Guests for the Wedding Feast
“GO YE THEREFORE INTO THE HIGHWAYS, AND AS MANY AS YE
SHALL FIND, HID TO THE MARRIAGE. “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.” — Matthew xxii. 8-10.
THE grand design of God is to make a marriage for his Son.
Our Lord Jesus has espoused his Church, and there must be a, feast at the wedding. Is it not meet that it should be so?
A feast would be a failure if none came to it, and therefore the present need is that the wedding be” furnished with guests.1’
T. THE FIRST INVITATION WAS A FAILURE.
This is seen in Jewish history.
Among Gentiles, those to whom the gospel invitation specially comes are, as a rule, unwilling to accept it.
Up to this hour, children of godly parents, and hearers of the word, many of them refuse the invitation for reasons of their own. (86)
The invitation was refused —
1. Not because it involved suffering, for it was
a wedding-feast to which they were bidden.
2. Nor because there were no adequate preparations, — “The wedding is ready.”
3. Nor because the invitations were not delivered,
or were misunderstood, — they “were bidden.”
4. But because they were not fit for the high joy.
They were not loyal to their King.
They were not attached to his royal Son.
They were not pleased with his noble marriage.
They were wrapt up in self-interest.
They were cruel to well-intentioned messengers.
5. Therefore they were punished with fire and
sword. But this destruction was no wedding-feast for
the King’s Son.
This punishment was no joy to the King.
Love must reign: mercy must be glorious; Christmust re veal his grace; otherwise he has no joy of his union with mankind.
Therefore —
II. THE COMMISSION WAS ENLARGED.
1. Disappointment must arouse activity and enterprise, — “Go ye.”
2. Disappointment suggests change of sphere, —
“into the highways.”
3. A wide invitation is to be tried, —” as many as
ye shall find, bid.”
4. A keen outlook is to be kept, — u as many as ye
shall find.”
5. Publicity is to be courted, —” went out into the
highways.”
6. Small numbers, — ones and twos, are to be pressed in.
This is said to have been the result of the anger of the King.
So good is the Lord that his wrath to despisers works good for others.
III. THE NEW MISSION WAS FULFILLED.
The particulars of it will be suggestive for our* selves at this present era.
1. The former servants, who had escaped death,
went out again.
2. Other servants, who had not gone at first, entered zealously into the joyful but needful service.
3. They went in many directions, — “into the highways.”
4. They went out at once. Not an hour could be
left unused.
5. They pointed all they met to one centre.
6. They welcomed all sorts of characters, — “as
many as they found.”
7. They found them willing to come. He who
sent the messengers inclined the guests:
none seem to have refused.
This blessed service is being carried on at this veryhour.
IV. TlIE GREAT DESIGN WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
1. The King’s bounty was displayed before the
world.
2. His provision was used. Think of grace and
pardon unused!
3. The happiness of men was promoted: they feasted to the full.
4. Their grateful praise was evoked. All the guests
were joyful in their King as they feasted at his table.
5. The marriage was graced.
6. The slight put upon the King’s Son, by the
churls who refused to come, was more than removed.
7. The quality of the guests most fully displayed
the wisdom, grace, and condescension of the Host.
The whole business worked for the highest glory of the King and his Son.
Amen! So let it be among us!
WEDDING-CARDS.
The wicked, for the slight breakfast of this world, lose the Lamb’s supper of glory (Rev. xix. 9); where these four things concur, they make a perfect feast: — A good time, eternity; a good place, heav en; a good company, the saints; good cheer, glory. — Thomas Adams.
The devil does not like field-preaching; neither do I. I love a commodious room, a soft cushion, a handsome pulpit; but where is my zeal if I do not trample all these under foot in order to save one more soul? — John Wesley.
11 Call them in” — the Jew, the Gentile;
Bid the stranger to the feast;
“Call them in” — the rich, the noble,
From the highest to the least:
Forth the Father runs to meet them,
He hath all their sorrows seen;
Robe, and ring, and royal sandals,
Wait the lost ones: ‘’ Call them in.”
Sacred Songs and Solos.
From hedges and lanes of con scions nakedness and need, the marriage-festival is furnished with guests. To the poor the gospel is preached, and the poor in spirit gladly listen, whether they are clothed in purple or in rags. — William Arnot.
We might do better if we went further afield. Our invitations to Christ which fall so feebly on the ears of those who regularly hear us, would be welcomed by those to whom we never deliver them. We are fools to waste time in the shallows of our churches and chapels when the deep outside teems with waiting fishers. We need fresh hearers: the newer the news to any man, the more likely is he to regard it as good news. Music-hall work, out-door preaching, and house-to-house visitation have virgin soil to deal with, and there is none like it. Invite the oft-invited — certainly; but do not forget that those who have never been invited as yet cannot have been hardened by refusals. Beggars in the highways had never been bidden to a marriage-feast before; and so, when they were surprised with an invitation, they raised no questions, but ^Jad;*7 hastened to the banquet