Un-saved
Matthew 22
1. And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 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.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Unwilling (v.3)
The first group invited were unwilling to come to the banquet. Imagine a feast of the finest foods available spread out before you, but for some reason, you are unwilling to partake.
This world is full of people who, for one reason or another, are unwilling to be blessed. They may be fearful or suspicious. They may just be disinterested. They may be satisfied where they are.
God has laid out before us the riches of His grace, and yet, so many are unwilling to benefit from it. The world is full of those who are just not interested. They have all they want.
Men are arrogant and proud. The Bible says of them:
Ps 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (AV
)Ro 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (AV)
Ro 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (AV)
Ro 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (AV)
Ro 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (AV)
Ro 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (AV)
Ro 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (AV)
Ro 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (AV)
Ro 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (AV)
Ro 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (AV)
Ro 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (AV)
Ro 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: (AV)
Ro 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (AV)
Unimpressed (v.4)
The second group to be invited were unimpressed. They had better things to do. They were busy with their lives, with the religion, with their own plans. They had no interest in what the King wanted. They resented his intrusion into their lives, and so, they mistreated his messengers.
These were probably nice people. They were just self-centered. They had their minds made up and were not open to any interference in their plans. They weren't interested in the King's son's wedding. They just wanted to live on his land and feast off of his bounty.
But to come to his feast honoring his son? No! They had no time for that.
The world, and the church, are filled with people like that. Self-centered, self-absorbed, self-concerned. Too many want to enjoy the blessings of the Lord, but don't bother asking them to serve Him. They have no time for that. They are too busy enjoying the blessings.
Someday, they will wake to find that the Wedding Feast was THE BIG EVENT, and they will have missed it.
Unprepared
The final group invited came in. Because the ones originally called were unwilling and unimpressed, the King opened the doors to 'whosoever will' may come. The needy, the sinful, the lost and hurting, the castaways - they came in. Why? Simply because they knew they needed to come. The counted themselves very fortunate to have been given such a graceful opportunity. And so they came.
Now note that all could have come. Everyone from all walks of life - the rich and the poor, the hungry and the fed, the clothed and the naked, the high class and the low class, the wise and the fools, the old and the young, the religious and the heathen - whosoever will may come. And they did!
But when the king came in, he found one there who was unprepared - undressed for the occasion. Friend, I don't care who you are or where you come from; I don't care what station of life you come from. You may be poor and homeless, or you may be well paid and well taken care of - it really makes no difference to me. But this one thing you must know. If you come into God's house without Jesus in your heart, you are undressed. You may come in that way, but you cannot stay that way.
When you go into the banquet hall in heaven, you will have to pass before the Judgment Bar of God. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords will examine you, and if you are found undressed and unprepared for eternity, you will cast into outer darkness - hell.
The proper attire is the robes of righteousness, which you can only get from Jesus.
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. (AV)
Prodigal
Luke 15
11. And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.