Can you imagine ever receiving an invitation
to the most extravagant party that could ever happen - a party that beats a red carpet event; a party that is greater than anything you could ever dream of? I know. I know - I'm a girl! So it’s probably easy for me to imagine how I would react - I would make it my soul mission to find the perfect dress. Well, this poem is a story about such an event. It’s about Jesus’s wedding banquet, that takes place in the glorious Kingdom of Heaven, with the Bride of Christ! And it's about all the people who have been invited, but not chosen. Listen to this. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.” “The king sent his servants to those who had an invitation to tell them to come, but they refused.” “So he sent more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet." Can you believe his invitation was totally ignored. The majority of creation walked with Pride and totally forgot about God. I'm sure this what led to the Great Flood! So then, God sent more of His servants to extend the invitation, by giving the people more information about what was to come. But once again, “the people paid no attention and went off - one to his field, another to his business.” Pride never left! The creation was still led by selfish intent. “And the rest of the people who had been invited, seized the king’s servants, mistreated and killed them.” I can only imagine how the king must have felt. It's such a relief that He did not just blot us out! “So the king sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.” Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’” God had invited the whole human race to participate in his marriage vows. But then humans fell into pride - the creation wanted to be like God. After the Flood, God extended the invitation to Abraham and his descendants, through the blood line of Jacob. Most of the Jews refused to listen. They did not see Jesus as their coming king; they did not hear God declare “This is My beloved Son.” And they definitely did not pay attention to the timeline given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel. Not only did they kill Jesus, but they killed his servants through hearts of murderous intent. The Holy Spirit was not in them! So the king told his servants to find anyone who wants to participate, whether they are good or bad. He extended his invitation to all Gentile nations - Oh look, we are right back where we started from. The whole human race has been invited to come! “So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.” This must have finally blessed the king’s heart. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, “Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes? The man was speechless." (Not one word came out of his mouth) “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:1-14 Can you imagine showing up in Heaven, not wearing your wedding dress? Can your imagine showing up in filthy rags - the clothes God saved you from? It’s no wonder the king kicked him out! If you haven’t already figured it out - This story is not about sitting and watching Jesus get married. No! That is not it at all! This story is about YOU and me getting ready to marry Jesus, as His pure and blameless Bride. This story is about responding - to His proposal to love Him above everything else. Do you think the King of the Universe would allow just anyone to marry His Son? Do you think the king is bad or good? God is the definition of love. He represents everything good! If you are a parent to a daughter or a son then imagine how you would feel if the person they love showed up to their wedding, in a ratty old shirt, stretched out yoga pants and worn out tennis shoes. How would feel if they came to their wedding still wearing filthy rags? Wouldn't you be wondering, "Where is the dress?" How you would feel if you had invested every last cent to make sure their wedding was absolutely perfect. Imagine the disrespect. Wouldn’t you want to ring their necks? Can you imagine the look on your child’s face when the one that they love acts with such dishonor and disgrace? They would probably want to run and never look back! Let me ask you this, What if the Bride is called, but she does not make herself ready to partake in the wedding feast? What if she forgets to put the wedding date in her calendar? What if she has other things on her mind like focusing on this world instead of the next? What if she saw Jesus and said yes - but then turned her gaze towards another love interest? What would happen if she followed her flesh? Would she exchange true love for lust? Or will she grow old with Jesus? She would be just like the 5 virgin brides who did not have their lamps ready and burning. (See Matthew 25:1-13 for more information on this) The Bride of Christ is the Ekklesia, the called-out assembly who keep their eyes focused in Christ. They are the congregation of believers who responded with “yes” then did not divert their attention from Him. They carry God’s Holy Spirit - His spiritual DNA. There is nothing that can turn away their gaze. They are fully devoted and fully in love. The Bride of Christ gives birth to God’s chosen race. She is a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. You may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 You see, I believe everyone is called and invited to the wedding banquet but few are chosen to remain with Him. God knows every heart and He can see under our garments. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are completely exposed to Him. He knows if you have chosen His Son. It will be quite evident because you will be indwelled with His Holy Spirit. He can see, hear, taste and smell the blood of Jesus. He can reach out and touch you and know who you are. There is no deception. He is not like Issac - a man who was easily deceived by his own son, Jacob. Jacob, the man who pretended to be Esau. God knows every inch of our hearts. He knows if we truly love Him. He knows if we are genuinely in love with His Son. These are the ones He calls Chosen. “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to Son-ship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and his will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession - to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:4-14 Amen and amen! Bride of Christ - Have your lamps burning, and have plenty of oil on hand. The Lord is coming soon!
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