REVELATION CHAPTER 19 “THE WEDDING SUPPER OF THE LAMB”

INTRODUCTION Christians are raptured – (At the last Trumpet) God’s Wrath is being poured out on the world – Chap. 16 Focus on 7 th Bowl and the Great Prostitute – Chapters (A political, economic and RELIGIOUS entity connected to the anti-christ in the last days.) NOW CHAPTER 19 – The Scene Shifts to HEAVEN! READ – 19:1-10

Rev 19:7-9 7Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) 9Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’’’ And he added, "These are the true words of God." MATTHEW 22:1-14 TODAY’S FOCUS

Matt 22:1-15 1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' 5"But they paid no attention and went off-- one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. 13"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14"For many are invited, but few are chosen."

I. The Banquet INVITATION II. The Banquet IGNORED III. The Banquet OPENED TO ALL IV. The Banquet ATTIRE

I. The Banquet INVITATION (1-4) Matt 22:1-4 1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.‘ * THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INVITED – Immediate CONTEXT- FIRST to the Jew. * TWO WEDDING INVITATIONS – The FIRST – General to prepare – much in advance, the SECOND – more specific – “It is now here!”

II. The Banquet IGNORED (5-7) Matt 22:5-7 5"But they paid no attention and went off-- one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. PAID NO ATTENTION – Gk. – “made light of” – To give “little consideration to” – to “ignore or act as if it doesn’t exist”. TO HIS FIELD and BUSINESS – Went on about with life as if – There were no King, there was no Son, there was no coming banquet. In total disrespect for the Sovereign Ruler. SEIZED HIS SERVANTS – MISTREATED – “They hate you because they first hated me” SENT HIS ARMY - 70 AD, and the Coming WRATH

III. The Banquet OPENED TO ALL (8-10) Matt 22:8-10 8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. INVITE ANYONE YOU FIND – God’s invitation is not “exclusive” – not “prejudiced” – it is not “limited” - it is not for a “chosen few”. It is open to ALL. That is how we must preach the Gospel and that is how we must run our Church! BOTH “GOOD AND BAD” – None are righteous on their own. There will be both good and bad in hell – good and bad in heaven. It all depends upon what one does with JESUS CHRIST!

IV. The Banquet ATTIRE (11-14) Matt 22: "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. 13"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14"For many are invited, but few are chosen." Not wearing Wedding Clothes – Custom – King and Princes to make available fine wedding garments (a change of clothing) to the very special guests. (Rev Fine linen was given to her…) The man was SPEECHLESS – There will be no argument, lawyers or excuses on that day! Many are invited – but few are chosen – The Lord has been more than fair – He “chooses” those who respond to His invitation and are willing to wear the WEDDING CLOTHES! For those who are NOT WILLING – Forever separated from The Lord!