Psalm 145:15-21, Proverbs 9:1-6, Ephesians 5:15-21, Matthew 22:1-14.
A). PROVIDENCE AND PRAISE.
Psalm 145:15-21.
Whether they know it or not, all flesh is dependent upon the LORD for their daily provision (PSALM 145:15). Whether they acknowledge it or not, no man can find sufficient sustenance without the LORD. It is better therefore to seek Him first, knowing that He will add to us ‘all these things’ (cf. Matthew 6:33).
If God provides for the birds of the air, how much more for you (cf. Matthew 6:25-27). It is good, therefore, to acknowledge God’s hand in all these things, and to gratefully receive His bountiful provision (PSALM 145:16).
Our trust in the LORD is not based in our ability to believe, but in His perfections. He is righteous in all His ways: He is just. He is kind in all He does: He is holy (PSALM 145:17).
It is good that we can view the LORD as a God who is not only transcendent, but also immanent. He is present within His Creation. He is “near” to all who call upon Him (PSALM 145:18). We should, therefore, ‘Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near’ (cf. Isaiah 55:6).
The one true God, the God of all integrity (cf. Deuteronomy 32:4; John 14:6; 1 John 5:20; Revelation 19:11) draws “nigh” unto all who call upon Him “in truth” with a matching integrity of heart (PSALM 145:18).
It is of the LORD’s mercy that He also hears our petitions (PSALM 145:19). This is particularly addressed to “those who fear Him” - those who revere His Name. We may not presumptuously or blasphemously call out His Name at every approach of trouble: but when we nurture a relationship with him, He is there for us, always.
He grants our desires because our desires are consistent with His. He hears our cry because we are His people. He ‘saves to the uttermost’ all that come to God via Jesus Christ, who forever lives to make intercession for us (cf. Hebrews 7:25).
The LORD preserves all who love Him (PSALM 145:20). This is the other side of our own perseverance: ‘he who endures to the end shall be saved’ (cf. Matthew 24:13). Yet we may not presume upon His grace: the God who is slow to anger (PSALM 145:8), is also the God who will punish the unrepentant (cf. 2 Peter 2:9).
The “each” and “every” of God’s comprehensive care find their final expression as the Psalmist speaks the praise of the LORD, and “all flesh” replies by “blessing” (speaking well of) His holy Name (PSALM 145:21). The groaning Creation (cf. Romans 8:22) at last finds relief in the “for ever and ever.” Amen.
B). THE CALL OF WISDOM.
Proverbs 9:1-6.
Even before she invited us, Lady Wisdom “built her house” (Proverbs 9:1). The hewing out of Lady Wisdom’s “seven pillars” speaks of completeness (unlike the ‘folly’ in Edinburgh which was never completed), spaciousness, and endurance. ‘I go to prepare a place for you,’ says Jesus, ‘that where I am there you may be also’ (John 14:2-3).
Throughout the Book of Proverbs, the personification of Lady Wisdom stands in stark contrast to that of Dame Folly. In this passage, Lady Wisdom invites us to a banquet. Her having “slaughtered her meat and mixed her wine” is synonymous with her having “prepared/ furnished/ spread her table” (Proverbs 9:2; cf. Psalm 23:5).
It is like when the men/ angels stopped by Abraham’s tent on the way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham detained them, ordered that water be brought to wash their feet, and invited them to rest under the tree. Then he went indoors to make use of Sarah’s skills in the kitchen and ran himself (an old man!) to the herd to choose out a good calf and gave it to a young man to prepare it. And Abraham stood by his guests while they ate (Genesis 18:1-8).
This is not the only place where God offers hospitality. It is illustrated in the extravagant way that the father in Jesus’ parable receives back the Prodigal Son, offering a feast in his honour (Luke 15:22-24) - even running out to meet the younger man (Luke 15:20)!
And do you remember when Israel in her rebellion asked, ‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?’ (Psalm 78:19)? How He rained manna (Psalm 78:23) and quail (Psalm 78:27) upon them? Why do we ever question God’s provision when He has kept us hitherto?
God’s hospitality is seen in the way that He had the ravens feed Elijah (1 Kings 17:6). And in the provision of plenty from little to feed a hundred men in Elisha’s days (2 Kings 4:42-44). This is replicated in Jesus’ multiplying of the loaves and fishes to feed both the 5000 and the 4000 respectively, on two separate occasions.
Jesus says, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall not thirst’ (John 6:35). ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink’ (John 7:37). Thus, we receive the ‘living water’ (John 4:10).
Lady Wisdom has sent out her maidens, and summons “the simple”: i.e. (literally) ‘those lacking heart’ (Proverbs 9:3-4; cf. Matthew 22:9). This summons echoes others made in the earlier chapters of the Book (e.g. Proverbs 8:5).
“Come, eat of my bread and drink of my wine,” she cries (Proverbs 9:5). This is like the call of the Gospel in Isaiah 55:1-2, where the feast offered is ‘without price’ to those invited. It also reminds us of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-28).
Ultimately, the true personification of Wisdom is Jesus Himself (1 Corinthians 1:30). Jesus says, ‘Come unto Me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28).
Of Jesus it was said that ‘the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding…’ (Isaiah 11:2). Jesus grew in wisdom (Luke 2:40; Luke 2:52), taught with wisdom (Matthew 13:54), and worked through wisdom (Mark 6:2). Jesus manfully rose to the defence of the metaphor which I have called Lady Wisdom (Luke 7:35) - which was, in a sense, another way of defending Himself.
It was the wisdom of God that set the Cross at the centre of the plan of salvation. This was foolishness to the world, but not to those who are being saved (1 Corinthians 1:21). The world may think us strange to embrace this strange teaching – but it is our wisdom to do so.
“Leave behind your foolish companions” is the true meaning of Proverbs 9:6. It is inevitable that - when we follow the call of the gospel - it is not only foolishness which we must abandon, but foolish people (cf. Proverbs 13:20; 2 Corinthians 6:17). This is what it means to walk in the way of life.
C). WALKING IN WISDOM.
Ephesians 5:15-21.
Despite popular opinion, the Christian “life” or Christian “walk” is not a style of living or a level of morality that we must first attain before we can ever be recognised as true Christians. On the contrary, the Christian “walk” or the Christian “life” represents the moral conduct that arises out of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is against this backdrop alone that Paul says (in essence), ‘Pay close attention to how you order your lives’ (EPHESIANS 5:15).
The Apostle then negates three negative words, the double negatives thereby serving to stress their positive counterparts.
First, “be not unwise” is balanced by the positive command, “but be wise” (EPHESIANS 5:15).
In what ways does this Christian wisdom manifest itself? One way is in a right use of time. Paul talks of “buying back the time” because the days are evil (EPHESIANS 5:16). The Greek word here speaks of an opportune time: time is opportunity. This speaks to us of making the most of the ‘now’ of our experience, rather than dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future.
This does not mean that we ignore the lessons of history and experience, nor that we fail to make plans for the future: but it draws us rather into a sense of the urgency of the days in which we are now living (cf. Galatians 6:9-10).
Secondly, “be not senseless” is balanced by “but be understanding what the will of the Lord is” (EPHESIANS 5:17). Cf. 'Thy will be done;' 'not my will but thine.'
We are in a process of ‘growing in the Lord.’ By now we should have put aside childish things (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:11). We are no longer to be children in understanding, but we should ‘man up’ to who we are, where we are, and where we should be in our Christian pilgrimage: ‘in understanding be men’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:20).
Thirdly, “dissoluteness” (EPHESIANS 5:18) is sometimes translated as “excess” (KJV) or “debauchery”. It here connotes an irreversible process of complete disintegration (arising in this case out of drunkenness) which detaches us from ourselves, others, and ultimately God!
The counterbalance to this is “go on being filled with the Spirit” (EPHESIANS 5:18). As with many things in the Christian life, this is ongoing: I have been filled, I am being filled, and I will be filled.
How do I nurture this fullness, which is already mine? The clue is found elsewhere, in the equivalent passage: ‘let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom’ (cf. Colossians 3:16).
Elsewhere we learn that ‘the person who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son’ (cf. 2 John 1:9).
In like manner, a comparison of the Ephesians and Colossians texts teaches us that the person who is “going on being filled with the Spirit” (EPHESIANS 5:18), is one and the same person as the one who ‘nurtures the word of Christ in their heart’ (cf. Colossians 3:16). Reading the word of God, and applying it to our lives, is our part in this otherwise passive imperative.
Finally, being the people who are going on being filled with the Spirit (EPHESIANS 5:18), we must be about the business of communicating with one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (EPHESIANS 5:19). All three of these designations are found in the headings of the Greek translation of the Hebrew book of Psalms.
We should be singing too (cf. Psalm 95:1); and offering our hearts’ praise to the Lord.
What if I am tone-deaf? Some people are unable to put two notes together: but never mind, the audience is not your fellow worshippers, but the Lord. He 'inhabits' the sincere, heart-felt praises of His people (cf. Psalm 22:3).
Our praises should also be punctuated with thanksgiving “always and for all things” to our Father God, and in the name of His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (EPHESIANS 5:20).
The sequence of EPHESIANS 5:18-21 is to go on being filled with the Spirit, exhorting one another in psalms, singing with all your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always: “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (EPHESIANS 5:21).
What follows in Ephesians 5:22-33 and Ephesians 6:1-9 are all examples of Christian submission.
D). A MARRIAGE FEAST FOR A ROYAL SON.
Matthew 22:1-14.
Following the failure of the chief priests and Pharisees to lay malicious hands on Jesus (Matthew 21:45-46), Jesus “answered and spoke to them again by parables” (Matthew 22:1). He spoke of the kingdom of heaven being “like unto a king, who made a marriage feast for his son” (Matthew 22:2). When the king first announced the wedding his invited guests refused to come (Matthew 22:3). So, according to custom, he sent out a second bidding (Matthew 22:4).
Can you imagine what a privilege it would be to be invited to a royal wedding? However, it is not only an invitation, but also a command. What a disgrace it would be to turn down the offer!
Yet there are people who hear the call of Jesus, and still refuse to come to Him. Any excuse will do: they “make light” (Matthew 22:5) of the gospel, thus insulting both the host and the groom. This is high treason of the worst kind in the kingdom of heaven.
# The one who is (literally) ‘apathetic’ to the Son shall not see life, but has the wrath of God abiding on him (John 3:36). And if he does not have a relationship with the Son, he does not have a relationship with the Father (1 John 2:23).
Such people prefer their own way to the King’s way; their own livestock to the feast that the King is providing; their earthly business to that which pertains to their never-dying souls (Matthew 22:5). There are also those in every age who have gone beyond mere refusal to actually persecuting the King’s messengers (Matthew 22:6): maligning and killing the prophets and apostles of old, and the missionaries and preachers of the Christian era.
Now Jesus speaks explicitly in terms which ‘the chief priests and elders of the people’ (Matthew 21:23) had already suggested (cf. Matthew 21:41). “When the king heard of their wicked deeds…” (Matthew 22:7) - surely what is mentioned here anticipated the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. This is the disgrace which the religious leaders brought upon their beloved city.
There still remained the need to furnish the marriage feast of the Son with guests. Those first invited proved themselves unworthy by their absence (Matthew 22:8). So now the word went out to others, in the highways and other places (Matthew 22:9), all and sundry, both good and bad (Matthew 22:10).
# ‘Come unto me,’ says Jesus (Matthew 11:28). So they ‘shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 8:11).
Yet this is not the end of the matter. There now appears to be ‘both good and bad’ in the kingdom of heaven. There is a bit of sifting which must yet be done, sorting wheat from chaff, sheep from goats, good fish from bad fish.
The King Himself comes in to see the guests (Matthew 22:11). High honour this! Yet there is one there who is inappropriately attired - representative of all who appear to belong, yet do not.
Play actors and hypocrites may fool men, and may fool churches too - but at the last their true colours will be exposed. “He saw a man which had not on a wedding garment” (Matthew 22:11). A man, in Scripture parlance who had not been clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Isaiah 61:10; Philippians 3:9), thinking that his own ‘filthy rags’ would suffice (Isaiah 64:6).
“Friend,” pronounced the King (Matthew 22:12). This appellation occurs three times in Matthew’s Gospel, each with an ominous ring to it.
# First, it addresses a representative of the discontented labourers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:13). Next, here, it addresses one who refused to wear the wedding garments provided by the King. Finally it addresses one who would betray Jesus with a kiss (Matthew 26:50).
The sleight came on account of certain would-be guests of the King refusing to wear the garments provided. Wilful men would force their way into heaven rather than drop their act, admit their hypocrisy, and bend their knee to Christ. Yet bend it they will, when they are left speechless in His presence (Matthew 22:12), and they are sent to join those others in the ‘outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ (Matthew 22:13; cf. Matthew 8:12).
“Many are called” (Matthew 22:14), but not all are chosen. It is for us to ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 13:14), and ‘make our calling and election sure’ (2 Peter 1:10).
