Matthew 22
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Nobody needs to ask Jesus anything, He knows our thoughts and speaks and answers our questions. A thought is like a deed e.g. A lustful eye is as adultery to the Lord.
If you are invited to the wedding of an important person you count yourselves privileged and tell your friends. You would be the greatest fool to turn down such an invitation. If God Himself invites you and arranges the wedding Himself how great that will be. People turned down the invitation to this wedding we read of because of being preoccupied with their own lives, businesses, farms. What are you not prepared to give up to accept the invitation to the wedding arranged by the King of Kings? Do you make light of it? The servants who took out the invitations were badly treated, mocked etc. and the Lord destroyed those who did this. They did not realise the importance of the invitation. Never mistreat a servant of the Lord.
So the servants were told to go and invite anyone they could find on the streets. Those who seem to be outsiders. Those who are invited were not worthy, others took their places. Be careful that you are not cast out. Don’t just sit in your comfortable spiritual chair, go out, reach out to people.
One guest was not in a wedding garment. This is a garment of the heart. Don’t just say you are part of the group of Christians or with my family. Is your heart cleansed?
There is a place of darkness where those cast out away from heaven will go. You will regret it if you hear God’s word and reject the Lord. Many cry when they are punished, rather cry now for your sins. You think you will slip in and be unnoticed, no, God sees you.
Many are called and few are chosen. Should we give up? No! God calls and chooses all. It is our deeds and lives that determine whether we are chosen in the end. At harvest all in the field is collected and then sorted – good from bad. Will you be found to be wearing the wedding garment? May God work by grace in our hearts.