The wedding… vs. 1-7

• 1^st – Kingdom Parable… vs. 1-2
  • Provoking… vs. 1
    • Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables!
    • ANSWERED [ἀποκριθεὶς] – not a question – but the desire for the Jews to ARREST Him…
    • Jesus KNEW the religious leaders were ready to KILL Him [3 days]
    • They hesitated as they FEARED the multitudes who saw Him as a PROPHET – Matthew 21:46
    • But beginning with this PARABLE of the WEDDING feast…
    • Jesus would REMOVE that hesitation – PROVOKE them to make sure He went to the CROSS!
  • Marriage… vs. 2
    • The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for His son!
    • The phrase the Kingdom of heaven is LIKE [ὁμοιόω] – is used ELEVEN time in Matthew…
    • We call them the Kingdom PARABLES – used by Jesus to describe the CHURCH…
    • This PARABLE is about a KING [Father] who prepares a WEDDING for His SON [Jesus]
    • This is FIRST time in the NT we see the word MARRIAGE [γάμος]
    • MARRIAGE [γάμος] is only used SIXTEEN times in NT – EIGHT of them in this parable…
    • The MARRIAGE is the WEDDING of Jesus [Lamb of God] and the Church!
    • Revelation 19:7 – “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory for the wedding [γάμος] of the Lamb has come [aorist] and His wife has made ready herself!”
    • In Jewish CUSTOM – the WEDDING ceremony last for SEVEN days…
    • At the end of the SEVEN days – the BRIDE is introduced to the WORLD!
    • There is some debate on WHEN this MARRIAGE takes place…
    • Some say it takes place at the END of the Tribulation – during the Millennial Kingdom…
    • But we are told the wedding comes [aorist] BEFORE Jesus SECOND coming…  
    • While the world is falling apart – we will be in heaven CELEBRATING with Jesus…
    • And at the end of the SEVEN years – Jesus will present His BRIDE to the WORLD!
• 2^nd – Invitation… vs. 3-4
  • The called… vs. 3
    • [He] sent out his servants to call those who were [called] to the wedding!
    • The FATHER sent out [ἀποστέλλω] His SERVANTS [δοῦλος] – the PROPHETS…
    • Who were to INVITE those who were CALLED [passive] to the WEDDING…
    • CALLED [καλέω] – not just called [perfect] to attend – they were the BRIDE!
    • Referring to the nation of ISRAEL – who is the BRIDE of God – Hosea 2:2
    • The invitation was for salvation – come and be part of the FAMILY of God!
    • Revelation 19:9 – “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”
  • Not interested… vs. 3
    • They were not willing to come!
    • The problem was they NEVER [imperfect] had any desire [θέλω] to come!
    • God called the prophet Hosea to marry a PROSTITUTE [Gomer] – Hosea 1:2
    • Because ISRAEL was like a PROSTITUTE – they continually CHEATED on God…
    • They were more interested in chasing after the pleasure of this LIFE – then going to HEAVEN!
    • Going to HEAVEN is not about what we DO…
    • It is about what we WANT – what is our PRIORITY in life…
    • God will NOT force anyone to be SAVED – we must CHOOSE to respond to the INVITATION…
    • If we value other things more than the LORD – we might miss the call!
  • The plea… vs. 4
    • He sent out other servants saying: Tell those who are invited I have prepared my dinner.
    • My oxen and fatted cattle are killed and all things are ready. Come to the wedding!
    • AGAIN [πάλιν] – The FATHER sent other SERVANTS [δοῦλος]
    • They told the CALLED [καλέω] everything [πᾶς] was already [oxen and cattle]
    • THEY were the ONLY thing missing – COME [imperative] to the WEDDING!
    • People often ask how a GOOD God could send people to HELL…
    • The answer is He does NOT – He is CONTINUALLY [πάλιν] trying to get them to HEAVEN…
    • He has done it ALL [πᾶς] – everything has been taken care of…
    • All people have to do is CHOSE to receive the INVITATION and COME!
    • II Corinthians 6:2 – “Behold now is the accepted time. Behold now is the day of salvation.”
• 3^rd – Excuses… vs. 5-6
  • Not important… vs. 5
    • They made light of it and went their ways!
    • Instead of COMING – the CALLED [Israel] made LIGHT of the invitation…
    • LIGHT [ἀμελέω] – to NOT [ἀ] see something as worthwhile [μελέω]
    • And the people LEFT – they rejected the INVITATION!
  • Different Priorates… vs. 5
    • One to his own farm – another to his business!
    • Some of them took the time to give EXCUSES…
    • ONE – had bought a farm – and wanted to go HOME…
    • ANOTHER – had a BUSINESS [ἐμπορία] that needed to make money…
    • THIRD – had just gotten marriage and wanted to spend time with FAMILY!
    • Luke 14:20 – “I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come.”

• Ask people WHY they do NOT come to CHURCH on a Sunday…
• Some might tell you it is their ONLY day off and they want to stay HOME…
• Others will say they have no MONEY – and need to WORK…
• Still others just want to spend the time with FAMILY!
• Excuses from TWO thousand years ago – have NOT changed much…
• It seems ANYTHING is MORE important than going to Church…
• Because people are LIVING for this life – and NOT thinking about HEAVEN…
• The problem is we only have a LIMITED amount of time to make the CHOICE!
  • Hebrews 9:27 – “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
  • Silence the messenger… vs. 6
    • The rest seized His servants – treated them spitefully – and killed them!
    • OTHERS overpowered the SERVANTS [δοῦλος] – and ABUSED [ὑβρίζω] and KILLED them!
    • Speaking of how Israel treated the PROPHETS that God sent them…
    • They came to CALL the people of Israel back to the LORD…
    • Rather than LISTEN – the people tried to SILENCE those who brought the MESSAGE!
    • John 3:19 – “Men loved [ἀγαπάω] darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.”
    • The problem with the GOSPEL – is people do NOT want it…
    • They LOVE [ἀγαπάω] their SIN – and would prefer it to SALVATION…
    • And they react NEGATIVELY when anyone reminds them of their CHOICE!
  • 4^th – Consequences… vs. 7
    • When the king heard about it he was furious. 
    • He sent out His armies – destroyed those murderers – and burned up their city!
    • When the KING [no longer the Father] heard what those WICKED men had done…
    • He sent out His ARMY [Rome] and He destroyed them and burned their CITY [Jerusalem]!
    • Israel paid a PRICE for rejecting the INVITATION to the WEDDING…
    • 70 A.D. Titus Vespasian came with the TENTH Roman legion…
    • They killed over a MILLION Jews – and burnt Jerusalem to the ground [including the Temple]!
    • We all know people who have EXCUSES – reasons why Jesus is NOT important…
    • And we might hesitate to CONFRONT them – as they might get UPSET…
    • But we need to remember why the INVITATION is so important…
    • There is only ONE way to get to heaven – ONE change to be SAVED…
    • And for those who REJECT it – there are consequences!

• 2^nd – Everyone is Invited… vs. 8-14
  • 1^st – Not worthy… vs. 8
    • He said to His servants: The wedding is ready but those who were invited were not worthy!
    • The KING said to His SERVANTS [δοῦλος] – the WEDDING [γάμος] is ready…
    • BUT – those who were CALLED [καλέω] were NOT worthy!
    • AGAIN – this does NOT mean that God rejected Israel as a whole – Romans 11:1
    • But it was a warning to those LISTENING – the Religious leaders…
    • That since they had REJECTED the INVITATION – they were NOT worthy!
    • This ends up being a VERY powerful truth – who is WORTHY…
    • We tend to think of WORTHINESS being about our ACTIONS – what we DO…
    • But that is NOT accurate – WORTHINESS comes down to a single CHOICE…
    • What do we do with the INVITATION to the WEDDING!
  • 2^nd – New invitation… vs. 9-10
    • Go tell everyone… vs. 9
      • Therefore go into the highways and as many as you find – invite to the wedding!
      • The KING commanded [imperative] His SERVANTS [δοῦλος] to GO [πορεύω]
      • They were to GO to the HIGHWAYS [ἔξοδος] – and invite ANYONE they found…
      • The command was SIMPLE – tell EVERYONE about the WEDDING!
      • Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations!”
        
      • The church has struggled for TWO thousand years to spread the GOSPEL over the world…
      • But during the tribulation God uses ONE angel to spread the Gospel – Revelation 14:6
      • Obviously God does NOT need us [servants] – He uses us because He LOVES us!
      • Romans 10:14 – “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
    • Good and Bad… vs. 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!
      • The SERVANTS [δοῦλος] went and gathered EVERYONE [πᾶς]
      • Both GOOD [ἀγαθός] people and BAD [πονηρός] people – so the WEDDING would be FULL!
      • God does NOT care if a person thinks they are – GOOD [ἀγαθός] or BAD [πονηρός]
      • The truth is NO one is GOOD [ἀγαθός] – we are all BAD – Romans 3:12
      • Yet the INVITATION is for EVERYONE [πᾶς] to come and be a part of the WEDDING!
      • Romans 10:13 – “Whomever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
  • 3^rd – Wrong clothes… vs. 11-12
    • Not white… vs. 11
      • When the king came in to see the guests.
      • He saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment!
      • When the KING came to the WEDDING – he saw one man with the WRONG clothes…
      • Everyone had been given a WHITE robes to wear to the occasion – Revelation 3:5
      • That WHITE robe represents the FORGIVENESS [righteousness] we get through Jesus!
      • Isaiah 61:10 – “[God] has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness… as a bride adorns herself!”
      • If you ever wondered why a BRIDE wears WHITE to her wedding…
      • This is where the TRADITION comes from – a picture of the MARRIAGE of the LAMB!
    • Friend… vs. 12
      • He said to him: Friend how did you come in here without a wedding garment?
      • The KING addressed him with a very PERSONAL response…
      • FRIEND [ἑταῖρος] – only used FOUR times in the NT [never in a good way]
      • Used when the MASTER was questioned about a DAYS wage – Matthew 20:13
      • Used when Judas came and kissed Jesus at His BETRAYAL – Matthew 26:50
      • The KING had nothing against this MAN – he was WELCOME to the WEDDING…
      • The PROBLEM was he did NOT think he needed the WHITE robe!
      • A number of years ago I was on a missions trip on Kazan – Russia…
      • We had a few hours before our train – and it was COLD outside…
      • There was a CONCERT [pipe organ] that night at the Saydashev theatre [warm inside]
      • We showed up in jeans and t-shirts – but it was a BLACK tie event…
      • To say the least we felt REALLY out of place – everyone was staring!
      • We will ALL one day stand before the Great white throne – Revelation 20:11
      • There are only TWO options as to what we can WEAR as we stand before a HOLY God…
      • We can stand in OUR clothes – OUR good deed – OUR righteousness…
      • Or we come CLOTHED in the RIGHTEOUSNESS’ of Christ!
    • Speechless… vs. 12
      • [But] He was speechless!
      • The man with the WRONG clothes did NOT say anything – he was SPEECHLESS!
      • Ask the question: Why should God allow you into heaven…
      • Most people will answer they will REASON with Him – EXPLAIN they are a GOOD person!
      • The truth is there is NO conversation – only SILENCE…
      • Because there will be a set of BOOKS opened – Revelation 20:12
      • In them is the record of EVERY thing we have every done – said – thought…
      • So there is NO question – we are NOT good – and we deserve to be JUDGED…
      • There is NO debate – just a silent surrender to the fate we have CHOSEN!
  • 4^th – Outer Darkness… vs. 13
    • Then the king said to the servants: Bind him hand and foot – take him away.
    • Cast him into outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!
    • The KING commanded his SERVANTS [διάκονος] to TIE the man – and CAST him into…
    • Outer DARKNESS – 3x in NT – a unique term used by Matthew to describe LAKE of fire…
    • Where there is WEEPING – men will MOURN their eternal separation from God…
    • GNASHING [of teeth] – 7x in NT – to snarl or growl in anger!
    • The imagery of hell given by Matthew is particularly graphic…
    • People who thought they could come in their own RIGHTEOUSNESS [wrong clothes]
    • Will be thrown out into complete DARKNESS [absence of God]
    • There they will vacillate for all ETERNITY between TWO emotions…
    • PITY over their miserable state – that they will NEVER be able to escape…
    • And RAGING anger against the one they BLAME for sending them there!
    • Which is why making sure NO one ends up there should be our PRIORITY…
    • We do NOT want to see ANYONE we know wearing the WRONG clothes on that day!
  • 5^th – Few are chosen… vs. 14
    • Many are called – but few are chosen!
    • Jesus CALLS [καλέω] many [πολύς] to be the WEDDING…
    • It is the desire of the KING that EVERYONE come – II Peter 3:9
    • But there are FEW [ὀλίγος] who are CHOSEN [ἐκλεκτός] – also Matthew 20:16
    • The religious leaders assumed it was enough to be CALLED – but they also had to RESPOND…
    • And because they did NOT want to come to the WEDDING – they were not CHOSEN!
    • When people send out a WEDDING invitation – there is a RESPONSE card…
    • We have to CONFIRM we are coming before we are allowed to come in!
    • It is NOT enough to just HEAR about the GOSPEL…
    • Just because we receive the INVITATION – does NOT mean we are going to HEAVEN…
    • We need to CHOOSE to walk away from the cares of this life…
    • We need to CHOOSE to respond to the INVITATION…
    • We need to CHOOSE to put on the ROBES of RIGHTEOUSNESS [forgiveness]
    • Only then will we find we have been CHOSEN [ἐκλεκτός] to be part of the family of God!