1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Author: Apostle Paul
When was it written? Possibly as early A.D 50
In 1 Thessalonians, Paul wrote to the believers in the church at Thessalonica, founded during his second missionary journey. Riots and opposition had forced him to leave them sooner than he desired. But later news of their progress encouraged Paul to write to commend them in growing in the Lord and urge them to correct some misunderstanding.
Zig Ziglar once said. “ The hardening of the attitudes is the most deadly disease on the face of this earth.
In building up the church…
1. We must have an attitude that builds up church leaders
2. We must have an attitude that builds up brothers & sisters
3. We must have an attitude that builds up yourself
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1. ATTITUDE THAT BUILDS UP CHURCH LEADERS (5:12-13)
1. Being Respectful (knowing them- KJV)
12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Paul uses the collective term "brothers" to show us that he’s addressing the entire congregation.
2. Being Appreciative - This esteem is due them on account of their work.
13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.
3.Being in Peace – let there be no factious spirit, let there be mutual harmony
13b Live in peace with each other.
Who are those being referred here?
Those men and women in our church who are "working hard" to make ministry happen and “over you in the Lord”.
In Acts 14:23 (NIV)
23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust
These are our elders and pastors--of course--but it’s also ministry leaders, and so forth....
When these leaders labor in ministry and when members know them well enough to appreciate what they do, there’s peaceful harmony in the church
Submit to the pastors & elders of the Church, acknowledge and take them for such as they are, that is to say, men worthy to be greatly esteemed of among you.
Effective leadership and effective following translates into harmonious relationships. Ineffective leadership or disrespectful following translates into friction, tension, and conflict.
2.ATTITUDE THAT BUILDS UP BROTHERS AND SISTERS (5:14-15)
14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else
Once again, Paul uses the collective term "brothers" to show us that he’s addressing the entire congregation.
1. Being a warning (warn, admonish) – to those who are idle, and it usually refers to cautioning people about destructive and immoral behaviour.
2. Being an encourager - to the timid
These are the discouraged and broken hearted, the troubled and depressed, This word was often used to describe giving comfort. And the people who most need this tender comfort are the timid.
3. Being helpful - to the weak (exhausted), spiritually weak (because Paul is giving instruction to the believers)
These are the men and women who simply aren’t spiritually strong enough to function the way God wants them to, so we’re told to prop them up, to lend support so they don’t fall.
REMEMBER:
Ministering to these people is the responsibility of the entire church. This means each one of us and not just only for pastors or leaders.
As believers, we are the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth. God wants to bless people, and He wants to use both you and me to do it! He wants to work through us to show His love and compassion and draw people to Himself.
4. Being Patient - with everyone (always keep your temper)
Then Paul says to be patient with everyone, because he knows that we tend to become very impatient with these kinds of people (idle, timid & weak).
5. Being Kind always – to each other & everyone else.
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong.
The follower of Jesus is to always seek the good, not echo the evil.
3. ATTITUDE THAT BUILDS UP YOURSELF(5:16-22)
1. Being joyful always –
16 Be joyful always;
The word of God tells us to be joyful always, that it is God's will for us. But it is a choice. You will never have the perfect set of circumstances in every situation of every day of your life but you can have joy every day of your life. Joy is not found in the external; it is found in the internal. It is found inside of you in your spirit.
Remember Paul despite of the trials, hardship, sufferings & painful experiences he gone through yet he wrote BE JOYFUL ALWAYS, because He knew God is in control of whatever might happen to him.
By purposely doing what encourages your spirit, joy will begin to well up from the inside of you, a joy that does not depend on circumstances.
These verses have a key to being joyful always. That key is to pray continually
2. Being Prayerful – 17 pray continually;
Maintaining a healthy relationship requires communication. Always be "online" with God so when the Spirit moves you to pray, you can instantly agree with Him. By praying always we are strengthen, then after you prayed, you will realize that I can be joyful always because God is there..
3. Being Thankful – 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
It builds our faith and resilience all the more when we discover that being thankful helped solve our problem and actually minimised associated knock-on problems.
What would we have to lose in remaining hopeful and thankful in all circumstances? Nothing really, it takes just a little courage and faith.
4. Being Spiritually On Fire
19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;
2 ways people can put out the fire of the spirit
(1) By not acknowledging the Spirit’s power & freedom to act
(2) By attempting to do the Spirit’s work through human strength.
Paul wanted the Thessalonians to permit the use of spiritual gifts so the church could be built up.
5. Being Admirable to prophecies
20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.
Prophecy needs to be consistent with the Scripture and endorse by mature leaders (1 Cor. 14:29). Rejecting the good along the bad is an error in opposite extreme.
CONCLUSION
23 May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it.
Spot Bowling
Imagine what the game of bowling would be like if you couldn’t see the pins you were trying to hit. In 1933, Bill Knox did just that—and bowled a perfect game.
In Philadelphia’s Olney Alleys, Bill had a screen placed just above the foul line to obscure his view of the lane. His purpose was to demonstrate the technique of spot bowling, which involves throwing the ball at a selected floor mark on the near end of the lane. Like many bowlers, Bill knew that you can do better if you aim at a mark close to you that’s in line with the pins. He proved his point with a perfect 300 game of 12 strikes in a row.
Spot bowling illustrates part of a wise approach to life. When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about the return of Christ, he reminded them that the ultimate goal of their salvation was to “be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:23). Paul taught them to focus their eyes on near actions that were in line with that goal. He urged them to comfort one another, help the weak, warn the wayward, pray without ceasing, and rejoice always. Then he added that we must do this in the power of Christ who is working in us (vv. 23-24).
The Gideons
Sharing God’s Love Means Sharing His Word
Imagine what it would be like if you didn’t have God’s Word.
What if you wanted a copy, but couldn’t afford to find one?
What if you didn’t even know it existed?
Millions of people are living their lives with no access to God’s Word.
With your help, we can ensure that they have a copy of their own…
Who are the Gideons
The Gideons International, founded in 1899 is a Christian business & professional men’s association active in 194 countries of the world. The objective of the Gideons is to win others for Christ through association, personal testimony and placing God’s Holy Word.
Gideon membership consists of business & professional men who believe in The Bible as the inspired Word Of God, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God, have received Him as their personal Saviour, endeavor to follow Him in their daily life and who are members in good standing of a Protestant church, congregation or assembly.
Every week, The Gideons International is placing or distributing, Free Of Cost, 1.5 million Scriptures in 194 countries, in 93 languages.
To God be the glory!
Putting Faith Into Action
The Gideons International serves as a missionary arm of the church – every Scripture we distribute is provided through the support of local churches and individual Christians, including committed Gideons who contribute generously.
We typically set our Scripture placement goal far beyond our known resources. We then trust God, that as Gideons and our wives, along with friends like you, we will prayerfully examine our hearts & by faith we will reach our goal.
Over the years, we have continually expanded and are now distributing more than two copies of God’s Word every second.
Together, we have the ability to truly reach the world for Christ.
The Gideons International will visit WIN – Al Ain on March 4, 2011 Friday PM. Jeremy Brown will speak on the Gideon ministry at the service.
www.gideons.org
Imagine what it would be like if you didn’t have God’s Word.
What if you wanted a copy, but couldn’t afford to find one?
What if you didn’t even know it existed?
Millions of people are living their lives with no access to God’s Word.
With your help, we can ensure that they have a copy of their own…
Who are the Gideons
The Gideons International, founded in 1899 is a Christian business & professional men’s association active in 194 countries of the world. The objective of the Gideons is to win others for Christ through association, personal testimony and placing God’s Holy Word.
Gideon membership consists of business & professional men who believe in The Bible as the inspired Word Of God, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God, have received Him as their personal Saviour, endeavor to follow Him in their daily life and who are members in good standing of a Protestant church, congregation or assembly.
Every week, The Gideons International is placing or distributing, Free Of Cost, 1.5 million Scriptures in 194 countries, in 93 languages.
To God be the glory!
Putting Faith Into Action
The Gideons International serves as a missionary arm of the church – every Scripture we distribute is provided through the support of local churches and individual Christians, including committed Gideons who contribute generously.
We typically set our Scripture placement goal far beyond our known resources. We then trust God, that as Gideons and our wives, along with friends like you, we will prayerfully examine our hearts & by faith we will reach our goal.
Over the years, we have continually expanded and are now distributing more than two copies of God’s Word every second.
Together, we have the ability to truly reach the world for Christ.
The Gideons International will visit WIN – Al Ain on March 4, 2011 Friday PM. Jeremy Brown will speak on the Gideon ministry at the service.
www.gideons.org
Be Wise by Bro. Melvin Laru-an
Tuesday, February 8, 20113 Wise Things To Do So That We Will Be Able To Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven
Mathew 7:21-27
1. BE WISE TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER
Mathew 7:21
“not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, But he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
Jesus said that not all of us will enter the kingdom of heaven, even if we call Him LORD, LORD. It is not enough that we know Him, but it is necessary for our happiness and joy that we do the will of Christ, which is indeed the will of His Father in heaven. We should do His will. We should do what He commanded us to do, if it is our desire to go to heaven.
The Bible frequently speaks of God’s purposes and plans as His will. His will usually refers to what the Lord decreed, or what the Lord commanded us. Now this is His will, that…
· THAT WE LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL OUR HEART, MIND AND SOUL & TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OUR SELVES
· THAT WE MUST BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST
· THAT WE REPENT OF OUR SINS AND LIVE A HOLY LIFE
Jesus wants us to do what He has commanded us. Jesus is more concern about our walk than our talk. Just like many athletes who can talk about great games, they talk about how the games being played, but they don’t tell us about their athletic skills.
Many people talk about how nice their professions are, but they don’t tell us about their performances in their jobs. Some Christians talk about how good to be Christian but they don’t tell us about their relationship to Christ. Not everyone who talks about heaven belongs to God’s kingdom. The Lord wants us to be doers of the Word not just talkers or hearers only.
He wants us to apply what we learn from Him through reading of the Scriptures. Through our devotions, through our prayers, through sermons and even through the life of others, Jesus wants us to be doers of His Word
James 1:22-25
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
James in this passage encourages us to get rid of all what is wrong in our lives if it is our desire to enter the kingdom of heaven. James told us to be obedient to what the LORD’s will for us. That we must love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul, that we love our neighbor, that we believed in Jesus Christ and live a holy life, James encourages us to do this things not just by hearing it.
2. BE WISE TO LIVE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
Mat 7:22-23
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? And in Your name have cast out devils? And in Your name done many wonderful works? 23 And then I will profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.
What is that day that the Lord is talking about in this passage? Mat 7:22 many will say to me in “that day…”
That day would be the second coming of Jesus Christ when He will come as a judge. The Book of Life will be opened and all of us will give an account to what we have done here on earth. It will determine whether men will enter or not in the kingdom of heaven.
That day is the second coming of Jesus Christ, the day of judgment, the great and famous day, fixed by God. This day is unknown to angels and men. It will be terrible to most, and joyful to others; the Lord Jesus Christ will come suddenly, as a thief in the night as in 2nd Peter 3:10
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s second coming will be sudden. This is the day of the Lord’s judgment on earth. If we are morally clean and spiritually alert all the times this will not be a surprise for us but it will be joyful moment for us for we are ready to meet Christ at any time.
But that day would be terrible for others who do not believe in Jesus Christ, those who are living their lives away from God’s will, for they will be thrown away to the lake of fire, wherein there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. But for those who are obedient to the word of the Lord and doing God’s will, that day would be joyful for them, for they will received a reward for what they have done in their lives. The Lord will say to them, “Well done my faithful servant.”
What will happen to those who were faithful and died before the second coming of the Lord?
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
On the other hand, on that day many will beg Jesus that they will be allowed to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Many on that day will say (Mathew 7:22)… Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
Jesus here exposes those people who sounded religious, but there is no personal relationship with Him. He speaks about people who professed Christ but do not possess Christ. He speaks about people who are expert in telling others what to do, but they themselves disobey God. Jesus is trying to make it clear here that obeying God’s will is more important than just talking about it. On that day, (the Day of Judgment), only our own relationship with Christ, our acceptance of Him as our Lord and Savior, and our obedience to Him will only matter. Many people think that if they are good people, and say religious things, they will be rewarded with eternal life. But in reality, our faith and obedience to Christ is what will really count at Judgment Day.
That is why while there is time, we must work hard for our salvation because time is short, that day is near, Jesus said in Luke 13:24, 25:
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from
We should be prepared always and we should not delay our decision to obey God’s will because the door (the gate) will not stay open forever, we are living in the last days, we are living in the time of the shutting of the gate, sooner or later the trumpet will sound. The Master will rise up and shut the door. Look around us if you are watching the news about earthquakes, floods, wars, and rumors of war, violence in Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen. No one knows when He is coming back to earth but we should be ready at all times. Suppose Jesus is to return today? How would He find you living? How is your life? Are you ready to meet Him? You are the only one who knows. But be wise to live in righteousness.
Maintaining salvation requires hard work, it requires great effort but obviously we cannot save ourselves. There is no way we can work ourselves into God’s favor. But the effort we must put out is to enter through the narrow gate. It is our earnest desire to know Jesus Christ and earnestly follow Him. Because Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one can come to God the Father but through Him.
We must live each day as if it is the last day, prepared to welcome Jesus Christ our Rock, our salvation.
3. BE WISE TO BUILD YOUR LIFE ON A STRONG FOUNDATION (Life Application)
Mathew 7: 24-27
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
All of us are building a house in eternity. All of us are either building a house on a rock or sand foundation.
Jesus said that people who ignore His word are like people who build their house on sand, for all eternity. People who ignore His teachings, people who ignore prayer, people who ignore reading the Scriptures, people who ignore their devotion to God, people who refuse to come to church, people who ignore spending their time to the things that really matters is like a foolish man building his house on sinking sand. All of their time, all of their energy, all of the things they accumulated, one day they will disappear. When the storm comes, great would be the fall of those homes, of those lives that are built on the foundation of sand. Jesus said that the foolish man built the foundation of his life, of his home, on sand.
But the wise man builds his house, his life, on the rock; a solid foundation of rock. Every one of us today is building a house in eternity. Every one of us today is either building a house on a solid rock foundation or a sinking sand foundation. There is no middle ground. Every time you come here every Friday afternoon, you are building your house on a rock foundation.
If you are not doing the will of God in every area of your life, in your prayer life, in your giving, in reading the Scriptures, in your devotion to God, you are building your life on sand. You are building your life in eternity on sand. Storm is going to come.
Jesus is the only foundation that can secure your life, your home, your family, your marriage, your finances against the storm that is going to come into our lives in this time that we are living in. no other foundation is going to stand. Storm is going to come.
Even if we are Christians there are no exceptions. We will also experience the same storm. We are not immune to storms. We will experience the same storm in our life: same troubles and same money problems. We will all experience storms in our life. As long as we are still here on earth we will all experience storms. Storm is going to come.
But if we are founded on Jesus Christ the Rock, even if when the wind starts beating down on our lives, in the area of our finances, in our relationships, in our homes and in our families, when everything in our life is going upside down, when the storm comes, our house will be standing still, because we are founded in Jesus Christ the Rock, because He promised not to leave us and forsake us and His promises are Yes and Amen!
Even if you are a new Christian you should know this…that you should spend your life in serving God, honoring God, in doing His will. You do not have to be a perfect person, but if you are in God’s work, and in His house and you love Him, every time you come to church, even if you are tired, you are building your house on the rock. Every time you stand in front to give your testimony, every time you raise your hands, you are building your house on the rock. When the storm is over your house will still be standing because you are building your house on a strong foundation, Jesus Christ the Rock.
Building a house on a rock is hard work!
It requires great effort to build a foundation on the rock. It needs our time and effort; it needs our patience, even sometimes needs our money, before we can stand on the solid foundation of rock. Building a house without a foundation is easy and provides instant comfort. Yet building a house on sand leaves the builder in a very vulnerable position.
Building a house on the rock is hard work and tiresome but the builders are secured.
Our Christian life needs great effort and it needs hard work. Coming here to church is hard work. It causes us our time, our effort, and even it causes us our money. And yet instead of going to the mall and other places, you choose to come here today; you are building your life on the Rock. You are building your life in eternity. You are a wise builder. You are a wise man. You are a wise woman.
Conclusion
Deuteronomy 30:19 -20
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Because of sin, Moses was not allowed to enter the promise land. But before his people enter, Moses challenged them to obey God’s will so that they may live and will continue to receive God’s blessings. God does not force His will upon anyone. He let us decide whether to follow Him or reject Him. This decision, however, is a matter of life or death. God wants you to know this, that He would like us all to choose life so that all of us will live.
As Moses challenged the Israelites to obey God’s will in their lives, God is also telling us that the choice between life and death, between blessing or cursing is up to us. God does not only give us a choice, but he goes further and tells us what choice we should make. He even show us the benefit of making the right choice, and he let us know the consequences if we choose wrongly.
In essence, God is saying to you today to choose wisely. “Here is your choice, life or death, heaven or hell, blessing or a curse, obedience or disobedience, righteousness or wickedness. Build your life on a strong or weak foundation. You choose.
But wait!
Before you choose, let me tell you what is best for you. You must choose life so that you and your descendants may live. You must choose obedience, you must choose righteousness. Be wise to build your life on the Rock. Don’t be a fool but be wise. Now choose!
Dress to Kill or Dressed to be Killed by: Kevin Lee De Guzman
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
(Matthew 22:1-14 The parable of the wedding banquet)
Weddings: In some point of our lives we all dreamt of having such an event. Some of us would love to witness this kind of event, a union of two souls, a celebration of love at its peak. But today, we are going to talk about an extraordinary wedding. Not like the weddings that we see everyday. This is the kind of wedding that is vital to our souls; the one that you wouldn’t want to miss. It is a “must attend” event.
Let’s open our bibles to Matthew 22:1-14. This chapter is a continuation of Christ’s discourses in the temple, 2 or three days before he died.
The parable represents the Gospel offer, God’s offer of salvation, and the blessings prepared for the people it was offered to. It is described in this chapter how people responded to the King’s invitation for the wedding banquet for His son.
A King has prepared a feast and you are invited. Wouldn’t you want to attend? Can you imagine what will be served in such a feast? Remember it’s not just your common neighbor who prepared the dinner. It is the King! The King who rules and owns the land you live in and yet the invited guests made light of the invitation and went their own ways.
In this culture, two invitations are sent. The first asks the guests to attend. The second announces that everything is prepared and they should come. This shows the persuasiveness of the King, our God. He really wants to us to attend the feast that He has prepared. He’s first invited guest, the Jews, made light of His invitation. They didn’t take it seriously. They disregarded the worth of the invitation. Why would anyone turn down a king’s invitation? Oxen and fatlings were killed, the best of the best. There were no light meals offered, all were substantial. The appetizer is the pardon of sin, the main course is reconciliation with God, and for dessert, eternal life and all the blessings that comes upon the church. And yet the Jews chose to attend their farm (countrymen) and merchandise (city dwellers). Matthew 6:33 reminds us of what is essential as we live our lives. Like the Jews, many people nowadays have become myopic on how they see life. They cannot see the far future so instead, they invest their time and effort to the things that easily perish. Sometimes, we become too much indulged in our worldly employment. What is 80 years of life on earth compared to eternity?
Some went to the farm; some went to the market, and so what happened to the remnant? The ones who were left were neither working in the farm nor selling merchandise. They were Scribes, chief priests and Pharisees. It’s hard to fill a cup when it’s already full with something else, like the knowledge of religion and ego. They would not accept the invitation because they are not aware of the need for it. (Like the religious leaders in the parable, the religious leaders whom Jesus was talking to cannot accept Him as their Christ and King because they have the full knowledge of the Jewish law and teachings. They knew that the Messiah is coming, but they were expecting a different kind of king). They treated the messengers spitefully, and worst they slew them (Mat 22:6). This act brought upon their own destruction. Take note that He did not destroy the despisers of His call, but the ones who murdered His messengers. It’s God’s way of telling us not to lay one finger on His servants.
Observe that the reason why people would not accept the invitation is not because they cannot, but because they will not. They chose not to! They perished because of their own doing.
Because the invited guests were utterly unworthy, the invitation was brought to everyone. It was intended for the Jews but extended also for the Gentiles. Now the feast was furnished with guests, both bad and good. (Everyone is invited to God’s salvation through Christ.) It was customary for wedding guests to be given wedding clothes to wear to banquet. But one man was not wearing clothes the king had provided. It was unthinkable to refuse to wear these clothes. It would mean an insult to the host who could only assume that the guest was arrogant and thought he didn’t need the clothes, or he did not want to take part in the wedding celebration. Think of your dream wedding, everything was perfect until a one of your groomsmen enters in wearing a clown costume. What would you feel?
Let’s give emphasis on the man who wasn’t wearing the wedding clothes the king had provided. Indeed he answered to the invitation. But he came unprepared. He neglected the wedding clothes. Why? Was he too attached to his old clothes that he couldn’t give it up for the wedding garment? Were his clothes too precious? Were his clothes stitched to his skin that it would cause him too so much pain he doesn’t want to remove it?
The wedding clothes represent the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We may have answered to His call for salvation but not everyone is wearing His righteousness. We may have a hard time letting go of our old clothes. Are we blinded by the glimmer of the luxury of this world as it is embedded to our clothes, or is it the sin that is stitched to our skin that is hindering us on putting the wedding clothes? Maybe some had put on the wedding clothes, but underneath is their filthy smelly shirt. The case of the hypocrites was represented by the guest who had not put on the wedding clothes. It concerns everyone to prepare for scrutiny, and those only who is sanctified by the Holy Spirit, who live by faith and walks with Christ, have the wedding clothes on.
SUMMARY:
1. God has prepared a feast in celebration of the wedding of His Son.
2. Everyone is invited but not everyone decided to come.
3. Not everyone who came was prepared.
CONCLUSION:
Many are called but few are chosen. Many are called to the wedding feast that is to salvation but few have their wedding clothes on, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit.
Let us examine ourselves whether we are in the faith, and let us seek to be approved by the King.
Weddings: In some point of our lives we all dreamt of having such an event. Some of us would love to witness this kind of event, a union of two souls, a celebration of love at its peak. But today, we are going to talk about an extraordinary wedding. Not like the weddings that we see everyday. This is the kind of wedding that is vital to our souls; the one that you wouldn’t want to miss. It is a “must attend” event.
Let’s open our bibles to Matthew 22:1-14. This chapter is a continuation of Christ’s discourses in the temple, 2 or three days before he died.
The parable represents the Gospel offer, God’s offer of salvation, and the blessings prepared for the people it was offered to. It is described in this chapter how people responded to the King’s invitation for the wedding banquet for His son.
A King has prepared a feast and you are invited. Wouldn’t you want to attend? Can you imagine what will be served in such a feast? Remember it’s not just your common neighbor who prepared the dinner. It is the King! The King who rules and owns the land you live in and yet the invited guests made light of the invitation and went their own ways.
In this culture, two invitations are sent. The first asks the guests to attend. The second announces that everything is prepared and they should come. This shows the persuasiveness of the King, our God. He really wants to us to attend the feast that He has prepared. He’s first invited guest, the Jews, made light of His invitation. They didn’t take it seriously. They disregarded the worth of the invitation. Why would anyone turn down a king’s invitation? Oxen and fatlings were killed, the best of the best. There were no light meals offered, all were substantial. The appetizer is the pardon of sin, the main course is reconciliation with God, and for dessert, eternal life and all the blessings that comes upon the church. And yet the Jews chose to attend their farm (countrymen) and merchandise (city dwellers). Matthew 6:33 reminds us of what is essential as we live our lives. Like the Jews, many people nowadays have become myopic on how they see life. They cannot see the far future so instead, they invest their time and effort to the things that easily perish. Sometimes, we become too much indulged in our worldly employment. What is 80 years of life on earth compared to eternity?
Some went to the farm; some went to the market, and so what happened to the remnant? The ones who were left were neither working in the farm nor selling merchandise. They were Scribes, chief priests and Pharisees. It’s hard to fill a cup when it’s already full with something else, like the knowledge of religion and ego. They would not accept the invitation because they are not aware of the need for it. (Like the religious leaders in the parable, the religious leaders whom Jesus was talking to cannot accept Him as their Christ and King because they have the full knowledge of the Jewish law and teachings. They knew that the Messiah is coming, but they were expecting a different kind of king). They treated the messengers spitefully, and worst they slew them (Mat 22:6). This act brought upon their own destruction. Take note that He did not destroy the despisers of His call, but the ones who murdered His messengers. It’s God’s way of telling us not to lay one finger on His servants.
Observe that the reason why people would not accept the invitation is not because they cannot, but because they will not. They chose not to! They perished because of their own doing.
Because the invited guests were utterly unworthy, the invitation was brought to everyone. It was intended for the Jews but extended also for the Gentiles. Now the feast was furnished with guests, both bad and good. (Everyone is invited to God’s salvation through Christ.) It was customary for wedding guests to be given wedding clothes to wear to banquet. But one man was not wearing clothes the king had provided. It was unthinkable to refuse to wear these clothes. It would mean an insult to the host who could only assume that the guest was arrogant and thought he didn’t need the clothes, or he did not want to take part in the wedding celebration. Think of your dream wedding, everything was perfect until a one of your groomsmen enters in wearing a clown costume. What would you feel?
Let’s give emphasis on the man who wasn’t wearing the wedding clothes the king had provided. Indeed he answered to the invitation. But he came unprepared. He neglected the wedding clothes. Why? Was he too attached to his old clothes that he couldn’t give it up for the wedding garment? Were his clothes too precious? Were his clothes stitched to his skin that it would cause him too so much pain he doesn’t want to remove it?
The wedding clothes represent the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We may have answered to His call for salvation but not everyone is wearing His righteousness. We may have a hard time letting go of our old clothes. Are we blinded by the glimmer of the luxury of this world as it is embedded to our clothes, or is it the sin that is stitched to our skin that is hindering us on putting the wedding clothes? Maybe some had put on the wedding clothes, but underneath is their filthy smelly shirt. The case of the hypocrites was represented by the guest who had not put on the wedding clothes. It concerns everyone to prepare for scrutiny, and those only who is sanctified by the Holy Spirit, who live by faith and walks with Christ, have the wedding clothes on.
SUMMARY:
1. God has prepared a feast in celebration of the wedding of His Son.
2. Everyone is invited but not everyone decided to come.
3. Not everyone who came was prepared.
CONCLUSION:
Many are called but few are chosen. Many are called to the wedding feast that is to salvation but few have their wedding clothes on, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit.
Let us examine ourselves whether we are in the faith, and let us seek to be approved by the King.
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