Matthew 22:1-14
¹¹”But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was NOT DRESSED IN WEDDING CLOTHES, ¹²and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. ¹³Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴For many are called, but few are chosen.”
In the first verses we have seen that God made PROVISION FOR PERISHING SOULS. In this parable it is represented by a royal feast made by a king, on the marriage of his son.
God has not only provided food, but He prepared a ROYAL FEAST, for the perishing souls of his rebellious creation. There is not only enough, but there is PLENTY, and to spare, of everything that can add to our PRESENT COMFORT, and EVERLASTING HAPPINESS, in the SALVATION of his Son Jesus Christ.
The guests first invited were the Jews. But when the prophets of the Old Testament prevailed not, nor John the Baptist, nor jesus himself, who told them the Kingdom of God was at hand, after Christ’s resurrection, the apostles and ministers of the gospel were sent.
The message is still the same, “THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND”, and all over the world they are still PERSUADING them to accept the offer.
The reason why sinners are not coming to Christ, and receive salvation, is not because they cannot, but because THEY WILL NOT.
They take the salvation the Christ prepared for them lightly, which will ultimately lead to their damnation. They are CARELESS. And so multitudes will perish for ever, through mere carelessness.
They don’t show aversion against the Gospel, but they are CARELESS about the things concerning their souls.
Persecution of Christ’s faithful ministers fills up the measure of guilt for them who OPPOSE THE GOSPEL.
The offer of Christ and SALVATION TO THE GENTILES was not expected; it was a surprise to all mankind.
The design of the gospel is to WIN SOULS TO CHRIST; all the children of God scattered abroad.
The hypocrites are represented by the guest that had no wedding garment
It concerns all to prepare before going.
• Only those, who put on the Lord Jesus,
• Only those, who are born again,
• Only those, who have a Christian mind,
• Only those, who live in and by the Christ,
• Only those, to whom he is all in all,
And only them have the wedding garment.
The IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS of Christ, and the SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT, are both alike necessary.
• No man has the wedding garment by nature, and
• No man can make it for himself.
The day is coming, when hypocrites will be called to account for all their presumptuous INTRUDING into gospel ordinances, and USURPATION of gospel privileges.
Take him away!
Those that walk UNWORTHY of Christianity, FORFEIT all the happiness they PRESUMPTUOUSLY CLAIMED. Our Saviour shows here in the parable that FAKE CHRISTIANS HAVE NO FUTURE.
Hypocrites go by the light of the gospel itself down to utter darkness.
Many are called to the wedding feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit.
Therefore let us examine ourselves
• Are you really in the faith of the Christ?
• Are you really put on the Lord Jesus?
• Are you really born again?
• Do you really have a Christian mind?
• Do you really live in and by the Christ?
• Is He really all in all for you?
• Did you really seek, to be approved by the King?
MAKE SURE
• Make sure you react on the invitation!
• Make sure you wear the wedding robe!
This was the last message in this series.
NOTE:
The next series will NOT be published in all groups where I posted this series. I will find fields, with better soil, where there are not that much tares, thorns and thistles to kill the just sewn seed. The posting of this last series was pretty useless in certain groups.
(If you don’t want to miss the messages, you are welcome in my own group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/349239882338068/ ).
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