Imagine you were planning a special event like your own wedding, your child’s wedding, a birthday, a family reunion, etc. You’ve planned everything out and bought all of the food and supplies. You buy nice invitations for everyone invited and mail them out. But many respond that they aren’t coming. They’re too busy. They’ve got better things to do. They’re not interested. Some just threw the invitation in the trash and didn’t respond at all. They didn’t want to go. How would that make you feel? How would that effect your relationships with those people? I think it’s safe to say that we would all be upset. Disappointed. Hurt. Even angry.
How do we think God feels when people reject His invitation to salvation? How does our Heavenly Father feel when people reject His Son Jesus whom He sent to die for our sins?
Jesus once gave a parable to the people to get them thinking about God’s invitation to enter into His kingdom through His beloved Son. Read what He said in Matthew 22:2-14, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
The king invited people to come to the wedding feast for his son. They wouldn’t come. They went about their own business and didn’t care about the king or his son. Some even killed his messengers. Of course the king would be angry! We would too. Of course the murderers were punished. They should be. But the king still had the wedding feast prepared. So he sent out an open invitation to all who wanted to come. So those who came to the feast enjoyed it! Those who didn’t come to the feast missed out.
God’s invitation is for all men. God wants all men to be saved. But many reject it. Many aren’t interested in God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, godliness, Heaven, etc. They’re too busy living a worldly life. They’re more interested in sin. But sadly all who refuse to believe and obey God will be lost. They will not go to Heaven. Instead they will spend eternity in Hell where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
God’s invitation is still available to all of us as long as we have breath in our bodies. There is still time to come to God. To receive salvation. Forgiveness of sins. To accept the Lord’s invitation to be saved through His Son Jesus Christ. All who come to the Lord will enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
What will you do? Will you accept the Lord’s invitation or will you reject it? The Lord loves us and wants to save us. Don’t reject His invitation. Answer His invitation today. Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. All things are ready. Come to the feast.
A Cord of Blue 