The Spirit and the Bride Say `Come'
The Holy Spirit and the Bride invite us to come to the Lord and drink from the water of life, and we must heed this invitation with trembling.
Erlo Stegen emphasizes the profound invitation at the end of Revelation for all to 'come' to the Lord, highlighting the unity between the Holy Spirit and the Bride, which is the Church. He stresses the importance of obeying the Spirit's call and the necessity of being filled with the Spirit to truly echo this invitation. The sermon underscores the significance of accepting the free gift of life-giving water from Jesus and the urgency of longing for His return. Stegen warns against altering God's Word, reminding listeners of the serious consequences of tampering with Scripture. As the New Year begins, he calls for self-reflection on one's relationship with Christ and the invitation to be part of His Bride.
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Summary of sermon by Rev Erlo Stegen, 1 January 2013
Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Rev 22:18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,
Rev 22:19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Rev 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Rev 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
At the very end of the Bible we hear the invitation to "come". When the Holy Spirit speaks we must obey with trembling. Never resist what He says. Without Him we cannot be drawn to the Lord (as Jesus said in the Gospels). Notice that the Holy Spirit and the Bride (Christ's church) have become so totally united that they say the same thing. Both say, "come". The Bride is possessed by the Holy Spirit. She has been bought by Jesus. The full "dowry" for the bride has been paid (in African tradition a dowry is paid for a bride). His payment is His precious Blood. His suffering, death and resurrection have bought the Bride, his Church, to Himself. Now, she and the Spirit say the same thing - "come". Are you part of the Bride? Are you so possessed by the Spirit that you say the same thing that He does?
The invitation to "come" implies two things:
1. Come to the Lord to drink His water. His water of life is free and you can drink it now. It removes all your thirst for the world. His water fully satisfies.
2. It is also a prayer for Jesus to come quickly. The return of Jesus is precious to the Spirit and the Bride. Is Christ's return precious to you? When He comes all sorrow, sin and death will be finished. Will you enjoy the great feast with Him or is your part in the lake of fire?
Let the Bible be. Don't add to it. Never adjust it. The Word of God must remain as it is. Verses 18 and 19 have grave threats for the one who tampers with God's Word.
Notice that Jesus responds to the Spirit and the Bride, in verse 20 by saying: "Surely I am coming soon." He promises to return soon.
On the first day of the New Year of 2013 make sure that you heed this invitation. If you are not part of the Bride then accept His invitation in vs 17: "And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price".
Sermon Outline
- The Invitation to Come
- The Holy Spirit and the Bride Say 'Come'
- The Invitation Implies Two Things
- The Importance of Heeding the Invitation
Key Quotes
“When the Holy Spirit speaks we must obey with trembling.” — Erlo Stegen
“The full 'dowry' for the bride has been paid (in African tradition a dowry is paid for a bride). His payment is His precious Blood.” — Erlo Stegen
“His water fully satisfies.” — Erlo Stegen
Application Points
- We must heed the invitation to come to the Lord and drink from the water of life without price.
- We should eagerly anticipate and look forward to Jesus' return, which will bring an end to sorrow, sin, and death.
- We must not add to or take away from God's Word, but rather let it remain as it is.