The Marriage Supper of the Lamb Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Revelation 19.7-9 September 29, 2013
A Matthew 26:26-29 (NASB) 26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
1 Corinthians 11:26 (NASB) 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
1 Both texts point to a future celebration where the meal is celebrated again.
a Matthew said, “ . . . new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”; Paul wrote, “until He comes.”
b I believe that the celebration is in the works & what a day that will be!
2 Rev. 19.7-9, gives a glimpse into how that future celebration is going to look.
Revelation 19:7-9 (NASB) 7 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he *said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he *said to me, "These are true words of God."
a Heaven as had a lot of great parties (Arrival of Enoch, Elijah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Peter, Paul, & Mary, . . . JESUS!) Were all big days!!
b In my opinion, Heaven has never seen the likes of the feast/supper that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is going to be. (Mother of all Wedding Celebrations!)
B Jesus spoke about marriage suppers often in His ministry.
1 The ten virgins keeping their wicks trimmed/oil filled waiting for the bridegroom’s party (Matt. 25); The King who sent his servants out to get the guests to attend his son’s wedding feast in Matt. 22.
a Jesus first miracle was at the wedding in Cana where He turned water into wine (John 2.)
b The Jewish Wedding is filled with dancing, drinking the best wines, filled with joy & laughter as two become one!
2 The Marriage of the Lamb & The Marriage Supper of the Lamb will take place in the future (Show Graph)
C The Lamb is the Christ (John 1.29,36); The Bride is the Church (Every/All believers who have died believing/trusting in Jesus as Savior since His resurrection.)
John 1:29 (NASB) 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:36 (NASB) 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"
1 The “Bride” is NOT Israel. (Israel is called God’s wife, Is. 54.5)
Isaiah 54:6 (NASB) 6 "For the LORD has called you, Like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, Even like a wife of one's youth when she is rejected," Says your God.
a Israel had been “cast off” (lit. divorced) because of spiritual adultery/worshiping other gods
(Jer. 3.1-20 focus on 8; Ezk. 16, Hos. 2; 3.1-5)
Jeremiah 3:8 (NASB) 8 "And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.
b The Bride is the true invisible Church.
aa The church has been guilty of many sins in the last 1,900 years, but spiritual adultery has not been one of them!
bb We’ve been guilty of greed, bad doctrine/dogma/theology, wrong scriptural interpretation, church government . . . @ a the end of the day any Christian, with the witness of the Holy Spirit in them knows who saved them!
cc Eph. 5.31-32: The picture between a Christ & His Church is the picture of a bridegroom & a bride.
Ephesians 5:31-33 (NASB) 31 FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
2 At the Marriage Supper, The Lord will not love us more than He does now, but He’ll show it more & we’ll see it more intensely.
a We will understand His love better as He indulges His love on us in a greater way.
b It will appear He loves us more as He lays open His whole heart, soul, secrets, purposes, allows us to know them.
D At the wedding, it is always a big moment when the bride enters the room (everyone turns around to see her & her dress.)
1 Generations ago, the bride would make her wedding gown; Rev. 19.8, The Bride’s dress is made up linen woven together by the “righteous acts of the saints.”
Revelation 19:8 (NASB) 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
a “clothe” aorist subjunctive middle, still being made!
b Eph. 5.24-27 tells us how the Bride will be presented to Christ (The Bridegroom): “A glorious church w/o spot, stain, blemish)
Ephesians 5:24-27 (NASB) 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 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.
c He, The Lamb, will make sure the spots, stains, blemishes are gone!
2 This is why I believe the Judgement Seat of Christ will take place in heaven in heaven during the seven year tribulation & before the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
E How does the Bride make herself ready? Become spotless?
A Paul wrote, 2 Cor. 5.10
2 Corinthians 5:10 (NASB) 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
1 Christian, You and I will never appear before God in judgement to give an accounting of our sins, we will be rewarded/blessed for what we’ve done for Christ after we got saved.
a James 2:12-13 (NASB) 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
aa Jesus is the Judge (He’s not a hangin’ judge, rigid judge . . . can be a very liberal judge.)
bb He can judge with liberality or rigidly, generous or frugal; blessing or merciless.
cc How He judges you & I is based on the amount of mercy we show down here right now.
b (IL.) Strict teacher vs. Easy going Substitute
aa Teacher would take off for spelling, grammar, punctuation; Substitute just made sure I had the right answer. Which would you prefer?
bb The only papers He grades is the work we turn in down here!
2 You are rewarded in heaven for your “righteous acts” done down here. (Titus 3.8)
Titus 3:8 (NASB) 8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.
a Eph. 2.8-10 (We often overlook v.10)
Ephesians 2:8-10 (NASB) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
b We enter heaven by the work Jesus accomplished on Calvary for us; how much of heaven/rewards we receive are in proportion to what we did for Christ in our life on earth.
aa The lies to us before we’re saved, “Work for salvation.” After his lies fail and we get saved he whispers another lie, “Now that you’re saved by grace you don’t have to do anything.”
bb Doesn’t agree with Eph. 2.10!
c Many Christians will regret their unfaithfulness @ the Judgement Seat of Christ. (Make to heaven with their soul only.)
F We have the Bridegroom, Bride, Wedding Dress, . . . who are the guests?
1 The Bride is never invited to her own wedding, neither is the groom so who are the invited guests in v. 9?
a They aren’t the church . . . she’s the bride.
b John the Baptist gives us a clue in John 3.29.
John 3:29 (NASB) 29 "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.
aa John the Baptist died before the death, burial, resurrection of Christ . . . but he’s in heaven.
bb Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, . . . all died believing in the living God of Israel. All are FRIENDS OF THE BRIDEGROOM.
c I’m not saying O.T. saints are inferior to the church/body of Christ, but there is a special blessing for the church; We are His Bride!
2 Israel, or the guests @ the wedding supper of the Lamb, have promises/relationships to Him in which the church/bride does not share; however the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be an experience reserved for the Church.
G This Meal was established as an ordinance to bridge the gap between believers since the resurrection to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
1 Examine your heart (You were made for good works)
2 Remember, This is in preparation of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
