RSVP
God calls individuals and nations with a specific invitation. Whosoever will may come. This is the gospel of the good news of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. As individuals and as a nation, how we RSVP to God’s invitation will determine our eternal destiny. Some Christians don’t understand God’s purpose for calling them. Jesus came for one purpose only: your redemption and mine. The Apostle Paul said, that ye may know him and the power of his resurrection that we should be holy and acceptable before him in love.
Jesus often spoke in parables to teach a spiritual truth with an earthly illustration. According to Matthew 22:2-14, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day and compared the kingdom of heaven to a wedding feast. In Matthew 22:2-14 Jesus said: 2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Jesus compared the future of Israel to a king’s invitation to his son’s wedding. The Jews and their leaders were invited to the wedding feast. However, they rejected the invitation. This rejection was an affront to the king and the king’s son.
Our RSVP to God’s personal engraved invitation will determine our eternal destiny. Jesus said, “come unto me all ye who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” He said, “whosoever will may come” for whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. However, Israel rejected the king and his son. They didn’t have time for the things of God…their priorities were not their King’s priorities.
The first of the Ten Commandments is “thou shalt have no other Gods between your face and my face.” The greatest failure in life is not to fail in something but rather to succeed in something that doesn’t really matter….after having climbed the ladder of success to discover that the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall.
According to verse 5, those who received the invitation were insidiously preoccupied with themselves. Jesus said, “if you love the world the love of the father is not in you.” The context of John 3:16 says, “he that doeth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought of God.”
A culture that forsakes God will become “wise in their own conceits.” The devil, the God of this world convinces people that he doesn’t exist. Those who live in sin deceive themselves that there is no right or wrong. They have been indoctrinated according to the world’s systems. When they forsake the truth of the Word of God they cannot believe that there is a righteous judge who judges according to the righteous standard of truth.
Those whom the King invited to his son’s wedding rejected the invitation. When he sent his servants to confirm their RSVP, they attacked and killed the King’s messengers.
There is only one sin that cannot be forgiven. A broken and a contrite heart God will not forsake. The king does not desire that anyone will perish. He is gracious, merciful and long suffering. However, the good news of salvation is on God’s terms, not ours. It’s not sin that keeps a man from salvation but rather the rejection of the Saviour from sin, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The king had made ready the wedding feast: his servants had prepared the the food, the music and the accommodations for the celebration. When the Jews who were initially invited rejected the invitation, the King said, “go into the highways and extend the invitation to everyone who will accept.” The Gentiles who accepted the invitation were both evil and good. Salvation is not because we are good but because God is good. Jesus said there is none good (in the flesh,) no not one. When we accept the gift of God’s grace, our righteousness is because we are clothed in his righteous robes, not in the filthy robes of our own flesh. The right credentials to enter into God’s celebration is to “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ….clothed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”
The gospel message is an exclusive message. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the father except by me.” We must approach a holy God on his terms not ours. There is a narrow gate that leads to the narrow way, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. For he who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
The question is, “Is it well with thy soul?” Our wellness is in Christ alone. He is the propitiation, the full payment and the never-ending sacrifice for sin…he is our reconciliation. Therefore we have peace with God because Jesus Christ shed his innocent blood in exchange for our guilty blood. This is the gospel message. He has called us to his salvation so that we can hold forth the word of life. Jesus Christ himself is the word of God made flesh. He is the meaning of the Word. Therefore, preach the Word of God…Jesus Christ the truth of God’s gospel message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael