As the Bridegroom
January 18, 2004
Isaiah 62:5
2nd Sunday after the Epiphany
Galena-Warwick United Methodist Charge
Warwick & Galena, Maryland
Rev. Dr. Lawrence D. Jameson
larry@larryjameson.com
back to our church home page
As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
Isaiah 62:5b
Here is something beautiful. It’s from Isaiah
62:5
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
What does that mean?
ONE You are precious to God.
He loves you more than you realize.
I know a little bit about this.
As a pastor, it is my honor to perform wedding ceremonies.
We go through a process:
pre-marital interviews,
check lists,
rehearsal,
lots of prep work.
Nothing I can say or do
really prepares a couple
for the moment when
you turn to your fiancé,
take her hands in yours,
look into her eyes and say,
In the name of God,
I, _______
take you, _________
to be my wife,
to have and to hold
from this day forward,
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish,
until we are parted by death.
This is my solemn vow.
That is a holy moment.
It is often filled with deep emotion,
sometimes tears, laughter, even sobs.
I get to stand
close enough to hear a whisper
as the vows are spoken.
And when that moment arrives,
it is a deeply satisfying experience.
All this is to say
God loves you that much and MORE.
He loves you MORE than a bridegroom loves his betrothed.
You are his precious beloved.
You may not feel that special,
but that’s OK because
God’s love isn’t proved by feelings.
You may not look that special,
but that’s OK because
God’s love isn’t proved by appearances.
You may not intellectually accept what I am saying,
but that’s OK because
God does not depend on what you think.
It is simply true. And there is nothing you can do to change that.
God loves you. You are precious to him. That’s a fact.
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
TWO God rejoices.
Some day, Jesus Christ is coming back to earth
the dead will rise
everyone will be judged
those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life
will sit down to feast and fellowship with God.
On that day, when the book of life is read out loud,
when your name is called,
the angels will rejoice,
your family and loved ones will rejoice,
I want to be there singing and shouting
but best of all
God is going to rejoice over you
because he loves you MORE THAN YOU KNOW.
The Apostle John describes that day
in Revelation 19:6-9
6Then 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.
7Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the
saints.)
9Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the
wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."
God is going to throw a party for you
and there will be so many guests
that their greeting will sound like
like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder.
But heaven can’t contain the laughter and the shout of joy
that God himself is going to make.
I did a wedding once
and when the ceremony began
the bride began to quietly weep
and I thought, “oh, isn’t that nice”
When the scripture lesson was read
the bride kept on crying, and she got a little louder
and I thought, “Wow, she is really feeling this”
It seemed that with every passing moment
she was steadily getting louder.
When it came to the wedding vows
she said the words
between loud full out sobs.
You see, so far,
that was the greatest day in her life.
Her wedding day.
Dear ones,
God loves you MORE than that.
His heart is greater
His feelings are deeper
His loyalty is firmer
His commitment is truer
than any person, or any relationship in this world.
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
Conclusion
God loves us like a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.
What can we do with this knowledge?
How can we apply this to our lives?
Look for small ways to say “I love you God”.
God is really big, and so is his love,
but he doesn’t expect big results from us.
Not right away.
What God wants are little things.
POEM
It’s the LITTLE THINGS
That let you know
Not the words or fancy show.
It’s the LITTLE THINGS
Lovers do
That say so much
With words so few.
A gesture of warmth
A moment of care…
The LITTLE THINGS
Lovers share.
An intimate glance
Encompassing two
The way you touch me
The way I touch you.
The Smiling eyes
That trust and know
These LITTLE THINGS
Set hearts aglow.
Watch for them
Look for them
With Open heart greet
The gestures of Love
That flavor life sweet!
if seeds of Love
You want to sew…
Start with the Little Things
And watch them grow!
Look for small ways to say “I love you God”.
You can do this all day long.
Ask yourself,
what do I like about God?
When you find something you like,
TELL HIM.
Well God,
I really like the way you are gentle and kind with me.
Sometimes I can be so cranky and spoiled,
but you don’t punish me, you just wait for me
to come to my senses.
I really like that about you Lord!
I like your patience. I like your kindness.
That sort of prayer
blesses God’s heart. It makes him glad.
That’s something you can do
that small
but very meaningful.
Let’s pray.
Dear Jesus, thank you for being the groom.
Thank you for making the church your bride.
We don’t deserve you,
but you love us anyway.
We are not pure enough for you,
but you have put your spotless garments on us.
We don’t know nearly enough
but you patiently teach us.
We have forgotten how to dance,
but you take the lead, and off we go.
Lord, come back soon.
Thank you for our names on your book of life.
Show us how to be ready for the wedding feast. Amen.