Sunday, December 16, 2012

Uninvited Guests

Uninvited Guests
Dec 17, 2012
Revelation 19:9  ". . . Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. . ."


Jesus told a parable of a wedding banquet.  In the story, a king was hosting a huge wedding celebration and had previously invited many guests, making sure he sent out proper notice with correct invitation protocol.  When the day of the celebration arrived, the previously invited guests chose not to show up.  The king was very angry and so decided to invite anyone and everyone who could be found on the streets, without discrimination.  The good, the bad, and the ugly showed up to the wedding celebration.  When the king noticed that some of the wedding guests were not dressed appropriately, he threw them back out onto the dangerous streets, with no care for their safety.  This is a unique story that tells us what will happen to those who are not dressed for the wedding.  But there is more to it than that.

The wedding banquet represents the day when we will all be united as one with the Lord in Heaven.  If we are not dressed appropriately (with the salvation that comes alone through Christ), the Lord will send us out onto the street, which represents eternity in Hell.  It is wonderful to know that people can be invited to "the wedding" at the last minute, all people: the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Those without a proper pedigree in life can still enter into Heaven as long as they have the proper attire: being clothed with the salvation that comes only through Christ.  Anyone who is not dressed appropriately, regardless of the type of invitation they received, cannot come to the wedding.  Disheartening as it sounds, you will go to Hell if you are not clothed in salvation.  What is even more disheartening, however, is what happened to the previously invited wedding guests.

Remember that the king sent out proper notice, with proper protocol, when he first began inviting guests to the wedding banquet.  These original invitees had ample opportunity to prepare for the celebration, to ensure they would be there on time and clothed properly.  They knew the celebration was near and knew what was expected to be worn.  But those who were invited, with plenty of notice, elected not to show up, even after they promised to be there.  The Lord does not require that any appear at the wedding; it is voluntary. They chose not to be there.  This part of the parable makes me sick.  Those people it was describing represent modern day Believers, and other fellow church-goers who know of the Lord and the salvation that can be theirs through Jesus the Christ.  But for whatever reason, they get preoccupied with life and decide to turn away from the invitation, maybe falling into the entrapment of the world or never fully accepting the free salvation that could be theirs.  What a travesty.  People will be burning in Hell someday, needlessly, simply because they were not fully committed on coming to the celebration.  They had an invitation and possibly intended to come, but still elected otherwise.  If we have complete disregard for the invitation, then the Lord will have complete disregard for us. 

Christian, I want you to be there at the wedding celebration.  I want to see your family members there, too.  However, many are in danger of not making it despite their excellent church attendance record.  Going to church will not get you into Heaven; it takes a commitment to wearing the proper salvation on the day of the celebration.   It takes staying prepared for that day, knowing that it WILL come and there WILL be a dress code.  The dress code is easy, but it must be adhered to, without exception.  During this week leading into Christmas, focusing on the birth of our Salvation, Jesus Christ, take a moment to ensure those around you have been invited to the wedding and are aware of the dress code for the coming day of celebration.  Make sure they have the opportunity to be prepared for the wedding.  Salvation is free; Jesus came to earth as a child to make that happen.  But we must all accept the invitation and clothe ourselves with His Salvation.  Even if your family members have gone to church with you all their lives, they must still fully accept the invitation.  Give the best gift this year for Christmas, a wedding invitation with notice of proper attire.

Don't take my word for it; look it up:   Matt 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24

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