The Wedding of the Lamb: Get Ready for the Perfect Feast

Introduction

A wedding is a celebration you spend months preparing for: the venue, the caterer, the decorations, the invitations, the outfit. Every detail matters, because each one brings you closer to the big day. Paul Georges, who married Evan this past July 19th, lived through that joyful anticipation. And yet, he says in this sermon on Revelation 19:6-9, there is an even more beautiful, even more perfect marriage that you are personally invited to: the wedding of the Lamb.

This passage from Revelation overflows with joy: "Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready." How does this future marriage change the way you live today? And how do you actually prepare for it?

Sermon Outline

1. The wedding of the Lamb points to a perfect future that invites you to rejoice and praise God

In Revelation 19, John hears "something like the voice of a great multitude" roaring with joy because "the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns." This explosion of praise doesn't come out of nowhere. Just before, in the preceding chapters, the text describes the fall of Babylon.

Babylon, in the Bible, is far more than an ancient city. It has become an image of everything that stands against God: the wars that tear peoples apart, the injustices, the oppression of the poor, the pride of the powerful. Babylon is a bit like what you see when you open the news in the morning. And the text announces that one day God will destroy this city for good. Her smoke rises "forever and ever": evil will never be able to rebuild itself.

In Babylon's place, Jesus establishes his reign. He appears with many crowns on his head, riding a white horse, followed by the armies of heaven: a gentle and good King who wipes away every trace of evil. Here's the first reason to rejoice: justice has been established.

The second reason is that God is marrying his people again. In the Old Testament, God had presented himself as Israel's husband. But the people turned away, again and again, until God declared the divorce in Jeremiah 3. Here, in Revelation 19, that divorce is undone. The relationship is restored. And this reconciliation is possible because Jesus, the Lamb, paid the price of your unfaithfulness on the cross.

2. The bride has made herself ready: and it was given her to clothe herself

In verses 7 and 8, a remarkable balance appears: "his wife has made herself ready. It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."

On one hand, the bride acts. She prepares herself actively, like a couple running around to make sure their big day lives up to the moment. On the other hand, her dress is given to her. She doesn't make it herself.

Ephesians 5:25-27 sheds light on this mystery: "Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it, that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." It's Jesus who prepares his bride. He is the one who washes her and makes her flawless.

In practice, that means two things for you. You can't stay a couch potato passively waiting for the wedding. You need to prepare, to do righteous works, to honor the name of Jesus. But you can't fall into legalism either, as if your efforts earn God's approval. You rest on his grace: it's him who makes you capable of the good works he places in your life.

3. The wedding feast reminds you of God's invitation

Verse 9 declares: "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." Jesus picks up this image in the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22. A king throws a wedding for his son. He sends his servants to invite the guests. But everyone makes excuses: too busy, a recent marriage, friends to entertain. Some even go so far as to mistreat the servants. The king, in righteous anger, destroys the city, just like Babylon.

Then he sends his servants to the crossroads and invites everyone. The hall fills up. But among the guests, one man is there without a wedding garment. The king has him thrown out, because he wasn't ready.

What this parable tells you lines up exactly with what Revelation 19 says. The wicked are judged. But what separates the guests who are received from those who are turned away is their response to God's invitation and their preparation. You don't come to a wedding dressed as if nothing were happening. You get ready.

Key Takeaways

• The wedding of the Lamb announces the final destruction of evil and the restoration of your relationship with God through Jesus.
• You are invited to rejoice actively, like the great multitude praising God in Revelation 19.
• The Church, your spiritual bride, prepares herself, but it is Jesus who sanctifies her and gives her dress to her.
• Good works don't save you; they are the dress God gives you to wear to honor the big day.
• Refusing the invitation, or accepting it without preparing, means staying outside on the wedding day.

Personal Application

1. When was the last time you took a moment to actively rejoice at the thought of Jesus's return and the wedding feast of the Lamb?
2. Today, are you more tempted toward legalism (doing everything by your own effort) or passivity (waiting without preparing anything)? How can you find the biblical balance?
3. What "good works" is God placing in front of you this week, ones you can welcome as part of the dress he's giving you?
4. If you've never said yes to Jesus's invitation, what's actually holding you back from doing it today?
5. In your daily life, what would it look like to live each day a little closer to the wedding of the Lamb?

Scripture References

• Revelation 19:6-9 (WEB) · The wedding of the Lamb
• Ephesians 5:25-27 (WEB) · Christ loved the assembly and gave himself for it
• Matthew 22:1-14 (WEB) · The parable of the wedding feast
• Jeremiah 3 (WEB) · The divorce declared on the unfaithful people
• Numbers 6:24-26 (WEB) · The priestly blessing

FAQ

What is the wedding of the Lamb in Revelation 19?

The wedding of the Lamb refers to the final celebration where Jesus, presented as the slain Lamb, is fully united with his Church. Revelation 19:6-9 announces it as a moment of total joy, when evil has been judged and the relationship between God and his people has been permanently restored.

Who is the bride of the Lamb?

The bride is the Church: everyone who has accepted God's invitation and placed their faith in Jesus. The text specifies that she "has made herself ready" and that it "was given to her" to clothe herself in bright, fine linen, these two realities going hand in hand.

How do you prepare for the wedding of the Lamb day to day?

By living out a balance between action and grace: receiving Jesus's forgiveness every day, walking in the good works he entrusts to you, serving those around you, praying, meditating on his Word. Not to earn the celebration, but to honor the one who invites you to it and prepares you for it himself.