Have you
ever missed a family or friend’s wedding reception, either because you were not
invited or you were unavailable to attend? If so, how did you feel after you
saw the pictures and heard the details of the celebration? The details probably
included food that was out of this world, beautiful music, dancing, and the
presence of attendees you’d have loved to see. You probably regretted not being
there.
When you
miss a friend or family member’s celebration, you can send presents and good
wishes later. As disappointing as not attending could be, it won’t be the end
of the world, but missing the wedding feast I’m talking about will definitely be
your worst loss, because you lose a whole lot more than just food, drink, and
dancing! You lose being in the presence of God in heaven. As if that won’t be a
loss enough, you’ll be spending time with the devil. So, you can see this will
be one wedding feast you cannot afford to miss!
I’m sure
you’re thinking, “This doesn’t sound like an ordinary celebration. Who is the
couple?” Yes, you are right, it is not an ordinary celebration; Jesus is the
Groom, and the bride is His Church! The Church is not a building; it is the
collection of believers (see Ephesians 1:23). Are you a believer in Jesus
Christ? If you’re not part of the Church, you are not included in the body of
Christ, His bride. Had the feast happened yesterday, you would not have been a
part of it.
Thank God,
He is waiting for you to come to be part of His church; He does not want anyone,
including you, to perish: “He is being patient for your sake. He does not want
anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9). Be aware,
however, that He can only wait for so long. You need to decide today; tomorrow
might be too late! The Scripture says, “But the day of the Lord will come as
unexpectedly as a thief” (2 Peter 3:10).
Also, no one knows when their life will end.
I hope by
now you’re asking, “How do I become part of the Church?” Let’s start from the
beginning. The Bible says we are all sinners, deserving of God’s judgment. This
is what the Scriptures say to the Christians in Ephesus, “Once you were dead
because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just
like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in
the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to
obey God” (Ephesians 2:1-2). So, you see, you are a sinner, but Jesus, in love
and obedience to the Father, took our place and endured God’s judgment for our
sin by dying on the cross. If we confess our sins to Him and ask for
forgiveness, He forgives and indwells us through the Holy Spirit. This makes us
His Children individually, and collectively His Body, His Church, and someday
in heaven, His Bride. Amen!
If you miss
the opportunity to be His child, and are therefore outside His Body, you will
never be in heaven, and therefore won’t be at the wedding. Do you know where
you’d be instead? I hate to think about that, and I don’t say it lightly, but
the truth is you’ll be in hell, with the devil and his demons (see Matthew
25:41).
There’s no reason why you should go there if you don’t want to.
You have a choice to make between God and the devil. I’ve shown you what to do;
do it and allow the Holy Spirit to transform you through the Scriptures,
prayers, and fellowship with other believers. This is how you are going to grow
in your relationship with God, and someday, with all other believers, be the
bride of Christ. We will not miss the feast because we, the bride, will have to
be there. It will be our day! Hallelujah!
All quotes are from the New Living Translation (NLT).
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