The wedding feast has been prepared! Are you ready? Matthew 22:2-14

Good morning all.  God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO COMPLAIN!!

   I woke this morning with Matthew 22: 3-11 coming to me over and over.  I know not why, maybe this is for me; maybe for one of you. Just pray about this and that God's will be done.

  In the ancient culture, two invitations were expected when banquets were given.  The first asked the guests to attend, the second announced that all was ready.  In the study of Matthew 22 the king invited his guests three times and each time they rejected the invitation.  God wants us to join him at his banquet, which will last for eternity.  That's why he sends us invitations again and again.

    Matthew 22: (the parable of the wedding dinner by Jesus) ² The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
³ And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
⁴ Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
⁵ But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
⁶ And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
⁷ But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
⁸ Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
⁹ Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
¹⁰ So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
  Here is the part that jolted me and I have to reflect. Verses 11-12.  It was customary for wedding guests to be given wedding clothes to wear to the banquet.  It was unthinkable to refuse to wear these clothes.  That would insult the host, who could only assume that the guest was arrogant and thought he didn't need these clothes, or that he did not want to take part in the wedding celebration.
  The wedding clothes picture the righteousness needed to enter God's kingdom - the total acceptance in God's eyes that Christ gives every believer.  Christ has provided these clothes of righteousness for everyone, but each person must choose to put them on in order to enter the King's banquet (aka eternal life).  There is an open invitation, but we must be ready.
  Matthew 22:
¹¹ And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
¹² And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
¹³ 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.
¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen.
Do you accept or have you accepted the invitation?  Love you all.In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny