Day 181 "Everyone must RSVP to the marriage supper of the Lamb in order to attend."

Day 181 Matthew 22:11-14 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Once again, we see the extreme grace of God being exhibited in the same passage where we see the bottom line truth of grace being explained, almost in a matter of fact way. When the King saw the man who was not properly adorned, or in this case not covered by the blood of the savior, he still addresses him as friend. How comforting it should be to all of us that God truly does not see the sinners as such so much as He sees them as friends; those who are welcomed to be a part of the great gathering and end harvest. People who have chosen not to accept Christ are, in my opinion, not turned away from, forsaken, or punished (at least in most cases) until His return; they are, however, people who are not participating in the fellowship with, or receiving the protection of God today. He still views them as friends of the King; they are created in His likeness, and all mankind has within them an inherent understanding that there is a creator and that they are not a spawn of some primordial creature. However, many of the people around us may, in fact, be those who will not be allowed to enter heaven. Why, you ask? Because being a good person, hanging out in church, or giving to the poor according to the Word will not be enough. Yes, they have been invited to the party, they have been told what to wear, their invitation has clear guidelines, and when Christ returns, they will see Him, as will all mankind; however, at this point, there will not be a change of clothes available; it will be too late to be chosen. Yes, many are called to be a part of God's eternal Kingdom; however, few will be chosen, for few, by comparison, will choose to be prepared to meet the King. Some years ago, we held a joint outreach with Christ Has Risen Ministries, along with a large number of other ministries in Linda, California. Everyone in attendance heard multiple times the message of the gospel, the conditions of acceptance by God, and each one was given the opportunity to choose. Many chose to accept the truth, some felt the need to learn more, and some decided to rebel. All three are friends of God; however, not all will be allowed to participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb. By the way, my then ten-year-old daughter, with no prompting from me, led five people to the Lord; not everyone she shared with decided to believe, but five did! How many people have you shared the Lord with this week? Daily Prayer: Father, for those I know who have not chosen to believe, I pray for their salvation. I ask also for the courage, boldness, and the confidence to share the message of Jesus with those who do not know Him. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "Everyone must RSVP to the marriage supper of the Lamb in order to attend." Gene Burroughs, Pastor