FRIENDS OF THE BRIDEGROOM

“He who has the bride is the bridegroom;
but the groomsman who stands by and listens to
him rejoices greatly and heartily on account of the

bridegroom's voice. This then is my pleasure
and joy, and it is now complete.”
John 3:29
The Amplified Bible

There are many disturbing things that occur and happen in the religious circle. There are reports of molestation, theft, all types of abuse, addictions, financial and sexual misconduct. Church leaders are divorcing left and right. Just this week, a praise and worship leader was arrested for rape and the murder of his wife! All of this is deplorable. The scripture clearly tells us in Ephesians 5:3 that “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people.”
The enemy and the world love to put these things on display and would try to discredit the gospel of Jesus Christ. While these things are true, the ‘answer of God is ‘I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal’ (Romans 11:4). God does have a righteous remnant and He has never left himself without a witness (Acts 14:17).
It is vitally important to understand that what God will do in the earth will not be done by a presidential candidate, congress or any other institution. The Church, the ekklesia, HIS Bride is the vehicle that God will use in the earth! Regardless, it is The Glorious Church triumphant and God will perform all of His good pleasure through His church. The church is His bride. Christ loves His Church and laid down His life for Her. Instead of listening to outsiders, we must listen intently from the inner chamber to hear what He is saying about His bride.
In this passage, John the Baptist gets his perspective of the Church from the groom, Jesus Christ. He listens to what He is saying about the Church and can rejoice in knowing that the culmination will be the marriage supper of the lamb.
In Jewish culture, the wedding came in two stages: the betrothal and after an unspecified amount of time later, the full marriage. At the first ceremony, the groom would tell the bride, "I am going to prepare a place for you, then I will come again for you" (John 14:2). The second ceremony was at his father's house. Finally, the wedding feast took place at the bride’s home. There were two witnesses at the wedding. One brought the bride; the other, "the friend of the bridegroom", listened at the bedroom door for the groom's shout that the wedding was completed. John was this friend (Jn. 3:29).
Are you a friend of the bridegroom? Whose perspective do you communicate; the world’s or the groom’s? Friends of the bridegroom listen closely to the voice of the groom and will communicate His heart. Friends of the bridegroom are preparing their generation for the Second Coming of Christ through the preaching of the gospel, prayer, intercession and praise and worship. Be a friend of the bridegroom!