The Wedding Feast --- Part 2 “Wearing the Wedding Garment”

Parable of the Wedding Feast: Part 1 -- Matthew 22 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast…

What can we Expect when we Invite? Matthew 22:3-6 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.

The “Why” of the Kingdom Matthew 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son…

The Why of the Kingdom The Feast --- that is, the Kingdom --- Exists to Honor Jesus --- it is God the Father honoring God the Son by Giving onto God the Son a People --- You and I --- the Wedding Feast is a Gift of Love from the Father to the Son and we are the Gift the Father Gives to the Son

At This Wedding Feast for the Son… We are the… Gift …. by Grace Bride… by Grace Celebrant…. by Grace Servant…. by Grace

The Transition… How does God respond to those who “will not come” and who “mistreat His servants?”

Part 2 --- Matthew 22:7-10 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

To Consider… God was angered that those invited responded negatively, so…. He exercised His perfect Justice and punished those who denied outright the invitation He exercised His perfect Grace by sending again His servants to invite more people

The Wedding Hall was Then…. Filled with Guests…. Matt 22:10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

What Type of Guests Fill the Hall? Matt 22:10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

What is Meant by “Bad & Good”? Men and Women that are viewed by the Jewish Religious Leaders as Acceptable … and as Unacceptable

Were all these Guests Permanent? Matthew 22:11-13 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

What Does it Mean “Not to Wear a Wedding Garment”? Clearly, not wearing a “Wedding Garment” is a… problem --- Matt 22:11a,13: “who had no wedding garment. … 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

What Does it Mean “Not to Wear a Wedding Garment”? Wearing a Wedding Garment Symbolizes that one is in attendance so as to “Honor the Groom.” To not wear the “Wedding Garment” is to attend w/o honoring the Groom

How Does the Father…. Respond to one unwilling to “Honor the Son”? Matt 22:13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Who Does the One w/o the Garment Represent? One who arrives on their own sinful terms for their own benefit seeking after the bread that the bread-king has on the table One who arrives with a spiritually dead heart --- a heart of shallow or thorny soil

Rocky Soil --- Shallow Heart Is a Spiritually-Dead Heart 1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things from the Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they cannot understand them, because they are Spiritually discerned

Thorny Soil --- Distracted Heart Is a Spiritually-Dead Heart 1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things from the Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they cannot understand them, because they are Spiritually discerned

Such People… From an Earthly Perspective: Initially arrive at the Feast and then… they leave of their own choosing From an Eternal Perspective… are thrown into hell… deservedly so… again by their own choosing

If Not For Grace… Everyone --- without Exception --- by our own choosing , would… either reject the Invitation outright or … arrive w/o a “wedding Garment” only to leave of our own choosing

If Not For Grace… We would all, by our own choosing, walk away from the Kingdom of God while on Earth… and end up --- justifiably --- in hell

If Not For Grace… There would be NO ONE at the Wedding Feast Ultimately be NO ONE in Heaven

But, Praise God…. If This Were the Case… Then Everyone Would Get What they Desire… And it would be Absolutely Fair. All would be condemned… But, Praise God….

There IS Grace… For the Remnant, God Changed their Hearts… Bad Soil Became Good Soil God Placed within the Remnant --- Those Chosen as the Gift, The Bride, The Celebrant, the Servant… Faith --- the Desire to wear the Wedding Garment

Because of the Faith God Implanted in Us… We are given a Wedding Garment to wear… and the Desire to Wear it Thus…. We are the… Gift …. by Grace Bride… by Grace Celebrant…. by Grace

Matt 22:14 For many are invited, but few are chosen PRAISE GOD THAT HE CHOSE TO GIVE YOU TO HIS SON!

The Father’s Gift to the Son John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

The Father’s Gift to the Son John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.