“THE UNINVITED GUEST”
OR
“BE PREPARED TO SEE THE KING”
Matthew 22: 8-14
We are being prepared (in this life) for a Great Wedding Feast (which is life eternal). We are being prepared by the privileges of church-membership. Yes my brothers and sisters it is truly a PRIVILAGE to be a member of the body of Christ.
We are being prepared by the entire blessing of the NEW COVENANT! We are being prepared by the gospel and ALL of the riches found in them!! Our preparation also includes access to the throne of Grace or our ability to pray (Thank you Jesus) to God the Father. The Holy Spirit is here to comfort us, and we hold fast to a well-grounded hope of life eternal. We are truly being prepared!!
The invitation has been sent, the table is set, and ALL are invited. Are you an invited guest or will you choose to become an uninvited guest?
This parable told by Jesus is truly a self-examining story. Look at what Jesus says in verse 8. He proclaims THE WEDDING IS READY! The wedding of Jesus (The Groom) and the church (His bride). It is ready for the gentile (or us who are not Jews), because previous invitations were sent to the Jews, and they CHOSE not to accept, because of their contempt of Christ! Like Israel of old, the promise land was there for them, but because of unbelief, constant murmuring or complaining, and out right disobedience to God, they were left out, and many perished in the wilderness.
Look at Jesus’ statement regarding the Kings’ commands: GO and gather together as many as you can!! Jesus is simply saying this: God the Father is ready to accept us, Jesus the son to intercede for us, and the Holy Spirit to sanctify us!! Pardon from sin is ready, comfort is ready, ALL the promises are ready, angels are ready to attend us, heaven is ready to receive us, it is a kingdom prepared, and ready to be revealed at the end of times. We are all invited! The bad and the good among us!
Jesus has a message for all of us within these sacred scriptures. Jesus is giving the illustration of the uninvited guest here in this parable. Why is he uninvited? Why would anyone in his or her right mind want to miss out on eternal life with Jesus?? I personally cannot answer that for another person, but let us look at this uninvited guest, and see the answer unfold before us this morning.
The word says this uninvited guest was not clothed properly for the occasion. He came like he wanted to come. Jesus stated that he did not have on the proper wedding garment. What makes the matter even worse for this uninvited guest is that the wedding garment was provided AT the occasion. All he had to do was choose his size, and put it on. The garment was handed right to him BEFORE he entered, BUT he figured the garment he had on was adequate enough for the occasion.
What an insult to the Great Host of this feast. It was insulting because during the days that Jesus walked the earth as mortal man, it was customary for the host of the feast to provide garments for all that attended.
Let us look a little closer at the garments this person refused, and how by refusing to be clothed properly, this individual insulted the King, thus, CHOOSING eternal damnation.
The garments that Jesus speaks of are not a physical thread of clothing. The Lord our God is not impressed my brothers and sisters with sharp three-piece double-breasted suits or fancy dresses and big hats. Young people, the Lord our God is not impressed with the latest trend of Hip Hop gear. Jesus is speaking of the Garment of Righteousness. Jesus is simply telling us to dress ourselves with HIM!!
The wedding garment is truly accepting Jesus in our hearts, and LIVING a life agreeable to the GOSPEL!! Get decked out in Jesus! Dress (with Jesus) to impress someone and get him or her to ask: WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED??!!?
Let’s look even closer at this uninvited guest. This individual has his PERSONAL garment on. This person was dwelling and fitting in with the other guest. I would imagine this person held a position in the church. Yes, if we look at this individual in a present tense mind, he OR she may have been a deacon, a choir member, an usher, a trustee, or even a preacher. Maybe this individual was the leader of an auxiliary, and was well thought of within the church and within the community.
This individual chose not the garment, because I say again, they felt their own personal garment was adequate enough for the occasion. This uninvited guest was eating with the other guest, talking with them, and having a good time with the others. This individual may have been seated at the best table at many church banquets. Oh but here at this Great Feast, the King, with His piercing eyes will see and reveal exactly what this uninvited guest truly is!
Notice in verse 12, it says The King viewed the entire guest, however, he looked INTENTLY at this man who had on no wedding garment. Look at what the King says in verse 12…He called him Friend. My brothers and sisters, when we profess that we are followers of Christ, God takes particular notice of that profession. Jesus walks among us, from pew to pew, person to person, and He knows our hearts, and the works of all people.
FRIEND?!!? This man was no friend at all to the King. If he were a friend, he would have accepted the garment. If we are friends of the King we must accept the full of gospel in our Hearts. We must live our lives in agreement to the gospel!! Friend? The King called this individual friend. On that great Judgment day, will the Lord be able to call you His friend. Not a friend like this false friend found in the text. This man was a pretending friend!!
Jesus’ parable is simply saying that this man was a HYPOCRITE. He was no true Christian. He was the so-called Christian of the times we live in now. A worldly Christian!! This man was like many people today!! Professing or giving lip service, and looking like and playing the role of Christian, but never receiving or accepting to have the mind and heart of Christ!!
Look at what the King or God is asking this man! How camst thou in hither?? Or in plain English…HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE WITHOUT THE PROPER ATTAIRE?? YOU KNEW THE DRESS CODE!! HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE, KNOWING THAT YOU’RE HEART IS NOT RIGHT?? HOW CAMST THOU IN HITHER KNOWING YOU ARE A THIEF?? HOW CAMST THOU IN HITHER UNHUMBLED?? HOW CAMST THOU IN HITHER UNSANCTIFIED?? HOW CAMST THOU IN HITHER UNINVITED???!!?? This is Jesus’ example of the great Day of Judgment. The Great Day when God will separate the righteous from the wicked, the tares from the wheat, and the sheep from the wolves.
What was this man’s answer for the King when asked….”how camst thou in hither?? What will be your answer on that great Day of Judgment? Look at the text. Verse 12 states that this man was SPEECHLESS!! MUZZLED!!! GAGGED!! Why? God knows the hearts of all, and HE knows our true motives. This uninvited guest is speechless, because on that Great Day, those that live within the church, but die without Christ, will not have one word to say. They will be without an excuse. It is easy to fool man, but can you fool God??
The worst part of this story…Look at Verse 13 and 14!! Those found guilty on the great Day of Judgment will be cast into the lake of fire. There will be continuous weeping which is the result of constant torment. Gnashing of the teeth, which is the great rage and great fury towards God from those thrown into utter darkness or the ever-burning lake of fire and brimstone!!
Many are called, but few are chosen. All of those that exult themselves, all of the hypocrites, all that profess religion, but are in constant contradiction to Jesus were called, but will not be chosen for life eternal.
So my brothers in sisters. The question arises this morning: In whose righteousness are you to stand at the last day?" -- for whose sake, or by whose merit, do you expect to enter into the glory of God? Without the least hesitation I can answer that for you. It is for the sake of Jesus Christ the Righteous. It is through his merits alone that all believers are saved; that is, justified -- saved from the guilt of sin, -- sanctified -- saved from the nature of sin; and glorified -- taken into heaven.
Galatians 3:26-27
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” So it would be behoove all of us to clothe ourselves with Jesus on a daily bases!!
Put on Jesus when you wake up in the morning! Clothe yourselves with Jesus on your jobs!
Young people: put on Jesus when you’re attending school and clothe yourselves with Jesus when you’re hanging with your peers!
Clothe yourselves with Jesus in times of joy!! Clothe yourselves with Jesus in times of sorrow!
Since we were baptized into Jesus, we are baptized into his death! Since Jesus Died and Rose again, we to should die to our old sinful nature, and live our lives so that we will be prepared to see our King of Kings, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God!
