Your Invitation was Hand Delivered

Please know that Jesus NEVER wasted words. And. Please also note that He always came to TEACH and REACH His people. So. There should never be a time when we read a scripture and say..."That's not me"...rather...we should always meditate and ask..."Is that me?"

"That's not me" doesn't compel us to dig any deeper. We arbitrarily dismiss the lesson to be learned when we have a "not me" attitude. Even when we aren't really sure what the lesson is.

But "Is that me" compels us to seek and gain a deeper understanding of what God is trying to tell us...to fully realize how the lesson is seeking to transform us into a Christ-like image. The "is that me" attitude forces us to examine our own heart and motives.

Case in point. We're all familiar with the parable of the wedding feast/great supper as told in Matthew and Luke.

Well. Let's dig deeper!

Matthew 22:1-14 NKJV

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,  and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.  vv 1-3.

(Don't miss this...God has already sent out the invitation...and if you are saved...you have already ACCEPTED the invitation...but when it is time to go, to do, to obey...EXCUSES.)

Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”' v 4.

(Oftentimes we erroneously assume here that Jesus is teaching about people who have refused salvation...but that is not the case. Jesus is teaching about the pastors and leadership who have been sent to engage the church (the saved folks) in corporate matters of the church. Prayer. Praise. Worship. Service.)

But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.  And the rest seized his servants, treated them  spitefully, and killed them.  But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.  vv 5-7.

(But churchfolk...shirk the DUTY of salvation. They tend to put self above the things of God and the people of God...IDOLATRY...which is SIN...and it causes the wrath of God to reign in their lives.)

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.  Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’  So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. vv 8-10

(Grab a hold to this because many of us are going to walk into church and find our seat taken and our spot filled. God is looking for a WILLING vessel...not a place holder. And what you won't do...another will. He will get all the glory...with...or without you.)

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.  So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And [the man] was speechless. vv 11-12

(This is so NOT about clothes. Wedding garment here is symbolic of righteousness, faithfulness, and obedience to God...which He has freely made available to you through Christ Jesus. So. There is no excuse for you to show up improperly outfitted for the occasion.)

Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him  into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.” vv 13-14

(Darkness...eternal damnation...eternal separation from God and it will be too late to do anything because YOU will have tied your hands and feet. A lot of churchfolk will say "Lord, Lord" but Jesus will have never known them so they won't make it into heaven (Matt 7:21-23).)

Now. Let's take a look at some important facts that Luke's account of the parable points out.......

Luke 14:18-24 NKJV

But they all with one accord began to make excuses. v 18a

(If everybody else jumps off a bridge...will you too? If the crowd is wrong...if nobody else is willing to make time or put in the effort to do what the pastor has asked to be done...don't be disobedient because everybody else is doing it. If you trust that your pastor is a person of God with a vision from God and an ear to hear God with a heart for God...even if it's just you and him/her...GET BUSY. Corporate prayer? PRAY! Corporate praise and worship? PRAISE AND WORSHIP! Corporate service? SERVE! Corporate fasting? FAST!)

The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’  And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’  Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ vv 18b-20

(We all have obligations and responsibilities. We all have lives outside of church. But we can't put any of those things above our obligations and responsibilities to God. After all, who blessed us with those things? And YES, our ministry begins at home...but...bring that husband or wife WITH you if at all possible. And if it's not yet possible...seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you (Matt 6:33).)

So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the  maimed and the lame and the blind.’ v 21

(Remember...you once were poor or maimed or lame or blind. Or all of the above. Don't be the church guilty of turning from their first love (Rev 2:4). Don't be the church guilty of being lukewarm (Rev 3:16).)

And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’  Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ” vv 22-24

(It's not God’s will that any of us should perish (2 Pet 3:9). But He will not twist our arms. He will, however, fill His house with willing vessels and get all the glory while doing it. And we will mess around and thrown our invitation in the trash!)