Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.” ‘But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” ~ Matthew 22:1-14
For years, this Scripture troubled me. If the king brought in whoever could be found on the highways, how could the guests be expected to be prepared with wedding clothes? Then I heard a sermon that clarified it. Guests did not have to provide their own wedding clothes. The host provided the appropriate garments. All the guests had to do was to put them on, yet one guest was too lazy to do that. We don’t have to bring anything for our own salvation. Jesus provided everything we need on the cross. We just have to put on the garment of His salvation and accept Him as Lord. If we don’t take that step, we will be cast into outer darkness.
Thank You, Lord, that You provide the wedding garment for me when You invite me to the great wedding feast of Your Son. Let me accept the garment of salvation and wear it joyously. In the name of Your Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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