Jesus' Return

“Cordially Invited” {Rev. 19}

12:30 AM



Revelation 19

My husband and I will have been married twenty five years in September. To many that seems like a lifetime, yet to me it seems like just yesterday that I was a eager bride, ready to begin my new life with my new husband. I remember feelings of anticipation and excitement swirling inside me as I stood in the church waiting to walk down the aisle. Yet the happiness I felt on that day can’t begin to compare to the joy that will fill my heart when, as the bride of Christ, I walk down the aisle to Jesus. 

In Revelation 19 John speaks of his vision where he hears “something like a great multitude in heaven saying, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God’.” (vs. 1) A great celebration is happening all around John. God, “whose judgments are true and righteous”, (vs. 2) has destroyed the Antichrist and his followers, avenging the blood of those Christians who fell by his hand. The heavens are filled with praise over God’s great victory. The heavenly host exult His name and rejoice in the “marriage of the Lamb”.  Christ the Bridegroom has come for His bride the church. “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.” (vs. 7) This glorious union is indeed cause for great celebration. For not only does it promise blessings to those who are invited to the wedding feast (vs 9), it ushers in the triumphant return of our Lord.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.” (vs. 11) Forever to be called, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (vs. 16) in glory and power Jesus, with His bride by His side, returns to the earth. He strikes down the nations with His Word and rules over them with a rod of iron. With the, “fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.” (vs. 15) Christ tramples the wicked like grapes trampled in a wine press.
“When Jesus returns, He is not coming back as the gentle Lamb. He will appear as the reigning King, our mighty warrior, and as the righteous Judge of the living and the dead. Jesus returns with His forces to accomplish all the remaining prophecies and covenants of His Word-establishing His kingdom on earth and destroying evil. He is called Faithful and True because not one of His promises will go unfulfilled.”....Dr. Charles Stanley 

Jesus is coming soon for His bride. He has set the date, planned the ceremony, arranged the wedding supper, and sent out the invitations. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And the one who hears says, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.” (Rev. 22:17). Once again I am filled with anticipation and excitement as I wait for that illustrious day when I join my Bridegroom forever. Until then I will continue to grow in both closeness and likeness to Jesus, serve Him with abandon, and tell all who wish to attend the “marriage of the Lamb”, that they are cordially invited! 



Becky Austin

The Grand Invitation (Luke 13-14)

3:47 AM


Have you ever waited in anticipation to see if you would receive an invitation to a party, wedding, or other event?  Did you ever look forward to a future planned event, counting down the days to the joy of partaking in the festivities?  Did you fill your days preparing ahead of time for what you would wear, what you would take with you, and where you would stay? Did you look forward to sharing the event with other people, perhaps even people you may not have seen for a while? Such occasions tip our excitement meter, don’t they?  It struck me as I read these chapters that this is exactly how God wants us to feel about the greatest event of eternity, the Wedding Feast for His people. 
This future event is something God has planned since the beginning of time.  He is such a loving, caring God that He has sent an invitation to every one. He wants to “ pack the place” and fill our eternal dwelling with as many people as He can. Sadly, however, this invitation will be treated as “ junk mail” by many and carelessly tossed aside. Many will wait until it is too late to give any serious consideration to its importance and will not respond to the invitation in time. 
The numbers of attendees will be far less than God desires. 
“And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (13:23-24). 
Why will there be so few?
Many will fail to form a relationship with Jesus.  They may be “familiar” with Him and His teachings but never give Him any true place of value in their lives. They will never prioritize surrendering their will to Him and there will come a time when it will be too late. “When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’” (13:25-27)
Many will fail to understand the importance of the invitation. They will busy their lives with what they deem to be more important matters. “And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses... (14:17-18)
The first people chosen to be invited by God to have special standing with Him were the Jews but when they began to reject and push Him aside, God expanded His invitation to the Gentiles. It breaks his heart when He invites and His offer of love is rejected. We see this in his comment to Jerusalem which plotted against Him. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”(13:34)
Many will fail to humble themselves and will try to place themselves in positions of self seeking honor.  Jesus explains that He will honor those who have been willing to put others first.  “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”(14:11)
Many will seek earthly reward and gain over heavenly reward.  Jesus encouraged truly selfless acts with no expectation of earthly  retribution.  “and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”” (14:14)

May we count ourselves blessed to have been given and to have accepted the greatest invitation of all. May we carry our enthusiasm for that coming grand event to all the world. “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 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; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.””

(Revelation 19:6-9)