The Royal Wedding Feast – Part 3
The initial invitees rejected the invitation. That did not stop the King. “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.” Jesus’ initial ministry was limited to the Jews (Matthew 10:6). Israel rejected Jesus. Now God’s invitation is open to the world. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Mark records, “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).
“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 he was speechless. 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.”
One must wear the king’s garments. We must put on Christ in baptism. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). His righteousness must be our righteousness or we will not enter (Matthew 5:20). Paul said that he wanted to “be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ” (Philippians 3:9). Not everyone who comes to the wedding feast will be saved. Why? They were not faithful. They will not receive the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).
God bless you, and I love you.
Kevin Cauley