Isaiah 62:5 "For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee."

Seeing and Hearing Christ: The King, the Queen, and the Lineage

THE WOMAN, THE ADVERSARY AND THE JUDGE, Part 3 TEXT: Luke 18:1-8 SUMMARY: Much more than merely a lesson on the necessity of prayer, this parable is a picture of the Lord's beloved church on earth and its need for heavenly help against a relentless spiritual adversary. I. THE WOMAN. Psalm 45; Song of Solomon; Zechariah 5:5-8; Hosea ch. 1-2. Righteousness II. THE ADVERSARY. Genesis 10:8-9; 11:1-9; Exodus 32:1-14; Judges 17:6; 21:25; 1 Kings 22:19-22; 1 Peter 5:8; Luke 22:31 III. THE JUDGE. A. The Unjustness of the Earthly Judge. B. The Superiority of the Heavenly Judge.

1. The professing Church 2. The coming Christ 3. The closed door

Last Lord's Day, we looked at one of the beautiful pictures the Bible depicts of our union with Christ which is marriage. We learned about the marriage of the Lamb and the identity of His bride. This coming Lord's Day, we'll pick up at verse 9 to see who's invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb which is the fourth stage of Christ's wedding, and this feast will kick off Christ's reign on earth, lasting for a thousand years. ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: Genesis 10:8-10; 11:8-9; Psalm 137:8-9; Isaiah 13:17-22; 14:1-23; 21:1-10; Isaiah 47:1-15; Jeremiah 25:12; 50:1-46; 51:1-64; Daniel 2:36-39; 5:1-31; Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:5, 18

June and July are "wedding season" for anyone in the music business. Those two months rarely pass for me without a conversation about processionals and recessionals with a happy couple—I'm looking forward to several upcoming weddings here in our own congregation in the coming weeks. How appropriate, then, that this Sunday our summer psalms series comes to Psalm 45, certainly one of the most wonderful love songs in the Bible. Nuptial themes can be found throughout this morning's service. We begin with a reading from another great Biblical love story, the book of Ruth. Just as the psalmist describes his subject as "most handsome of the sons of men" (Psalm 45:2), we sing of the "splendor of God's glory bright," remarking on "how lovely Thy dwelling places are," and looking forward to the day when "Christ, our King, in beauty comes." Echoing the glorious princess who is led to the king's palace for a joyful wedding feast (Psalm 45:13–15), we sing to our "Fairest Lord Jesus," pledging "Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor." In the center of the service we hear from the prophet Isaiah, "your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name" (Isaiah 54:5), and we respond by sing that Jesus "came and sought us to be His holy bride." The Church is the bride of Christ, and those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder. —Henry C. Haffner

The sermon explores the profound nature of God's love for His people through the metaphor of a marital covenant, drawing primarily from Hosea 2 and Jeremiah 31. It emphasizes that this union is established unilaterally by God's righteousness, justice, mercy, and faithfulness, rather than any merit in humanity. The preacher highlights three key attributes of this divine relationship: the glory of God's love, His jealous desire for exclusive devotion, and His unwavering fidelity despite human unfaithfulness. By connecting these Old Testament promises to the New Covenant in Christ's blood, the message underscores that believers are betrothed to Christ as His eternal bride. This theological framework serves as a preparation for observing the Lord's Table, pointing forward to the ultimate wedding feast of the Lamb.

7/05/2026 The True Holy of Holies Rev. 21:15-21 Main Point: Christ will perfectly complete and perfectly beautify His church, His true holy of holies.