The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-09-14
The
School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS Fer SEPTEMBER II.
Subject: The Kings Marriage Feast,
Matt. 2G:l-14-Comnit
Verses S, o.

GOLDEN TEXT.-"Manya are called
but few are chosen" Matt. 22:14.
TIME.-Monday, April 8, A. D. 80.
PLACE.-Jerusalem, the temple.
EXPOSITION.--I. Gods Invitation
Disregarded and Despised, IL. Jesus
read the hearts of the chief priests
and Pharisees (cf. oh. 21:45, 46) and
answered their thought by the para
Bile of the lesson. By comparing tha
kingdom unto a royal marriage feast
Jesus sets forth the thought that it i.
a place of festal JOY (cf. Luke IA:
16), and also suggests that Christ's
relation to His people is that Of, Q
husband to his wife (cf. 1 Cor. II:
-; Eph. 5:24-32; John 1920. The
Jews were the ones who were first in
vited by the prophets and afterward
by John the Baptist (ch. 81, p and
the twelve disciples (ch. 1876, y. We
would naturally expect that when
such an invitation came that all would
accept it, they would be even more
likely to accept it in the east than we
in the west. But in the case Of Gods
feast, the invitation was spurned and
treated with contempt ". 81. Moth
Ing more clearly reveals the foolish
ness and w~ickedness Of the human
heart than the way in which men re-
ceive Gods invitations Of grace. These
people were shut out of the feast SIM
ply because they did not accept the
invitation. The Jews did not find life
and JOY in Christ simply because they
would not come to Him John 5:40).
And II there are any to-day who do
not find pardon and peace and life in
Jesus, 1t Is simply because they will
not come to Him. Throughout the
history Of the human race mar has
always been unwilling to accept Gods
invitations of mercy prov. 1924; Is.
65:2, ~: 1914; Jer. GIG; Ps. 81:
10, II; Rom. 1921; Matt. 23:37).
1t is because of the deceitfulness,
wickedness and blindness of their
hearts that men thus treat Gods invi-
tations Ger. 1873; 2 Cor. 4:4). The
king did not stop at the first invita-
ton (cf. 21:36), and God does not
stop with one invitation. Wonderful
indeed is the forbearance of God. It
was business that kept men from &C.
cepting the kings invitation, and so it
often is to-day (cf. CHI. 1929. An
earthly king would regard such a
treatment of the royal invitation with
great ~displeasure, and so does God
(cf. Heb. 1928, 29). Some even
went beyond treating the invitation
with contempt, they abused and killed
the servants that brought the invita-
tation. This vas historically true Of
the Jewish treatment of Gods serv-
ants who came TO invite them to His
feasts (Acts Alb; 7:54-59). Gods
servants are often so treated to-day.
Gods feeling toward such Is set forth
in v. 7. Here we have a clear predic-
ton Of the destruction Of Jerusalem
(cf. Luke 19:42-44; ~21:20-22). The
rejection and crucifxion of Christ was
the cause of the destruction Of Jeru-
salem. This had been predicted in
the Old Testament (Dan. 1926; Micah
3:12).
II. Gods Invitation Accepted, $40.
When Israel rejected Gods invitation
God sent it to the Gentiles g, 81.
Israel lost the marriage feast because
they were mot worthy" The thing
that makes US worthy is taking our
true place before God and accepting
the etonement He has made (Luke
1914, Is; Rev. 22:14, R. W. When
one rejects the invitation he judges
himself unworthy OF everlasting life
(Acts 13:46). The servants were not
merely to bid those in the highways
to come, but to gather them in ".
10; CT. Luke 14:21, 23). This lays
upon the church the duty Of urgency
and insistency in their invitation to
men to Christ. We are to invite both
good and bad. The Gospel invitation
IS to all mark 1:15; Rev. 22:1D.
The servants did as they were hidden.
Christ's servants have not always been
as true to their commission as they
are represented as being here. The
Wedding was filled" Heaven will not
be an empty place, it will be full (cf.
Rev. 1910. If we refuse the invi-
tation, God will find others who will
accept it. The bad are mentioned be-
fore the good as among those invited.
There is room in the kingdom for
those who have been very bad Il
Cor. 6:10, ~.
III. The Unprepared Guest, 11-14.
The king will come in and scrutinize
his guests ". ~. A strange sight
greeted his eyes, a guest without a
wedding garment. The wedding gar
ment is the figure of the robe of right
eousness that God expects all to put
on who accept His invitation. The
one who had not on the wedding gar
ment had not really accepted the inVi-
tation to the wedding feast. If one
really accepts Gods invitation to His
heavenly kingdom, he will get ready
for it by putting on Jesus Christ. His
neglect to make ready was an act OF
contempt for the king. If we out
wardly accept Gods invitation and do
not make ready, we are despising
both Him and His invitation. One
question brought the foolish guest to
his senses, and a VOID from God will
bring US to our senses if we have not
on the wedding garment. The Offend
ing guest had no excuse to offer, He
was speechless," and so will all be
who do not put on the wedding gar
ment. How awful is the doom OF
those who do rot make ready as set
forth in the 18th verse, he will be
cast into a place of darkness, Woe and
impotent rage. God calls all, but
only those who appreciate the call
ard accept the robe of righteousness
which He provides are chosen"