And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding." But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. Matthew 22:1-6When I was reading through this parable today the words above in the italics jumped out at me. As I read I had two thoughts about the words 'and they were not willing to come,' and 'But they made light of it and went their ways,' The first was that it sounds very much like the reactions people have towards the gospel today. So often when I share Jesus with the world around me people are just not even the slightest bit willing to listen or if they do listen then there are those who end up treating their commitment lightly. People seem to often times make light of it and are far more interested in jobs, reputations, wealth, and attaining more and more material things.
Shortly after I recognized this similarity I had my second thought because not only did He highlight the problem but he showed me this as well!
Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. Matthew 22:8-10
The fact that some 'weren't willing' and that some 'made light of it' didn't stop the invitations from going forth! Thank God that He doesn't stop the inviting until all who are willing to come, Come and enter in!
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