The Spirit and the Bride Say, “Come!” Revelation 22:1-6, 12-20; Acts 1:12-16; John 17:20–26 

 

Grace, mercy and peace to you, from God, our Father, and our Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

The Spirit and the Bride Say, “Come!”, is the title of our message, taken from our Epistle, especially verse 17, The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

 

“Come! Don’t stay away!”, are the words of the Spirit and the Bride in Revelation 22. The Spirit is God. God is spirit, a living being, but without a physical body.

 

God is Spirit with a capital ”S”, because He alone is God; He alone has always existed, and with His saints and angels, will exist forever.

 

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”  The Bride is the Church.

 

Sometimes in Scripture the relationship between God and His people is compared to that of a bride and groom, or husband and wife.

 

Isaiah 62:5 says, As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you…

 

God doesn’t literally marry us but loves us dearly, and wants to be close to us, and wants us to be close and faithful to Him, thus the analogy of husband and wife.

 

… as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you, Isaiah says.

 

God rejoices over all who love and follow Him.

 

God told Jeremiah in chapter 2, verse 2, “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness”… at the time of Moses.

 

In the book of Hosea, the prophet Hosea’s unfaithful wife is compared to the Old Testament Church, the people of Israel, who at that time were being unfaithful to God and straying away to false gods, idols, and engaging in the worldly, sinful ways associated with those idols.

 

God calls us to stay faithful and true to Him, as He is to us, like a loving, devoted spouse.

 

In Matthew 9, when Jesus and His disciples were criticized for not fasting, He said: “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?... comparing Himself as a husband to the Church.

 

In Ephesians 5, Paul compares the relationship of a close and loving husband and wife to Christ and the Church.  

 

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 

 

Jesus gave His life to make us holy before God by faith, and deserving of salvation. 

 

 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies… just as Christ does the church… 30 for we are members of his body.

 

We are one with Christ, joined with Him by faith.

 

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…

 

… that we are His body, and the Church His Bride, a great mystery that only God can make happen.

 

Even closer than a husband to his wife, and a wife to her husband, is Christ to us by His Holy Spirit within us.

 

In the book of Revelation, chapter 19, life in Heaven is compared to a huge and joyful wedding celebration, with all the saints of Heaven, all the faithful, invited to the wedding of Christ…

 

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

 

Saints and angels shouting and praising so loud it sounds like roaring thunder. 

 

 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready…

 

God will make us ready for Heaven by raising our bodies in glory, pure and holy, worthy to abide in the presence and glory of God.

 

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” 

 

So there are two complementing analogies here: one, that in Heaven we are  like the Bride of Christ, because He loves us so dearly…

 

… and second, that we are the honored guests, invited to rejoice at His wedding celebration.

 

In both analogies, we are blessed with all the joys and gifts of Heaven.

And finally in the last chapter of Revelation, verse 17, The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” 

 

God and His people, we and Christ extend an invitation to all: join us in the ongoing celebration, the never-ending joy, the pure and holy love, the perfect peace and harmony, the awesome beauty and majesty, the glorious splendor of Heaven, prepared by Christ for all who believe to receive and take part in. 

 

That’s our and our Lord’s invitation to everyone; don’t say no, don’t walk away, come to living waters of the Gospel, and receive life at its best, as God gives it for eternity.   

 

Let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

 

By repentant faith, receive the gift without price, the price already paid in full by the blood of Christ, the free gift of His saving grace for our life and joy everlasting!

 

How tragic to say no to what Christ has won at great price. 

 

May we, nor anyone, be apathetic toward life, or resigned to an eternity of death.

 

God has life to give by His grace, perfect, wonderful, joyful, eternal, glorious life!

 

Let us be eternally joined to our God and Savior by faith, close to Him in holy love.

 

And with the help of the Spirit, let us call the world to Christ: the Spirit and the Bride say come! 

 

May all the world hear, believe, receive and rejoice!

Let us take the Lord’s promises seriously, His promises in Revelation, and in all of Scripture…

 

… and His let us take His warnings in Revelation and in all of Scripture, seriously.

 

There are dire consequences to not repenting and believing but rejecting the spiritual life and blessings God so sincerely offers, and so freely gives.

 

In the life and world to come, without Christ, we’ll have nothing good, but everything bad and hurtful and dreadful and horrible.

 

With Christ, we’ll have every good and glorious thing He has to give, and will never stop giving, but will give amazing love and gifts forever.

 

Let us remain close and faithful to Him on earth, and we will surely be close to Him and happy in Heaven forever.

 

And let us invite the world to join us in the eternal joy of the Lamb who died for us all, Christ who rose, ascended, and reigns in power and love, to bless us with every good and glorious gift for all eternity... 

 

… including the gift of His peace, which passes understanding, and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, who is risen, and ascended, and will  return, as He promises: “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.