Chinese (Lunar) New Year is celebrated in several Asian countries including China, Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam. Our club on the CSUN campus, the Cross-Cultural Friendship Club, had a simple but fun celebration at a local Chinese restaurant. New Year celebrations in China are especially marked by going home to be with family. One Tibetan friend said her family also celebrates New Year at this time. For several days in a row, they celebrate with different activities. On the first day, they are expected to wear clothing that is brand new. Even I can understand the symbolism!

The emphasis on family at the New Year seems different from many American traditions, which involve heavy drinking and partying with peers. Sadly, some Chinese look forward to the extended time with their families with apprehension. For older adult children who remain single, it is common to experience tremendous pressure from their parents and other family members to get busy and find a spouse. The family expectations are far more intense than what we are used to in the USA.

“Find my son a wife.” This was the directive that Abraham gave to his servant in Genesis 24. Without a wife, Abraham’s beloved so, Isaac, could not produce any grandchildren and carry forward the blessing and future that God had promised. In a mesmerizing story of God’s divine guidance, we see that the Servant is led to one young lady who was one of Abraham’s relatives.

We studied this story with internationals on Friday, February 13. Being Valentine’s weekend, we thought a love story from the Bible might be interesting for the students. It’s fascinating that Rebekah’s story points toward the ultimate love story in the Bible. It is Rebekah’s simple agreement to the servant to go with him to his master’s household that has redemptive overtones. We talked about the childlike faith to trust and follow this servant. What convinced her? It’s hard to know for sure, but the lavish gifts the servant came bearing were certainly a foretaste of future prosperity.

As we carry the gifts of the Kingdom, the gifts of the Spirit, we too are giving others a foretaste and an invitation to greater glory in the Father’s House. Accepting the invitation is the beginning of a forever relationship with the Son.

This the second of a two-part post about being the friend of the Bridegroom, inspired by John 3:26-30. Part 1 of this post talked about the invitation to be a groomsman, the focus of a groomsman, and the service of a groomsman. These were all aspects of the Groomsman's consecration, being set apart for a special and honored role. It is serious business.

The flip side of the coin is that this serious business is conducted in an environment of joy. It's a wedding, a celebration of love! That is a big indication of John the Baptist's attitude toward Jesus in John 3.

A Groomsman is asked celebrate while serving.
One things that sets a groomsman apart from a slave, servant, or even a disciple, is the fact that he is invited to the party, as much as the other guests. If a guy agreed to be a groomsman at your wedding, and then you caught him moping around, griping and complaining about his duties, or wishing he was somewhere else, would you be okay with that? Of course not, you'd take that guy aside, and say, "Hey man, get with the program! This is the happiest day of my life. Get in the spirit, and let's enjoy this day!"

The fact is, we expect the wedding party to set the tone for the occasion. Smiling faces and the "spit and polish" of the wedding party help the guests to get in the mood too, even if they barely made to the church in one piece.

John says, "The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine" (John 3:29).

When Jesus calls us to be in his wedding party, serving alongside him, his first concern is with our hearts and attitudes. Consider: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul…" (Luke 10:25-28); or think about the dutiful obedience mentioned in Matthew 23:23 that lacked the heart attitude that Jesus expects.

John the Baptist had "that joy" that Jesus was looking for. He was expectant and ready for Jesus' work in his generation. Here's a question for followers of Christ: Do we exude the joy of the celebration as we walk with Jesus? Sure, the Christian life is hard, but we have so many reasons to share the joy with those around us. Somebody said that we need to be doing just that all the time.

A Groomsman brings others to the celebration.
I mentioned before that, as a groomsman, I have helped people to their seats in advance of the wedding. Ushering guests is a common job for the groom's friends. Ushering doesn't mean we just grab anybody on the street and force them to sit down for the ceremony. They have to want to be there, and usually, they were invited beforehand. But ushering welcomes people, gently takes them into a consecrated space, and prepares them to enter into the joy of the occasion.

Jesus needs groomsmen to bring people to the celebration. He needs men (and women) he can trust, to gently guide people to the celebration He has planned. The guests are the "other half," in this case. In the Parable of the Feast in Luke 14, the master is adamant that his party be full, and he extends the invitation far and wide to anyone who will come. That kind of invitation is unheard of in American weddings, but there are plenty of places around the world where one can find absolutely huge weddings. One that I attended in India had 3,000 guests at the reception. It blew my mind.

The wedding celebration of the Lamb will be a singular event, when all the hopes of all the ages materialize in the present King of Kings. The joy and fulfillment will be unmatched. That moment is yet to come, but now is the time that invitations are available. The groomsmen are in charge of getting word of the party out to the masses. (Followers of Jesus, that's you!) Wherever they go, the groomsmen are to share the good news of the wedding to whomever will listen. And the joy in their hearts, the focus of their lives and the care they exhibit in their duties will capture the attention of quite a few people.

Have you told your friends? Have you told someone who has never received an invitation before? Are you showing off the joy that is appropriate for an event of this magnitude? The wedding date is approaching.

A Word to the Guests
Maybe this is news to you. Did you know that Jesus is planning a party in heaven? Not just any party, a wedding party. And this may really be news to you: You are the guest of honor. Yes, it's a symbol. Jesus is not taking a wife in the ordinary sense, but is there a more powerful symbol of forever love than a wedding? Jesus is trying to tell each one of us, that he loves us, and he promises that we'll be with Him forever, if we only say, "I will." He's not going to force you. He's not even going to make you sign a prenuptial agreement. He'll take you as you are, if you'll have Him. 

This past Sunday, my pastor referred to the passage in John 3:26-30 when John the Baptist called Jesus the Bridegroom. 

John saw himself as merely a groomsman, ready to step aside when the groom took center stage.

God's people are called to be many things in the scriptures, including ambassadors, athletes, branches, children, disciples, evangelists, farmers, fishermen, holy nation, light, martyrs, masterpieces, overcomers, priests, runners, salt, servants, sheep, slaves, soldiers, temples, and watchmen. One that I have not thought much about is that of groomsman.

What does a groomsman do? How can that symbolize our relationship to Christ?

A Groomsman is there by invitation.
I've had the opportunity to see a few different weddings - including one in India. I've also been a Best Man and a groomsman on two different occasions. As a groomsman, I was always invited by the groom to serve in this capacity. It is an honor to be chosen for the role of groomsman.

Jesus invites his friends to serve and celebrate with him. Gratitude and humility should be our first response to his call. A sense of pride and entitlement looks bad on a follower of Jesus, as bad as lime green suit looks on a groomsman (when everybody else is wearing black).

A Groomsman is focused on the groom.
The focus of the groomsman is not on himself. There might be a minute or two in a ceremony when the onlookers listen to his toast or appreciate his attention seating them, but he always steps to background when the groom's moment has come.

Jesus should have the focus of our attention. We take our orders from Him. We are here at His pleasure. As onlookers notice that I am "fixing my eyes on Jesus" they will likely turn their eyes to the same focus.

A Groomsmen does what is asked of him.
A man, in this role, is honor-bound to look out for the interests of the friend about to be married. If I agree to be a groomsman, I do everything in my power to make the groom's day the very best it can be. As Best Man, I had a few highly respectable tasks. One was to hold the rings for the groom. Another was to keep a copy of my friend's personal vows. As a groomsman, I escorted guests to and from the ceremony. Sometimes, the tasks were more mundane. Pick up some ice. Move that table. Whether respectable or ordinary, each task is important because the groom desires it.

Jesus asks us to do certain things. Each is important, and the attitude with which we do them is critical. We are to do it and do it cheerfully. While everything Jesus says is important, it's critical to keep the emphasis right. Don't lose the ring while getting ice at the store!

Part 2 will continue exploring the idea of being a groomsman for Jesus.