The Invitation has Been Given
In Matthew Chapter 22 Jesus told the parable of an invitation to a wedding.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 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.”‘ 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. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways and as many as you find, invite to the wedding. 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. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 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.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 22:2-14
The king in this parable represents God, our heavenly Father – The same God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as found in the Scriptures. The son represents Jesus Christ, God’s Son, who was first revealed as Christ the Messiah to the Jewish people, with signs following. But many of the Jews did not receive Him or believe He was God come in the flesh, as the prophets had foretold that He would. Matthew, a Jewish believer, quotes from the Prophet Isaiah.
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Isaiah 7:14
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Matthew 1:23
The Significance of the Blood on the Lintel
In reference to our need to be cleansed from our sins, in conjunction with the power of the blood, King David said,
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Psalm 51:7
The hyssop plant is mentioned many times in the New Testament and the Old. It is mentioned in conjunction with the power of the blood and is an indication that the Kingdom of God has come. It was used over the door posts and lintels prior to the Exodus, to protect the Israelites from the destroyer killing their firstborn children. See Exodus 12:22. It is also a prophetic reference to the blood of Jesus Christ the Messiah, who shed His blood for our sins on the cross at Calvary – This was foretold in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 – and on the third day Christ rose again – See Psalm 16:9 – 11 and Matthew 16:21.
King David’s use of these words, “purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean”; was his response to the Lord concerning his own sin; according to the care of the Lord; and is an indication that Christ has come in the flesh. Anyone who rejects Christ, rejects their own invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb. – See Revelation 19:9. The Apostle John said of Christ Jesus,
“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”
John 1:11
Salvation has Come to the Gentiles
God then sent His disciples to the Gentiles, to offer them this same Salvation through Christ that the Jewish people had rejected. Paul and Barnabas said to the Jews,
“It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 13:46 & 47
This offer of Salvation through Jesus Christ, is still freely offered to all today, whether Jew or Gentile. It is Christ’s desire that all would come to know and believe in Him and receive His free gift of eternal life. Amen. The Apostle Peter says,
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9 NIV
- Christ’s invitation for eternal life has been freely given to all – first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles.
- Christ’s invitation is declared through His servants – through those who believe in His Name and who follow Him.
- Christ’s invitation awaits a response!
God Chose Us First to be in Him
In the Gospel of John, Jesus said,
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
John 15:16
Just like those in Jesus’ parable who were called to the wedding feast; Christ Jesus desires to take us as His own, but His invitation awaits our response. Whether we are able abide in Him, depends on our response. Because our wedding garments need to be white, we first need to come under the conviction of sin and repent. Then He receives us as His own as we come to Him for cleansing. In this parable of the invitation to the wedding feast, there were four wrong responses from those to whom the invitation was sent. Some were not willing; some made light of it; some killed his servants who were sent; and some came to the wedding feast, but went in unprepared.
Some Made Light of it and Were Unwilling to Come
Some invited to the wedding were simply unwilling to come. Others made light of the king’s invitation and went their own way; one to his farm, another to his business. We all have that same choice to make. Will we choose to pursue the things of God’s Kingdom and put Him first, or will we choose to pursue the things of this earth?
By choosing to put first, the things of God’s Kingdom, Jesus led by His example. Even at twelve years old, He said to His parents,
“Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
Luke 2:49
Jesus teaches, not to worry about our lives on this earth. Instead, He promises us, that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, then He will take care of tomorrow.
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow.”
Matthew 6:31 – 34
Some Killed His Merciful Servants
In this parable, some killed the servants whom the king sent out to give the invitation. Just like in this parable, many of the Pharisees and religious leaders amongst the Jews in those days, saw Jesus Christ and His followers as a threat, so they sought to have Him crucified. The Gospel of Luke says,
“And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”—who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder. Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.” But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.”
Luke 23:18 – 23
By rejecting and killing Christ and many of His followers – See also Hebrews 11:37; and requesting a murderer, Barabbas, to be released in Christ’s place, they sought to defeat Him. They did not know however, that on the third day, Christ would rise from the dead, and that His followers would continue to increase throughout the nations, as they continue to do today. But the consequences of the actions of these Jewish leaders remained. On Tisha B’Av, or the 9th/10th of Av, in 70 AD, after their rejection of Christ; just as the parable of the wedding describes; the Romans destroyed the Jewish temple by fire and many Jewish people, sadly, lost their lives.
There are many, many, people still today, both Jew and Gentile, who still see the message of the Cross and the establishment of God’s Kingdom on earth as a threat. It threatens every religious establishment devoid of the love of Christ and every man-made plan. It threatens man’s own agendas and their lawless lives. Many still seek to destroy and silence God’s servants, but God’s Kingdom will remain! In the last days, Jesus warns us,
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:9 -14
Some Came in Unprepared
Some responded favourably to the invitation, but one man came in unprepared. Therefore the king refused him, because he did not come dressed in the wedding clothes that the king required. There is a response needed on our part, not just to accept Christ’s invitation, but to come dressed in the wedding clothes that only He can provide. The Prophet Isaiah prophesied,
“For He has clothed me with the garments of Salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness. As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments. And as a bride adorns herself with jewels.”
Isaiah 61:10
Many, like this man who the king refused, will face God at the end of the age, expecting good works alone to save them. But the Bible tells us, that good works alone cannot save us. That our righteous acts alone, to Him, are like filthy rags. Again, the Prophet Isaiah said,
“But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.”
Isaiah 64:6
We Must Enter by God’s Grace
The only way to enter heaven is by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ, by grace, through faith. The Apostle Peter says,
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.”
1 Peter 3:18
The Apostle Paul says,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8
Those at the end of the age who come to God without the wedding clothes that He freely provides, will be speechless and without excuse. Jesus warns, we will all be held to account for what He has already told us.
“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.”
John 15:20 – 23
We All Are Without Excuse
The Apostle Paul said,
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
Romans 1:18 -20, NIV
Again, the only way to enter into heaven is to be born again by the Spirit of God. The Apostle John says, speaking of Christ the Lord,
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 1:12 & 13
- No man can enter heaven without the robe of righteousness, given by Christ our Lord.
- Good works alone, are not enough to save us.
- Salvation is a gift of grace; through faith in the finished work of the Cross; freely given by God.
- God’s eternal power and divine nature are seen in His creation – so that all men are without excuse.
- God’s ability to receive us as His own, depends on our response to His invitation.
- God cleanses and redeems us; when we say yes to Him!
Christ Has Enabled Us to Come
Christ declared that He would draw all men to himself when He was lifted up on the cross. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says,
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.’ This He said, signifying by what death He would die.”
John 12:32 & 33
- All of mankind is intentionally being drawn by God to Himself, through this message of hope in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection from the cross.
- Our spiritual ears and eyes must be opened for each one of us to make a positive response.
Because of the Pharisees’ and Scribe’s disobedience, Jesus made the Gospel message plain for unlearned people to understand. He spoke in parables to His disciples about the Kingdom of God in every-day language, using illustrations from every-day life that they would understand. He said to His disciples,
“To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.”
Mark 4:11 & 12
God Requires a Willing Response
Though God draws each one of us, we cannot be taught by Him unless we are willing to hear and receive what He has to say. Jesus rebuked the Jews for complaining because He spoke the truth to them, in order to draw them to Himself. Unless they were willing to be taught by God, however, they would not be able to come to Christ. Therefore, He answered them,
“Do not murmur among yourselves. no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws Him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.”
John 6:43 – 45
Again, when many were offended because they would not believe, He said,
“The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. He went on to say, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled Him.”
John 6:63 & 64
If we truly desire to know God, He will reveal Himself to us if we ask Him. God gives us free will to choose and awaits our response!
- Christ continues to draw all men to Himself through the message of the Cross.
- The Father Himself enables us to come to Christ when we make a willing response!
- To come to Christ, we must be willing to be taught by God!
- God knows in advance those who will not believe.
- Everyone who is willing to hear and learn from the Father will come to Christ!
We Must Be Believers in Christ
Believing in Christ precedes, or comes before the forgiveness of sins. The Apostle Paul, when speaking of Jesus says,
“To Him all the prophets witness that, through His Name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
Acts 10:43
Paul is stating here, that for any person to receive the forgiveness of sins, he or she must first believe in the Name and in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, the writer of Hebrews says,
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6
Jesus said to the Pharisees who would not believe in Him,
“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
John 8:24
Our repentance and confession before God also precedes the forgiveness of our sin. Jesus said to His disciples,
“Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.”
Luke 24:46 – 48
Likewise, the Apostle John says,
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 john 1:8 & 9
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John writes about all that God revealed to him, concerning the things that were yet to come, and the end of the age. John writes, that he heard a voice come from the throne of heaven, that was like the voice of a great multitude, and as the sound of many waters and mighty thunderings, saying,
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.'”
Revelation 19:7-9
The earthly concept of marriage between a man and his wife, is also a picture, or an analogy, of Christ and His Church; His Bride. The marriage supper of the Lamb spoken of in Revelation, celebrates the joining of Christ with His Bride the Church, at the end of the age. Christ became the Sacrificial Lamb of God without spot on our behalf. It is only through His death on the cross; His subsequent burial and resurrection; that His Body; the Church; His Bride; is washed clean and sanctified – or set apart for His purposes. By Him, we are fully justified; in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ; by the Spirit of God. The Apostle Paul says,
“But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
1 Corinthians 6:11
God is omniscient – having complete and unlimited knowledge; having foreknowledge of those who will choose to receive Him and those who will not. Therefore, it is up to every individual person, whether or not they will make that choice to receive Him. Those who refuse Christ, will not be granted access by the Father. – See John 6:64. Because of this, the Apostle Paul tells us, that it is those who choose to believe in Christ; those whom He foreknew would come to Him; who are predestined to be conformed to His image.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.”
Romans 8:29
It is not enough to simply have a Salvation experience by receiving Christ. We must also allow the Holy Spirit to change our lives, so that our actions confirm the sanctification that has taken place in our hearts. It is the righteous acts of the saints, that represents the fine linen, clean and bright, worn by Christ’s bride in Revelation 19:8.
- When we are saved, we are sanctified or set apart for God.
- It is not enough to have a salvation experience and simply be cleansed from our sins.
- We must show by our righteous acts, the change that has taken place in our hearts.
- We make ourselves ready, by allowing God to change us, working His holiness into our lives.
Have you prayed for someone to come to Christ; to believe in Him today?
