FBC Morning Worship Service

Good morning. Good to see you on this Lord's Day, and I hope that you're Awake enough. I realize that we have a challenge before us today to Deal with a loss of sleep last night. I hope that's not you lost sleep, but you know, I.

I don't understand why this is but it is. We know that this is coming. We know it months in advance we know it all week that we're gonna be setting our clocks ahead and.

And.

You know, we ought to be able to say, okay, I'm gonna do that. I did this yesterday afternoon I set clock my clocks ahead so that I would I would go to bed at 1030 last night go to sleep at 1030, which would be 930, right?

Nine, it just doesn't work. Does it it doesn't work. I don't know why that is. Anyway, I hope you're rested enough that You can join in to the worship service today and it'll be a blessing and an encouragement to you before we do that though just a few announcements to emphasize one is the breakfast for the men on Saturday at 8 o 'clock in the morning and There's a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board need you to let us know if you're planning to come so we know How many eggs to fry or whatever?

So if you could men let us know that and then you see the Schedule the plan for Easter Sunday April 4th for Sunday of April coming quickly and so we'll have a sunrise service and then a Breakfast time together and then the regular morning activities of Sunday school and morning worship service.

So I encourage you to plan on those things. Yeah, I know another weekend where you get up early and lose a little sleep, but after all it's Resurrection Sunday. It's a way to celebrate the fact that the Lord is risen and we serve a risen Savior.

And then also some of you are following through that Bible reading plan. Month of March is going to be over here soon. And that plan that you have in your Bible ends the end of March the April through September schedule is is available on the table in the foyer and that just carries right on in the Right on with the schedule that you're following.

Currently.

As you know the other day.

The.

The president signed this bill that says everybody's going to get some a bunch of money going to get your tax refund an additional huge tax refund and Regardless of what you think about that politically, it doesn't much matter what you think about it.

It's coming it's going to show up in your bank account and one of the things I thought would be, you know, really kind of ironic is Allow that to some little measure to further in advance the cause of Christ and the blessings of God's people collectively, so Next Sunday. We'll mention a special project that we can give towards and just think about that using a tithe from that Stimulus Whatever you want to call that thing use a tithe from that to go toward that special project that will be a blessing to the congregation blessing to the church and to those who worship together with us, so We'll say more about that next week.

But that just kind of put that in your mind when you check your balance and your checking account on your phone app or whatever. And you say oh all of a sudden I got a bunch more money. What am I gonna do with all that money?

As if I'm sure that would be a real problem to figure out. Nevertheless, well, we've gathered together to worship the Lord today and want to open with Psalm 145 Verses 10 to 13 say this all your works shall praise you O Lord and your saints shall bless you.

They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and talk of your power To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and your dominion endures throughout all Generations.

Thank the Lord for his enduring kingdom and where the sands of time are sinking and time will be no more Our Lord's kingdom will endure forever and ever. Let's sing about the sands of time as Jim comes and leaves us.

Please Jim. Thank You pastor. It's in number 60 in your blue supplement books. Anybody need a blue supplement book. Do you all have one of those? Okay, good. All right. Thank you. Number 60. Let's all stand together.

We're gonna there's six verses listed. We're gonna be singing one three Five and six one three five and six and number 60 the sands of time.

I.

See is the Mountain the deep deep well The streams on earth I've tasted more deep There too An ocean. Oh, there's his mercy doth expand and glory glory dwells and my Beloved. Into his house I stand upon his I know no other.

Stand.

Not even.

Glory.

I dies not her garments. Dear bridegroom's face I will not get that glory But on my king Not at the crowd But on his person. The lamb is all the.

Standing for prayer. Thank you Lord.

For this day you've given us and for each person that's here We just pray that your fourth your word would go forth Lord and just bring glory and honor to you. So Lord Have your way and will done here today.

So touch our hearts and draw us closer to you. Just pray this in Jesus name.

Back of your bulletin is the psalm we want to read together today psalm 8 and want to read this responsively. So what that means is you look on the Look there on your back your your bulletin the dark or bold letters.

Words verses those are the verses you'll read. Encourage you to just read right out. Don't worry about hearing yourself as you read. It's all good. Well, I'll join together in unison in that way. So I'll read the first verse you read the second.

We'll alternate back and forth like that. Okay, Psalm 8. Oh Lord our Lord how excellent is your name and all the earth who have set your glory above the heavens? I consider your heavens the work of your fingers the moon and the stars which you have ordained.

For you have made him a little lower than the angels and you have crowned him with glory and honor all sheep and oxen. Even the beasts of the field. Oh Lord our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth?

So we've read that together and we want to now sing it together in your bulletin is the insert of Psalm 8 and you'll. You may not have sung this we sang this in the afternoon service a few weeks ago but this song is set to the tune of Oh for a thousand tongues to sing so you'll recognize the tune and The text just goes along with that tune.

So Jim, please come and lead us.

Should all have one of these and Let's sing it. It's Oh Lord our God how excellent all four verses together. Your majesty Surrounds the earth and children sing your fame. The heavens shout your handiwork.

We stand beneath in awe To think the one made all things should care for us at all. Yet you have made us less than gods are Surpassing all but you With heart and mind with strength and will to search for what is true.

Into our hands you placed all things the earth the sea each place We're called to probe for secret gifts venture into.

Space.

Should have mentioned that the fifth stanza is actually at the bottom of that. Right underneath that they didn't have room I guess to put all five stanzas in that song. Well as we pray together today, we want to remember in prayer our missionary of the week Sam Slobodian.

Sam and Amy. Sam heads Baptist international evangelistic ministries their primary focus is working with Indigenous church planters and missionaries in Russia and in the Ukraine. So we want to pray for them and for that ministry.

Pray for the Lord to bless it and to enable them soon to be able to Make a trip to those places. They have not been able to do so obviously for the last year. And by the way, it just struck me. It was a year ago today That we had our last service before we went into this whole kovat lockdown and all of the all of the Limitations and crises are related to that.

So today we're celebrating. We're celebrating a Year a one-year anniversary since that since that day. But pray for Sam Slobodian also want to pray for our shut-ins and I just mentioned them by name.

But then highlight a couple of them pray for Bob Klein in hospice pray for Jed Hunsberger Dean Kinnaman Maxine Gommer their folks that just they'd love to be in church, but simply cannot because of their physical limitations and then Sue Cherry and Jeanne Ludwig are both in Assisted living or nursing home facilities and have not been able to get out.

Sue can get out for doctor's appointments and for a ride with Jan from time to time but very limited and not allowed to get in to visit these folks in fact had a gentleman call the other day who's in Heritage Woods and wanted a ride to church and I said, well, we'd be glad to work that out if that's possible.

And after I talked with him, I said, I think I'd better call Heritage Woods and find out what their Requirements are and if he's even allowed to do that, so I I called and they said well If he wants to do that, that's fine.

But when he comes back, you'll have to be quarantined for two weeks. So I said, well, never mind then. Yeah, we'll not do that. So this is the kind of limitations. These folks are under and that it puts a great deal of Just feelings of loneliness and isolation and so forth upon them.

And we also want to pray for Patricia Alvey. Some of you would know her but many wouldn't. She's. She's a Honor membership role is shut in she lives in the high-rise in Rock Falls that caught fire and has been Displaced from her home.

I talked to her the other day. She's doing fine. In fact, she said she was kind of excited. She said they're putting us up in the hotel. She's in a super eight and I said, well, do you have plenty of food?

You got that taken care of? Oh, yeah, we get candlelight twice a day lunch and dinner and she said Looks like we're gonna be here for another week. I said, are you are you hoping it'll be longer? She said, yeah.

This is really great. So well, at least thank the Lord that that she's being taken care of. I was quite concerned about that situation. Well, let's look to the Lord in prayer. Shall we? Our father in our God we do thank you for the prospect of Those of us who are your people who comprise the bride of Christ the prospect of standing before the bridegroom and beholding his face and Not being at all concerned about our garments but being Being infinitely concerned about the wounds on his hands and side his head.

We're thankful for that glorious hope that we have as the bride of Christ and We pray even so come Lord Jesus to take your bride to yourself. We thank you father that we can assemble together on this Lord's Day.

We thank you for the grace that has been granted to us Even in this past week. We thank you for your gracious provision for our needs. We're thankful for the health that you've blessed us with the physical strength to be out and about.

But father we think of those who are limited in their health and limited in their freedom and ability to get about. So we do pray for these in need today. Think of Bob and his bout with cancer and In hospice care.

I just pray that you'd continue to be gracious to him and Encourage him and Thank you for Thank you for the testimony That Bob and Jerry was sharing through this time. We also pray for Sue Cherry and Jeanne Ludwig today and for Maxine Gommer for Jed Hunsberger Dean Kinnaman pray for these who are limited in their ability to Get out of where they're living pray that you would encourage them.

And that these limitations might soon be lifted so they can at least be visited and enjoy company of loved ones and friends. We also pray for Patricia Alvey and thank you that her needs are being cared for Very well, just pray that you would continue to supply and meet her needs and pray that you might be able to get back in her home soon.

Father we pray for the Slobodians. Thank you for their ministry Focusing on Russia and Ukraine. Thank you for the faithfulness of the missionaries and the church planting pastors that are just faithfully keeping their congregations their flocks together during times of great limitation, I pray that you would encourage each one and use Sam and the ministry of BIEM as.

They.

Serve and help support so many of these these churches and ministries in Russia Ukraine and some even in some Islamic countries, I pray your blessing upon that work that ministry. Father we pray for those who are in physical need.

From our congregation some can't be here today because of their health Limitations and other concerns and I pray that you would just bless each one. Thank you for those who are watching by Livestream and just pray that though they can't be here in person and join together with the congregation that they could nevertheless be blessed by.

The worship together today and the ministry of the word to the heart so meet their needs even in their homes today we pray. Now father we just ask as we continue to to worship you. That you would be honored and glorified Praised and pleased in the rest of this service.

We ask in Jesus name.

594 in your hymnals. In your hymnals. 594 a glorious church. Let's all stand together, please and sing all three verses together. Up the steeps of life. Glad and glorious shining garments. Blood-washed garments pure and white.

Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle washed in the blood of the Lamb. Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle washed in the blood of the Lamb. Do you hear the stirring anthems Filling all the earth and sky.

Tis a grand victorious army. Lift its banner up on high. Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle Washed in the blood of the Lamb. Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle Washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Never fear the cloud of sorrow. Never fear the storms of sin. We will triumph on the morrow. Even now our joys begin. Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle Washed in the blood of the Lamb. Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Please be Steve if you would turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 19 for our scripture reading today Revelation 19 want to read the first nine verses. Revelation 19 copy of scriptures I read Beginning in verse 1.

By the way, I'm reading from the New King James. Many of you will be able to follow right along with that. You have the King James. There's enough Similarity and and and So forth that it's easy to follow.

Revelation 19 verse 1. John writes and says after these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven saying hallelujah. Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgments because he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication and He has avenged on her the blood of his servants shed by her again, they said hallelujah, her smoke rises up forever and ever and The 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne saying.

Amen Hallelujah. Then a voice came from the throne saying praise our God all you his servants and those who fear him both small and great and I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude is the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thundering's saying Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent Reigns, 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 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. Then he said to me right Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me these are the true sayings of God Lord add his blessing to the reading of his word.

Brief word of prayer father. I pray that as we consider the prospect of the bridegroom calling his bride to himself and Bringing her to this marriage supper that our hearts would be blessed and encouraged.

And may we also be challenged to be ready for that time. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Well, I'm quite sure that I don't know the half of all that was involved in the process. But I know that 41 years ago Chris was preparing to Preparing to come down the aisle on August 9th 1980 so this is March and in March of 1980 we were in school together and we spent a lot of time talking about the upcoming wedding Invitations and so on and so forth and I know that she spent an awful lot of time with her mom going Dress shopping to find just the right dress To pick out a head covering of some kind.

She finally settled on a hat with a veil and I don't know how much time she spent looking for something of that nature and so forth. She did not hire a professional to do her makeup like a lot of girls women do these days I suppose but she was very Very skilled at that herself and very artfully took care of those matters or on her own nor did she pay someone to?

Fix her hair and do all the stuff that that is done to a bride's hair on her wedding day she didn't pay somebody to do that, but there was a lady in the church who was a hairdresser and She volunteered to take care of Preparing Chris's hair for her on that wedding day.

And I and I know that there had to have been so much so much more that was involved. What's most memorable to me though is how? Stunning she looked when I looked down at the end of that aisle and she came around the corner In her dad's and her dad's arm.

It was stunning.

Beautiful.

Glorious bride on that wedding day and. With good reason as soon as the door was opened and the processional music started Everybody in the congregation stood and they turned and they had their eyes fixed on the bride as she Made her way down the aisle toward the altar.

I Also recall the elation when my dad who was performing the ceremony Spoke to the congregation as she and I turned to face the congregation and he announced. It is my pleasure to present to you, mr. And mrs. Brian Bice.

Now would you look at Ephesians chapter 5 with me for just a moment so we can read again this passage of scripture. That is in primarily an application addressed to husbands and wives, but in that address Paul appeals to the relationship between Christ and his church.

Ephesians chapter 5 verse 25 Paul writes. Husbands love your wives. Just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her. That he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.

That he might present her to himself a glorious church. Not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. But that she should be holy and without blemish. There's coming a day and we don't know when it is.

It may be soon. Hope it is soon. But there's coming a day when Jesus the groom Will present to himself his bride his radiant glorious bride the church. Now the process of Christ taking a bride to himself is Parallel to the Jewish wedding customs.

I mean the way the scripture presents all of this this relationship between Christ the groom and the church's bride. It parallels those Jewish marriage customs and that custom involved at least five steps five major steps and I want to just I want you to note these we're gonna focus on.

We're gonna focus on the last three of them. But the first step in that Jewish custom was that the groom would betroth the the bride the wife to himself he would betroth her to himself and This is Jesus did this when he betrothed the church to himself and he did so before the foundation of the world.

Remember the back in Ephesians 1 just a couple pages prior to this in Ephesians 1 verses 3 and 4 Paul says blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. So the groom chooses the bride for himself and he betrothed himself her and her to himself. Jesus did this the groom did this before the foundation of the world.

In fact, we read and we're gonna we're gonna focus on this a little later. But in Matthew chapter in Matthew chapter 25 verse 34 Jesus says to those on his right hand and this is the this is the account of the the parable the sheep and the goats and The sheep he says to those on his right hand come you blessed of my father.

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world so this destiny that that the groom has for his bride is Established and set before the foundation of the world and his choosing of his bride is betrothing of the bride to himself.

Occurs also before the foundation of the world of the world. So the the groom has Betrothed himself to the bride. He has betrothed her to himself. This is the betrothal this is like an engagement period in our Culture and our way of doing things, but it's much more Formal and it is a legally binding.

It is a legally binding step in the wedding process. The groom betrothed himself to his bride. The next step is that the groom then pays the bride price. He pays the dowry for his bride and again Jesus the groom has done this.

Listen, for example, the first Corinthians chapter 6 verses 19 and 20 Paul writes to the Corinthian Church and he says he's writes to the church at Corinth and he says do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you.

Whom you have from God and you are not your own. Why. Because you were bought at a price. What was that price? Revelation 5 tells us verse 9 the elders and the around the throne in heaven. Speaking of the Lamb speaking of the groom.

They say you are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals for you were slain and have redeemed us. You have purchased us to God by your blood. Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. In other words the groom paid the dowry for his bride at Calvary at the cross and The price that he paid was the price of his own blood the shedding of his own blood he paid with his own life for his bride.

So the groom has Betrothed to himself the bride he has paid the dowry for his bride and The day is coming When the groom will secure his bride unto himself. Now if you would turn to first Thessalonians chapter 4 first Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 13 to 17 talk about that day in Which the groom will come and take his bride to himself in the Jewish custom.

In the wedding custom the way this would work. Is that the groom?

Would.

Go to the bride's home and He would collect the bride. He would take the bride from her home and take her to his place. Take her to where the marriage feast is going to occur. So he would come for his bride and take his bride to that Marriage feast.

Well first Thessalonians 4 talks about the the time that is coming When Jesus the bride the the the grooms. The groom of the church the bridegroom of you if you will of the church is going to come to secure his bride.

Look at these verses. Verses 13 to 17. Paul says I do not want you to be ignorant brethren concerning those who have fallen asleep. Lest you sorrow as those who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again Even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord Will by no means precede those who are asleep for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God and The dead in Christ will rise first and we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with him in the clouds To meet the Lord in the air and thus shall we always be with the Lord.

Notice how verse 16 the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an archangel with the trumpet of God. This is the the celebration that is calling for the bride to let her know that the groom is coming and To to meet the groom and go with the groom to that wedding feast.

But notice here how the groom will secure all Who comprise his bride? He will bring all who are his bride and secure them to himself. Verse 14 Paul is addressing a concern that the Thessalonians had that.

What what happens to? My loved one who is who has died if Jesus comes I mean he's already gone yeah, my loved one has died and He's gonna miss out on the coming of the groom. What what what is to become of that loved one who's died?

And Paul says listen if we believe that Jesus died and rose again. Even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. That's a reference to those who have died. So the departed souls of those who have died in Christ they are going to come with him when the groom comes for his bride and verse 16 tells us that the bodies of these deceased loved ones their souls who have gone to be with the Lord are now coming with the Lord to be reunited with their with their Deceased bodies.

Verse 16 says that they're going to rise and they will be glorified at that point. The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of Archangel the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ Will rise first so Thessalonians so 21st century Christian.

No need to grieve over and worry over the loved one whom who has preceded you in death And is in the Lord. They're absent from the body present with the Lord but there's going to be a reunification of that soul in the body when the groom comes for his bride and that body will be resurrected to join that soul and Then the living saints will join with them.

Verse 17 says we who are alive and remain Shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So the Lord the Lord our groom When he comes he will secure all all who comprise his bride all of them and He will secure his bride forever.

See this at the end of verse 17 where Paul says and so Will we always be with the Lord will always be with the Lord? So when the groom comes to collect his bride secure his bride to himself. Whenever that day is whenever that day arrives.

He will.

Secure all of his bride. Take it take his bride to himself and His bride will be with his with the groom forever and forever and therefore verse 18 says. Let us comfort one another with these words. Let's take comfort and be encouraged by this promise even as we wait for that day when the The groom comes to take his bride.

Let us let us take comfort in this and be encouraged by this in spite of in spite of whatever sorrows that we're enduring right now whatever grief that we are Anticipating looking forward to whatever delay whatever the delay in our perspective from our perspective.

Let us take comfort. Let us be encouraged by the promise that when the groom comes He will secure all of his bride unto himself. But then once secured and this takes us to the book of Revelation chapter 19.

We read earlier once secured the groom Presents his bride to himself and to the host of heaven and I want you to notice the context in which this presentation occurs as. This chapter opens chapter 19.

What's coming in that? Presentation of the bride it occurs in the context of of the bride's Vindication and security. Here's what I'm talking about in verses 1 to 4 the Lord in verse 1 has secured his bride salvation.

Hallelujah, the host of heaven says it's great multitude in heaven. Hallelujah, because salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God. Salvation and glory and honor and power. Belong to the Lord our God.

The Lord our God has secured by his power. By his glory and in his might he has secured the salvation of his bride. And he has done so for all eternity by judging Babylon. Verse 2 Talks about this true and righteous are his judgment because he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication.

Who is that? What is this great harlot? What's that all about? You go back to chapter 19 or go earlier into I mean chapter 18 verses 2 and following and It says he cried mightily with a loud voice saying Babylon The great is fallen is fallen has become the dwelling place of demons a prison for every foul spirit in a cage for every unclean and hated birds bird for all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

The kings of The earth have committed fornication with her and the merchants of the earth have become rich through her abundance the abundance of her luxury.

I.

Heard another voice from heaven saying come out of her my people lest you share in her sins Unless you receive her plagues for her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities Rendered to her just as she has rendered to you and repay her double according to her works in The cup which she has mixed mixed double for her in the measure that she glorified herself and lived Luxuriously in the same measure Give torment and sorrow for she says in her heart.

I sit as Queen and am no widow and will not see sorrow. Therefore her plagues will come in one day death and Mourning and famine and she will be utterly burned with fire for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

And what this is talking? about is the total destruction and Devastation and decimation of this entire world system. That is that is contrary to Contrary to the groom our God and our groom all of this will be destroyed all of this which so Vigorously seeks to entice the the bride away from her groom all that would undermine the Relationship between the bride and her groom.

This Babylon is to be destroyed and it is in the context of that destruction that this praise and exaltation is Elicited here in chapter 19 verses 1 through 4 and you notice how at the end of verse 2.

That.

The blood of the bride is avenged here in this destruction of Babylon. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants shed by her. So all all who are part of the Bride of Christ through the centuries who have been Persecuted and And he and executed for their faith in Christ the groom Their blood will be avenged.

So this this Presentation of the bride that's coming here is set in the context of the bride's vindication and her security. It also occurs in the context of celestial worship. So verses 5 and 6 here's this praise service this worship service to our God.

A Voice came from the throne saying praise our God all you his servants and those who fear him both small and great. So this is a call to all of the host of heaven to praise God. All of the host of heaven to praise God.

And They do so verse 6 I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude is the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thundering saying Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Notice what is being praised God, of course, but the fact that the Lord God omnipotent reigns.

So this Worship and praise is being offered because the Lord our God reigns omnipotently omnipotently. And That that omnipotent that all-powerful reign of God is expressed in the absolute total decimation and destruction of Babylon.

No one nothing can stop him from exercising his power of judgment over.

Babylon.

The enemy of his bride so he's extolled for destroying Babylon, but that Omnipotent reign is also expressed in ensuring the marriage between the groom and his bride. See this in verse 7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory.

Him who reigns omnipotently, let's give him glory. Why. Because the marriage of the Lamb has come. Nothing has been able to keep this from happening. Babylon couldn't keep this from happening. The marriage of the Lamb has come and his wife has made herself ready.

So it occurs in the context of this celestial worship. The presentation of the bride does. And then in verses 7 through 9. Notice how it occurs. This presentation of the bride occurs at the completion of her Preparation.

She has the end of verse 7 says she has made herself Made herself ready. Now here's a wonderful thing brought out in verse 9. That the attendance of the bride at this wedding ceremony is a blessed Certainty.

Verse 9 says. Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Those who are called to this marriage supper who are the ones called to this marriage supper? Well, there's been some ink spilled in the commentaries trying to Determine who those called to the marriage supper are.

Some think they are. Now all the Old Testament saints who are brought to the marriage supper. Some say it's all the host of heaven who are called. But I think it's very. I think it's very simply the individuals who collectively form the bride.

What is the who is the bride. Who is the bride of the Lamb. It is the church. The church is the bride. Well, who is it then that is going to be at this marriage supper. All the individuals who have been called to comprise that church who to comprise the bride.

So, I mean Peter uses this kind of terminology of. The individuals called that comprise the church. He uses kind of terminology in first Peter 2. Verses 9 and 10 listen what he says. Peter says you are a chosen Generation a royal priesthood a holy nation his own special people.