10/16/18 R U READY?
Are you Willing?
Are you Wooed?
Are you Worthy?
Are you Wise?
Jesus used the parable of the Wedding Feast to address the problem of human resistance to the call of God. This parable simply points out the sinner's rejection of the invitation and provision of God to enter into His kingdom. Remember, He said this parable was intended to address the invitation of God and the failed human response to that invitation.
People make it complicated, to the degree that they convince other people that this has nothing to do with the Christian response to the Gospel.
THE PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST
Matthew 22:1-14
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
DLG notes...
PARABLE OVERVIEW
This parable refers to God's principles of inviting people into His kingdom. The parable refers to a king, his son's wedding, the invited guest, the kings servants, the uninterested masses and the invitation to, "whosoever will."
It is fair to say that, "the king," represents God; "the kings servants" represent the prophets; "the king's son" represents Jesus.
THE KINGDOM (vs. 2)
The kingdom of God is to be understood as, "the rule of God," or those who submit to the rule of God. The kingdom of God was seen as the unified Nation of Israel and Judah, and then as the single nation of Judah, and then (in the New Testament) as the rule of God in His Church.
Christ rules in the hearts of His children (Ro. 14:17). We will see the kingdom of God physically (The Millennial Reign of Christ in Jerusalem) when Christ returns to earth and sets up His Earthly Kingdom. Ultimately God will rule over His people forever and ever in eternity in the New Heaven, New Earth and New Jerusalem.
FOUR WRONG RESPONSES (vs. 3; vss. 4-7; vs. 8; vss. 9-10)
This parable points out that God has broadened the scope of His kingdom, from a political, geographical national form (through Israel and Judah) to a spiritual and international form (through the Church). We see this in the four invitations that are extended.
THE FIRST RESPONSE, NOT WILLING (vs. 3)
The first group of invited people responded by not being willing to come to the wedding. KJV says, "...the would not come." However, the Greek word indicates specifically that it was a matter of will, choice, decision, intention, desire. The phrase, "to call them that were bidden," is interesting because the same word is used twice, i.e. "to call them that were called." In the time of Jesus, a guest was invited in advance, and then they were invited again, at the time of the wedding.
These people were, twice called," still they were not WILLING. The call of God, whether nationally (Israel) or personally still allows the called one to decide whether he will come to the kingdom of God or not.
THE SECOND RESPONSE, NOT WOOED (vss. 4-7)
After the invited guest rejected the kings call to the wedding, because they chose not to come, for whatever "reason," the king sent another call, but he described the great feast for those who would come. But they disregarded the invitation as something of no importance.
They continued in their mundane activities. It was an insult to the king and his son. The people were not only indifferent to the feast, they were indifferent to the king and his son. They were not impressed, they did not realize the honor of being invited. They did not realize the importance of the king and they did not understand the value of the invitation. They dishonored the king and his son. But their terribleness of their disdain for the king is seen in the fact that they rebuffed, attacked and killed the kings messengers.
GOD'S ASSESSMENT, NOT WORTHY (vs. 8)
The king acknowledged the UNWORTHINESS of all those who rejected the invitation, and resisted the kings messengers, by sending his army to destroy the insurgents and destroy their cities. Unworthiness is not simply a mark of shame, it disqualifies a person from the opportunities, advantages and privileges afforded to those who are qualified.
WORTHINESS is based on relationship and response to the king, not on inherent value.
THE THIRD RESPONSE, NOT WISE (VSS. 9-13)
The king extended his invitation to the masses, rather than just those who had be previously invited. He sent his servants to invite anyone and everyone they could find, to come to the wedding, regardless of their background, and the celebration was filled with guests.
When the king attended the feast he saw one of the guests was not properly attired. This was an insult, since proper attire was provided for guests. When the king asked the guest how it was that he was not wearing the proper clothes, the man was speechless. At this point the man was removed and assigned to outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
That improperly clad guest was unwise because he had access to the celebration, the feast (the kingdom of God) but refused proper attire.
THE CALL AND THE RESPONSE (vs. 14)
In order to be part of the kingdom of God (here and now) and in order to spend eternity with God, we must put off sin and the old man (Ep. 4:22; Co. 3:8-9), and we must put on righteousness and the new man (Ga. 3:27; Ep. 4:24; Co. 3:10-14).
Remember, "For many are called, but few are chosen."
Be Willing, Wooed, Worthy and Wise.
