Weddings in Biblical times were community celebrations. The central focus of the wedding imagery in Scripture is anticipation, expectation, and preparation.

  

First-century wedding:

• Father arranged a bride for his son and paid a negotiated “bride price.”

• The son returned to his father’s house to make arrangements.

• The bride consecrated herself in anticipation of his return.

• The terms of the relationship were sealed with ceremonial sharing of a glass of wine before the two parted ways and entered a time of anticipation and preparation leading up to the final wedding feast.

• The son would return and take his bride to the wedding feast.

In similar fashion:

• God the Father sent Jesus the Son to secure his bride, the church.

• The terms of the covenantal relationship between God and his people have been outlined in the gospel.

• A great price was paid by the Father to secure the relationship, namely, through the sacrifice of the Son on the Cross.

• The night before he would go to the Cross, Jesus shared a cup with his disciples as a means of symbolically sealing their new covenantal relationship. He instructed them to partake of this cup after His departure in remembrance of the price he paid for them and in anticipation of his future and final return for them.

• Upon departure he went to His Father’s house to prepare a place (John 14:2-3).

• One day he will return to bring His bride home with him forever.

• The day and the hour of his return are unknown by all but the Father (Matthew 24:36).

• The bride of Christ, the church, eagerly waits and makes herself ready, setting herself apart for him and him alone, purifying herself for the day when he will return for her forever (1 Peter 1:13-16). He will come, and when he does the eternal wedding feast will commence (Revelation 19:7-8).

As the Church we ANTICIPATE, we EXPECT, and we PREPARE. Our Groom is coming back to take us home.

Matthew 25 contains the final teachings of Jesus before going to the cross.

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. 'Lord, Lord,' they said, 'open the door for us!' But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.' Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

-Matthew 25:1-13

Wedding processions from the bride’s to the groom’s home often happened at night and required lamps.

The bride and her attendants were to be ready and prepared. It might be announced that the bridegroom was coming, yet it could be delayed for hours. Your job was to stay ready.

The 5 foolish attendants shut themselves out by not being ready.

• They displayed a lack of respect for the bride and bridegroom through their neglect of their responsibility to come prepared.

• They demonstrated their unworthiness of the honor of participating in the celebration.

Oil is commonly known to be symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

Those unprepared for Christ’s banquet insult Him and warrant judgment.

It is all too possible to be in church and be a stranger to the Holy Spirit. It is possible to have a lamp that looks good, but has no oil in it. It is possible that one day Jesus may have to say, ‘I never knew you’ (Matthew 7:23).

If you knew that Jesus was coming back this Friday what would you change in your life? Are you living as though He is coming?

A wedding is a joyful affair! And so too is the second coming of Christ!

Behavior reveals belief.

ANTICIPATION

“A feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen in the future.”

Then I saw 'a new heaven and a new earth,' for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

-Revelation 21:1-4

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of You be still? Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine.

-Mercy Me

Our desire is to honor the One who has made this all possible. We are the bride and Christ is the groom and we cannot wait!

We are in love with the one who is coming for us. It is expressed through our worship and devotion.

EXPECTATION

Closely related to anticipation.

“Belief that something will happen in the future.”

Then they gathered around him and asked him, 'Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them: 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.'

-Acts 1:6-11

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

-1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Now concerning that day or hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son —but only the Father. Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is coming.

-Mark 13:32-33

Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.' …But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

-2 Peter 3:3-4,8-9

PREPARATION

True believers live in a state of readiness.

It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

-Luke 12:38-40

What does readiness look like? Faithfully stewarding what has been placed in our hands.

The Lord answered, 'Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose the servant says to himself, "My master is taking a long time in coming," and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.'

-Luke 12:42-46

We need to be ready, not rush to get ready.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief… So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him… Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

-2 Peter 3:10,14,17-18

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

-James 1:19

Obedience

If you love me, keep my commands.

-John 14:15

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

-James 1:22 (ESV)

Baptism

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

-Acts 2:37-38

The very first command here is “repent and be baptized.” Baptism should be the first step of every new Christian. It is an outward symbol of your new commitment.

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds..” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder… As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

-James 2:18-19, 26

Stop procrastinating and get prepared.

Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, 'That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.'

-Acts 24:24-25

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

-Galatians 6:9

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

-Galatians 2:20

Some researchers say there are 66 Bible references to the importance of being watchful.

• Watch your thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5

• Watch your mouth. Luke 6:45; James 3:3-10

• Guard your hearts. Proverbs 4:23

Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

-1 Corinthians 9:26-27

Do you want to be prepared for Jesus’ second coming? Then live like His first coming mattered.

There are some things you cannot borrow. You need to possess them for yourself.

Holiness is one of those things. It cannot be traded. If you are not what you profess to be, nobody else can help you or stand in for you. The bridegroom will come. And then it will be too late.

There are some times when it is too late. ‘Too late’ is a terrible verdict. Make sure you don’t miss the party! That is what Jesus means. Readiness is the key.

As disciples, we live with anticipation for the great and awesome day, we have full expectation that keeps us steady and moving forward and we live prepared, filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit and keeping diligent watch over our lives as we live out our faith through surrender and obedience to His word.

If you knew that Jesus was coming back this Friday what would you change in your life?Are you prepared? Are you living as though He is coming?

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