“The Call”

 “The Call”

 

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”   Matthew 22:14

 

In verses one through three, Jesus tells a parable of a Great Wedding Feast, illustrated by the Kingdom of Heaven. And it is the story of a king who prepared a GREAT WEDDING FEAST for his son.  When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they ALL REFUSED to come!  (Vv 1-3).  So, the king sent other servants to tell them, that the banquet was prepared, and everything was ready, “COME TO THE BANQUET!”  But those he had invited  ignored the servants and went their OWN way. Some even insulted the servants and killed them. This was a TERRIBLE “slap in the face” to the king.  And the king was FURIOUS!

 

He sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town.  This was his JUDGMENT on them.  He said to his servants “The Wedding Feast is ready and the guests I invited aren’t WORTHY of the HONOR.  Now go out to the street corners and invite EVERYONE you see.”  So the servants brought in EVERYONE they could find, GOOD and BAD alike, and the banquet hall was FILLED with guests.  This invitation illustrates the OFFER of the GOSPEL, FREELY to EVERYONE, regardless of who they were or what they had done.  

 

Now, these people were hastily rounded up, with no time to get PROPERLY ATTIRED for the Wedding Banquet. So the King SUPPLIED the garments himself.   And when he saw a man without the PROPER GARMENT, the king asked him, why he did not have the PROPER WEDDING GARMENT, he had NO REPLY.  This lack of a PROPER WEDDING GARMENT, that was SUPPLIED by the king indicates that the person had PURPOSELY REJECTED the King’s GRACIOUS provision.  This act was a SLAM against the King and His Son.  It was a GREATER INSULT than those who REFUSED the invitation to begin with.  

 

This scenario is like those who are identified with the Kingdom of Heaven, EXTERNALLY, and PROFESS to be a CHRISTIAN, belonging to the church VISIBLY.  Yet they do NOT POSSESS the GARMENT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, which the LORD JESUS CHRIST has PROVIDED.  And thus they are GUILTY of a HORRENDOUS SIN against the HOLY GOD and His ONLY SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  And they are DESTINED to the OUTER DARKNESS , where there will be WEEPING and GNASHING of teeth.  

 

REMEMBER, “Many are CALLED but FEW are CHOSEN”. They are NOT CHOSEN because of their REJECTION of the ALMIGHTY GOD’S invitation, and His offer of the GARMENT of RIGHTEOUSNESS supplied by His Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  Is this your story?  Are you portraying to be in possession of the GARMENT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, but you ACTUALLY don’t POSSESS it, you ONLY PROFESS to POSSESS it?  If this is the situation that you are in.  You are in danger of spending YOUR ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  

 

However, God is giving you the OPPORTUNITY NOW to ACCEPT His INVITATION and the PROPER GARMENT, the GARMENT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is supplied by JESUS.  For you to be able to ACCEPT His INVITATION, you MUST ANSWER the CALL with a resounding YES and ACCEPT His SON, JESUS as your SAVIOR and LORD.  To do that You MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR.  And you MUST BELIEVE that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s INVITATION, and His GARMENT of RIGHTEOUSNESS, by ANSWERING HIS CALL with a TRULY REPENTANT HEART and a GRATEFUL SPIRIT.  Do this NOW while you STILL can, He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be Left Behind!!!