Closing Worship

Praise & Worship

Introduction: Living in the Time of Betrothal

  • As the church, we need to remind each other that we are the Bride—chosen and beloved

  • Our Groom has fulfilled the betrothal contract

    • He paid the bride price on the cross

    • He gave the promised gift of the Holy Spirit

  • Our Groom has gone to prepare the wedding chamber — He will come for us at the time that His Father decides

  • Once our Groom has His Father’s permission, He will not wait another second — But will eagerly come for us and take us Home

  • As the Bride we have nothing to give but ourselves — Which is all He ever wanted from us

  • We anticipate His arrival, preparing ourselves as we listen for the shouts and the trumpets

Testimonies: Wedding Toasts

  • Time of sharing about our experiences of the Groom (Jesus) and the Bride (Church)

Scripture Reading

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” - Revelation 21:1-4

Special Music

Teaching: Ancient Wedding Practices - The Feast

  • Seven-day-long celebration — Food, wine, music, dancing in community

  • Anticipating the Wedding Supper of the Lamb

    • Heaven is a feast

    • We must put on the wedding clothes that He has earned for us

      • He took our filthy rags of sin

      • Gives us His white robe of righteousness in return

    • Time of joy & celebration for God’s people

    • Where there will be no more crying or pain

  • Point of this life is to grow in intimate relationship with Jesus

    • Beyond just intellectually believing He exists,

    • Knowing Him more deeply than even our closest human relationships

  • Something like the couple who stays on the dance floor the longest in the wedding dance that honors the longest married couple

    • Their love proven by the years they’ve stayed by each other’s side

    • The challenges and obstacles they’ve been through together

  • Ultimately, we will one day simply dance across into eternity in the arms of Jesus

Closing: Wedding Dance

Hava Nagila (Traditional Jewish Dance) — Instructional Video

  • For now we dance in community as the church

  • Gather in a circle (ring) as a reminder of the covenant promise God has made with mankind (rainbow)

    • English Translation of Lyrics:

      Let us rejoice, let us rejoice, let us rejoice and be happy.

      Let us sing, let us sing, let us sing and be happy.

      Awake, awake, my brothers!

      Awake my brothers with a happy heart.