Are You Rapture Ready? The King’s Invitation, Authority And Greatest Command - Matthew 22 Series

2025.09.07. Sermon Notes. ARE YOU RAPTURE READY? The King’s Invitation, Authority, and Command _ Matthew 22:1–46

William Akehurst, HSWC

BIG IDEA: Are you Rapture Ready?

The King invites us into His kingdom, calls us to live under His authority, and commands us to love Him with all our heart.

The King is calling. How will you respond?

Are you Rapture Ready?

Better be Ready...HE's Coming Soon!

SCRIPTURES: Matthew 22:1-46, Isaiah 55:1, Revelation 19:9,

John 1:11-12, Hebrews 2:3, Romans 10:13, Luke 14:23,

Isaiah 61:10, Isaiah 64:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Matthew 7:21, John 6:37, Genesis 1:27, Genesis 9:6, Philippians 3:20, Acts 5:29, John 11:25, Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18, Romans 13:10, Psalm 110:1, Revelation 19:16, John 20:28, Philippians 2:10-11

INTRODUCTION:

Matthew 22 opens with an invitation from the King of kings. But it doesn’t stop there. This chapter also shows us His authority when questioned by men, and His identity as the Lord of all. This ultimately poses the question…WHO is JESUS to you?

I. THE KING’S INVITATION (VV. 1–14) BEING RAPTURE READY

1. THE KING’S INVITATION (VV. 1–4)

Matthew 22:1-4

1 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.” ’

Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a king preparing a wedding feast for his son.

• The king prepares a wedding feast for his son.

• The gospel is an invitation-free, gracious, and extended to all.

• This is a picture of God the Father preparing a celebration for His Son, Jesus Christ—the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7–9).

• The King sends out invitations, saying, “Everything is ready—come to the wedding!”

• Yet, people refused to come.

ILLUSTRATION: Have you ever received a wedding invitation and ignored it? We consider that rude. How much greater the offense to ignore the invitation of Almighty God!

LESSON: GOD is not stingy with His grace-He is generous, inviting us to eternal fellowship with Him. To be rapture ready, you must first accept God’s invitation of salvation.

SCRIPTURE SUPPORT:

• Isaiah 55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts…”

• Revelation 19:9 “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”

2. THE PEOPLE’S RESPONSE/REJECTION (VV. 5–7)

Matthew 22:5-7

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.

Some who received the invitation were too busy. Others mocked the King’s messengers. Some even killed them.

• This pictures Israel’s rejection of Christ, and the persecution of the prophets and apostles.

• The King responded in judgment. Prophetically, this points to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., but it also foreshadows eternal judgment.

APPLICATION: Many today are still too busy for God. Careers, possessions, entertainment - “I’ll get to God later.” But when the trumpet sounds, later will be too late.

LESSON: To reject the King’s invitation is to reject life itself. GOD’s patience is great, but His judgment is real.

Be rapture ready by responding now, not delaying.

SCRIPTURE SUPPORT:

• John 1:11 “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”

• Hebrews 2:3 “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”

3. THE OPEN INVITATION EXTENDED TO ALL (VV. 8–10)

Matthew 22:8-10

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.

The King says, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.”

• This shows the gospel invitation is for all people; good and bad, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile alike.

• This represents the gospel being offered to Gentiles, to the broken, to all who will receive.

• The wedding hall is filled with guests - GOD’s kingdom will not be empty.

• Romans 10:13 says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”