LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 30 JULY 2023 pm
MR JACKSON McVICKER
MATTHEW 22 VERSES 1 – 14
The Jews had rejected the Lord so many times. “How often would I have gathered thy children
together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not!”
(Matthew 23 verse 37) The picture is of
a hen with her chicks when something disturbed her. She calls her chicks and raises her wings so
that they can hide until it is safe again. God says “I have called, I have preached, I
have healed but you would not come, I would have comforted you but you would
not come.” This parable is told of the
king, the invitation to marriage. It is
all about Jesus inviting the people to come into his kingdom. Before the marriage there was an espousal
period. It is a bit like an engagement time. It was a period of one year when great
preparation was made. This parable is
about this certain king. We know that a
parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Some think it is a wee story but this story
is actually true. It is not a
fable. It says in this passage that
there was a certain king. He was someone
the Lord had in mind. We don’t know who
Jesus had in mind. There was a certain
son, a certain bride. This is the
truth. The Lord wants to explain to you
and me the reality of this truth. A king
had made an invitation to the people.
The invitation was generous to a fault.
He made a free, no cost to the guests banquet, of the very best the
kingdom could offer. Nothing was held
back. There was no sense of need or want. There was an abundance overflowing. Nothing unworthy was placed on the kings
banquet table. All the best to offer, it
was generous to a fault. If you have
ever been to Windsor and go into the castle, it is a place of splendour. All the wallpaper is made of silk, so old and
beautiful, finely made, intricate. In
the actual banqueting hall all the cutlery is set in a measured position. All the splendour is evident. But only VIP’s get into the banquet. Here is a king giving out a gracious
invitation.
The invitation was far reaching – “go out
into the highways and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.” They were not inviting on a local scale, it
was extended to far away places. Near
and far were invited. All roads would be
travelled with this invitation. To the places where the kings word was not
usually heard. Not a lane missed, no
distance too far to travel. The call
would go forth and be heard in many places.
The people would be awakened by the servants. Verse 4 the call was “come unto the marriage.” They would travel with confidence because it was
the king’s son. The servants knew the
king had power to fulfil the invite, supply the table and banqueting hall. They were going in the name of the king. The word “highways” means the
crossroads. They went north, south, west
and east. Spreading the invite of the
king.
The invite had no respecter of persons –
verse 10 “they found both bad and good.”
They came as they were, some religious, others irreligious, the literate
and illiterate. The colour of skin didn’t
matter nor age, status, whether they were poor or rich. It didn’t matter their political preference.
The invite had no limits – “as many as they
found.” They were not worried about numbers.
Jehovah Witnesses today strive to be included in the number who will be
included at the end of life. There is no
limit in this marriage feast.
Finally the banquet hall was full. It was not that the hall couldn’t hold any
more, it just means there were no others to invite. What an atmosphere there must have been in
the hall.
In verse 11 we see the king comes in to
cast his eyes over the guests, to welcome them, to thank them for coming. The king’s eye falls on one guest who is not
fitly clothed. He asked “Friend, how
comest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.” The king wanted to ensure they had suitable
dress, that they had obeyed his instructions.
Some might have said this man was not wealthy, maybe he did not have the
wherewithal to come and purchase an outfit for the wedding. Maybe that man had tried his best but the
answer is he didn’t have to purchase the clothes because the garment was
already purchased for the guests. The
king would have provided the robes for them – this was his way of displaying
his glory. He didn’t have to afford
anything but he did not have the robe on.
We can only assume he refused the provision. He came to the wedding in his own
apparel. That would have insulted the
king. The garment provided was rejected. The king rejects this guest and casts him out
into darkness.
What is the teaching behind this parable?
The king is God, the son is Jesus, the
marriage is possibly the marriage supper of the lamb. Revelation 19 verse 8 tell us that we will be
clothed in fine linen which is the righteousness of the saints. The covering here is provided. God has prepared heaven for us – John 14 “In
my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you.” He has sent his servants. They have preached the gospel, given out
invitation after invitation. “Come unto
me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” This is the invitation. It has no respecter of persons. It comes to all. It is for the rich and poor, the blind and
maimed, the educated or those not educated.
“Whosoever will may come.” The
invitation has been given out. There is
no limits to the power of this invitation.
None has ever been turned away.
Are you saved tonight? Or are you
lost? Has the Lord ever turned anyone
away? If the sinner would see his need
tonight and ask “can I be saved?” the answer will come back “whosoever will may
come.” He will not be turned away. The Lord never turned anyone away. Remember blind Bartimaeus. The crowds had gathered around the Saviour
that day. There was a great noise but
blind Bartimaeus cried out “Lord, Lord”.
In the midst of the crowd the Lord heard his voice and he stopped. If a sinner cries out “Lord be merciful to me
a sinner” would be reject him? The
invitation had no limits, no-one was turned away. “All the father has given me shall come to
me.” The invitation has travelled across
our world, our land has been saturated with the word of God. Would you come to God as Saviour? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you
will be saved.” A transaction takes
place if you believe. You become a new
creature in Christ, the old things have passed away, all things have become
new. The person desires change – why? Because the Lord has come into your heart and
you are desiring the food of the word.
You are clothed with the righteousness of the Lord. You are declared righteous in him because we
have no righteousness in ourselves, they have become as filthy rages. “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.”
(Isaiah 61 verse 10) We could never get
ourselves clean. He has purchased that
righteousness in himself. “He was
wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.” You must be declared righteous in
Christ. This is not the righteousness
you get in church, it does not happen because of our circumstances or because
we know certain people. It does not come
down from father to son or mother to daughter.
It has to be purchased by Christ.
If you reject his covering you will be cast out. The man in the story was not prepared and he
was punished as a result. God looks over
us tonight. Is there one here tonight
and you haven’t got on the wedding garment.
You are not saved. You might be
good, kind, neighbourly but salvation has never entered your heart. People have sat under the gospel for years,
they thought they were saved but when it comes to their deathbed and the minister
calls, a surprise is found. “I am not
ready to meet the Lord”. Pretending to
be a Christian but never met the Lord. The
blood has never been applied. As the
Lord looks down do you know him as your Saviour and Lord?
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