Title, Friend, Why! / Matthew 22:1-14
Today's text is a little difficult to understand. In verses 11-12, the king invited to a feast came to see a guest, and there was a man sitting without a robe. The friend gave no answer, but the king ordered his servants to arrest him and said, "Throw me into the darkness outside. There you will weep and grind your teeth."
As you can see, most of the people who came to the feast were not officially invited. All formally invited people are turned down, so the servants went to the streets and brought in as many people as they could find. I didn't know English, and they told me to come because they would give me something delicious to the party, so I came here because I prepared a lot, so I could eat the whole thing, pack up the leftovers and take it with me. Some people were brought in without knowing what it was.
Anyway, a lot has come. Verse 10 says, “The wedding banquet was full of guests.”
But what robe? I came from work! I went to the bathroom and couldn't even wash my hands properly, and I came here while I was hoarding a piece of paper towel on the street. what kind of bullshit is that? I would like to. However, the robes mentioned here are not robes that each individual prepares, but robes distributed by this banquet house. This feast was the wedding feast of the king's son, and the invitee was the king and the place was the palace. So they were almost brought in, but as soon as they enter the palace, they follow various procedures to take a bath, to dress up, and to put on the robes prepared in the palace before participating in the feast. Everyone wears formal robes and participates in the palace according to procedures.
When the banquet was ripe, what kind of people did the king come to the banquet? I went out and looked around to see if all the guests were eating, drinking, and having fun, and I noticed that there were people participating without robes. Obviously, he would have come in here and have the servants go through the process and put on a robe, but he didn't wear a robe. In a soft voice he asked, "Friend! Why did you come in here without a robe?" This question is, why didn't you follow the rules in the wedding house? Why didn't you follow my servants' instructions? It means. This person has no answer. Then the king became angry and ordered his servants to bind their hands and feet and throw them out into the darkness to grind their teeth there. Many of those who attended the banquet that day were taken captive like this and thrown into the outer darkness, but more were thrown than the rest.
In this story, Jesus presupposed that “the kingdom of heaven” is “the kingdom of God” in the beginning. In other words, “the church of God” is the word.
As Jesus concludes this parable by saying, “Many are called, but few are chosen,” there is a warning that suggests that there are not many who will enter the kingdom of God and enjoy the feast in the kingdom of God, even if there are many who come to church. I'd say it's a slang word.
The fact that we are in this church today is one of those who are invited, whether voluntarily or unwillingly. Of course, since you have been invited, there is no guarantee that you have been chosen. The objective evidence of being chosen depends on whether you are wearing the robes God has permitted you to wear.
What kind of person is not wearing a robe at the wedding? You can think of a few things.
1) These are the people who say that they have come to the party, but they cannot follow the rules. This is an expression that the king cannot be recognized as a king. That is, those who have come to the church but will not follow the rules of the church. It is an act that shows that we cannot fully acknowledge God as King.
2) They come to the banquet, but they cannot follow the instructions of the king's servants and will do it in my own way. This is 'what are you saying, don't wear it! I do it my way!'! In other words, they are smarter and more capable than the servants that the Lord has established in the church, and they do things their own way.
Who is clean before God? Who is righteous before God? Who is perfect before God? Even if you pretend to be clean and pretend to be perfect, everything will be revealed before God.
Who am I in the church? Do you fully obey the Word of God by acknowledging God as the King of kings and as my King? Are you completely following the instructions given by God's servants? Rather than pretending to be good, pretending to be clean, or working hard, are you sincerely obeying the instructions of the leader based on the Word?
If you obey, follow, and obey, you are called as well as chosen.
Philippians 1:27 "Only live worthy of the gospel of Christ"
Ephesians 4:1 "Therefore, I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called."
"Living worthy of the gospel of Christ" "Living worthy of the calling" This is the robe we should wear
Revelation 19:7 "Rejoice and rejoice, and give glory to God. The wedding day of the Lamb has come. His bride has finished adorning herself. He put on the bride in bright and clean linen. This linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. All."
The righteous deeds of the saints are not what the world says about ethical conduct, that is, the moral book, but a life worthy of the gospel and a life worthy of the calling. A life worthy of the gospel and worthy of calling does not come from one's own head. It doesn't come out of your clever brain. It comes only through pastors who teach based on the Word of God.
Today, we must keep in mind the words of Jesus, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” These words look at our church today and say, "Many have come to the church, but few have been saved."
Those who are invited to the wedding banquet and do not wear robes will be kicked out and thrown into the dark and weeping mournfully will grind their teeth.
There is no guarantee that those who have been invited by God will go to heaven unless they wear the robes of a life worthy of the gospel and calling.
It is the season of waiting and preparing for the coming of the Lord. And it's time to wrap up the year. Thinking of the people sitting at the feast without even wearing a robe, the Lord came now and said, “Why didn’t you wear a robe?” Instead of saying, “Your robes look so beautiful! Let’s enjoy it with me forever!” Please listen.
Romans 13:11-14 "And you know the time, that the hour has already come to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is deep and the day is near; therefore we lay off the works of darkness, and let the light Put on the armor of the Lord Jesus Christ, and walk modestly as in the daytime, do not dissipate or get drunk, do not be lecherous or licentious, do not quarrel or envy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not seek the lusts of the flesh
When the night is deep and the day is drawing near, it means that the second coming of the Lord is imminent. As you quickly put on your robes, please cover all your dirty and ugly flesh. As it is, you cannot meet the Lord and go to the eternal kingdom of God.