The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-02-03

WoQOIn8.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Accepting and Extending the Great In
vitation.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Tho Great Invitation.
In the previous parable the respon'
sibilitles Of the subjects Of the king
dom were before us for consideration
In the light Of the obligation to rem
der to the householder the fruits Of
his vineyard. In this one the ethic
IL changed, and the privileges and
blessings Of the kingdom are placed
on exhibition. This parable lifts the
conception Of the kingdom and places
II on a high plane. 1t is much more
than paying rent to a king; 1t Is feast
Ing at the Kings table on fat things
which He has prepared with great ex.
pense to Himself.
|. The Kings Feast Despised wv.
~.
The previous parable exhibits the
attitude Of the Jewish people toward
the king up to the cruci6xion OF
Christ. This one carries us beyond
the cross, even through the present
age Of the Gentiles. The marriage
feast which the king made for his son
end to which he invited guests repre-
sents the gracious offer Of God to 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 fatlings
ere ready. His repeated invitations
show Gods earnestness In seeking
to bless men. God does more than
simply invite men once; He presses
Hb invitation again and again most
earnestly. How many times from our
childhood has He not pressed His In
vitaton upon us! The attitude Of
those invited, toward the invitation and
toward the king is passing strange
and exceeding sinful. To treat the
kings invitation with such contempt
after he had made such costly prepa-
.~ladon deserves the severest punish.
msnt. They not only neglected 1t but
made light Of It and hurried on to
their worldly business, showing that
they regarded II as Of more impor-
tance than the salvation Of their poor
Let souls. Some went forth and even
I'D violence to the messengers Of the
king killing them.
While this is a picture Of the atti-
tude ef the Jews from Christ's cruel
A1ion to the destruction Of Jerusalem,
Il has Ito counterpart In the day In
which w I've. Some today are indiff-
srsat to Gods invitation; some are
mailing light Of Gods way Of salvation,
and others are hostile to the mes.
eeoCsrs Of Christ. Their attitude and
beAoyior melted the anger Of the king
and 10 executed vengeance upon them,
burning up their city. This was his
totitally fulfilled In the destruction
II Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.
D. and b typical Of what He will do
to those that neglect or reject His in.
vitAton at The close Of this dispense.
tion.
u. The klngs invitation Accepted
(vx 810).
When those who were first invited
fel1sed, the king sent bis servants
to others; for his table must be pro-
Md the guests de has prepared
thh feast at an infinite cost, and
mo1t urgently invites to the accept
ance Of It. Though He urgently In
viteA He will not compel any one to
accept. Those that were shut out were
Mut out because they refused to &C.
cep not because the king was unwll.
llno When this was done he sent
bid servants among the Gentiles,
whlA d shown IN His going into the
higAways and hedges
IN. IN King inspecting ne Guests
wv 11-l4).
AZ he made this inspection the king
found one among the guests who had
not % Z wedding sarment-had not
confofmed to The regulations Of the
feast. The clstom In the East was
~ the king to furnish the guests with
! suitable garment There could thus
= - excuse Tor not having one On.
1AeFe1ore, this oct Of the man showed
TIT b only accepted the invitation
~ selfish ends, not desiring to con.
fosm % he regulations Of the king.
49, wedding garment which the King
Dfettded Ii this case IS the righteous
- 4 Christ which alone will en-
1lloa1ns y ~ place 1t the Kings
a1lon1aoe faaGt This righteousness ID
eotned b Nth y the atoning blood
: Jssas Christ
Tuning Them
- tAink God y destroying them