Introduction:
Over the past few months Stephanie and I have had to do much planning for our wedding. We have picked out tuxedos, she has picked out her dress and the brides maids dresses, we had to determine who was going to be in the wedding and the list goes on and on. There are many things involved in planning a wedding
As I near the date in which I will be married I have learned many things about weddings. There are many exciting times in planning a wedding, but there are probably more stressful times. There is a lot of work involved, a lot of time consuming work.
One of the worst parts about planning a wedding is preparing the guest list. You have to sit down and think of all the people you wish to invite. It is so tedious to prepare the invitations, address them and get them ready to be mailed. The invitations are not the most fun part of planning the wedding.
We know, however, that God is planning a wedding too. In my opinion the greatest analogy of the church is the bride of Christ. Within that analogy exists so many great thoughts. God is preparing a wedding banquet, and he is sending out invitations. There is one difference however, between us and God and that is that everyone is invited. There is not one person in the world that is not invited to the wedding. We are not simply invited we asked to participate as the Bride of Christ.
Girls dream for years about their weddings. Before a girl ever gets married they know exactly what they want and how they want things done. It is an honor to get married; it is a fulfilled dream for most girls. I have seen and heard of many great wedding, but no wedding will ever be as awesome as the day in which our bride groom returns to take his virgin bride the church.
In a wedding in the Jewish culture it was different from how it is now. The weddings lasted longer and more people were there. The groom would go off and prepare a place for the bride and him to live. This preparation could have taken a long time, but regardless the Bride had to be ready when the groom returned for the Bride. During the wedding banquet each person that attended would be dressed in their wedding clothes, which were symbolic of purity.
The question for you this morning is this:
1) Are you ready for the groom to return?
2) Are you dressed properly for the wedding banquet?
We have all been invited to a wedding this morning. We have received an invitation fro the greatest King ever. How will you respond to that invitation?
Text: Matthew 22:1-14
I. The Invitation
In the parable that we read, the king invited just a few people and they all refused to come and then the king told his servants to go and invite everyone they could find.
In the same way God has invited us all to come. He has made a way for us all to come to him through Jesus. He did not invite just a few, but he invited everyone to come to Him. Each individual matter to God and each of us is invited to the wedding feast. That is how we can sing:
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
See, on the portals he’s waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling, O sinner comes home!
The invitation is still offered to you today. What will you do with that invitation that you have been given? Will you reject that invitation? Or will you accept it with gladness?
James says that life is like a vapor. Life is short and it goes by quickly, but as long as we are alive we have the opportunity to come to Jesus and to receive eternal life.
We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but we also each have the opportunity to come back to God.
I do not know if we can understand how great of an invitation we have and I do not know if we can understand how important it is for us to choose to go to that banquet.
After every service here we offer and invitation here. Not because we want to amass a great amount of numbers, but we simply want to offer the invitation to you that God offered to us.
As long as we are here on Earth we can take advantage of that invitation, but the truth is we do not have a promise of tomorrow. Accepting the invitation is essential. It is something you should not delay in. It is a matter of Heaven or Hell. The invitation is offered to you this morning and as long as you are here, but do not put off on accepting the invitation.
How will you respond to the Holy invitation of our God? He has invited us all. He has not just selected a few to invite. The invitation is not just for the rich or for the needy. The invitation is not just for white or black, the invitation is for everybody.
At the conclusion of this message we are going to offer and invitation time. A time for anyone who has not to publicly come and accept the invitation that we have been given. Let me encourage you not to delay in accepting that invitation. Make it a priority to accept that invitation. Isn’t it awesome that salvation is offered to every person?
His gospel is the power of God to salvation for all who believe
God is not slow in keeping His promise, but he is patient wanting all to come to repentance
We do not have an impersonal God that doesn’t care about us, we have a God that cares about each individual. He invites us each individually and can because of what Jesus did. I am convinced that if you had been the only sinner Jesus would have done all that he did just for you. How are you going to respond to God’s invitation?
II. The Rejection
We saw in the parable that many people will reject the invitation that was offered. It blows my mind how someone could turn down such an awesome invitation.
If you were invited to a free meal at the White House would you go? If you were invited to meet your favorite Hollywood actor or sports star would you go?
Surely you would! But I wonder why people are so hesitant to accept the invitation to live eternally in Heaven with the God who created the universe. I do not understand how someone could reject that free gift that has been given. God did all the work, he sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, and invites us to obey Him and we can have eternal life. Why do so many reject the invitation. Perhaps you today have rejected the message for some time. The good news is you still can come.
When I first became a Christian I was appalled at how people could be so hostile towards God. I was blown away that someone would choose not to live for Jesus because there is nothing greater. We know, however that scripture is clear that this will happen.
Jesus said, “Narrow is the way that leads to Heaven and few will find it, but broad is the way that leads to destruction and many will find it”.
Sometimes I think we read that passage and think that Jesus was kidding. He really meant that. He knew people would reject His invitation. So often we talk like many will be in Heaven. I have heard it said that many people will be in Heaven that we did not expect. I agree with that, but I think it is more true to say many people won’t be there that we expected to be there. Narrow is the way! That may sound pessimistic, but I think it is more realistic. I don’t want people to go to Hell. It breaks my heart that people could reject the gospel, but I must face the reality that Hell is real and many will find their way there because they reject the free invitation. There are many reason why people reject the invitation that God offers.
a. Disbelief
Many people choose not to accept the invitation because of their disbelief. Some people cannot logically believe in God. I believe we could argue all day long with some people, we could present proof after proof about God’s existence and they still wouldn’t believe. Some people cannot accept the fact that God exists. Admittedly a lot of things do not make sense, but we must have faith that God exists and that he is real. Romans one says that there is no excuse for those who reject God because of unbelief, because the creation itself proves that there is a God. Many though will reject God because they are not willing to deny science, and accept things by faith. Many will reject God because they cannot overcome their disbelief.
b. Ignorance
I believe the number one reason people reject God is not because of hostility towards God, but because of ignorance. Before I became a Christian I had no idea that I was lost, I had no idea about the true meaning of salvation. I was ignorant. That is why we have a duty to tell people about that invitation that is offered. Paul said in Athens, that in the past God overlooked ignorance, but now he demands all people everywhere to repent. Ignorance is no excuse for rejection. That is why we must tell people about the gospel. I believe not only are people ignorant about God they are ignorant about the truth. I believe that Satan has done a good job perverting the truth. That is why you can go to so many different churches and hear different things taught. There is one ultimate truth, there are not many ways to God. I may be called narrow minded, but the scripture is clear what we must do to be saved. Let us go back to the Bible for our answers not to men. Let us make sure we are not ignorant about what we must do to be saved. We can easily get very subjective with this issue, but we must make sure we are not adding to or taking away from God Word.
c. Worldliness
Man people reject God because of worldliness. Many people simply do not want to give up their immoral lives to come to Jesus. This of course is no excuse because we are called to purity and holiness, and we are called to leave behind the world. Jesus’ call was great. He said if you do not deny yourself and lift up your cross daily you cannot be my disciple. Being a Christian may, mean giving up worldly pleasures, but the Heavenly treasures are far greater and it is worth it.
Many are going to reject God. Many will turn their backs on Him for many different reasons, but we each individually must accept the invitation. Christ is coming again! Those that have obeyed him are going to Heaven with Him. God will not stop being God if you do not accept the invitation. The world will not end, but God wants us all to accept because He loves us all. You though have to choose whether you will reject or accept.
III. The Expulsion
In the parable of the wedding banquet a man was approached who was not wearing the proper banquet attire. He was then thrown out into the darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.
A lot of times we try to make the Bible into a fairy tale and we try to glamorize certain things. The truth is that we learn in the parable of Jesus the reality of eternal punishment. Hell is not some make believe land that was created to make people afraid. Hell is real and it is really spoken of in the Bible. People that do not obey Jesus will really go there because as surely as the Bible promises Heaven for the obedient it promises Hell for the disobedient.
The Bible is clear that judgment is a one time event and that we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. On that say there will be no second chances. Either you are a Christian or you are not. We know that there are people who will face God’s wrath.
a. Immoral
It is not hard for us to come to terms that the immoral will not enter into Heaven.
I Corinthians 6:9
There is no promise of eternal life for those who live immoral lives. We are called to live upright lives. God is going to judge the immoral people of this world. He will expel them from His presence. Sin and immorality can come into God’s presence. We must seriously strive to live moral lives, because God’s wrath is poured out on the immoral.
b. Disobedient
Those that are disobedient will also be judged. God lays out very cealr in His word what we must do in order to obey Him. This was the problem at the wedding banquet. A person entered the banquet not wearing what they were supposed to wear so they were thrown out. God promises to expel those from His presence who do not obey Him.
II Thessalonians 1:8
We should take seriously obeying the gospel. So many it seems that people feel that they are just alright by not obeying, but God will judge the disobedient.
IV. The Acceptance
If we want to be a part of the wedding banquet we must be properly clothed. We must do what the Bible tells us to do to be saved
1) faith- faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God
2) believe- we must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek Him
3) Repent- Jesus plainly said several time repent or perish
4) Confess- We must confess as Peter did that Jesus is Lord and Christ
5) Be baptized- This is how we put on the wedding clothes.
Galatians 3:26-27
Acts 2:38
I Peter 3:21
The question then for you this morning is, is you properly clothed and ready for the return of the groom?
