HOW IS JESUS ACTIVE TODAY?
• In the role of our high priest…He continually
covers our sins with His blood and intervenes on
our behalf (I Timothy 1:5, “For there is one God,
and one mediator between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus…”
• In the role of the shepherd…He gives us rest, He
provides for our needs…
• In the role of the bridegroom…
“Christ also loved the church and gave Himself
up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having
cleansed her by the washing of water with the
word, that He might present to Himself the
church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle
or any such thing; but that she would be holy
and blameless.”
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved
the church and gave Himself up for her.”
“…no one ever hated their own body, but they
feed and care for their body, just as Christ does
the church— 30 for we are members of his body.
31 “For this reason a man will leave his father
and mother and be united to his wife, and the
two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound
mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the
church.”
“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. 7 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.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to
wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts
of God’s holy people.) 9 Then the angel said to
me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are
invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”
And he added, “These are the true words of
God.”
“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching
in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come
near.”
“17 From that time on Jesus began to preach,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come
near.”
“And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some
who are standing here will not taste death
before they see that the kingdom of God has
come with power.”
“…(give) joyful thanks to the Father, who has
qualified you to share in the inheritance of his
holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he
has rescued us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he
loves.”
“…since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot
be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship
God acceptably with reverence and awe.”
“I, John, your brother and companion in the
suffering and kingdom…”
“9 Then one of the seven angels who had the
seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues
came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come,
I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a
great and high mountain, and showed me the
great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of
heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God…
23 The city had no need of the sun or of the
moon to shine in it, for the glory of God
illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.”
“My kingdom is not of this world…Are you a
king?…I am!”
The Bible begins with a marriage [Genesis 3]
and it ends with a marriage [Revelation 21-22].
Jesus began His earthly ministry by stating that
He was the Bridegroom [Matthew 9:15] and He
ended His earthly ministry talking about His
bride [Matthew 25:1-13]. John introduced the
world to Jesus, and when he did he called Jesus
the bridegroom [John 3:29]. God’s plan from
the beginning has been for the bride and the
bridegroom to become one [Revelation 22:17].
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels,
but do not have love, I am only a resounding
gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of
prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all
knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move
mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over
my body to hardship that I may boast, but do
not have love, I gain nothing.”