Feasting With The Bridegroom; Luke 5:33-35

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 12/26/2021. As we come upon the scene of this passage, Jesus is feasting at Levi's house in the midst of the most sinful people of Capernaum. The religious leaders are incensed and join with the disciples of John the Baptist to ask Jesus why His disciples are not following their traditions and fasting. When Jesus answers, He uses an analogy from Hebrew weddings which we will discuss in detail. In essence, the answer Jesus gives is that there is a time for feasting and a time for fasting. The time for fasting has not yet come and so therefore the disciples feast while the Bridegroom is with them. We will explore the eschatological significance of what Jesus is saying and expand our image of Immanuel in the midst of sinners to include the rich symbolism of Jesus as the Bridegroom of the church. Ultimately we will celebrate how we, (as the Bride of Christ as well as His ambassadors left in a fallen world to conduct the business of the Kingdom of God), should go about feasting with the Bridegroom.