Bymonline.org | August 2020
quick wash in the blood of the Lamb. The bad,
the immoral, the unprincipled felt honored to
be invited by the King despite their
unworthiness. So the hall was bursting at its
seams. Jesus said to the Jews, “I tell you the
truth, the tax-collectors and prostitutes are
entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For
John came to you to show you the way of
righteousness and you did not believe him,
but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes did.
And even after you saw this, you did not repent
and believe him” (Mt 21:31,32). The Good
News is now for the world! Oh yippee! These
people also had their own works to do but they
considered the royal invitation a privilege and
a giddy expectation rippled through the
crowd.
Who was the man without the wedding
clothes? These are those who like the
Pharisees and Sadducees came to John
Baptist to escape the wrath but not willing to
change their lifestyle. These are those who
worship and eat with us, yet are autumn trees
without fruit (Jude 12).
These
are false disciples (Mt 7:15-23). Their
presence seems initially to honor the Son, but
their refusal to wear the wedding garment
dishonors Him. Many false disciples appear to
honor Jesus by calling Him “Lord” but
actually they are hypocrites without true faith
and repentance. Only the King was able to
pinpoint this fellow. Will you pass the eye of
the heart-searching God? “Many” will say on
that day, “We prophesied in your name, cast
out demons and performed “many” miracles.
We ate and drank with You and You taught in
our streets” (Mt 7:21-23; Lk 13:26). When the
King asked him about his wedding dress he
was speechless. He had no excuse to give.
What excuse do we have if we neglect so great
a salvation after He has sacrificed His own
Son for us? How boldly he came, hoping all his
great works would get him a ticket! He went to
eternal doom, to a fiery cauldron (Mt 8:12).
“When we are tempted to think it is hard to
deny ourselves, and to crucify fleshly lusts,
we ought to consider how much harder it will
be to be forever in the lake that burns with fire
and brimstone,” says Bible scholar Mathew
Henry.
Jesus concluded the parable saying,
“Many are invited, but few are chosen?”
Immediately you may wonder, “Am I chosen?”
Jesus said, whoever came to Him, He would
never cast out. God so loved the “world.” The
invitation is for all (Jn 12:47). He wants “all
men” to be saved (1 Tim 2:4). But the question
is, “Do we choose Him?” Mary chose that good
part, which would never be taken away from
her (Lk 10:42). Jesus said, “Did I not choose
you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (Jn
6:70). Jesus chose him, but Judas did not
choose Jesus. Jesus invites all men and
women with outstretched hands, saying,
“Come to me all who labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).
Only a few respond to this call. He takes
them into His house and shuts the door.
Once inside, He tells them, “I have chosen
you before the foundation of the world” (Eph
1:4). The invitees are the called ; the
respondents are the chosen!
“Blessed are all those who are called to
the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9).
This is the wedding banquet Jesus was
talking about. How blessed were the Jews
who were invited for this Royal Wedding of
the Lamb! They did not realize it and lost it as
some of us do today.
“The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come!' And
let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whoever is
thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes let
him take the free gift of the water of life” (Rev
22:17).
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