THE RESURRECTION
[p. 391] THE RESURRECTION
I desire, the Lord helping me, to bring before you in these lectures what I may call the closing testimony and how we are prepared for the coming of the Lord. The church has failed as the “candlestick”; we see in the church at Ephesus that they had “left their first love”, and they were threatened with the removal of the candlestick. The candlestick, or lamp-stand, implied that from the church, light would be found on the earth. Hence when things had come to their worst in Thyatira, there is no longer the candlestick, but “I will give him the morning star”. We should be characterised now by looking for the Lord to come. The morning star is the harbinger of the day; not exactly the day, but the harbinger of the day. Anyone who is accustomed to see the morning star knows when he sees it that the day is at hand. It is not the day, but it is the harbinger of the day. Thus Peter says, “the day star arise in your hearts”.
I desire in some measure to set before you your preparation for the Lord’s coming. We read in Luke 12: 47, of “that servant which knew his Lord’s will and prepared not himself”. I am not speaking of the rapture, but of being prepared for the Lord to come, how we are ready for Him. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come”. I do not think anyone is qualified to say “Come”, but the bride. As Scripture presents it, no one can say, “Come”, but the bride. It is not merely to say the word ‘Come’. All the virgins went forth to meet the Bridegroom; but the question is whether you are up to what is involved in the wonderful invitation, “Come”; whether you are really in heart asking the Lord to come back to earth. It is a very solemn thing for anyone to say, “Come”.
[p. 392] You may ask, Would it not be right to say, “Come”? If truly said, it would be right; but remember it is the Spirit and the bride say, “Come”, and the effect is that others may be induced to say it.
I desire, in these lectures, to lead you to see the formation and calling of the bride. I begin with THE RESURRECTION; and in order to make the subject plain, I shall divide it into sections.