Matt 22:1-14
And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Everything that Jesus taught about God he spoke to us through Parables. And in this passage God is likened to the King whose Son was to be married, which is Jesus; the Bridegroom and we all know that the wedding banquet is the Kingdom of Heaven, the marriage supper of the Lamb, the distinct offering to His people. So the King sent all his servants to go out and invite all those that were His people to the marriage banquet. So the King told his servants go out and invite and began God’s people to come to the wedding banquet.
Matt 22:5-6
But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.
Those who were invited to the marriage didn’t come, those that were the people of the King didn’t come. They had the invitation they were compelled by the messengers of the King, but they refused the invitation, some even made light of it. In other words they made fun of the Kings invitation, some even killed the Kings messengers for delivering the message.
When the King found out about this, the Bible says he was furious! Keep in mind though that we are talking about God. The invitation that God had given was made light of, it was ridiculed, it was made fun of, and His servants were spitefully treated and some of them murdered, and He became angry.
Church, does God get angry? Surely not, for there are many that can’t believe that a loving compassionate God gets angry! Paul said
Hebrews 10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Then the King said to his servants…We still have the wedding, we still have the Son…and the wedding is still on. So he said “ Go out and get whosoever is willing to come, gather them up and bring them. So they went out and they gathered good people and bad people, rich people and poor people, they made no difference between them they just got everybody that they could find and said you can come to the wedding. And as we read that all of these came and it was enough.
Matt 22:10
And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
When everybody was in, and they were ready for the feast and to have the wedding, the King…keep in mind the King is God Almighty, the King comes in and he looks over all of the guests and He notices one in particular person….He notices one man..who wasn’t dressed properly. He didn’t have on the Wedding Garment!
Now in those days, when a person was invited to a wedding folks wore their best and if you belonged to the brides family you wore a purple sash and if you belonged to the groom side you wore a blue sash to identify your invitation. But if you went to a King’s wedding, the King provided a Wedding garment for everyone and you would receive it at the door and you were expected to wear it.
Matt 22:11
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.
He had answered the invitation, but he had not put on the Wedding garment. Which what really meant, was the same thing that had happened to the first bunch of invitees. They had made fun of the King and his marriage supper, they had made fun of the Son of the King and his invitation. But here this one is making light of the ONE who invited him, because he answered the invitation, and he came to the house of the King , but he thought so little of it that he didn’t put on the Wedding Garment.
Matt 22:12
So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’
Keep in mind here Jesus is telling us about God. And here all of the people that have gathered they have answered the invitiation and God Himself says “ Why don’t you have on the Wedding Garment?”
Matt 22:12
And he was speechless
There was no reasonable reason why this man could answer the invitation and not put on the Wedding Garment! He was speechless, no answer. He couldn’t have said that no body offered it to me!
He couldn’t have said that it wasn’t expected of me!
The wedding garment had been offered to him when he came in. And it was common sense that if you were invited and you came to the wedding that you were expected to wear whatever the wedding garment was, because that is provided to you by the King and is what was expected of you to wear! He was speechless…
So the King after all is …God and the King said
Matt 22:13
Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
So the question that remains is:
How can I make it to the Marriage Supper?
There two things that we must do in order to be accounted for the Wedding Feast.
1.) Answer the Invitation
If I don’t answer the call I will never be able to get there. If I don’t answer the invitation.
No w I want you to look at the first part of this parable for a moment. Matt: 22:2
“The kingdom of heaven is like
Now we know that the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are both the same thing. So what Jesus attempts to do here is to liken the Kingdom to a Wedding Supper. And in that story the initial invitations that were given, were to the Jews. Look what Jesus said..
Matthew 21:43
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Everyone would agree that God’s chosen people of the OT was the nation of Israel. But because of their rejection of Jesus Christ as Messiah, they forfeited their right to be God’s people. Now some folks may disagree, because that’s not the way you were brought up into believing, but if you believe that the Word of God is breathed and revealed through the Holy Spirit, no matter how you were raised you can’t disqualify the Word of God and what it says!
Matt 22:7
But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Isn’t it ironic that in Jesus’ illustration that he used “fire” to burn up their city? He could have spoke of wind, or floods, or snow or something else, but he chose fire……. Does anyone know what happened in 70 AD to the City of Jerusalem? The city of Jersualem was destroyed by…..fire!! It isn’t ironic, when Jesus speaks the truth.
Church, this Parable was a picture of what happens when you reject the plan of salvation. The Jews were given the first invitation but they rejected it, therefore because of that rejection you and I were given an opportunity to be “adopted” as Paul says into the family of God. The very first words of Jesus’ preaching he made something diabolically clear….
Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:14-15
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Church, Jesus wasn’t talking about heaven as some people preach,
He wasn’t talking about the day of judgment either
The marriage supper illustration isn’t a futuristic offering
Jesus was talking about an opportunity for you and I to be invested in the Kingdom, through the plan of salvation in Jesus Christ glry.
Luke 17:21
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
I am so glad that I don’t have to wait till I get to heaven to be invested in the blessings of God@! I am so glad that I don’t have to wait to be caught up in the Spirit in heaven, when I can get filled with the Holy Ghost right here and now! glry sht
Matt 22:8-10
Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Listen, the invitation has been given, but it is up to you. Only you can make the decision to follow after Christ. Only you can make a choice to come to God through His Son Jesus and accept Him as Lord and Savior of your life.
Your momma can’t do it,
Your daddy can’t do it,
Your children can’t do it….Only you can accept the invitation
Your family can’t save you,
Your confirmation can’t save you,
Your horoscope won’t save you,
Not even your baptism will save you…
The invitation is extended to you directly from the Throne of Grace that Jesus sits upon…your invitation to salvation comes from Jesus Christ and it is only through Him that you can be saved!
How can I make it to the Marriage Supper?
There two things that we must do in order to be accounted for the Wedding Feast.
2.) You’ve got to Put on the Wedding Garment
Matt 22:12
So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’
Church, there are a lot of people that come to church that will answer the invitation but refuse the wedding garment.
Well Pastor, what is the Wedding Garment?
The wedding garment that a King would have provided was a linen of pure white. It was a sign of unity first amongst the people, second a sign of love to to the betrothed, and a sign of obedience to the King who had provided it and their willingness to wear it. The wedding garment would have set the individual wearing it apart from others who weren’t attending the wedding.
Listen, it is God’s desire for you to live a sanctified life.
1 Thessalonians 4:3
It is God's will that you should be sanctified:
According to Noah Webster sanctify- set apart, holy.
The wedding garment sets you apart, it represents a pure and holy life, the life that God intended for you @!
In the Church of God, we can get people saved, we can get folks baptized, but there is something that hinders people moving on into discipleship in the Spirit.
If the Holy Spirit doesn’t have full control of your life you need to be sanctified through the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That is what it takes to put on the wedding garment!
Saved – Initial effort of the HS, portion of the Spirit
Comes in and cleans house
Baptism- Outward effort, public confession of faith,
Rep washing of sins, death/burial/ress of JC
Disciple- learn the leading of the Spirit, through his
Word, new life teaching/ application
Sanctification- gives you the power to step outside yourself
And be used by God
1 Thessalonians 4:4
That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and with honour;
Church, You are His vessel. And you need to know that to remain His vessel, you must be a person of honor and be sanctified@!
Listen, living a sanctified life means giving up the sinning business.
“ “ “ means to choose not to sin in life
“ “ means you must deny your sinful nature.
But you know what, people want to be filled with the Spirit
But don’t want to make the sacrifice it takes to receive Him@
You have got to give up some of the selfish, self centered, things you have in your life to be sanctified! Amen
I Tim 4:5
Every creature” is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer”
How does sanctification happen? Entire Sanctification occurs when you are purified through the reading of God’s word, and by asking for it through prayer.
The church of God is a holiness movement,
Holiness living is the direct result of the condition of the heart
Holiness doesn’t begin on the outside and work in, holiness begins at the heart and works outward. Ills Old hawg in mud
Listen, There are folks that are willing to be followers of Christ but are unwilling to be believers of Christ. I was sharing this past Wednesday night that while at IYC there were so many different types of Chrisitan labeled T shirts out there for sale that had different sayings on them, and the Lord spoke to my heart and said “ You can wear my words, and still not have me in you!”
Church, You can look like a Chrisitan, talk like one, go to a church like one, even tithe like one, but unless you have been filled the Holy Ghost and put on the Wedding Garment of Sanctification you are not one of His@! You are missing out on the Kingdom of God! INV
