Speaker: Lud Kiramidjian Date: 4/20/24 The purpose of this message is to suggest that as we take the cup of wine during the Passover services, in addition to what Christ directly stated to His disciples about the symbolism of the wine representing the blood of the New Covenant (which He shed so our sins can be forgiven) we also nurture within our hearts and minds another deeply profound point to ponder. Bits and pieces of historical facts exist about engagement, marriage, and wedding practices in effect in first-century Jewish culture that are scattered throughout the Gospels (as well as scattered throughout the OT and the rest of the NT). These historical facts, when understood and fitted together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, can add to our understanding of Christ’s love for His church (which He will marry upon His return to earth). Like the first-century Jewish marriage customs described in the Bible: (1) Christ's upcoming marriage to His church is an “arranged marriage”; (2) Christ's marriage to the church required a “bride price” (His lifeblood); (3) Christ's marriage to the church required a legal marriage contract (the New Covenant); (4) Christ's engagement to the church is symbolized by our taking of wine during Passover services; (5) Christ (the groom-to-be of the church) is now preparing a dwelling place (room) for us in His Father’s house (likened to an "insula" housing complex such as the one shown in attached photo of insula ruins near the ancient synagogue at Capernaum; (6) While Christ is preparing that room for each of us in His Father's house, we must faithfully wait and prepare for an unknown wedding date; and (7) After Christ has finally finished preparing a room for each of us --- and the Father has approved the date for the wedding --- Christ will return to and marry His bride the church, and there will be a great wedding feast celebration as we enter into God the Father's family household in the Kingdom of God. As we take the wine during Passover services, in addition to Christ’s direct statement the wine is symbolic of His shed blood enabling our sins to be forgiven, let us ponder that Jesus Christ has proposed to marry each of us and we formally accepted His offer at the time of our repentance and baptism. We are now “betrothed” to Christ before the actual wedding at His return to earth. As we take of the wine at Passover, may we ponder the exciting truth that every time we take of that wine we are telling Jesus Christ --- “YES, I accepted Your proposal and acknowledge that You love me and want to marry me at the coming great wedding feast at Your return to this earth --- and that You desire with all Your heart to joyfully live with me (and the rest of the members of the Church) in a beautiful marriage for all eternity.” Please Note: Additional messages given in the SF Bay Area congregation may be searched by date, presenter name &/or title at https://www.ucg.org/sermons/all?group=San%20Francisco%20Bay%20Area,%20CA

Lud Kiramidjian