We have seen how Christ presented Himself to the people as the Bridegroom. He said, "Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them?" In these words of His we see several things: firstly, that He is the Bridegroom, and secondly, that the Bridegroom is with us. You remember that in Matthew chapter 1 we are told that Christ was called Emmanuel, which means God with us. I really like these two words "with us." This does not mean that we have a certain doctrine or know the teaching, nor does it mean that we keep a kind of ritual or have any forms. It means that we have His very presence with us. His being with us means everything. Hallelujah, the Bridegroom is with us! Without His presence, everything is just religious. What does it mean to be religious? To be religious means to have all the scriptural things, all the fundamental things, and yet lack the presence of the Lord.
How wonderful it is to have the presence of the Bridegroom with us! Do you need comfort? Praise the Lord, His presence is your comfort. Do you need life? Praise the Lord, His presence is your life. Do you need anything else? I tell you, His presence is everything to you. If you have His presence, you have everything. Oh, the Bridegroom is with us!
The third implication of these words of the Lord is that He as the Bridegroom is with us that we may enjoy Him. How do we know this? Because He says, "Can the children of the bridechamber mourn?" The answer is obvious: we must be joyful; we cannot be otherwise in the presence of the Bridegroom Himself.
But the Lord did not stop here: He went on to amplify His statement by using some parables with much practical implication. First of all, He stated that no man puts a piece of new cloth upon an old garment. Following that, He tells us that neither do men put new wine into old wineskins. In the Gospel of Luke we have another item added: "No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old" (5:36). Thus, following the Lord's words regarding Himself as the Bridegroom, He presents us with four new things. They are full of significance. Firstly, we see the new cloth; secondly, the new garment; thirdly, the new wine; and lastly, the new wineskin. We have, therefore, the bridegroom with four new things.
The Lord's word is always so simple in clauses, phrases, and wording. But we must realize that the implication of the Lord's word is marvelous and profound. The words of the Lord are not like those of philosophers: they always use words very difficult to understand, and even after you understand them you have nothing. Praise the Lord, He is different. All His words are exceedingly simple—everyone is familiar with a new cloth, a new garment, new wine, and a new wineskin. But listen, the implication and significance of His words are profound. Eternity is required to comprehend them.