St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 13; The Guest is cast out.

Our paragraph topic is:  (One guest is cast out) Part 3. 

And now in the final episode of this parable where the king enters the ballroom to find the guests enjoying the celebrations that he has prepared.  At last now he has a party that will be remembered by all.  He has brought together enough people that will remember this celebration of the union of the bride and the groom.  This is a celebration for all to talk about.

But wait.  All were talking about something else.  They were talking about a guest at the wedding feast that did not wear a wedding garment.  They were talking about a person who came to the wedding feast who dared to come without the appropriate attire in defiance of the king, in defiance of the host of the celebration.  And the king was not going to have this person spoil his party.  "Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet and cast him forth into the darkness outside, where there will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth.' "  

The party was not going to be spoiled by one guest who came with the intent to disgrace the host.  This was an important celebration that the king wanted all to remember.  He wanted all who came to spread the word of this one celebration.  He wanted all who came to tell everyone so that all would remember the wedding feast held by the king.  And this was not going to be a feast that one guest spoiled.

So this one guest was cast out into the darkness.  He was thrown outside where the animals who are hungry were wanting to get into the party.  They smell the food and they want to come in.  The teeth were gnashing and the mouths were watering and the stomachs were hungry for the great feast of food that inside the great hall.  But they could get in.  And that is the way that it was. 

There are some parties that we would like to go to.  There are some parties that we would die to be invited to.  There are some parties that would kill to get into but the guards at the gates will not let us in.  What do we do?  We accept with anger that we are not invited.  We accept with disgust that we are not a part of that crowd.  We accept with frustration that we will get even with those guys when we see them again.  But we still cannot get into the party.

This is not the case with the kingdom of heaven.  All are invited.  All are welcomed to come.  All are given the message about the celebration to come and be a part of the wedding feast.  But you must wear a wedding garment.  You must wear the proper attire.  You must come prepared to enter or you may be asked to leave or you may be thrown out into the darkness.  You may be embarrassed in front of all your friends and asked to leave by the host.  God wants all to attend but you must come prepared for the feast.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in. 

St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 11; The Improperly dressed Guest.

Our Paragraph topic is:  (One guest is cast out) Part 1.  

After all the preparation and all the invitations, the celebration began.  The wedding feast of the bride and the groom will be an event to remember for all those who attended.  All those who stopped their journey at the crossroads of the town and came to the party, they will remember this celebration and talk about it to all whom they meet wherever they travel.

There was music and dancing and food and laughter and happiness all around.  Even the king was happy when he came down to see the great hall filled with music and laughter.  But there was one thing that displeased the king.  "Now the king went in to see the guests, and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment."  

Now this was a wedding party and all knew the attire.  Yet here was a man who decided to attend but refused to wear the appropriate attire.  It was not that he did not have a wedding garment, but it was that he refused to wear a wedding garment and decided that he was going to attend anyway no matter what the attire.  It would be like attending a formal event without having the formal attire and saying that you were going anyway without the formal attire to show disdain for the event and the host.

The king went to great lengths to host this event for the bride and the groom and he did not want anything to take away from this occasion.  And certainly this person would was not going to be a distraction for everyone to see and talk about at this great event.  Christ is telling this parable to the people because he wants them to understand the conclusion that he is leading up to.  He has a lesson that he wants them to learn.  He teaches in parables but within the parables are life's lessons that the people can take with them and remember for the rest of their lives and apply in situations when they come up.

The same is true in our lives today.  His parables are teachings to guide us through life.  The Bible is full of the parables and teachings that we can learn from.  There are hundreds of stories that we can take with us on our journey through life if we choose to look and see, if we choose to read them, if we choose to believe that they are there for us to know.  We walk a path everyday through life lost in the physical world doing the same things over and over again telling ourselves we are happy.  We find joy in some things that we do but we wake up to the drudgery of life and have to go back to the everyday work of living instead of living the life that we dream.  Few get to live a life of freedom and even they become board with their lives.  

Find the life within and walk the journey that you are given.  Seek the true light that gives you life and you will know who you are.  Each day you will grow in the knowledge and strength of your self awareness and soon you will no longer be the physical but more the spiritual than the physical.  And in that moment of transition Christ and the spiritual will be with you more than the physical, always.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.  

St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 10b; They gathered all both good and bad.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The king's anger) Part 6.  

Christ continues to tell this parable about the king and the wedding feast as he compares it to the kingdom of heaven.  He relates this parable to the people because he wants them to understand the mindset of the king and his determination to have a wedding feast and the determination of his father in heaven to have a celebration with his son and his bride, the church here on earth.

Invitations were sent out to those who were special but they did not come.  They did not understand and did not want to be a part of this special occasion.  So he sent his servants out to the crossroads and gathered all:  "Both good and bad; and the marriage feast was filled with guests."   

This was an important occasion.  It was a happy occasion, an event to remember, for the bride would be forever united with the groom and nothing would separate them.  This was the message that Christ wanted the people to hear, to understand and comprehend.  It was an important occasion for all to celebrate.  It was an important event for all to remember and to pass down to their children so that they would also remember even though they were not there but their parents were there.

It was a joyous occasion, one to remember for a lifetime.  There was dancing and singing, and music, and laughter, and wine and food, and happy people.  People were dressed in their festive clothing to commemorate the occasion.  There were drinks to go round for all to have.  There was festive music to dance by and all were happy on this joyous event.  This was not a club party nor a house party but a grand ballroom party held in a great hall, the king's great hall.  And he knew how to throw a great party.

So we see today that Christ relates to us that there will be a great celebration to commemorate the coming together of the bride and the groom.  God our Father will celebrate this great occasion and will invite all to come and participate.  All will be invited to come and see the union of the two.  All will be invited to come to the ceremony that will take place that will unite the church on earth with Christ in heaven and to be a part of this great celebration.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.   

St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 10a; They gathered all.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The king's anger) Part 5.  

The king wanted to have a party.  He had made preparations to have a wedding feast and that was what he was going to do.  But no one came.  So he had to find people to attend.  He sent his servants out to the crossroads of the town and invited all that they saw, all that they met who were passing by the town, to come to the celebration.  There was a party going on.  There would be wine, and music, and food, and dancing, and laughter, so stop by on your journey and refresh yourself at this joyous event.

This was the message that was told to those that were met on the crossroads of the town.  They were greeted with this great celebration so that they would take a detour and come to the party and the king would have his celebration.  "And his servants went out into the roads, and gathered all whom they found."  

The king wanted to celebrate the wedding feast.  Christ is telling this parable so that the people will understand the kingdom of heaven.  God our Father wants to have a celebration and he wants to invite all to come.  He will send his servants out to all parts to gather all those that can come to the feast.  His love for all determines to what lengths he will go to make sure that all are included and no one is left out.

He has already made the invitation to those that he thought were special.  They refused his invitation and killed his messengers.  They did not want his message to spread to the people so they tried to stop it from spreading.  He sent his army out and burned their village and killed all involved.  He now invites all those who were not special, the common man, those on the crossroads of life, those who have not heard of the celebration, those who are not a part of the town where the king reigns, the outsiders.

This king is generous.  He is loving.  He is kind.  He is just.  This wedding feast is important to him because it is his son that is being wedded to the bride.  And that is something that is very important for him that he wants all to know and recognize.  Come to the wedding feast and see the bride.  Come to the wedding feast and celebrate the union of the two who will be joined together for life.  Come to the wedding feast and recognize your part in honoring the bride and groom.  For this is your future.  This is your past.  This is your place of worship and peace.  This is where you belong in this house, in this building, in this sanctuary with your brothers and sisters alike.  They await your coming.  They welcome you with open arms.  They greet you with a holy kiss.  They are yours and you are theirs.  Come! 

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.