Sunday's Gospel Lesson.
Matthew 22.Parable of the wedding feast
1. Jesus began to speak to them in parables once again,
2. `The kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who gave a feast for his son's wedding.
3. He sent his servants to call those who had been invited, but they would not come.
4. Next he sent some more servants with the words, `Tell those who have been invited: Look, my banquet is all prepared, my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, everything is ready. Come to the wedding.'
5. But they were not interested: one went off to his farm, another to his business,
6. and the rest seized his servants, maltreated them and killed them.
7. The king was furious. He dispatched his troops, destroyed those murderers and burnt their town.
8. Then he said to his servants, `The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy,
9. go to the main crossroads and invite everyone you can find to come to the wedding.'
10. So these servants went out onto the roads and collected together everyone they could find, bad and good alike; and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11. When the king came in to look at the guests he noticed one man who was not wearing a wedding garment,
12. And said to him, `How did you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?' And the man was silent.
13. Then the king said to the attendants, `Bind him hand and foot and throw him into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'
14. For many are invited but not all are chosen."
How many here will refuse to come?
:)Peace and kindness,:)
Fred (arcura)

I wonder if some of these were afraid that when the king appeared at the feast, they would be cast out because they felt unworthy (no faith). Others may have believed there was no king anyway. Others may have thought the path to the king's house was too difficult. Still others may have been preoccupied with the things they were doing at the time, and the king's banquet was an interruption to this.

cogs,
The story Jesus told is a parable to make a point.
It never dawned on me to wonder what those fictional people who were invited may have thought or reasoned why they did not come.
Your take on that is interesting.
It gives more depth to the story.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

I think this is the invitation:

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

We know that it is "few" who will be there*. Either they will have been too busy with the things of this world... or many will have tried to enter with their old dirty robes instead of accepting the robe of righteousness that was earned by the Bridegroom.

*
Matt 7:13-14

13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
NIV

Luke 13:23-24
23 Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"

He said to them, 24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
NIV

revdrgade,
Thanks.
I look at it this way.
There are about 2 billion professed Christians alive today out of a world population of 6 billion so the Christians are a "few" in comparison.
And yes I fear that some of the professed Christians will not be saved.
But I pray for them all in hopes that all will make it to heaven when their time comes.
Peace and kindness,
Fred (arcura)

There is always hope since we are told that even a "smoldering" wick or a "bent" reed will not be put out or broken. God's will is that ALL should be saved... and that counts for a lot of activity on His part to bring people into His eternal kingdom.

This parable begins as scripture has told us. The wedding invitation for the Son of God who is Christ Jesus. But all would not listen... (many were destroyed)
Our Father sent servants with teaching of "The Word" that had dwelled with us here on earth. Yet many are busy with their treasure of property to manage, work and business to run, and their own choice of fun. Our Father is angry with those who refuse to listen and follow.

Are you converted to the child of God, because no one enters otherwise? Matthew 18:1-3 Mark 10:15

Do you believe and are you baptized, because no one enters otherwise?
Matthew 5:20

The parable speaks of what we must wear for clothes to this wedding. As you can see white garments are required by everyone, otherwise you are nuded and shown to be without good standing in works..

Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Revelation 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.


A followers not deceased is one who watcheth and shows no shame.
Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Revelation 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Those to busy doing things their way and do not follow God in obedience.
Isa 59:6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.

wonder what the robes cover up? How did we get a robe anyway? How would we 'strive to enter at the strait gate'? How should we watch, and keep our garments? What are we to overcome? These things require some effort, wouldn't you agree? So there's something we're missing.

preachers, pastors, ministers, or whatever you want to call those who will quote to us much of the above, never seem to let us in on the 'how'. I surely wish they would. That's part of the problem that people have when deciding to continue going to church.

so I'll summarize what I know: we have sin, that sin remains, because we continue to commit sin. We should not be committing sins. But since we do, we have to begin to repent of sinning.

what are our sins? God can tell you internally, through his spirit. We don't listen to the spirit, but we should. Then, he could begin to clothe us, and purify us, and free us from sin. This is our way to the feast. It's hard and strait. The invitation is already sent, because the feast began to be prepared when jesus sacrificed himself for our death.

thank god we can't kill the messenger of the holy spirit. But we can ignore him, with our 'farms and businesses'. These daily activities can block out our minds from listening, then obeying what is heard, or 'watching', or 'keeping our garments'.

Fred, this story, parable of the Wedding Feast is an allegory as is much of Jesus' teachings. I don't have time to figure it out; I have to take a nap soon.

Anyway, I thought the Bible said only 144,000 Christians will be saved and taken up to heaven??

Jehovah's Witnesses used to teach that but they have changed their mind. Their membership is now greater than 144,000.
Anyway, the 144,000 are only a SELECT group from out of the tribes of Israel, called out during the tribulation period, and in no way represent even a small percentage of those saved over the ages.

Choux,
The 144,000 is a figure that means a great number of people, just as the biblical term of 1000 or 5000 means a lot of people. The bigger the figure mention the more it represents.
Some people want to say that such figures mean exactly that amount, but that is not the case.
It's like the bible saying Jesus was coming back soon.
That was 2000 years ago.
Soon means in God's time not ours.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

Galveston1,
Right you are.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

Parables are often difficult to isolate with one interpretation, but one interpretation that I like and believe has much consistancy with other parts of scripture is as follows:

In mid-eastern lands at the time of Jesus when a rich man had a wedding feast, he would have clean robes prepared for his guests who would have had to walk through the dirt and dust to get to the wedding. They were given the garment when they arrived.

The interpretation is that the robe is "righteousness"... the covering our sins. And that this "righteousness" is not something we bring to God but God gives to cover us. It is Christ Who is our righteousness. To attend God's feast with our own righteousness (self-righteousness) is not acceptable because there can no stain or filth at all for those who eat at the great feast.

The man was cast out because he did not put his faith in Christ, but in his own good works to earn the right to be with God.

1 Cor 1:29-31
30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness , holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
NIV

Ps 32:1-2

Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered .
2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord does not count against him
NIV

Rom 4:7-8

7 "Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered .
8 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
NIV

Rom 10:3-4
3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness . 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
NIV

Rev 21:26-27
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
NIV

John 13:8

8 "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."

Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
NIV

One should not contradict scripture, but rather look to all that is written.The answers are there, and an effect to balance the value of what is written, is important. Doing so in the same matter as what was meant and intended.

Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Realize that this scripture of Mark 1:15 is done as righteousness, obedience or in good standing with Our Father.
______________________________

Note of Fact on faith and works:

Revelation 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward [is] with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

So according to works we are rewarded as written..and these works are works of faith in believing what is written.(all that is written) And works alone are not enough because that is also written. AND Faith without works is dead as written.

1 Thessalonians1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

WORK DAILY 1. labour of love
WORK DAILY 2.patience of hope in Christ
WORK DONE DAILY 3. as Our Father and God watch or see

Romans 3:27 Where [is] boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

By free will choice, the individual must web his garment of works according to his heart and mind of faith. No double mindedness... remembering to repent of sins known and unknown, that are bolted out by repenting in the glory of Christ, and His Blood that was shed for us.

A child of God... obedience to the Father
Proverbs 6:22-23 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.For the commandment is a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life:

~Christ is the Light

revdrgade,
That's interesting.
Thanks,
Fred

I think our sins are also blotted out by not doing them, with the power and help of the holy spirit that jesus sent from the father.
more and more, I'm thinking that sin is spiritual. Not that we don't do them, but that we will to do them. As you say, about double-mindedness, we cannot serve two masters. We have to turn toward god, and will to not sin.
regarding good works, the fruit that develops through obeying the holy spirit, will be the impetus, or cause, of our will to do works of faith. I believe we can be directed by god's will, speaking to us in our hearts and minds. Really, they'll be his works, through our vessel.

cogs,
You said. "i believe we can be directed by god's will, speaking to us in our hearts and minds. really, they'll be his works, through our vessel."
I agree with that.
Fred

Fred, thank you, because I really needed to read that passage again, in scripture, about being a vessel. It's such a great picture.

I have another one that came to me this week, when I was working on a computer: we're like ram. Sitting there, we're no use to ourselves, until the information from god enters, and we're doing what we're supposed to do. We're sort of like a placeholder for god's will.

[QUOTE=Galveston1]Correction - this number that go to heaven still stands the same today with Jehovah's Witnesses.