

00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:36.259
 that we should walk in them.

00:30:40.220 --> 00:30:42.039
 So how do we eagerly anticipate

00:30:42.039 --> 00:30:43.099
 the coming feast?

00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:45.980
 We align our hearts

00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:47.880
 to the good works

00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:49.420
 that God has prepared

00:30:49.420 --> 00:30:51.019
 in advance for us to do.

00:30:51.019 --> 00:30:54.200
 We take up the freely given

00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:55.319
 fine linen,

00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:56.259
 bright and pure,

00:30:56.619 --> 00:30:57.839
 and we dress ourselves

00:30:57.839 --> 00:30:58.599
 each day

00:30:58.599 --> 00:31:00.079
 in the heavenly attire.

00:31:01.900 --> 00:31:02.639
 And practically,

00:31:02.859 --> 00:31:04.339
 we seek to learn

00:31:04.339 --> 00:31:05.240
 and to love

00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:06.480
 more and more

00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:08.019
 what Christ loves.

00:31:09.940 --> 00:31:11.359
 What do we see Him value

00:31:11.359 --> 00:31:12.480
 in His Word?

00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:14.579
 What do we see Him pursue?

00:31:14.700 --> 00:31:15.500
 What does He command?

00:31:15.639 --> 00:31:16.279
 What does He forbid?

00:31:17.099 --> 00:31:18.000
 We make the Word

00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:19.079
 and the ways of Christ

00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:20.059
 more and more

00:31:20.059 --> 00:31:20.759
 the pattern

00:31:20.759 --> 00:31:22.139
 of our own affections.

00:31:23.539 --> 00:31:25.220
 And we do so as Christians

00:31:25.220 --> 00:31:26.480
 not because we fear

00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:27.639
 some future punishment.

00:31:28.779 --> 00:31:29.539
 The punishment

00:31:29.539 --> 00:31:30.839
 has been paid by Christ.

00:31:30.919 --> 00:31:31.539
 No, we do so

00:31:31.539 --> 00:31:32.500
 because we're eager

00:31:32.500 --> 00:31:33.720
 to be united

00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:35.279
 in all things

00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:36.539
 to our heavenly lover,

00:31:37.179 --> 00:31:39.639
 to love what is loved

00:31:39.639 --> 00:31:40.839
 by our beloved.

00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:44.000
 That's Christian obedience.

00:31:46.859 --> 00:31:47.939
 That's the motivation.

00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:48.860
 Simple as that

00:31:48.860 --> 00:31:50.640
 and profound as that,

00:31:50.700 --> 00:31:52.720
 to love what is loved

00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:53.559
 by our beloved.

00:31:56.360 --> 00:31:57.140
 So, Christian,

00:31:57.240 --> 00:31:57.880
 in anticipation

00:31:57.880 --> 00:31:59.680
 of the coming wedding feast,

00:32:00.340 --> 00:32:01.320
 are you learning

00:32:01.320 --> 00:32:03.039
 to love what Christ loves?

00:32:04.299 --> 00:32:05.160
 And if so,

00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:05.799
 is it evident

00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:06.940
 to those around you,

00:32:07.380 --> 00:32:08.160
 to your spouse,

00:32:08.320 --> 00:32:09.000
 to your kids,

00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:10.519
 to your roommates,

00:32:11.140 --> 00:32:11.840
 to your neighbors?

00:32:13.720 --> 00:32:14.660
 Our passage ends

00:32:14.660 --> 00:32:15.680
 with John falling down

00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:16.340
 before the angel

00:32:16.340 --> 00:32:16.920
 who shows him

00:32:16.920 --> 00:32:17.320
 these things

00:32:17.320 --> 00:32:17.759
 in an attempt

00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:18.360
 to worship him.

00:32:18.420 --> 00:32:19.160
 The angel is sort of

00:32:19.160 --> 00:32:20.940
 glorious and wonderful

00:32:20.940 --> 00:32:22.240
 and John falls down

00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:22.880
 to worship him

00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:23.460
 but the angel says,

00:32:23.539 --> 00:32:24.320
 don't worship me.

00:32:25.220 --> 00:32:26.460
 I'm just a fellow servant

00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:27.279
 with you and your brothers

00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:28.160
 who hold to the testimony

00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:28.539
 of Jesus.

00:32:28.700 --> 00:32:29.380
 Worship God.

00:32:29.420 --> 00:32:30.039
 And then the passage

00:32:30.039 --> 00:32:31.300
 ends with this curious phrase.

00:32:31.400 --> 00:32:31.640
 It says,

00:32:32.060 --> 00:32:33.320
 for the testimony of Jesus

00:32:33.320 --> 00:32:34.940
 is the spirit of prophecy.

00:32:36.519 --> 00:32:37.340
 And that phrase

00:32:37.340 --> 00:32:38.519
 could mean something like,

00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:41.299
 all true prophecy

00:32:41.299 --> 00:32:43.759
 bears witness to Jesus.

00:32:46.879 --> 00:32:48.379
 Does our life

00:32:48.379 --> 00:32:50.539
 bear witness to Jesus?

00:32:50.920 --> 00:32:51.879
 In the power

00:32:51.879 --> 00:32:53.059
 of the Holy Spirit

00:32:53.059 --> 00:32:55.839
 is what our life

00:32:55.839 --> 00:32:57.099
 speaks forth,

00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:59.099
 is what it professes,

00:32:59.619 --> 00:33:01.779
 the testimony

00:33:01.779 --> 00:33:03.200
 that Jesus is worthy

00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:04.400
 of our love and affection.

00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:08.280
 Lovers are always

00:33:08.280 --> 00:33:08.800
 talking about

00:33:08.800 --> 00:33:09.259
 their beloved,

00:33:09.360 --> 00:33:09.640
 aren't they?

00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:11.280
 It can sometimes

00:33:11.280 --> 00:33:11.780
 be annoying

00:33:11.780 --> 00:33:13.259
 when you have a friend

00:33:13.259 --> 00:33:13.700
 who just started

00:33:13.700 --> 00:33:14.360
 dating someone

00:33:14.360 --> 00:33:15.140
 who's like all they

00:33:15.140 --> 00:33:15.640
 can talk about,

00:33:15.800 --> 00:33:16.940
 how great so-and-so is,

00:33:16.980 --> 00:33:17.500
 and you're just like,

00:33:18.360 --> 00:33:18.660
 man,

00:33:19.400 --> 00:33:21.000
 they're not that great.

00:33:21.340 --> 00:33:21.780
 Settle down.

00:33:21.779 --> 00:33:27.139
 But church,

00:33:28.379 --> 00:33:29.619
 may our hearts

00:33:29.619 --> 00:33:31.440
 never cease to flow

00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:32.859
 with love for Christ.

00:33:33.740 --> 00:33:34.660
 Would His name

00:33:34.660 --> 00:33:36.339
 naturally come to our lips?

00:33:36.980 --> 00:33:38.200
 Would the Holy Spirit's

00:33:38.200 --> 00:33:39.180
 work in our lives

00:33:39.180 --> 00:33:40.700
 bring forth

00:33:40.700 --> 00:33:42.619
 the testimony of Jesus?

00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:47.000
 And would we see this life

00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:47.920
 as a preparation

00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:50.039
 for a greater feast to come?

00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:52.480
 Would we make ourselves

00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:52.759
 ready,

00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:53.839
 clothing ourselves

00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:54.700
 in the fine linen,

00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:55.579
 the righteous deeds

00:33:55.579 --> 00:33:56.500
 that have been granted

00:33:56.500 --> 00:33:57.099
 to us,

00:33:57.460 --> 00:33:58.319
 that have been prepared

00:33:58.319 --> 00:33:59.259
 in advance for us

00:33:59.259 --> 00:34:00.000
 to walk in them?

00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:03.299
 One last observation,

00:34:03.500 --> 00:34:04.099
 then we'll wrap up,

00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:04.639
 and it's this.

00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:05.700
 If history is headed

00:34:05.700 --> 00:34:06.319
 toward the heavenly

00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:07.099
 wedding feast,

00:34:07.859 --> 00:34:08.579
 then our God

00:34:08.579 --> 00:34:09.199
 is worthy

00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:10.880
 of endless worship.

00:34:12.019 --> 00:34:12.779
 If we're headed

00:34:12.779 --> 00:34:13.460
 toward this heavenly

00:34:13.460 --> 00:34:14.019
 wedding feast,

00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:14.900
 then God is worthy

00:34:14.900 --> 00:34:15.699
 of endless worship.

00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:16.699
 You can't come away

00:34:16.699 --> 00:34:17.340
 from this passage

00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:17.900
 having missed

00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:18.920
 the repeated refrain,

00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:19.219
 right?

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:19.940
 Hallelujah.

00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:20.960
 Hallelujah.

00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:21.759
 It's a Hebrew word

00:34:21.759 --> 00:34:22.199
 that just means

00:34:22.199 --> 00:34:23.099
 praise God.

00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:24.739
 The heartbeat of heaven

00:34:24.739 --> 00:34:26.800
 is worship of God

00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:27.380
 the Almighty.

00:34:28.759 --> 00:34:29.739
 And as we've seen,

00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:31.099
 worship isn't just

00:34:31.099 --> 00:34:31.579
 a key theme

00:34:31.579 --> 00:34:32.699
 in this particular passage.

00:34:32.860 --> 00:34:33.539
 It's a key theme

00:34:33.539 --> 00:34:34.059
 of the whole book

00:34:34.059 --> 00:34:34.500
 of Revelation.

00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:35.539
 There's no other book

00:34:35.539 --> 00:34:36.059
 in the New Testament

00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:36.699
 that's filled

00:34:36.699 --> 00:34:37.619
 with passage

00:34:37.619 --> 00:34:38.360
 after passage

00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:39.259
 ascribing glory

00:34:39.259 --> 00:34:40.179
 and praise to God.

00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:41.360
 God is worthy

00:34:41.360 --> 00:34:42.980
 of endless worship.

00:34:44.679 --> 00:34:45.739
 And what a wonder,

00:34:45.900 --> 00:34:46.860
 what a surprise,

00:34:46.860 --> 00:34:48.559
 what a cause

00:34:48.559 --> 00:34:50.180
 for even greater worship

00:34:50.180 --> 00:34:52.000
 that this infinitely

00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:53.280
 great God

00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:54.680
 has prepared

00:34:54.680 --> 00:34:55.480
 a feast

00:34:55.480 --> 00:34:57.400
 for us.

00:34:59.079 --> 00:35:00.620
 And not just a feast,

00:35:00.740 --> 00:35:01.740
 a wedding feast.

00:35:03.240 --> 00:35:04.420
 Do you know

00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:05.200
 what you mean,

00:35:05.340 --> 00:35:05.660
 Christian,

00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:06.539
 when you say

00:35:06.539 --> 00:35:07.599
 that you have

00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:08.480
 a relationship

00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:09.220
 with God?

00:35:09.219 --> 00:35:11.159
 with God?

00:35:12.319 --> 00:35:13.259
 Do you realize

00:35:13.259 --> 00:35:14.439
 how utterly staggering

00:35:14.439 --> 00:35:15.139
 that is?

00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:19.000
 How unique it is

00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:20.879
 among all the world religions

00:35:20.879 --> 00:35:23.179
 that the infinitely

00:35:23.179 --> 00:35:24.339
 holy God

00:35:24.339 --> 00:35:25.500
 has prepared

00:35:25.500 --> 00:35:26.019
 a feast

00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:27.059
 for you.

00:35:27.839 --> 00:35:28.059
 But a,

00:35:28.259 --> 00:35:29.279
 not just a feast,

00:35:29.359 --> 00:35:30.699
 but a wedding feast.

00:35:31.899 --> 00:35:33.439
 Because you're the bride.

00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:35.419
 Because he's taking you

00:35:35.419 --> 00:35:36.099
 as his own.

00:35:39.219 --> 00:35:39.919
 Jonathan Edwards

00:35:39.919 --> 00:35:40.679
 once preached

00:35:40.679 --> 00:35:41.279
 a sermon called

00:35:41.279 --> 00:35:42.539
 The Church's Marriage.

00:35:43.779 --> 00:35:44.459
 And he put

00:35:44.459 --> 00:35:45.399
 this staggering truth

00:35:45.399 --> 00:35:45.899
 of the gospel

00:35:45.899 --> 00:35:46.599
 like this.

00:35:47.579 --> 00:35:48.019
 He said,

00:35:48.099 --> 00:35:48.919
 Then the church

00:35:48.919 --> 00:35:49.899
 shall be brought

00:35:49.899 --> 00:35:51.459
 to the full

00:35:51.459 --> 00:35:52.359
 enjoyment

00:35:52.359 --> 00:35:53.939
 of her bridegroom,

00:35:54.839 --> 00:35:55.799
 having all tears

00:35:55.799 --> 00:35:56.319
 wiped away

00:35:56.319 --> 00:35:57.199
 from her eyes,

00:35:57.899 --> 00:35:58.759
 and there shall be

00:35:58.759 --> 00:36:00.179
 no more distance

00:36:00.179 --> 00:36:01.179
 or absence.

00:36:02.559 --> 00:36:03.459
 She shall then

00:36:03.459 --> 00:36:04.079
 be brought

00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:05.459
 to the entertainments

00:36:05.459 --> 00:36:06.199
 of an eternal

00:36:06.199 --> 00:36:07.219
 wedding feast,

00:36:07.219 --> 00:36:08.879
 and to dwell

00:36:08.879 --> 00:36:09.599
 forever

00:36:09.599 --> 00:36:11.039
 with her bridegroom,

00:36:11.480 --> 00:36:11.759
 yea,

00:36:11.839 --> 00:36:13.399
 to dwell eternally

00:36:13.399 --> 00:36:15.139
 in his embraces.

00:36:16.139 --> 00:36:17.039
 Then Christ

00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:18.039
 will give her

00:36:18.039 --> 00:36:18.719
 his loves,

00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:20.059
 and she shall

00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:21.099
 drink her fill,

00:36:21.619 --> 00:36:21.939
 yea,

00:36:22.059 --> 00:36:23.179
 she shall swim

00:36:23.179 --> 00:36:24.379
 in the ocean

00:36:24.379 --> 00:36:25.559
 of his love.

00:36:26.859 --> 00:36:27.719
 You know it's good

00:36:27.719 --> 00:36:28.779
 when there's two yays

00:36:28.779 --> 00:36:29.919
 in a quote, right?

00:36:31.439 --> 00:36:33.059
 She shall swim

00:36:33.059 --> 00:36:34.379
 in the ocean

00:36:34.379 --> 00:36:35.679
 of his love.

00:36:35.679 --> 00:36:37.519
 Christ will give

00:36:37.519 --> 00:36:38.639
 her his loves,

00:36:38.919 --> 00:36:39.919
 and she shall

00:36:39.919 --> 00:36:41.199
 drink her fill.

00:36:42.679 --> 00:36:43.539
 And the heavens

00:36:43.539 --> 00:36:43.960
 say,

00:36:44.500 --> 00:36:44.899
 Hallelujah.

00:36:46.980 --> 00:36:47.779
 Blessed are all

00:36:47.779 --> 00:36:48.259
 those who are

00:36:48.259 --> 00:36:49.639
 invited to the

00:36:49.639 --> 00:36:50.239
 wedding supper

00:36:50.239 --> 00:36:50.899
 of the Lamb.

00:36:52.219 --> 00:36:52.599
 And friend,

00:36:52.679 --> 00:36:53.359
 you are invited

00:36:53.359 --> 00:36:53.940
 right now.

00:36:55.019 --> 00:36:55.539
 Take Christ

00:36:55.539 --> 00:36:56.179
 by faith,

00:36:56.739 --> 00:36:57.940
 and this ocean

00:36:57.940 --> 00:36:58.779
 of love

00:36:58.779 --> 00:36:59.599
 will be yours,

00:37:00.339 --> 00:37:01.299
 and you too

00:37:01.299 --> 00:37:02.099
 will have a place

00:37:02.099 --> 00:37:02.759
 at the feast.

00:37:03.980 --> 00:37:04.679
 Let's pray.

00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:10.099
 Father in heaven,

00:37:10.659 --> 00:37:12.679
 thank you

00:37:12.679 --> 00:37:13.399
 for the invitation

00:37:13.399 --> 00:37:14.339
 that goes forth

00:37:14.339 --> 00:37:15.279
 to sit down

00:37:15.279 --> 00:37:16.299
 at table with you

00:37:16.299 --> 00:37:18.519
 and to dine.

00:37:21.039 --> 00:37:22.279
 And the great meat

00:37:22.279 --> 00:37:23.139
 and the great drink

00:37:23.139 --> 00:37:23.899
 of that day

00:37:23.899 --> 00:37:24.559
 will be the

00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:25.559
 unending

00:37:25.559 --> 00:37:26.639
 courses

00:37:26.639 --> 00:37:27.539
 of your love

00:37:27.539 --> 00:37:28.319
 for your people.

00:37:30.319 --> 00:37:31.019
 Oh God,

00:37:31.079 --> 00:37:31.639
 would you make us

00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:32.839
 ready for that day?

00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:34.400
 Draw our hearts

00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:35.300
 up to the beauty

00:37:35.300 --> 00:37:36.059
 and the wonder

00:37:36.059 --> 00:37:36.840
 and the anticipation

00:37:36.840 --> 00:37:37.519
 of it.

00:37:39.340 --> 00:37:40.300
 And Lord,

00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:41.559
 we pray

00:37:41.559 --> 00:37:43.440
 that the magnificence

00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:44.079
 of your love

00:37:44.079 --> 00:37:45.120
 would break

00:37:45.120 --> 00:37:45.660
 through our

00:37:45.660 --> 00:37:46.600
 stony hearts.

00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:51.440
 And would we

00:37:51.440 --> 00:37:53.240
 throw ourselves

00:37:53.240 --> 00:37:54.280
 in faith

00:37:54.280 --> 00:37:56.300
 upon our mighty

00:37:56.300 --> 00:37:57.120
 Savior, Jesus.

00:37:58.019 --> 00:37:58.500
 Amen.

00:37:58.500 --> 00:38:09.719
 that the

00:38:09.900 --> 00:38:09.980
Sim miles

00:38:09.980 --> 00:38:10.639
 will me

00:38:10.639 --> 00:38:11.280
 after the

00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:11.940
 потом

00:38:11.940 --> 00:38:12.139
 will

00:38:12.139 --> 00:38:12.219
 finally

00:38:12.219 --> 00:38:16.219
告

00:38:16.219 --> 00:38:16.800
 the

00:38:17.599 --> 00:38:18.219
인가

00:38:18.219 --> 00:38:19.099
 digestive

00:38:19.099 --> 00:38:20.119
 the

00:38:20.119 --> 00:38:20.380
 whale

00:38:20.380 --> 00:38:20.519
 the

00:38:20.519 --> 00:38:20.699
 afterlife

00:38:20.699 --> 00:38:21.119
 will

00:38:21.119 --> 00:38:22.280
 прив

00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:23.760
てib