Part 11 of 12 / The Marriage Supper Of The Lamb & The Bema Seat Of Christ: The Raptured Church Enters Glory

We See Him Face To Face

Introduction: The Moment We Finally

See Him Face To Face

The Rapture is not the end of the believer's journey - it is the beginning of everything that God has prepared from eternity's past. In Week 11, we are going to step through Heaven's doors and witness what immediately follows the catching away of the Church: The Bema Seat Judgment Of Christ, The Marriage Of The Lamb, & The Marriage Supper Preparations

These events reveal the purpose behind our blessed hope. The Rapture is not escape - it is

entry into reward, intimacy, and divine fulfillment according to the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Judgment FOR Believers - Not OF Believers

The Bema Seat Judgment - Not Condemnation, But Reward

When the Church is caught up to meet Christ, we stand before Him - not for punishment, but for evaluation and reward.

This is the Bema Seat of Christ, the ancient raised platform where Followers receive crowns, not penalties.

Scriptural Foundation

- Romans 14:10-12, "But as for you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you as well, why do you regard your brother or sister with contempt? For we will all appear before the judgment seat of God. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord , to Me every knee will bow , And every tongue will give praise to God.” So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God."

- 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad."

Christ Asks Of The Believers To Give An Account

What Is To Be Judged?

1. Christ Judges

   
   

   1. Your Motives

      - 1 Corinthians 4:5, "Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of human hearts; and then praise will come to each person from God."

      
      

   2. Your Faithfulness

      - 1 Corinthians 4:2, "In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy."

      
      

   3. Your Quality Of Service

      - 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, "Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire."

      
      

   4. Your Words Spoken

      - Matthew 12:36, "But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment."

      
      

   5. Your Hidden Deeds

      - Matthew 6:6, "But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."

      
      

   6. Your Love Towards Others

      - 1 John 4:7-12, "Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us."

   
   

2. The 5 Crowns Given

   
   

   1. The Incorruptible Crown

      - 1 Corinthians 9:25, "Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."

      
      

   2. The Crown Of Rejoicing

      - 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, "For who is our hope, or joy or crown of pride, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Or is it not indeed you? For you are our glory and joy."

      
      

   3. The Crown Of Righteousness

      - 2 Timothy 4:7-8, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; In the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."

      
      

   4. The Crown Of Life

      - James 1:12, "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

      
      

   5. The Crown Of Glory

      - 1 Peter 5:1-4, "Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness; nor yet as domineering over those assigned to your care, but by proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory."

At the Bema Seat of Christ, Christ evaluates the believer's life, burns away the worthless corruptible areas, and what is left remaining, receives rewards for the eternal awaiting him/her.

But is that the end of the story, no . . . there is even something more beautiful that happens . . .

Our Crowns Are Not Our Own

We Cast Our Crowns Before The Lamb

This verse below shows us a perfect picture of how we His redeemed lay down our crowns that we have just received before His feet and at His Throne, it is us showing Him our act of our love, honor, and eternal gratitude that despite all of these received, we only want Him, nothing else.

- Revelation 4:10-11, "And when the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

The Union Fulfilled In The Marriage Of The Lamb Of God

The Church Is The Bride

After the rewards and casting them down at His feet, then comes our renewed relationship. The Rapture itself is the Bridegroom's arrival, the snatching away of the Bride herself, us.

- Ephesians 5:25-32, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are parts of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife , and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church."

- John 14:1-3, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be."

The Marriage Takes Place In Heaven

- Revelation 19:7-8, "Let’s rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."

To "make herself ready" Refers To The Following:

• Salvation In Christ

• Sanctification By The Spirit

• Faithfulness Rewarded At The Bema Seat

• Receiving Garments Of "Righteous Acts Of The Saints"

The Bridal Garments

Marriage Symbolizes The Following:

• Permanent Covenant

- Hebrews 13:20, "Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."

• Union

- Ephesians 2:4-7, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

• Shared Inheritance

- Colossians 1:9-12, "For this reason we also, since the day we heard about it, have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all perseverance and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light."

• Intimacy Without Interruption

- Philippians 3:20-21, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with His glorious body, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself."

• Celebration, Joy, Family, & Love Perfected

- Revelation 20:4-6, "Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years."

This is the Climax of God's Redemptive Story for us, His children whom He loves.

The Celebratory Supper With Jesus Christ With All

The Marriage Supper - The Heavenly Feast Before His Second Coming Back To Earth To Reign

After the marriage comes a great feast. The feast will be joyous. It will be in Heaven where all other believers have waited for us, it will occur before the Second Coming of Christ where we return with Him to reign for 1,000 years, and it is a celebration before the King, King Jesus rides forth to reclaim His Creation. It marks the Joy of the Groom in having His Bride by His side in Honor.

- Isaiah 25:6, "Now the Lord of armies will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine."

- Revelation 19:9, "Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

- Revelation 19:11-16, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: “KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS.”

Christ Stands At The Entrance Of The Earth Awaiting His Father To Say, "Call Them Home, My Son / “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: as soon as its branch has become tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near; so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door." - "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne." Matthew 24:32-33 / Revelation 3:20-21

Application: Living Today In The Light Of What Is Coming

How should we as believers, knowing this day can appear at any moment live our lives?

• Accountability - Remembering The Bema Seat

  - Colossians 3:2, "Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth."

  
  

• Purity - Keeping Garments Unspotted

  - 1 John 3:2-3, "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

  
  

• Expectation - Longing For His Appearing

  - Matthew 24:44 "For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."

• Purpose - Storing Treasure In Heaven

  - Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

• Devotion - Loving Christ More Than Anything Else In This World

  - Matthew 22:37-38, "And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment."
  

Reflection & Discussion

1. What do you most hope Christ says to you at the Bema Seat?

2. What areas of your life carry eternal value and which do not share in this?

3. Which "crown" do you most desire to lay at Christ's feet?

4. How can you grow in longing for His soon appearing?

5. Why do you think so many believers fear the Judgment Seat incorrectly?

6. Which biblical crown motivates you the most and why?

7. How does the marriage imagery change how you see your relationship with Christ?

8. What practical decisions can you begin to make now in order to prepare you for eternity with Him?

Prayer For This Week

Lord Jesus, we come before You at the end of this weeks' study with grateful hearts. Thank You for opening our eyes again to the urgency, the beauty, and the certainty of our blessed hope - the soon return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Lord, as we have learned tonight, Your Word calls us to be sober, vigilant, and faithful. We confess to You that the world so easily distracts us, but Your Spirit draws us back to what matters most. Your Son. Strengthen our hearts to live daily with eternity in view. Let the truth of the Rapture not only inform our minds but transform our priorities, our conduct, and our love for You. Help us to be like the wise virgins - watching, being ready, and making sure their oil, Your Spirit, is full. Hlep us to be like the faithful servant - he/she is awake, diligent, and working while it is still day. Guard us from deception, from spiritual slumber, and from anything that would dull our hunger for You. We long for Your appearing. We say with our Spirit: Come, Lord Jesus. But until that moment, keep us steadfast. Keep us Holy. Keep us as a bold witness, gentle in our love, and unwavering in our devotion to you. May this week and next weeks closing study produce in us lasting fruit from Your Holy Spirit. Let Your Word take root, grow deep, and bear fruit for Your Glory. Renew our minds. Purify our motives. Aligns our desires with Yours. We place our lives, our families, and our futures into Your rightful hands.

In the Mighty Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Until Next Week ~ Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!