THE CASE OF THE MAN WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT
MATTHEW 22:1-14
Introduction:
The King had sent his servants to invite his guest to the wedding feast for his son, but they refuse to come. Another invitation was made, but this time the king’s servants were mistreated and some killed, whereupon the Kings sent His army to destroy those that had killed his servants. [Jerusalem, AD 70, Roman general Titus]
The king declared those people “unworthy” and sends his servants to call others, both bad and good.
Now everyone knows that to attend a wedding you must be dressed properly for the occasion. While our society is somewhat relaxed today, in the Lord’s day in Israel, the occasion demanded special attire.
I. THE UNWORTHY
A. These had mistreated his Servants.
1. The first group when to their farms or merchandise, v. 5, “ But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:”
2. The rest of those invited, the ecclesiastics, the scribes, the Pharisees, the Chief Priests, were the persecutors, v. 6, “And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.”
a. The Prophets were thus abused, Matthew 23:29-31, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.”
B. These were the murderers of His servants.
1. These brought on the wrath of the King, v. 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.”
2. In 70 AD the Roman general Titus destroyed Jerusalem leaving no one rock upon another.
C. These had judged themselves worthy by their rejection of the invitation, Acts 13:46, “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”
II. OTHERS WERE INVITED – “BOTH BAD AND GOOD.” vs. 9-10
A. “Bad,”
1. In a physical sense: diseased or blind, Matthew 4:24, “And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.”
2. In an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
B. “Good,” those that will receive Jesus Christ as Saviour, Revelation 5:9, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”
C. “Come ye,” an invitation to all people, Isaiah 55:1-3, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”
1. Why “labour for that which satisfieth not?”
2. Listen to the Word of God, Isaiah 55:3, “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”
III. THE KING SEES A GUEST WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT, vs. 11-14.
A. Everyone was invited, but there is a standard, v. 12, “And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.”
1. “How camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?”
a. Your robes must be better than religion offers, Matthew 5:20, “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
b. Everyone appears the same until they stand before the King, 1 Corinthians 4:5, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”
2. “And he was speechless.” Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
B. “Bind him hand and foot, and take him away,” was the order of the King, v. 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.”
1. Without a wedding garment, i.e., Salvation by faith in Christ, there is no possibility of going to the feast (heaven), Revelation 21:27, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
2. This guest without a wedding garment was cast into Hell, Matthew 13:42, “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
C. “For many are called, but few are chosen.” v. 14; Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
CONCLUSION
Solomon said in Proverbs 16:25, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Religion looks good to man’s eyes until he examines it by the Word of God. Then the religious person finds themselves without a garment for the wedding feast.
What is the solution to the problem? “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:30-31