1 00:00:07,860 --> 00:00:12,780 Matthew 22 as we continue our series on the parables of Jesus. 2 00:00:15,340 --> 00:00:20,460 It's about a wedding, so let's read it all and then we'll come 3 00:00:20,460 --> 00:00:26,620 back to it. And Jesus answered and spoke to 4 00:00:26,620 --> 00:00:29,140 them again. Now notice verse one. 5 00:00:29,140 --> 00:00:32,420 Now, chapters and verses aren't in the original text. 6 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,560 And so one of the things you all and one of the first lessons I 7 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,360 learned as a new believer, Pastor Tom Whitaker gave us some 8 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,520 verses. Go home, study them, come back, 9 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:48,240 tell me what you think. And I focused on the verses and 10 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,280 he said, no, it's not right. You didn't read before and you 11 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:57,520 didn't read after context. So Jesus has been challenged 12 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:03,800 about his authority and he's already dealt with the parables 13 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,520 to the Pharisees. And remember that why was Jesus 14 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,880 speaking in parables? Now for those who wanted to know 15 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,320 about the Lord, they would lean in and ask. 16 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,000 And for those, the religious leaders, mainly of Israel, 17 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,880 Pharisee scribes and Sadducees who weren't interested there, 18 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,280 only wanted to pick a fight, only wanted to trap Jesus. 19 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,520 Actually they wanted to kill Jesus. 20 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,880 The parables they couldn't understand it wouldn't work out 21 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,800 didn't know what they're about South Jesus is speaking 22 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,720 parables. He's just spoken to them about 23 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,480 the landowner who had a vineyard put a hedge around it went away 24 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:48,880 and came back to get the fruit and so he picks up and it says 25 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,720 verse one Jesus answered and spoke to them again. 26 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:56,680 So it's he's continuing in his discussion with the Pharisees 27 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,240 because they've challenged by what authority do these do these 28 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:04,720 things and say these things and said by parable, the Kingdom of 29 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,600 heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his 30 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,520 son sent out his servants to call those who are invited to 31 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,320 the wedding and they were not willing to come again. 32 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:19,520 He sent out other servants second time, saying, tell those 33 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,840 who are invited the same ones. See I prepared my dinner, my 34 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:28,080 oxen fatted, cattle I killed, and all things are ready, come 35 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,360 to the wedding. He's invited them third time. 36 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:37,560 But they made light of it, went there their way, one to his own 37 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:42,160 farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his 38 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:46,520 servants, treated them spitefully and killed them. 39 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,360 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. 40 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,120 He sent out his armies. Actually, it's the word. 41 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:57,760 Troops destroyed those murderers and burned up their city. 42 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,840 Then he said to his servants, the wedding is ready, it's still 43 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,240 going ahead. But those who were invited, 44 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:09,840 we're not worthy. Therefore, because of that go 45 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:15,360 into the highways and as many as you find anybody invite to the 46 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,600 wedding. So those servants went out into 47 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:23,320 the highways and gathered together all whom they found, 48 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:28,120 both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled 49 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,200 with guests. But when the king came in to see 50 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:35,480 the guests, he saw one man there who did not have on a wedding 51 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,840 garment. Because I'll explain. 52 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,120 So he said to him, friend, now notice he sends it very nice 53 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,320 friend. How did you come in here without 54 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:52,160 a wedding going? And he was speechless. 55 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,520 The guy didn't answer anything. That's called guilt. 56 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,240 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and 57 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,360 foot, take him away, cast him into outer darkness. 58 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,400 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 59 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,240 Many are called, you could say, invited. 60 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,600 Few are chosen. It's coming into wedding season 61 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:23,480 now here as the weather begins to break and much preparation 62 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:29,800 goes into a wedding, doesn't it Book the place, photographers, 63 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,760 the food, who you going to invite, the location, the day, 64 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:38,640 the time, the gowns, the suits being chosen, the food being 65 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,840 sorted, the meals and finally the invitations are sent out. 66 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:46,840 Who is invited? There are not too many people 67 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,840 who have not been invited to a wedding at some time in their 68 00:04:50,840 --> 00:04:54,640 lives. So Jesus gives another parable 69 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,160 in our text tonight of a very special wedding banquet. 70 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:04,960 He's speaking to the Pharisees, a King's wedding banquet for his 71 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,920 son. Jesus answered and spoke to them 72 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,280 again. So he's still addressing the 73 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:18,600 Pharisees by parables and said the Kingdom of heaven is like a 74 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:23,160 certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, said any 75 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,240 service that call those who are invited to the wedding and now 76 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:32,880 and they were not willing to come, the feast is ready, all 77 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:37,240 should come. But on this occasion those who 78 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:43,880 are invited refused to come. And it's quite insulting to the 79 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:49,080 king, to his son, and even the servant who brought the 80 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:53,120 invitations to those who had been invited. 81 00:05:54,600 --> 00:06:01,280 But this king is patient, sends a second round of invitations to 82 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:07,320 the same people who refused. Verse 4 again, he sent out other 83 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:14,240 servants telling them, hey, the food, the place, I've got the 84 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,680 best cattle cooked. Come to the wedding. 85 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:23,000 This time there was greater detail in the invite. 86 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,720 Hey, everything's ready, it's late on. 87 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,760 Again, the words of an invite are repeated. 88 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:33,120 Come to the wedding. But with the second round of 89 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:38,040 invites, those receiving them did not just reject the 90 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:42,680 invitation, they also mistreated the messengers bringing the 91 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,240 invite, and some were even killed. 92 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,240 There's five. But they made light of it, went 93 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,320 their ways. Not that went their way. 94 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:55,480 Went about their business, their own lives, what they were busy 95 00:06:55,480 --> 00:07:00,240 about, doing their own stuff. One to his farm, another to his 96 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,040 business. The others captured the 97 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:04,600 servants, treated them spitefully. 98 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,640 Some killed them. When the king heard of what had 99 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:14,120 happened, he sent his armies and burned up their city. 100 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,360 New invites sent out. We've read that different people 101 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,160 this time, totally different people. 102 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,480 So what is this parable all about? 103 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,360 Remember, a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly 104 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,480 meaning. What is Jesus teaching here? 105 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:40,360 What is he teaching by parable to the Pharisees? 106 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,200 And what about the disciples? What are they learning from 107 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:44,600 this? Because they're going to lean 108 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:46,200 in. They'll understand what he's 109 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,960 talking about here. The king sending out the 110 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:55,640 invitation is God the Father. The Son for whom the wedding 111 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,840 banquet is, is none other than Jesus Christ his Son. 112 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:05,360 The banquet is what? The marriage supper of the Lamb, 113 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:12,160 the messengers, who are they? The prophets, the preachers of 114 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,680 the gospel. Those who are invited at first 115 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:23,680 are the Jewish people, the religious Jews And those who are 116 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:28,160 eventually who eventually accept the invite and come to the feast 117 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:38,200 are we can put our hands up the outcasts, the poor Gentiles in 118 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:43,039 John chapter one verse one verse 11 it says John writes Jesus 119 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:46,840 came to his own and his own did not receive him. 120 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:52,320 By what authority do you do this stuff, but as many as received 121 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:56,880 him to them he gave the right to become the children of God to 122 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:02,320 those who believe in his name. You see the tragedy of the 123 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:07,800 parable. Here is the wilful refusal to 124 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,880 come to the wedding banquet by those who were initially 125 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,320 invited. This is the tragedy of Israel. 126 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,400 It was not that they could not come. 127 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,640 They're invited. They were the official guest. 128 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,640 Remember the woman that came and said, you know, can you just 129 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:25,520 pray for my daughter and help her? 130 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:28,000 And Jesus said, no, I've got to deal with it. 131 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,200 The shepherd's got to go. And you know, the bread is for 132 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:37,560 for the people of Israel first. The children of Israel received 133 00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:40,600 the invitation. John the Baptist had prepared 134 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,680 the way. Palm Sunday was the prophecy 135 00:09:44,680 --> 00:09:47,200 fulfilled by Daniel. On this day. 136 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:53,320 He will come in Zechariah, riding lowly on a colt. 137 00:09:53,680 --> 00:09:57,880 The king comes. You see, it was not that Israel 138 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,640 could not come. They were struggling. 139 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,440 No, it was that they would not come. 140 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:11,480 And there's a big difference in John chapter 12 verse 37, it 141 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:16,840 says of the children of Israel. But although he Jesus had done 142 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,720 so many signs for them and remember they he'd do something, 143 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,840 do something, heal something. And they say give us a sign this 144 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:29,080 come on, just fit 5015 thousand someone's raised from the dead, 145 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:33,120 healed blind cuts and now I can see the lion can walk. 146 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,200 Jesus said an evil and adulterous generation seeketh 147 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,720 after a sign. There is just but one sign that 148 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,640 of the prophet Jonah who was three days and three nights. 149 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,880 He's Speaking of his death and resurrection. 150 00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:54,760 John 1237 says, but although Jesus had done so many signs 151 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:59,120 before them, they did not believe in him. 152 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,720 Ever had someone say to you? I have I remember many years 153 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,400 witnessing in my job sites, different job locations talking 154 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,320 to people about Christ and they go, well, if God does a miracle 155 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:15,560 and I could see a mirror, then I believe no, no, you want, no, 156 00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:21,040 you want because in the Bible Jesus did all these miracles and 157 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:25,600 it says they did not believe in him that the word of Isaiah the 158 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,520 prophet might be fulfilled. It goes on to say in John 12, 159 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:34,360 which he spoke, Lord, who has believed our report and to whom 160 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,320 has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 161 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,720 Then it says this in verse 39 of John chapter 12. 162 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:45,480 Therefore they could not. It's like, it's like Pharaoh. 163 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,520 How often did Moses come? I mean, think of the plagues, 164 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:53,240 plague after plague after plague, children of Israel, the 165 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:54,880 Jews, nothing's happening to them. 166 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:56,760 Plague after plague after plague. 167 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,400 And then it says finally that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. 168 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:05,520 You ain't changing. It's not that you could not, 169 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:10,840 it's just that you would not. But what is also saddening is 170 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:16,240 the attitude to the messengers bringing the invitation by this 171 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,640 first group of invitees, It says. 172 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:26,320 But they made light of it, went their ways, one to his own farm, 173 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:29,720 another to his business, and the rest seized his servants, 174 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,400 treated them spitefully, and killed them. 175 00:12:33,560 --> 00:12:38,600 If the invited guests felt this way toward the servants, it was 176 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:42,720 obvious they felt this way toward the king who'd sent them. 177 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,000 Because the servant is representing the king. 178 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:49,000 I come in the name of the king. This is the invitation. 179 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:53,680 So they would not come because they actually despised the king 180 00:12:54,080 --> 00:13:01,400 and were hostile to him. Stephen preached one sermon that 181 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:06,720 we know of and in the detail of his first and only sermon, and 182 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:08,880 then they killed him for preaching it. 183 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:13,440 Death by sterling. Stephen says this to the 184 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:20,440 religious leaders of Israel. You stiff necked, uncircumcised 185 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,600 in heart, because they were circumcised. 186 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:27,320 They were Jews, uncircumcised in heart and ears. 187 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:34,520 You always resist the Holy Spirit as your Father's did, so 188 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,520 do you. Which of the prophets did your 189 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:41,040 father's not persecute? And they killed those who 190 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:46,400 foretold the coming of the Just, One of whom you now become the 191 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:49,760 betrayers and murderers who have received the Law by the 192 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:52,040 direction of angels and have not kept it. 193 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,440 People today do not kill prophets. 194 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,640 We don't have prophets like in the 12, like in the in the 195 00:13:59,680 --> 00:14:01,840 Bible. I know people name themselves 196 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,200 prophets. You know, actually if you read 197 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,400 the ball, I wouldn't want to be a prophet because they killed 198 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,360 them all. True prophet to God, they killed 199 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,400 them all. It's said of Isaiah that they 200 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,520 put in between two planks and cut him in half while he was 201 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:19,920 alive. But God's messengers are killed 202 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:24,400 today, aren't they? In Nigeria, in India, in Muslim 203 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:30,240 countries, they're ridiculed, they're abused, treated 204 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:35,000 violently. But some of those in the parable 205 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:39,440 who initially invited to the gospel banquet do not openly 206 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,720 express their hatred to the one, to the messenger who gives it. 207 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,240 Instead, they go excuse them. This is where it fits in very 208 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,480 much with us today. You know, I'm busy. 209 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:56,880 I got I got stuff on, it says. But they made light of it, went 210 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:01,480 their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 211 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:06,560 In Luke's account, Doctor Luke of the same parable, he adds a 212 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:11,160 little more detail of the excuses given and excuses, a lie 213 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:16,320 wrapped up in skin in Luke 14 or 18, it says. 214 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:20,080 But they all with 1 accord began to make excuses. 215 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,040 The first said, well I've bought a piece of ground, I've got to 216 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:26,880 go and see it. I asked you to have me excuse. 217 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:29,200 No one buys land without first seeing it. 218 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,000 You buy a bog, a swamp. Although swamps, we don't have 219 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,440 swamps now, they're water parks or something, whatever they are 220 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,840 now. No one buys land without seeing 221 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:42,960 it first. It's a lie. 222 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:48,080 Verse 19 another said I bought 5 yoga box and I'm going to test 223 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,120 them. You test them before you buy 224 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,800 them. I ask. 225 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,040 You have me excused. And still the last bloke. 226 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,440 He was just a joke. Still another said I'll marry a 227 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:06,400 wife before I can't come. She won't let me remember. 228 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:10,560 These people had received 2 rounds of invitations. 229 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,720 Charles hadn't. Spurgeon, I recommend him to 230 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:17,280 you. Preach. 7 messages on this 231 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:21,480 parable and in one he used the following illustration. 232 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,400 He said a ship owner was visited by a godly man. 233 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:30,200 The Christian asked the ship owner, well sire, what is the 234 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:33,960 state of your soul? To which the merchant replied, 235 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:38,320 Soul, I have no time to take take care of my soul. 236 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,680 I have enough to do just taking care of my ships. 237 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:48,520 But he was not too busy to die when he did just a week later, 238 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,800 Jesus words to the religious leaders of Israel, the people of 239 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:59,080 Israel at that time for you and I tonight and never wants to be 240 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:05,440 trifled with, ignored or cast aside because John 316 says for 241 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:09,000 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that 242 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:14,000 whosoever there's the invitation, whosoever would 243 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:18,839 believe him shall not perish, but I have everlasting life. 244 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:23,839 That's the invitation the world is invited to a wedding. 245 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,079 The invitation, the wedding of Christ. 246 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,000 The church is the bride of Christ. 247 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,920 So every time an invitation is given from this pulpit, and I do 248 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:45,360 most Sundays, every time the invite is refused by some, Jesus 249 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:49,480 speaks of the danger of refusing God's invitation to worship his 250 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:54,080 son Jesus, because there comes a time and ladies are studying 251 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:57,840 with Helen on Tuesdays. The book of Romans where God 252 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:01,000 says as he did to Pharaoh, as he did to the religious leaders, he 253 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:08,080 said, all right, OK, I've asked and I've asked and I've asked 254 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:14,520 and I've asked, have your way. That's the worst thing to do. 255 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:19,000 The worst thing you can do as a parent is let your kids have 256 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,640 their way. It's child abuse. 257 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:26,840 The worst thing that God can do to us is give us over. 258 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:30,280 It says in Romans one, give us over to our reprobate mind. 259 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,720 OK, you want to live without me, Go ahead. 260 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:38,200 I don't ever want that. The Bible says in Hebrews that 261 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,360 God chastises those whom he loves. 262 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,160 You know, if you're being chastised at all, and I get 263 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,880 chastised all the time and I hope you do too. 264 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,520 You know why? Because it shows that God loves 265 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:50,520 me. It doesn't want you to harm 266 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:54,360 yourself or or to create a situation that will hurt others 267 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:58,240 or damage him. That's why He chastises us in 268 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:05,240 His love today. I think the greatest treasure 269 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:12,760 that you have is not wealth in the sense of resources like this 270 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:18,640 world, but the greatest treasure that you can control is your 271 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:25,440 time, your 24 hours, the time in which you live. 272 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:30,120 As we looked at Daniel, the breath with which God has given 273 00:19:30,120 --> 00:19:34,160 you to breathe. What are you doing with the life 274 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:39,440 I have given you? What do we do with this treasure 275 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,200 which is of the utmost importance? 276 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:47,720 Time. I know in my life I've had more 277 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,200 time back here and now I have this much time in front of me. 278 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:58,120 It's pretty important. We do not have to take the life 279 00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:02,400 of a prophet to miss out on God's eternal blessing for us of 280 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:08,120 salvation through His Son Jesus. No, all we have to do is make up 281 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:09,480 an excuse. Can't make it. 282 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,920 I'm busy. Things on, you know, in 283 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,480 Australia, you know what the devil did with Australia? 284 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:19,840 He gave us everything. You know, we are the top 3% 285 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:24,480 wealthiest people in the world. Individually you go well, don't 286 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,240 know which Aussie where, which place that is. 287 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,000 No, no, no. And some of you have come from 288 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,960 different countries and you've you've seen poor, I mean real 289 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,440 poor people. You've seen people struggling 290 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:40,760 for for clothes like they have one shirt, they have no clean 291 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:46,000 water, they have no shoes, no place to to live, no bed, no 292 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:49,520 room, no house. They don't know where the next 293 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:56,400 meal is coming from. Now all we have to do this is 294 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,720 what the devil has done to Australia is fritter away our 295 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:07,880 time wasted on meaningless things of the world, to keep on 296 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:15,560 refusing God's invite as we literally waste our lives on 297 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:20,240 things that will eventually pass away. 298 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,320 I mean, you look back on your early life. 299 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:24,120 I do. I look back on my life, man, I 300 00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:28,560 was so stupid. And I think of things that were, 301 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:32,440 you know, get your licence, once you get your licence, that's it. 302 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:35,560 You don't need anything else. When you get a job, it's 303 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:37,200 actually paying some money. Oh, well, that's it. 304 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:39,440 I don't need anything else. You know, you, you have all 305 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:44,480 these pretty low goals. But then we move, we move, we 306 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:49,080 get more and more and more. And you know, the the devil just 307 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,480 says I can't, you're growing out of that. 308 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,480 Here's another one. This is good for you. 309 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,360 And they can be good things in and of themselves. 310 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:06,800 They make us turn our back upon God and we have 5 oxen, we have 311 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:10,800 a farm, we have a wife in the situation, The excuses that 312 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:17,440 we've made up here and you know what, our lives eventually pass 313 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:23,520 away and thus you let your opportunities for repentance and 314 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,960 faith in God pass by. I love that old hymn that we 315 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:29,240 sing. Pass me not all, gentle Saviour. 316 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:36,520 That's the message of half the parallel of those who did not 317 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:41,360 come, of those who refused to come, although invited over and 318 00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:45,320 over. And remember, he sent out troops 319 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:50,680 and burned down everything. Remember 70 AD Israel rejected 320 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,760 Jesus on Palm Sunday in 70. Remember Jesus wept. 321 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:56,840 Why did he weep as he's riding in? 322 00:22:57,160 --> 00:22:59,640 Because he knew you're going to reject me. 323 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:04,080 And you know what? 70 AD, the Roman general Titus 324 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:09,160 is going to kill 1.1 million Jews, slaughter and take others 325 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:11,720 away as slaves. There's going to be no temple, 326 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:16,760 your religious structure that you've held on to, that you've 327 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:20,240 looked it's going to be destroyed stone by stone, not 328 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,920 just bowled over, not just become a ruin, every stone. 329 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:28,120 Isn't that a isn't there a message in that that God will 330 00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:32,040 remove every stone that you place that you think is where 331 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:36,040 your life should stand instead upon the rock of Christ. 332 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:41,280 The second half of the parable tells us of who did come verse 9 333 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:45,320 So they went into the highways and as many as you find invite 334 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,320 to the wedding. So those servants went out, 335 00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:55,520 gathered together all they found, both bad and good, and 336 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,360 the wedding hall was filled with guests. 337 00:23:57,360 --> 00:24:01,440 Dr Luke and his Gospel account makes it plain that these 338 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,320 persons were drawn from the lower ranks of life. 339 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:05,680 Paul talks about that, doesn't he? 340 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:10,680 The base in Corinthians, lower ones go out quickly into the 341 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,360 streets, Luke writes. The lanes of the city. 342 00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:16,440 Bring in here the poor, the main, the lame and the blind, 343 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,000 and the servant said, master, it is done as you command, and 344 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,800 still there is room. Luke 1422 Then the master said 345 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:26,200 to the well go out and get some more, compel them to come. 346 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:31,360 Then my house made me filled. And Luke 71 Those who came to 347 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:34,720 the wedding feast were more grateful than the first invited 348 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:42,800 through his 82 year life. John Newton, you know of him. 349 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:47,560 He wrote Amazing Grace. If you ever read about his lot, 350 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:52,760 he was so deprived as a young man that even the sailors he 351 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:56,920 sailed with said he is a revolting man. 352 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:01,840 He's a revolting man. Well, in his memoirs, he wrote 353 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:05,640 his memoirs later on. He was such a depraved sailor, a 354 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:10,720 miserable outcast on the coast of West Africa, a slave trading 355 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:13,920 sea captain. He dealt in human trafficking. 356 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:18,520 Newton comes back to his own salvation more than anything as 357 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:22,000 the source of tenderness. He writes in his memoirs. 358 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:25,400 And I quote, till the day he died, he never ceased to be 359 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,520 amazed that he said at the age of 72, and I quote, such a 360 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:35,280 Wretch should not only be spared and pardoned, but reserved to 361 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:39,480 the honour of preaching your gospel, which he had blasphemed 362 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,720 and renounced. This is wonderful indeed. 363 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:48,920 The more you have exalted me, Lord, the more I ought to abase 364 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:55,000 myself, abase myself. This was no usual wedding feast. 365 00:25:55,600 --> 00:26:00,640 It was from the king himself. This is God's invitation in 366 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:04,640 Revelation chapter 5 verse 8, it says now when he had taken the 367 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,720 scroll, Speaking of Jesus, the four living creatures, the 24 368 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,360 elders fell down before the lamb, each having a harp, golden 369 00:26:11,360 --> 00:26:14,120 balls of incense, which are the prayers of the Saints. 370 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,560 And they sang a new song saying, you are worthy to take the 371 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:22,040 scroll to open its seals for you as slain and redeemed us to God 372 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,760 by your blood. Out of every tribe, tongue, 373 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,880 people and nation, we're the invites and have made us kings 374 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:31,960 and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth. 375 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,840 But there is one more important lesson in Jesus parable for us 376 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:39,160 to finish on and the wedding hall was filled with guests 377 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,160 verse 11. But when the king came in to see 378 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:46,640 the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding 379 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:51,520 garment. So he said to him kindly friend, 380 00:26:52,360 --> 00:26:55,040 how do you come here and without a wedding garment? 381 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:59,680 Now it's important, everyone that's been invited to the 382 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:03,280 wedding, where are they from? The poor, the blame, the line, 383 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:06,560 the the the blind, they're from the back streets. 384 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:09,120 You know what? They don't have any clothes. 385 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,840 So when they came to the wedding, you know what the king 386 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,040 says? I'm going to don't worry about 387 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:19,120 when you've got nothing to I'll, I'll provide all the clothing. 388 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,680 And so that's why everyone could come and there can be no excuse 389 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,520 about I've got nothing to wear. I've got no clothes, got no 390 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:28,320 shoes. No, no, no, don't worry about 391 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:34,720 that. So this was make this guy really 392 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:38,720 stand out because as you come to the wedding or here's the 393 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:42,880 outfit, he's I don't know, I'm not wearing it. 394 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:49,240 I'll wear what I want to wear. So the king said to him, bind 395 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:54,400 him hand and foot because he was speechless, take him away, cast 396 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:57,520 him into outer darkness. The man was not dressed in the 397 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:02,640 wedding garment, which had been provided by the king for every 398 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:07,000 guest he'd been invited, but he was improperly dressed. 399 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:10,280 The king had made provision for every guest to have wedding 400 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:12,160 garments. Because you know all what we 401 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,040 have, we have nothing. We, we, we have fig leaves. 402 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:22,320 And the king gave the man the opportunity to explain why he 403 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:27,240 was not wearing the the garment. He says, why aren't you wearing 404 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,440 what I provided for you? He didn't answer. 405 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:32,720 You know why he didn't answer? He knew it was at fault. 406 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,240 This is the language of tenderest compassion. 407 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:42,240 Why aren't you wearing it? But it says in Romans chapter 408 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:46,120 10, verse 3, For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness 409 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:49,840 and going about to establish their own righteousness, have 410 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:53,280 not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God in 411 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,520 Isaiah chapter 61, verse 10. I'll read it to you. 412 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:02,000 It tells of the garment. Isaiah, the prophet says, I will 413 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:06,720 greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my 414 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:08,360 God. Why? 415 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:13,600 For he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. 416 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:19,960 He has covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom 417 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:24,240 decks himself with ornaments, as a bride adorns itself with the 418 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:27,760 jewels. You remember Jesus comes to the 419 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:31,200 place of ghaderi. He steps off the boat, off the 420 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,360 galley. There's this crazy guy who's 421 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:37,600 living in the tombs roaring. He's going to change. 422 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:42,120 He cuts himself. And you know, the disciples 423 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,360 aren't with Jesus at this time. And they come back. 424 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,600 What do they do? They find this man who lived 425 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:51,160 naked amongst the tombs, clothed. 426 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,920 So did Jesus go Bibbidi bobbidi Boo, here's a suit for you. 427 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:01,560 No, he didn't do that. Where is this man going to get a 428 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:07,040 garment? I think my opinion, Jesus said 429 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:13,120 here you wear my coat. It says if they found him 430 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:19,040 seated, clothed, kneeling at the foot of Jesus and in his right 431 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:23,080 mind, you see, the man was speechless. 432 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:27,640 It's not enough that we merely believe. 433 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:31,440 And here's the this is where a lot of my concern is today. 434 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,440 A lot of people come to church. They're in no man's land. 435 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:37,080 They've made a religious confession. 436 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:44,040 They come to church, they bring a Bible, but they're not wearing 437 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:46,720 the garment. How's that key? 438 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:52,720 You see, it's not enough that we merely believe in, oh, I believe 439 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:54,240 in God. Yeah. 440 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,480 Bible says in James, who believes in God, the devil. 441 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:04,000 He believes in the Bible, too. But we must lay hold of the 442 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,840 righteousness of God. That's what Jesus said to the 443 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:13,560 religious leader Nicodemus. Nicodemus, you must be born 444 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:16,960 again. You know, all the religious 445 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:20,880 stuff. And he did, but he wasn't born 446 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:24,920 again. It says in Revelation, sorry, in 447 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:28,840 Romans chapter 3, verse 19. Now we know that whatever the 448 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,320 law says, it says to those who are under the law that every 449 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:34,200 mouth may be stopped. How often have you heard people? 450 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:36,520 Or when I see God, man, I'm going to give you, I'm going to, 451 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:40,400 I'm going to ask him this. No, when you're guilty and you 452 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:44,040 get resurrected, the second resurrection, you won't say a 453 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:46,000 word. It's not a judgement, it's a 454 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,720 sentence. The second resurrection. 455 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:52,720 You're guilty already, Donald. Great Barnhouse developed a way 456 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,360 of presenting the gospel. I love using this very text that 457 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,680 we've read tonight. He would ask, and this is how 458 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:03,120 we'll end. Suppose, suppose you should die 459 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:07,040 tonight and appear before God in heaven. 460 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:13,880 And God would ask you, by what right do you have to come into 461 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,560 my heaven? What would you say? 462 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:21,240 You see the man at the feast, We're speechless. 463 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,640 There are only three possible answers a person could give if 464 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:32,720 God asked that question. One many would say, oh, I've 465 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,520 been a good bloke. I gave the charities, you know, 466 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:38,920 I used to help out. I cook food for the poor, you 467 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,040 know. And which barnhouse would point 468 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:47,440 out that we have all fallen short of the glory of God, That 469 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:52,200 none of us a righteous Romans 320 Therefore, by the deeds of 470 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:56,080 the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. 471 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:00,120 For the law says we're guilty. We've broken the commandments. 472 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:04,200 The second response is that they would have nothing to say. 473 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:12,160 I don't know, I don't know. They would be, as Paul says, 474 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:16,640 speechless. The only possible and correct 475 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:20,240 true answer when I asked what right do you have to come into 476 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:30,760 my heaven is Lord not at all. As far as myself, I'm concerned 477 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:36,360 nothing. As Paul said in Romans in May, 478 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:42,680 that is, in my flesh dwells no good thing, but Jesus Christ 479 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:47,520 died for my sins. He has given me the covering of 480 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,600 his own righteousness. I've repented before him. 481 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:57,160 I've asked him to be my Lord and Saviour, and this and this, By 482 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:00,720 this alone dare I stand before you in his name. 483 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:09,000 Come, come, welcome to the Kingdom of God.