The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-02-03


Matt II ~ 30. Luke Al5.sl Rev Gl7
PRIMARY TOPlC-The story OF a Wed.
ding Party
JUNIOR ToPIC-An Invitation to .
wedding
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Accepting and Extending the Great In
vitation
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Great Invitation.
In the previous parable the reSpon
slbilitles of the subjects of the King
dom were before US for consideration
IN the light OF the obligation to rrn.
der to the householder the fruits of
his vineyard. In this one the ethic
is changed. and the privileges and
blessings Of the kingdom are placed
on exhibition. This parable llfis the
conception ~ the kingdom and places
II on n high plane. II II much more
than paying rent TO a king II Is feast
Ing at the Kings table on fat things
which lie has prepared with great ex
pense 10 Himself
l. The Kings Feast pespised wv.
~.
The previous parable exhibits the
attitude Of the Jewish people toward
the king M to the crucihxion Of
christ This one carries us beyond
the cross even through the present
age of the Gentlles The marriage
fcns, which the king made for his son
and to which he Invited guests repre-
SCENTS the gracious Offer Of God 10 give
JOY and blessing To- certain Of His
creatures. This feast has been made
In honor Of his son and is an exceed
ing rich one. His oxen and fatllngs
are ready His repeated Invitations
show Gods earnestness In seeking
10 bless men God does more than
simply Invite men once lie presses
His Invitation again and again most
earnestly How many times from our
childhood has lie not pressed His in
Niiatiun upon u.s. The attitude OF
those invited. toward the invitation and
toward m" Ming Is passing strang.
and exceeding sinful To treat the
kings invitation with such contempt
after he had made such costly prepa
ration deserves the severest punish
ment. They not only neglected IL but
,uade lisht ~ Il and hurried on 20
their worldly business. showing that
they reTardcd II ms OF more impor
lance than the salvation ~ their poor
lost souls Some went forth and even
did violence 20 the messengers of the
king killing them
While this II n picture ~ the atti-
tude Of the Jews from Christ's cruel
hNloB Ia the destruction ~ Jerusalem
II has it's counterpart In the day In
which We live Some today are indir-
erent to Gods invitation: some are
making Hight ~ Gods way Of salvation,
and others are hostile Ia the mes
sengers of Christ. Their attitude and
behavior melted the anger of the king
and he executed vengeance upon them.
burning up their city. This was his
torically fulfilled in the destruction
Of Jerusalem nv the Romans in 20 A.
n, and Is typical ~ what lie will do
10 those that neglect or reject His in
vltation at the clos. Of this dispense.
ton.
A. The Kings Invitation Accepted
wv. 500.
when those who were first Invited
refused, the king sent his servants
10 others: for his table must be pro
Vided the guests He has prepared
this feast NJ an infinite cost, and
most urgently invites TO the accept
ance Of a. Though lie urgently In
vitcs lie will not compel any one 10
accept Those that were shut out were
shut out because they refused 20 ac-
cept not because the king was unwil-
ling. when this was done he sent
his servants among the Gentiles,
which Is shown in His going into the
highways and hedges
~. The King Inspecting the Guests
wv. no
As he made this inspection the king
found one among the guests who bad
not on wedding garment-had not
conforIned 20 the regulations Of the
feast. The custom In the East was
for the king TO furnish the guests with
suitable garment There could thus
be no excuse for not having one on.
Therefore. this act Of the man showed
that he only accepted the Invitation
for selfish ends not desiring 10 con
form To the regulations Of the king
The wedding garment which the King
provided in this case * the righteous
ness OF Christ. which alone will en-
title one TO the place at the Kings
marriage feast This righteousness Is
obtained by faith In the atoning blood
Of Jesus Christ.
T,Inln0 Them