Pastor's Corner

for Sunday Nov. 1st
I am going there to prepare a place for you.
According to the Jewish custom at the time of Jesus, when a man and woman wanted to marry there was a certain protocol they had to go through before they lived together. The bridegroom would return to his father’s home and build new rooms onto it so that he could bring his young bride home. This betrothal typically lasted a year, giving the man time to build a home for himself and his bride and for the young girl to prepare herself for marriage. However, the young man could only bring his bride home when his father declared that the building was complete. Once his father approved of the dwelling he could then go and get his bride and bring her home. Perhaps this is the picture Jesus had in mind when He said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2—3). This word-picture presented Jesus as a bridegroom, preparing new rooms for his bride in His Father’s house. Perhaps too, when Jesus describes his second coming He’s referring to this tradition of a young bridegroom, waiting for his father’s approval to return for his bride: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the Son, but only the Father” (Matt. 24:36). Imagine the bride’s anticipation as she waited for her groom to come and take her to their new home. She wouldn’t know when her groom was coming, just that he would come as soon as their home was ready. Wouldn’t she be thinking, “Hurry and finish preparing our home so we can be together.”? As for me I can’t wait!
Pastor Don.