Christ's Perspective on His Second Coming

Don't fear, I do have a working timepiece up here. I was taught early on in my ministry that the worst way for anybody to die would be to be preached to death. So we certainly don't want to do that. Brethren, why are we here this evening? We are here to worship God. We are here to fellowship with God's very special people. We are here to learn about a very special future. Let's take a look at something that's very basic to all of us over here in Leviticus 23.

Get our bearings by looking at Leviticus 23. Leviticus 23, verse 33, Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be a feast of tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You should do no customary work on it. We want to take a look at just some of the highlights here. A holy convocation. A very special calling out of God's very special people.

You. You've come from various states. You've come from maybe, for all I know, different countries, foreign lands. You've assembled here to worship our very special God, to fellowship with one another in a very special way, to learn more about our very special future. It's a holy, it's a very special, it's a unique convocation that we've got here today. We drop down to verse 40. And you shall take for yourselves on that first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.

We are to rejoice. I'm hoping that by the time I'm done with the sermon today, we've got a better understanding as to some of the reasons why we've assembled here as God's special people. To worship our very special God, to understand our very special future, and why it is we have so much to rejoice about. In verse 43, again, just hitting the highlights, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

As the children of Israel left slavery in Egypt, this feast of tabernacles pictures a time when the whole of the world will leave the slavery of Satan. Satan will be bound. The millennium will begin. Today is opening night. We're talking about the very, by analogy, the very beginning of the millennium. A time when we see true freedom, the beginnings of true freedom for all of mankind.

What were your thoughts as you prepared to come to the Feast of Tabernacles these last number of months? What was going through your mind as you began to make your plans? Today I want to ask a question that maybe we don't tend to think about as much as we could.

I want to ask the question, and this is a theme for my sermon tonight. If you want to take notes and put something across the top of your paper, put across the top of your paper this specific purpose question. What is Christ's perspective on His second coming? How does Jesus Christ view this Feast of Tabernacles that we have come to assemble here and to worship?

What are His views as Jesus Christ is coming through the heavens on that white stallion with His armies clothed in white, and on their white horses as He's coming to rescue His beloved bride? What are the thoughts that are going through the mind of Jesus Christ? Let's take a look at that this evening. Turn over to Hebrews 11, if you would. Hebrews 11. As Jesus Christ is hurtling through the heavens at the speed of thought, with His innumerable army clad in white on white horses, maybe white stallions, as they are a tremendous spectacle to see, as they are coming through the heavens, Jesus Christ perhaps is thinking about what we're going to be reading right now.

As He's thinking about His bride, gentlemen, remember the day that you got married, and you were standing at the front of a group that had come to your wedding, and you remember the entrance your bride made in thoughts that went through your heart as you saw her come. Perhaps Jesus Christ will be thinking these very same things. Hebrews 11, verse 33. Who through faith subdued kingdoms? He's thinking about His own people through the centuries. Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouth of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Women received their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. As His thoughts coursed through Christ's mind, He says, I'm so proud of my bride. I've got to get there as soon as possible to rescue her. Still others, verse 36, had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.

They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. Jesus Christ says, this is my bride. She is now worthy to be my bride. Earlier on, as we study the New Testament, we find a description of Jesus Christ and His thinking. It happens to be about the Passover, but I'm sure that it's also true about this Feast of Tabernacles. But regarding the Passover, Christ made mention.

He said, with fervent desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you. Brethren, with fervent desire, Jesus Christ wants us to appreciate His thinking. He wants us to appreciate why we're here. He wants us to appreciate the beauty of His plan. And He wants us to appreciate the how much He loves you. Each and every one of you. In the book of John, I won't turn there, but in the book of John, it says, The thief does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy.

I have come. If you've got a red, this is John 10. I'm not going to turn there. But if you've got a red letter Bible, this isn't red. I have come that they may have life, that they may have it more abundantly. Jesus Christ wants His bride to experience real life. Not the kind of life we've experienced through the ages, the persecutions, the tormentings, the various trials, but real life, life on the level of a spirit being.

Today, pictures that beautiful truth, a very beautiful truth. And the truth is this, that the time has come. We've waited. We've waited through the centuries. We've waited through millennia. We've waited as project mankind went through, and now has come to fruition totally and fully at the time of the return of Jesus Christ. The time has come for Christ to gather His bride. The time has come for real rejoicing. The time has come to be released from bondage, from Satan, and to begin a new world.

A world that you will help to administer, that you will help to rule lovingly because of all that you've learned. The time has come. But let's take a snapshot look at the players on the scene here. We're not going to take a lot of time with this. Let's go over to the book of Revelation, chapter 1. I want to set a stage here and then answer that question. What is Christ's perspective on His second coming?

Over here in Revelation, chapter 1, let's take a look at our bridegroom. Now, you and I understand that the wording we're seeing here is largely symbolic. We understand that, but I think we can also appreciate that all of the wording here is symbolic and a great measure. What we're looking at, what God wants us to understand, is that we're getting a glimpse, even of a symbolism, of the glorified Christ, the bridegroom. You know, when He came to the flesh in the flesh's first time, the Scriptures say there was no beauty that we should desire Him.

That's changed. That's changed. Revelation, chapter 1, verse 13. And in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like the Son of Man clothed the garment down to the feet and heard about the chest with a golden band. He would put anybody in GQ to shame. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire. The bridegroom cuts quite a figure here, doesn't it? His feet were like fine brasses of refined in a furnace. His voice is a sound of many waters.

I don't know about you, but I've always enjoyed listening to people and them speaking and the sound of a wonderful voice. His voice is a sound of many waters. Compelling, charismatic, loving, compassionate, strong. Sound of many waters. He had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth with a sharp two-edged sword. And his cottonence was like the sun shining in its strength. Why? Because we're looking at the glorified Jesus Christ, the glorified bridegroom.

We turn to Revelation 19. We see the other characters in the setting that we're talking about. Revelation 19. Verse 11. Revelation 19, 11. And now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. Jesus Christ on his white horse, on that white stallion. Again, a very dashing figure as he's going to be coming through the heavens to rescue you, his bride. Because the time has come. Verse 14. And the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses.

If we were to have been in this spaceship in the far reaches of heaven, as we saw Christ and his armies advancing, we probably couldn't see from one end to the other such a large host in heaven's coming to rescue the very bride of Jesus Christ. Here in chapter 19, verse 7. Let us be glad to rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.

What is Christ's perspective on that statement? His wife, you, all of us, have made ourselves ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. So here we've got Christ on his white horse, his armies clothed in white. A tremendous vision as they're on their white horses and they're marching through the heavens at the speed of thought. What in a rescue, the very bride of Jesus Christ? Let's take a glimpse of that over in Matthew chapter 24. Matthew 24. And in verse 29.

What is Christ's perspective, brethren, as we begin our Feast of Tabernacles here in Wisconsin-Dells, 2007? What is Christ's perspective? We are here to worship a very special God, a very special Savior. We want to ask that question. What is their thinking? Where are their thoughts? Because we want a fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. Certainly we want a fellowship with one another. We want a fellowship with a very special God and our very special Savior. We read already in Revelation chapter 19, Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready. Why is it? What is Christ's perspective on His second coming? Let me give you a few thoughts I've put together over the last number of months. Number one, what is Christ's perspective? Number one, it's a time of great happiness and joy. Great happiness and joy. There are many reasons for that. Let's just look at a few of them over here in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. The background here, we've got a small little church in Thessalonica. Time has moved forward in the early history of the young Christian church. A number of people had died. The Apostle Paul needed to speak to that issue. 1 Thessalonians 4, 13. But I don't want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring Him with those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you that by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain, until the coming Lord will by no means proceed those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. There's not a person in this room who hasn't lost somebody we love dearly to death. Not a person in this room. Every one of us, if we were told right now that you fill in the blank S to the name, that that person is right now in the lobby. You would get out of your seat and you would run out there. You would embrace that person. You would have fallen to tears. You understand about the resurrection, but you miss that person. Or though all of those people, all of those persons, is not God any different? Is not our elder brother any different? Doesn't Christ's heart just burst for joy? Thinking about the time when Abraham and David and Moses, Hannah and Sarah, Mary, they're resurrected. They're no longer in the graves. They come out of the graves. It's a time of great joy for our father, for our elder brother. A time of tremendous joy with a fervent desire he wants to be here. With a fervent desire he wants us to keep this feast. And to remember what this feast is all about. A time of life. I've come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Eternal life for his saints. Now, not everybody will be resurrected to eternal life. We understand that. You know, God has got a plan. We're going to talk about, on the last great day, the great way through in judgment period and so forth. When God is thinking, when Christ is coming for his saints, he's thinking, I can't wait! I just can't wait to get there and to be with them. His heart is breaking for joy.

What's Christ's perspective on his second coming? What's his perspective? A time of great happiness, a time of great joy because of the resurrection. Let's take a look at something else, another reason why there's so much joy that Jesus Christ is experiencing at this point. Over here in Revelation 21. And again, we know that as time goes along, we're looking at something that is past the millennium, past the great way through in the judgment period. We understand that. But it all begins, it all begins with the return of Jesus Christ. It's got to start there. Notice something that, to me, is so very encouraging. Revelation 21, starting in verse 4. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Brethren, we talk about people dying. We say with a euphemism, well, they've passed away. There's coming a time when death itself will pass away. Death itself will pass away. You've been to a hospital lately?

You've seen some people really suffering lately? I'll be talking a little bit more about that later on in the feast, as we talk about healing, not just physical healing, but the need of healing at every level. Physically, emotionally, mentally, of course, spiritually. Talk more about that later in the feast. But here we see that the time will come, no more death, nor more sorrow. Doesn't that make God rejoice? A time such as that?

Verse 5. Then he who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Right, for these words are true and faithful. And he said to me, this is done, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Inherit all things, the vastness of the universe. Not the little plot of land you and I might own right now. We might own, we might be a farmer. We might own many hundred, you know, dozens of acres or hundreds of acres, whatever. Many of us only own a city lot. There's coming a time because of what you've experienced and how you've grown and how you've handled yourself with God's help. But Jesus Christ says, you know, I love them. I love him. I love her. And they have shown me that they can do and handle more. And I'm going to give them more. I'm going to give them all kinds of responsibility. I love them so. And they've shown they can handle it. And as, you know, those of us, you know, most of us in this room as parents, grandparents, family members, as we've given gifts to those we love, think about God the Father and Jesus Christ as they want to give us the ultimate in gifts, eternal life, eternal life in the kingdom of God. Talk about a wedding present. Truly remarkable. Truly, they want so much to give us the very best.

One of the things they're going to give us is a life without pain, a life without death, a life where we experience the beauty and the wonder of being a spirit being.

Let's move on. Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. Why is Christ... what is Christ's perspective on His second coming? Colossians chapter 3.

Colossians chapter 3 and verse 4. When Christ, who is our life... Pause there for a moment. This is one of the things that makes God the Father and Jesus Christ so happy. It's one of the reasons why God and Christ rejoice at seeing each and every one of you come here. For some of you, for a good many of you, coming here was not easy. Here in the Midwest, we're experiencing all sorts of financial difficulties. Some of us, I'm sure there may be somebody here who's come here realizing that they don't have a job to go back to when they go home. Maybe you've got family members who said if you go to that convention, you're not coming back. Over the years, you've paid a price to follow God, and willingly, because you love God, you love Jesus Christ. And they say, you know, they loved my appearing when Christ, who is our life. And that's true of you. Now, I'm sure each and every one of us could say we want it to be more true of us, but God's not done with any of us yet. All of us are still growing and developing. God's still very much working with me. If you don't believe that, ask my wife.

When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also shall appear with Him in glory. You shall appear with Him in glory. What does that mean? What does it mean that you are going to appear in glory? Have we studied that? Have we contemplated that? Certainly, it's one of the reasons it makes Christ so happy and rejoicing. One of the reasons He wants us to rejoice in this feast. It pictures a time when we're going to be raised into glory. Our resurrected bodies will be incorruptible.

Very different than what they are right now. Are you happy with what you've got right now?

I always hope I can look at the mirror and see Fabio. Foolish man. Foolish man. I look at the mirror and see Flavio.

It wasn't that long ago. Time seems to really, as you get dancing years. A member of some number of years ago, I probably was in my 40s then, so... I was going to a movie home, a movie house, and buying my ticket, and the young lady said, Sir, can I offer you the seniors' rate? I thought, how old is this girl? Must be 9 years old or something. Offer me the seniors' rate. What was my 40s? Maybe I just look like I lived a tough life. I don't know. Demand to pay full price here. What are you talking about?

A little senior. Of course, I'll get them. Foolish. Yeah, you want to offer me the senior rate? Fine. I'll be happy to take that. But you know, when we are glorified, our bodies will be radically different. Never age. Never deteriorate. Never have, never die, never decay, never decompose. Our resurrected bodies will be raised in glory. To be raised in glory means to possess and be full of brilliance, splendor, brightness, magnificence, dignity, majesty. Because we're no longer physical flesh. We're now the very sons of God, fully converted, fully spirit, different body. A tremendous present from our father and our elder brother, from the bridegroom to the bride. The resurrected body is raised in power, full of strength, full of might, full of health, full of authority, no right kind of authority.

It's one of the reasons why Jesus Christ has such joy in his heart as he comes through the heavens to rescue his bride. It's one of the reasons why we, as we assemble here tonight and for the rest of the time, we're at the feast, and the last great day, need to remember our calling. We need to remember as much as we may be going through some very difficult times, challenging times, at the other end of those challenges, it is a future we could almost... we've really got to ask God's help to see and to fully appreciate. Over here in Matthew 16, take a look at another reason that Christ is so filled with joy as he returns to begin the millennium. Matthew 16. Matthew 16, verse 27. For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father and his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works. You'll be rewarded according to how you've overcome. Remember, Christ is coming, and he's glad to resurrect you. He can't wait to get to you, to give you eternal life, to make you fully a part of the family of God in a way that you could never have been, you or I, in the flesh.

As you read your daily newspaper or news magazine, as you watch television, listen to radio, and you see what is happening on the world scene, there are so many times we yearn to be able to do something about events around us, events in our community, events in our state, in our country, in the world. And yet, brethren, there's coming a time when God is going to give you just that opportunity. Because of all the growth, because of your growing with his help, with God's help, with the help of Jesus Christ, because of all those times you spent fasting and praying and studying, all that time you spent overcoming with God's help. God says they're ready. They're ready for a new and a wonderful set of responsibilities. I can't wait to give them that present. Responsibilities fit just for you. Tailor made just for you. Do you like where you work right now? Many of you may. Some of you probably don't. Are your talents really being utilized where you're working? Are you really appreciated where you're working? What will it be like in the world tomorrow where your talents will be used to the max? Even as a spirit being, God loves to give us challenges. And even as a spirit being, we'll have tremendous challenge. God will keep on pushing us to grow throughout all time. He makes God and Jesus Christ very happy to give us those opportunities for further growth, further development. It's going to make you and I extremely happy to be placed in a position just for us. Just for us. That's what some of the things that these days represent. Brethren, why is it that we rejoice at this piece of Tabernacles? What is Christ's perspective on His Second Coming? Well, as we made mention, the time has come. Christ is happy. He's rejoicing. He wants us to rejoice because of all we just made mention of. But there's other things to think about. There are other reasons why Christ is so full of happiness and joy regarding His pride. Point number two. Point number one was, we have asked the question, what is Christ's perspective on His Second Coming? Point number one is the time of great happiness and joy. Point number two is that Christ is pleased with His bride who has made herself ready. Christ is pleased with His bride who has made herself ready. Let's take a look at the book of Titus for a moment. The book of Titus.

Titus chapter 2, starting in verse 12. You know, the holy days of God interlock, and here we see some of the teachings, really, of the days of Unleavened Bread, but they're very true for all the days of God. Titus chapter 2 and verse 12, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, in other words, getting out the sin, getting out the leaven, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. Ah, we get out of the sin, we get rid of the sin, but we bring in the righteousness, the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, right? We live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope, glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Notice the language that is used about the bride of Christ, His own special people. The book of Malachi talks about how God's people are like precious jewels to Him, His own special people, zealous for good works. One of the reasons why this bridegroom loves His bride is because there's the same heart in both, the same passion, the same desire for the same wonderful things abide in both Jesus Christ and His bride. As Christ looks at His bride, He says, I love her because of what she wants to be. Oh, she's had her share of challenges, but she has made herself ready. And I do love herself. I do love herself. Think about what it says here for a moment. In verse 12. We are to live soberly. To live soberly means to have self-control, to be temperate, to be disciplined. It means to restrain certain desires and lusts and appetites when those desires are not proper. And as Christ is hurling through the heavens with His heavenly host, and He's thinking about His bride, He's thinking about the setting that His bride lived in, the setting where the world was given to excess. There wasn't discipline. There wasn't self-control. There wasn't restraint. There was lust everywhere. Every place you turned, and yet Christ says, my bride was different. My bride held out for something better.

She lived soberly. It says here, she lived righteously. Righteously means to do right. Treating others like we should. Doing good to others. Giving them their due.

Can Jesus Christ relate to that? Can He relate to the fact that here His bride is doing just what He did? He came to this planet. He lived His life. He did nothing but good. He taught nothing but love. Various facets of love. He was crucified through that. His bride, much the same, has lived her life on this planet. Living, growing, serving, trying to live righteously, striving to live righteously. Yes, there were times the bride would fall, but that's what the Passover is all about. And yet Jesus Christ looks at that bride and says, you know, she has the heart, just as I did, to do good. To live by a certain way of life, and not to be overcome by the world she found herself in.

It says there in Titus 2, verse 14, that we are to live godly in this present age. To live on Satan's turf, in Satan's world, in a world grown cold.

And even, unfortunately, maybe for some members of the family, as we see in Matthew 24, don't want to get on this very long, but perhaps some will lose faith. Perhaps some will grow cold in the faith and drop by the wayside. But for those who don't, for those who don't, Jesus Christ is so very, very happy. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to appreciate why we're here tonight. Why, after perhaps you worked all day long today, you got in your car and you drove, or some of you drove long hours yesterday to get here.

Because you couldn't, you didn't want to be anyplace else. The seats that you're in right now, you couldn't buy that seat.

God the Father and Jesus Christ had to give you a special invitation to be here.

And they're so happy you are here, despite the many challenges it took for you to get here. Over in John 4.

Talking about why Christ is so full of joy and happiness at His return, at the beginning, at the outset of the millennium. We're seeing here that He's joyous because the bride has made herself ready. Here in John 4 and in verse 34.

Jesus said to them, again, in my Bible here, it's read lettering, My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work. That's my food. That's what I want to do. To do the work God has given me. To do that very work. Over in the same chapter, chapter 4, verse 10, Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says, Do you give me a drink? You would have asked Him, He would have given you living water.

Jesus Christ wants to lead people to living water.

In John 4 and in verse 14, But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water, speaking up into everlasting life. Jesus Christ wants to give people and quench their most inner desires. He wants to give them eternal life. Give them the answers. Give them a way of life that is full and beautiful. That it's productive. And the reason Jesus Christ is coming through the heavens to rescue His beloved, His bride, is because He sees those same thoughts in her, the same passion. His bride also wants to lead people to living water. That's why they come to the Feast of Tabernacles. That's why they give offerings. That's why they send in their tithes. That's why they pray for the work of the church. That's why when there's an opening at work, they may begin to discuss with people what we believe, because we want them to have a knowledge. Now, we realize that God calls. We're not trying to call people. That's God's job. But if God gives us the opening, because we've got the same heart, the same passion that Jesus Christ did, then we want to fulfill the same thing.

I remarked a few times before in a pass to this group here in Wisconsin Dells, who has been in the ministry. I graduated from Ambassador College in 1974, and for 10 years I was in sales. I remember one year when I was a salesman, there was a movie on the day after, back I think it was 1981. At the time, about half of America watched that particular movie, talking about nuclear holocaust in Little Town in Kansas. The day after that movie came out, I was in my sales office, and my boss, who was Eastern Orthodox, said, Hey Randy, you're a Holy Joe. You're a minister. You're a layelder. What about this prophecy stuff? What about this prophecy stuff? I said, well, J.C., do you really want to know something? If you want to know, do you have a specific question? He said, yeah. He asked a question. I answered. He asked another question. I answered. There were some Lutherans, there were some Catholics, there was a Jewish lady. Guys came from the back of the printing area, who probably were on drugs, didn't know who they were, but...

There was a hunger there. I spoke to that group, just answering the questions they asked, not only about prophecy, but Christian living. I spoke to that group for two and a half hours, unscheduled. They put their phones on so that the incoming sales calls would just be routed to an answering machine.

Real hunger out there. And you've talked to people. You've seen the look in their face when they begin to understand certain things. They may not come this way of life, but for a while, you see that sparkle, that little bit of a glimpse. God wants to see that. Christ wants to see that. God and Christ love to see that in you.

It makes Jesus Christ very proud of his bride. That we have the same love, the same passion for the same things.

Let's turn to 1 Corinthians 13. 1 Corinthians 13.

1 Corinthians 13.1. 1 Corinthians 13.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 0eto do document that things that only lead the way to Mary dwell iniever's and while they go to Status I am not thinking of the people, except for thou didst not even approve the words. God is love. What is Christ's perspective on His Second Coming? What is Christ's perspective as He begins the Millennium? One of the things He appreciates about you, His bride, is how you have come to epitomize through a life of struggle and challenge, hardship and difficulty, what we see right here in chapter 13. Now, we've not arrived. We understand right now, today, you know, September 26, 2007, we understand that today we've got a ways to go. All of us. You meet, we all do. But God the Father and Jesus Christ appreciates the attitude, appreciates the heart, appreciates how we are striving to go the proper way and to meet people that it discusses starting here in verse 4. And as Christ is coming through the heavens with His heavenly host, at the speed of thought, to rescue His bride, His mind is thinking about the bride He's coming to rescue. In verse 4, love suffers long. Christ thinks, you know, my bride is, she's living in a world where people think about wanting things right now.

Gotta have it now. Gotta consume it now. And He's so proud of His bride that she's learned better than that. The bride is not short-tempered. The bride doesn't allow herself to be irritated at annoyances and inconveniences. The bride has come to realize that people are people and to try to appreciate where people are at. And Christ loves that about His bride. Love suffers long and is kind. Again, in a cold, dark world full of hatred and persecution and amosities. A setting that is so awful, so negative. Christ sees His bride and says, I love the fact that she takes the initiative to do good. She serves when others would walk away, when others would turn their back, when others would do just a very, you know, respond in kind in a very negative way. Christ sees His bride does something altogether different.

Love here in verse 4 says, love doesn't envy. And it also says, love doesn't parade itself. You know, that's kind of a couplet there. You know, the Bible talks very clearly that in the body of Christ there are different members. Some have more gifts, some have less gifts. Either way, Christ says, you know, those who've got the lesser gifts, they don't envy the others who've gotten more. And on the other hand, those who've gotten more gifts don't have negative thoughts of boasting in front of those who've got lesser gifts. God says, I love my bride for that. I love my bride for that. Verse 5 says, as Christ is coming through the heavens, His love does not behave rudely.

Christ is meditating as He's coming through the heavens and He's thinking to Himself, my bride is not rude. My bride is an individual of dignity. She's classy. And she needs to be my wife. Love does not seek its own, verse 5. Love is not provoked and thinks no evil. Not easily angered, not self-seeking, only seeking what is good for anybody else, in terms of anger, analyzing anger, taking care of unresolved anger, learning to be a peacemaker.

That's what the bride of Christ does. That's what the bride of Christ is all about. Verse 6, she does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Satan is the father of lies. He's waged the campaign of lies since before we know time. Back in the days when there were no human beings, there were just righteous angels who were told lies and they became demons. And then for 6,000 years, Satan has had his way with mankind, as God has allowed him.

God has put parameters on him. But here we see that his bride loves the truth, rejoices in the truth, serves the truth, seeks the truth, lives the truth. And again, Jesus Christ is so happy to see that. Verse 7, bears all things, blows all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. To bear all things, the bride of Christ protects. She's learned over the course of time to protect people from embarrassing things.

Perhaps she could say something that would be embarrassing to people, but she won't do that. She won't bring up things that would cause embarrassment or gossip or that would cause harm to anybody. She's learned that that's not the way to live. Christ appreciates that about her.

She's learned, you know, it says here, believes all things. She's not gullible. You can't just sell her anything. She's a bright woman, the bride of Christ. On the other hand, she's learned to give the benefit of the doubt. She's realized over the course of time that she herself has had her share of challenges and she's fallen short. She's willing to give the other guy a chance to have a second chance. Again, not being hard-hearted or soft-headed, being balanced. And lastly there in verse 7, love endures all things. Love hopes. And that's what we are here today to picture.

What is Christ's perspective on His second coming? It's a time of hope, a time of great rejoicing, a time for us to appreciate the things that God has truly given to us right now in the flesh and to realize that there's more, much more down the road.

The Bride of Christ is a bride full of hope, a bride who looks forward, not backward. And lastly, it says, the bride endures all things. The bride hung on when life seemed to drag her through a knot hole backwards, when life was so difficult, life was excruciating. And then she was talking about, you've all come from church areas where there have been, it seems this last year, very difficult times.

I'll talk more about that on the sixth day of the feast. Very difficult times. And yet through those difficult times, I've seen men and women in God's church, who have been so proud of my brothers and sisters in the faith. Brethren, we are here to worship a very special God. We are here to fellowship with God's very special people. We are here at this Feast of Tabernacles to learn about a very special future.

It's opening night. We've had a long day. We're going to close in just a couple of moments. Let's make it a point, all through the feast, to remember how great our God is, how much our God loves us. Let's make it a point to realize we are here. It's a very special assembly we've got here. We've got feast sites all around the world. But this is unique because this group of people will never be together again until the Kingdom of God. A very unique group of people.

And there may be a certain reason why you are here. You'll walk through those doors in the coming days, and you may have things to say of encouragement to other people around you. Now, we want to be humble about that. We don't want to walk in the door and say, hey, I'm here. All you have need, come to me. We want to be humble about that because, you know, even though you've got things to help other people with, there are other people who are going to walk through those doors, and they'll have things to help me and you with.

So we certainly want to come here to worship and to understand that very special future that God has in store for each and every one of the members of His Church, the Bride of Christ. So, brethren, let's go home this evening. Let's have a good night's sleep. We may mention that I'll be having a meeting with those who would love to serve on parking.

We've got two crews. I need a third crew. I need eight people to serve on that. So if you are willing, I'd love to see you after services by the ticket counter. For those of you who didn't make the four o'clock meeting, if you can make that meeting, I'd love to see you. Brethren, have a great Feast of Tabernacles.