The Greatest Invitation

Matthew 22:1–14 NIV

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 22

Matthew 22:8–9 NIV

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’

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Romans 2:9–10 NIV

There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Revelation 22:17 NIV

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

You may feel like you are not good enough to be powerfully used by the Lord. You feel that you’d be the unimportant person standing at the back of the room - to not ever be seen or acknowledged by Jesus.

By what are you judging yourself? God’s standards or man’s?

William Seymore - Azuza Street 1906

We fall into the trap of looking at the flesh instead of the heart.

Don’t let the world’s society tell you what you are capable of in God’s Kingdom.

Matthew 22:10 NIV

So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

matthew 22 10

The bad as well as the good!

Testimonies of a rough past make good books and are the most glamorized - by man. But the Lord is not respecter of persons.

Acts 10:34–35 NIV

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.

Acts 10:34 NIV

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism

James 2:1–3 NIV

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”

Acts 10:35 NIV

but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.

Matthew 22:11–12 NIV

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

matthew 22 11

We don’t know if he was one of the good or bad people that had come for the party.

It makes no difference - what mattered most was not what was underneath, but on the surface that mattered. The outer garment was everything.

Isaiah 61:10 NIV

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Psalm 132:9 NIV

May your priests be clothed with your righteousness; may your faithful people sing for joy.’ ”

Revelation 19:6 NIV

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

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Revelation 19:7 NIV

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

reve 19 7-

Revelation 19:8 NIV

Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

rev 198

Revelation 19:9 NIV

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

rev 19 10

Nothing of this world can earn you a place at the table. No amount of money donated, time served or attendance kept can place the robe of salvation on you. Only the simple, childlike faith that acknowledges sin, accepts the call of Jesus and reaches out to take the hand of Jesus will ever truly have the garment of salvation.

The Lord is calling! Do you hear him? Have your responded to the GREATEST INVITATION? Be clothed with righteousness!

Matthew 22:13–14 NIV

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 22:14 NIV

“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

The Lord is coming back. Period. Today? He could. Tomorrow, certainly. Next year, who knows? But one thing for certain, today is the day to live for King Jesus - to be robed with his righteousness so that when he does show up you are covered in what the King requires!

Let go of silly sin and corrupt practice. God knows what you are and who you are so don’t try to cover it up and hide it from Him! Expose you life and practice to Jesus!