The end is not the end.
Look forward. Look up. Be watching.
You’ve heard it, but what does that mean really?
Our text today is Revelation 22. The last of our Bride of
Christ series, but by no means the end. Fitting, however, that its ending comes
with the last words in the last chapter of the written Word of God.
In our last session, we’ve gotten a taste – just a tease
really – of what Heaven will look like, O glorious day!
And now we hear from our Groom.
“I am coming.” (Rev 22:17)
He hasn’t left this time – not like the way we read about in
our Painful Lesson segment, where He leaves to punish/teach. This time is a
time of preparing. Of working.
Bride, He is preparing a place for you.
John 14:1-4 ““Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”” NLT
When everything is ready.
I will come and get you.
I will.
I love words of certainty, don’t you? When I was a child, my
older sister and I would take answers from our parents and interpret them to
declare certainty:
“Mom, when you say ‘we’ll see’, you mean ‘no.’ And when you
say ‘maybe’, that means ‘yes’.”
We have a need to just know, don’t we?
Well, know this:
He is returning.
And it will be soon. Sister, will you be there? Will you
join us there in our Groom’s mansion? I’m so excited to join you. To meet you.
It will be glory.
But do you seen Him pleading with you here? Look at verse 10
and I’ll share the Amplified Bible version because it really emphasizes it
well.
Revelation 22:10 “And he [further] told me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book and make no secret of them, for the time when things are brought to a crisis and the period of their fulfillment is near.” AMP
See it?
Share! Do not seal up the words. Sacred, yes; secret, no.
Speak up!
Pass out those wedding invitations! (Or the proposal?)
Invite! Dear sisters, He wants everyone there.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his
promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does
not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” NLT
Speak up! Yes, you are treasured. Yes, you are the special
Bride of Christ. But you are not the only one. How selfish would we be (I speak
to myself!) to keep to ourselves this invitation?
As His Bride, yes, celebrate Him,
and be grateful, but open your eyes. Is that neighbor of yours a believer? Your
co-worker? How about your kids? Your spouse?
That Bride we talked about in our last session with her
grateful, ever grateful smile, shouldn’t she want that for those around her?
Those she loves most?
Our time is short! There is no ‘well, maybe tomorrow.’
Today! What if our Groom came back before lunch time?
Soon. He is coming back soon.
Rev 22:12a “Look, I am coming soon…”
Hear the invitation, but most of all, share His invitation!
Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” NLT
The Spirit and the
Bride. There it is.
There have been times when I have fallen into the lazy trap
of thinking “well, if the Spirit is going to work to draw someone to Himself,
then He will. He’ll find someone to talk to them.”
I know, I know. You can smack me now. I have been guilty.
Lazy. But I am calling you with me to change that, because see, the Spirit and
the Bride say ‘come.’.
See the Amplified version:
Revelation 22:17 “The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost.” AMP
Do this with me. I’m going to list some words and I would
love for you to get paper and pen (Yes, actual paper and pen. Do it- not just
in your head. I’ll wait.) and list the names that come to mind with these
statements from verse 17 in the Amplified Bible.
thirsty.
needy.
in pain.
needing refreshed.
needing support.
needing strengthened.
desires change.
I know God put someone on your heart just now. If not more
than one person.
Why don’t you invite them to the wedding? Her (or his) place
has already been paid for.
