A Bridal Relationship - Part 6 — Zac Poonen

I think of another verse in John 7, where Jesus told us who could come to him. As far as I know, these are the two places where Jesus said, so and so can come to me. One is those who are sick and tired of their defeated, frustrated, their own failures.

The other is in John 7, verse 37 to 39. John 7, 37 to 39, he said, if anyone is thirsty, come to me. See, he didn't come for the righteous and satisfied and people are okay. He came for those who are thirsty.

Thirsting for God Rather Than His Blessings

There's something deep within that cries out and says, Lord, my soul thirsts after you. Like the psalmist says, like the deer pants for water in a dry land, my soul thirsts for you. I want to ask you, my brothers and sisters, how many of you have ever said that to God even once?

Lord, like the deer pants for the waters in a dry and thirsty land, my soul longs for you, Lord. I don't care if I don't have a new car or a better house or any such thing or money, or you'll take care of my needs exactly what I need, but I long for you.

How many people in the world are longing for Jesus? I know a lot of people are longing for what Jesus can do for them. The most common greeting used in the world in every religion is God bless you. God is supposed to bless.

He wants God's blessing. What he can do for me. What about God himself? May God himself be with you. That's what we need. Lord, I'm thirsty for that. If you bless me, that's another thing, but I'm thirsty for you.

I want you. I want you more than anything else. And one mark of such a life will be rest. We read in John's Gospel chapter 16. He never said that life will be easy for a disciple. John 16 verse 33, he said, All these things I spoke to you so that in me you may have peace, because in the world you'll have tribulation.

Christ’s Promise of Peace Amid Tribulation

But don't get discouraged. I've overcome the world. What did Jesus promise his disciples? Tribulation. He told all his disciples, I'm not promising you an easy life. I'm promising you tribulation and every one of them was killed.

We don't know about John, whether even John was persecuted pretty badly. They had tribulation. All the time. Paul says he lost count about the number of times he got imprisoned. He lost count about so many things like that, persecution here, there and everywhere.

He didn't promise them an easy life. That was promised to the Old Testament people. Abraham was not imprisoned. David was not imprisoned. God didn't say all that. But New Testament saints, which one was not in prison?

Peter, James was killed in the prison and Paul was in prison. He told them that. He said, if you follow me, in the world you'll have tribulation. If you're seeking a comfortable, easy life, which all the Gentiles are seeking, just forget about being a Christian.

Be a Jewish disciple of Moses. That's okay. You can't be a disciple of mine. Because if you follow me, in the world you'll have tribulation. But, in the midst of it all, you'll have peace in me. And he told them why the world will trouble them.

The World’s Hatred of Christ’s Disciples

He said in John chapter 15, verse 18. If the world hates you, you know it hated me before it hated you. And the reason the world does not love you is because you don't belong to it. If you were of the world, the world would love you.

But because you're not of the world, and I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. My brothers, I think we have it, most of us, fairly easy. Good time we have. But some of our brothers in this country also are facing persecution because they are Christians.

The world doesn't love Jesus Christ. I'll tell you that. The world did not love Christ in the first century. It does not love Christ in the 21st century. And if you really stand for the Lord, Jesus chose us out of the world, the world will hate us.

The world in your school will hate you. The world in your college will hate you. The world in your place of work will hate you. They'll try to trouble you in every possible way because you're not of the world.

We're like fish out of water. How many of us feel like fish out of water? Have you seen a fish when it's outside the water? It's always restless, flapping, flapping, because it's not comfortable there.

And the Lord says, that's exactly how you'll be if you're a true Christian. You won't feel comfortable in this world. And if you don't feel comfortable in this world, you're blessed. But he said, that doesn't mean you'll be restless like that fish.

In me, you'll have peace. There'll be a deep inward peace, even though the world hates you and they persecute you. We said here in verse 20, if they persecute me, they'll persecute you also. If they persecute me, they'll persecute you also.

Yup. They persecuted me first. And so they persecute you. Why do they do that? All these things they do to you, verse 21, 15, 21, because they don't know the Father. They don't know the Father, that's why.

Preparing for Persecution Through a Bridal Relationship

But we are blessed, we know him. And we know Jesus is our bridegroom. And he says, come to me and I'll give you rest. I want to encourage you, my brothers and sisters, in the days to come, we're going to face tribulation in India.

If you're a true disciple of Jesus, it won't be easy. And we need to learn before that day comes, how to have a deep relationship with our bridegroom and to be at rest in our hearts. And that can't come overnight.

We have to work on it. And I want to encourage you to start working right now. Work on it so that when that day of persecution comes, we'll be unshaken. Because we have a deep connection with our bridegroom.

Prayer for Intimacy With Jesus

And let's pray. When our heads are bowed before God, I want to encourage you to respond, and like that woman, touch Jesus by faith. To reach out and say, Lord, I want to touch you. I want to have a bridal relationship with you.

I want to lean upon you and live this life. There's only one thing I seek, Lord, that I might be with you all the time. Wherever I am, I can look at your beauty and see your beauty and be your worshipper.

Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.