The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-04-23
The MARRIAGE FEAST.
International sunday school Lessor
for May y, 1898.

.
are now ready,-Luke lA;l7
IME.-Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 80, three
days before the crucitiXion; two days after
our last lesson
PLACE.-The temple at Jerusalem
EXPLANATION.
l. The Bridegroom and the Bride
VS.. /, .. For His Son, Jesus the Christ
who loves the Bible His church, woos her,
makes her His own, takes her to His
home to abide in unspeakable love and
Joy forever. He is our souls ideal, and
never dsappoints MS, He has in the
highest spiritual sense all that can be
desired-rank, wealth, home, resources,
character, love, usefulness, attractive
ness.
The Bride. THE church as an ideal
whole is the bride; the individual be-
levers are the true guests. Riddle.
We have in Rev. 21 and % most de-
lightful picture of the Lambs wife,
"a bride adorned for her husband" in
conceivably beautiful, like gold, as it
were transparent glass" shining with
the light of God, pure as crystal, with
VI lluiiS, anu uSoihi lOl lliS
healing of the nations.
II. The Invitation to the Wedding
VS.. 3, 4. 1t is still customary in the
east not only to give an invitation some
time beforehand but to send round
servants at the proper time to inform
the invited guests that all things are
ready.-Kitto. This notification was
easy because "the guests were close to-
gether in an eastern city" and neces-
sary, because they were not generally
supplied with timepieces. "-Broadus.
The Wedding Feast Was Ready. The
fulness of the time had come. The
world was in the best condition for the
coming of Christ. Never before or
since has there been so fitting time
one government, one language, peace,
roads, synagogues of the Jews every
where The staying of the animals is an
allusion to sacrifice. Only when the
Lamb was slain on Calvary were all
things ready for the marriage.
The servants whP invited represented
all Gods inspired messengers, Moses
and the prophets, and John the Bap-
fist. The "other servants" were Christ
Himself as prophet, and His apostles.
The guests were the individuals, who
together make "the Bride, the Lambs
wife"
III. The Invitation Refused.-Vs. 81.
In two ways.
First. By neglect. s. Made light oft:
They cook no notice OF what had been
done for them. All was as nothing COM
pared with their farm and merchan-
dise--to enjoy what they had and to ac-
guire more.
Second. Active Opposition. 6. And
the remnant: The rest. Took (seized)
His servants and entreated them spite
fully: Insulted them, prosecuted them.
And slew them: AS the Jewish nation
had done to many prophet in their
past history, and as they were soon to
do again to the preachers of the Gospel.
Active opposition to the Gospel has often
arisen when 1t has come in conflict with
the evils of the world.
The Destruction of the Wicked. ~
1t is after every influence to make them
better has been exhausted. (2) 1t is
Just punishment. (3) 1t is necessary
for the salvation of mankind. Without
II evil would destroy the world. There
fore (4) even the judgments of God are
the offspring of mercy and love.
~. The Wider Welcome.-Vs. $40.
There is no condition of coming to
Christ, but Just to come. The bad are
invited that they may be made good
Il Cor. 6:9-11). OF the good" Ma
thanael and Cornelius are illustrations;
of the bad" Matthew and Zacchaeus,
and Saul of Tarsus.- The beauti-
full words of Augustine on Christ's love
to His church may find here their ap-
pl,cation "He loved her foul that he
might make her fair. Trench. Yet
the good are not too good to need the
Gospel, nor the bad so bad as to have
no hope if they will accept it.--Whedon.
The wedding was furnished with
guests: Christ's purposes and plans
shall not fail. Here we have the assur-
ance of the success of the Gospel
V. The Guest Without Wedding
Garment.-Vs. lila. II. Saw there a
man which had not on wedding gar
ment: Either Q) dress Of his own
suitable for the royal wedding occa-
sion. Just as now on dress occasions, and
especially in royal receptions, a special
dress is required, and those who do not
come thus dressed are excluded; or (2)
more probably garment to be put over
the usual dress, furnished by the king
himself to all the guests on their ar
; rival at the palace, before they entered
the halls of the feast.
The Wedding Garment is the robe of
righteousness, the new heart, the new
spiritual nature, which the Holy Spirit
imparts to everyone who accepts the
invitation. "This festal garment of
Heaven seems to be no other than that
!, celestial temper which manifcsts itself
by the infallible indications of holy
joy; holy happiness, public and ex-
; pressed, inward, spiritual happiness, de-
veloped by the presence of God, and the
; consciousness of Heaven, into visible
manifestation-this is the wedding gar
ment which Christ beholds and approves
in the saved.'.W. archer Butler.
. NOTE l. That the wedding garment Is
offered to all, so that all who will can have
ii freely.
@ That it Is absolutely necessary to par
taking of the least Of good things offered
by the Gospel
9. That there is no good reason for re.