Invitation to a Royal Wedding, Pt 8.
Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14 & Revelation 19:1-9.
Stream or download The Parables #71
“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 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. For many are called, but few are chosen,” Matthew 22:11-14.
1. There are those who will dare to seek entrance to heaven while despising the King’s kindness.
“He saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment.” He would have been easy to spot in his old filthy clothes, coming in as he did from the highway. (“And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled,” Luke 14:23.)
2. There was a garment for him provided by the king
which he had rejected.
“Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?” It was the custom at such feast for the host to provide rich robes for the guests, usually white. He would have been all the more easily spotted amongst the white robes of the other guests. Notice the King speaks the language of kindness!
3. Sinners who reject the gospel will be speechless!
They have previously spoken only to the King’s servants and that is a bold,defiant and brasen fashion. But now they face the King. Oh how different that will be!! Mark 1:24, 4:39 – How silent and speechless they will be!
4. A most dreadful fate awaits the rejectors of the King’s garment.
“Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” Matthew 22:13.
This is the fate of those who refuse the mercy of God set forth in the gospel.
Bound. Hell is a place of bondage.
Taken away. Hell is a place far away from heaven. There is a great gulf between the two!
Cast. How unwilling is the sinner to go to hell. They willingly ran down the road to hell but when they realise where it is they are going they would stop if they could BUT cannot!
Outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth. Nothing can be seen but plenty will be heard!! No light to comfort at all (little children often like a little light lit at night). No sound but the groans of your own misery!
How sad this is and it all could have been avoided!