HE INVITES
HE INVITES
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” —Matthew 22:2-14
How many people have you invited to Jesus so they could live for Him now and will be with Him in heaven forever? The invite has gone out to them, but many will not come. Jesus is preparing a place for all those who do come to Him.
So many, unfortunately, when invited to Jesus will not accept the invitation. They pay no attention and go off to be busy with their daily life events or business. They have no time for Jesus and the way to heaven. Not only to they reject the invitation, but they treat Jesus’ servants shamefully and kill them. The Lord says, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
The invitation was extended further to as many as could be found and “the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Anyone who is not “dressed” properly— “have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:27) — will not be allowed into heaven. “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). I do not have “a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9).
Dear brother and sister we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus our Lord. This enables us to know Him now and be with Him in heaven forever. We will be at the wedding feast of the Lamb with all who love Him (Revelation 19:6-9).
Dear Father I am so grateful to be clothed in Jesus, having a righteousness that comes from Him and not of myself. With great gratitude may I serve my Lord Jesus faithfully in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son.