Mountain advocate., 1914-08-21
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDMSQIOOL
LESSON
By 70. o. SELLERS. Directot OF Evening
Department The Moody Bible Institute.
Chicago)
LESSON FOR AUGUST q
THE WEDDING FEAST.
LESSON TExT-Matt. 221.14


gether. even as a hen gathereth her own
brood under wings. and ye would not"
Luke 13 :4 II v.
To catch the full significance of this
parable which is alone recorded by
Matthew we need to be more or less
familiar with the Jewish pride Of race
and their feeling OF superiority over
all heather" or outsiders, and the his
tory OF their treatment Of Gods rep
resentatives, the prophets.
Following upon the parable referred
to In our last lesson the Pharisees per
ceived that Jesus spake Of them and
they sought to arrest him (ch. 21:46).
In this lesson the figure OF the king
dom is changed from q vineyard to a
feast
Relation to His People.
!. The Kings Invitation Rejected,
w. ~. The change Of figure Just re-
ierred to suggests not alone an occa-
sion of festal Joy duke 1910, but
also Christ's relation to his people,
which is that of husband to his wife
(ho being the son referred to, see
Cor. 11:12; Eph. 5:24-32; John 1920.
These Jewish leaders and their nation
were first to be invited TO the mar
rage. This had been done by the
prophets of old and later by John the
Baptizer Under this figure OF a mar
riage our Lord speaks OF three differ
ent invitations. The first one was re-
ceived with Indifference. but indiffer-
ence never removes responsibility.
The second invitation was received
with hostility. Nothing more fully
reveals the foolishness and hardness
OF the human heart than the way in
which men treat the gracious invita-.
tions Of Gods love.
Wonderful indeed is the forbearance
OF God. The sin Of rejecting the cross,
Gods offer of grace, is immeasurably
greater than that incurred by those
Jews who rejected the Man Of CALI
lee"
Question Of Worthlness
u. The Kings Invitation Accepted,
w. $40. Those invited had judged
themselves mot worthy" Now go to
the parting Of the ways where people
congregate and gather them in" Our
worthiness is in that we accept, and IL
we reject we are not worthy" This
command to go outside was prophecy
of the time when the Gentiles should
likewise be "partakers OF grace"
Those who finally accepted the
l. IN o. mara both 0nnd anA
bad ". 100, but the act OF acceptance
was not an assurance OF position az
we can see from the last part OF the
parable. 1t is sad to think Of the many
servants of the king who have neg
lected his command thus to go forth
and recruit the banquet feast. Final
ly ". 10) we read that the wedding
was filed" Heaven will not be an
empty place, Rev. 1914.
~. The Unprepared Guest, w. 11-14.
Every guest was scrutinlzed by the
king II was a strange sight to see
one who had neglected to avail him
self OF the garment freely provided In
which TO appear on such an occasion.
This robe is symbolical of the robe of
with which God win
clothe all who accept his invitation.
lisa. 61:10; Rev. 1897, 8; Eph. aga;
Rom. 1914. For this man TO present
himself clothed in his own garment
was to insult the king, so our own
is as filthy rags" in his
sight, lisa. GAG; Phil. 3:9 r. v. When
questioned about this act OF insolence
the guest was 'speechless." So like
wise will all unbelievers stand one
day before the great king.
The Teaching of this parable en-
phasizes our privileges in the king
dom OF God. A full realization Of that
kingdom means Joy, gladness and per.
'ect satisfaction. On a previous occa,
Great Supper which so much resem-
oles this. Both OF these parallels have
% do with the attitude of men to the
Gospel invitation. There Is the further
emphasis upon the nature of the an
iwer OF men to this invitation. The
he glory and beauty Of that which Is
,ffered TO them, though their refusal
vas not final. Men, still blind. treat
his invitation CONTEMPORARY and
urn to their own interests. seeking
while others shamefully
reat the kings messengers. This
reatment is followed by swift judg-
nent Once more, the invitation and
md a mixed company are gathered.
ONE with worthy and some with UNI
worthy motives.
The Masters final words ". 1D en-
'hasize service and responsibility.
Tho call was an open. general uniyer
al one. Those chosen were not only
hose who came but those who accept
d the conditions laid down, The In
irferent. or hostile. and rhose who 40
epted unworthily were rejected
The Golden Text reveals the heart
Z the Lord. He deals In sure judg-
lent; still his purpose and desire &