Matthew 22 - 08.22.24
SCRIPTURE -Matthew 22:8-13 NIV
““Then he said to his servants,
‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.
So GO to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’
So the servants went out into the streets
and gathered all the people they could find,
the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was FILLED with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests,
HE noticed—a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot,
and throw him outside, into the darkness,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
OBSERVATION
Jesus shares a Parable about “The Wedding Banquet”
In the Culture of Jesus’ day, two invitations were expected whenever a Banquet was given.
The First invited the guest to attend; the Second announced that everything was ready.
In this Parable, a King is giving a Banquet for his son. When the King sent his second invitation to announce that all was ready—the guests who had already “accepted” the invitation “refused” to come. The King became furious and even sent out his armies to destroy their city (22:7) and then instructed his servants to GO Out into the Street Corners and Invite EVERYONE regardless of their social standing, reputation, or moral character—outcasts and sinners!
APPLICATION
ROOM AT JESUS’ WEDDING FEAST—For ALL who say-YES!
Jesus parable was about “The Wedding Feast—in—the Kingdom of Heaven”.
The Invitation to “attend” the Wedding Feast—went First to God’s Chosen-the Jews.
The Problem was—most of them—though Chosen-were relying on their own “identity” as Jews to save them—and NOT on God’s Promised Messiah. They studied scripture-and missed “Their MESSIAH” who was the hope and redemption of ALL mankind—The Way, The Truth, and The Life—when HE was standing right in front of them.
The invitation—Good News—went out to the Jews First AND then proceeded out to the Gentiles and then—to EVERYONE—
The Good News is that we are ALL outcasts and sinners—but Jesus takes us IN and clothes us in His forgiveness and righteousness AND assures us of eternal life in Heaven with Him-when we Accept “HIS Invitation”.
“Then Jesus came to them and said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore GO and MAKE disciples of ALL nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to OBEY— everything I have commanded you.
And remember—I AM with you always,
to the very end of the age.””
(Matthew 28:18-20)
Who was the man at the “wedding banquet” without the “wedding clothes”?
Anyone who goes to a wedding would naturally wear their very Best— Perfectly Clean-attire. You would never think to wear an old, soiled, dirty garment.
The Church-as The Bride of Christ will be no different.
We will be dressed for “This Wedding Banquet” with the Pristine “Garment” provided by Christ-His bright, clean, ROBE of Righteousness!
Anyone without this Robe will NOT be permitted into this Banquet.
-instead—they will have been thrown into hell and after Judgement the Lake of Fire.
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give HIM glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and HIS bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, BRIGHT and CLEAN, was GIVEN her to wear.” (Revelation 19:7-8 NIV)
“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
The lake of fire is the second death.
Anyone whose name was not found
written in the [Lamb’s] book of life
was thrown into the lake of fire.”
(Revelation 20:14-15 NIV)
Heaven and Hell are very REAL Places. Heaven is a FREE Gift. But it is a Gift that must be Received. Anyone whose NAME is not written in the Lamb’s book of Life (Accepted Christ’s Free GIFT of Salvation through faith in Jesus ) will be eternally separated from God.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus,
Two very different eternal consequences. This gives me such an ache in my stomach for those who will be eternally lost.
Today I pray this ache will not leave me. I pray it is not passing or “emotional” but rather Your Calling. I pray Your Holy Spirit bears hard down on my Soul—Filling me and using me to Share Your Love-even when I’m fatigued, even when I’m in pain, even when I’m feeling like my words won’t make sense. Help me to rely on the knowledge that YOU are ALL I need. Your Faithfulness will be complete and Your Power IS made manifest in my weakness. Father, SEND Me and SEND More people out INTO Your Harvest Fields to Know Your very Great Love for them. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Tina L Kudelka