Jesus Is Here

-

 

The Bridegroom is Here – Matthew 9:14-15

Dear Friends, one ordinary day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus with a genuine question: “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

It was a fair question. Fasting was serious business — a sign of repentance, devotion, and hunger for God. John’s followers were fasting. The Pharisees were fasting twice a week. But Jesus’ disciples? They were eating, laughing, and enjoying life like they were at a party. What was going on?

Jesus didn’t give them a new rule. He gave them a picture of joy: “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Jesus is saying, “I am the Bridegroom. I have come for My bride. This is not a time for long faces and empty stomachs — this is a time for celebration!”

The presence of Jesus turns mourning into feasting.

But He also looks ahead with gentle honesty: the day is coming when the Bridegroom will be taken away. He’s pointing quietly to the cross — the dark hours when He would be arrested, crucified, and laid in the tomb. In that moment, fasting and mourning would be completely appropriate.

We live in the beautiful tension between those two realities. Jesus has risen and is with us by His Spirit right now — so joy is always possible. Yet we still wait for the day when He returns in full glory and the wedding feast begins forever.

Today, pause.

Are you living like the Bridegroom is in the room? Or are you still carrying the weight of mourning, as if He’s far away?

Let the truth sink in: the Bridegroom is here. Right now. In this ordinary moment. In your ordinary life. And because He is here, there is always reason for joy — even when the fast days come.


Point to Ponder: The presence of Jesus changes the atmosphere of every room — and every heart.

Verse to Remember: “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” (Matthew 9:15 ESV)

Question to Consider: In what part of your life right now are you living more like you’re in mourning than at a wedding feast with Jesus? What would shift if you truly believed the Bridegroom is with you today?

Article written by Shaun Fereday, Leader @SFGH Church



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bible Study Recap – 2 Thessalonians 2

-
Image
Led by Shaun Fereday, Prison Chaplain (Sessional) & Leader @SFGH Church  (Transcribed from Tuesday's Bible Study Group) This week marked the first time we’ve begun transcribing our Tuesday night Bible studies. We’ve been recording sermons for a while and putting them online, but the Tuesday teaching has always stayed within the walls of the chapel. That means people like Stacey and Donnna (who can’t always come because of child care commitments), or Liam (who lives further away) often miss out. It also struck me that it would be a real blessing if we could build a written library of what we’re learning together. Something new members, like Jamie, could dip into when they want to catch up on what we’ve already covered—whether it’s repentance, salvation, or other key topics. So tonight, with a little help from what Joehana my wife affectionately calls my “old man’s dongle” (a small AI recorder), we began doing just that. The device listens, transcribes what’s said, and gives me...
Read more

The Baptism Testimony of Alfie

-
Image
Alfie Cox Alfie has had a strong faith from an early age, eventually getting baptised at South Featherstone Gospel Hall at the tender age of eight on 6th April 2025. And what a day it was with all the worship music being chosen by Alfie himself, a full immersion baptism (it's a good job he can swim - lol), and Alfie's personal Testimony about his faith in Jesus Christ, which he gave to a packed Chapel. What a brave young man. And the whole proceedings were recorded for others as a witness to his faith, which he allowed us to post on our Church YouTube channel.  You can click on the link below to watch the whole thing and I'd encourage you to do so as it's well worth viewing. Then ask yourself the following two questions.  1. Do I believe in Jesus Christ? 2. If the answer is yes and you've never been baptized then ask yourself - why not! As the very first post on our new Youth Circle Page, there could be no better tribute to Jesus Christ than Alfie's own words f...
Read more

Worship in Action...

-
Image
The Joy of Live Music in Worship There’s something truly powerful about live music in worship. It’s more than notes, chords, and melodies—it’s a way of drawing hearts together, lifting voices in unity, and directing all our praise to the Lord. This week at our Family Service , we were blessed once again to see the Worship Team expanding for the second week in a row . Donna, our faithful pianist, was joined by Danny and Cameron on guitar , and Emily on vocals . What a joy it was to hear them blend together in worship, each offering their gifts to the Lord and to His people. Moments like these remind us that worship isn’t just performance—it’s participation. Every instrument, every voice, every strum and chord helps lead us deeper into the presence of God. As Psalm 150 says: “Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resoun...
Read more

Artwork with a Story

-
Image
A Lost Sheep, A Loving Shepherd 🐑✝️ This past Sunday at our Family Service, we were given a real treat. Brian Preston shared his testimony (which you can watch on our YouTube channel ), and alongside it, he used a set of hand-drawn illustrations that carried both spiritual weight and a touch of nostalgia. These weren’t just any drawings—they were lovingly created by Sandra, Brian’s wife, more than 40 years ago when she was working with children. The artwork is big and bold, all drawn on A3 sheets of paper, and they brought Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3–7) vividly to life. The story, of course, is simple yet profound: a shepherd leaves his 99 sheep to go after the one that’s wandered off. It’s a picture of God’s relentless love for each of us—that none are too lost, too far gone, or too insignificant to be pursued by Him. What made these illustrations so captivating wasn’t just their age or their size, but their heart. You could see the sheep lost in the wilderness, the...
Read more