INVITED GUESTS

This morning I was reading in Matthew 22 about the king inviting his friends to the wedding banquet for his son, and was astonished at how much it began to speak to me of the time in which we live, with some very serious implications.

We see that the king sent his servants to those he knew and was associated with - he wasn't sending a random invitation, they were to go to those that the king had already had communication with to tell them that it was now time for the banquet.  However, those who had been invited refused to come.

Again the king sent more servants to tell the invited guests that the dinner was prepared, everything is ready, "Come to the wedding banquet".  But they paid no attention and went off, "...one to his field, another to his business."  Those remaining mistreated and even killed the servants. Then the king was enraged and he sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city! 

Then the king sent out his faithful servants again saying "The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.  Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find."

I had a number of thoughts about this as it relates today to the church and the nation.

- How important it is to be sure HE is sending us and to whom.  Our lives depend on it.

- Is this a sign and a warning for this time, especially now people are being directed to go outside the church and into the streets and community?

- What does this mean for the church, for the nation?

- Does our greatest danger lie with those who were invited guests but said no? 

- Who are those who have been friends and associates of the the king, but are now too busy with growing things and their own businesses to heed the call to come and celebrate at the wedding banquet?  So busy in fact, that they mistreat and even kill those sent to remind them of this great event?

All this should cause us to ponder and to pray; to read this important chapter over again; and to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts the directions that the King would give us in this hour.