Journey Into Holiness – p.12 “What Determines Your Future?” Matthew 22:1-14

Journey Into Holiness – p.12Journey Into Holiness – p.12

““What Determines Your Future?”What Determines Your Future?”

Matthew 22:1-14Matthew 22:1-14

• Religion back then just like today was Religion back then just like today was bigbig

businessbusiness..

• The third parable brings real clarity to the The third parable brings real clarity to the

whole problem of people who think they are whole problem of people who think they are

going to heaven because they live by a set of going to heaven because they live by a set of

religiousreligious rulesrules and people who don’t think and people who don’t think

they have a chance of getting to heaven they have a chance of getting to heaven

because they think they are because they think they are scumscum. .

Matthew 22:1-14 (NIV)Matthew 22:1-14 (NIV)

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, Jesus spoke to them again in parables,

saying:saying:


"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who

prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He

sent his servants to those who had been sent his servants to those who had been

invited to the banquet to tell them to come, invited to the banquet to tell them to come,

but they refused to come. but they refused to come.


"Then he sent some more servants and said, "Then he sent some more servants and said,

'Tell those who have been invited that I have 'Tell those who have been invited that I have

prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened

cattle have been butchered, and everything is cattle have been butchered, and everything is

ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'


"But they paid no attention and went off—"But they paid no attention and went off—

one to his field, another to his business. The one to his field, another to his business. The

rest seized his servants, mistreated them and rest seized his servants, mistreated them and

killed them. The king was enraged. He sent killed them. The king was enraged. He sent

his army and destroyed those murderers and his army and destroyed those murderers and

burned their city. burned their city.


"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding

banquet is ready, but those I invited did not banquet is ready, but those I invited did not

deserve to come. Go to the street corners and deserve to come. Go to the street corners and

invite to the banquet anyone you find.'invite to the banquet anyone you find.'


So the servants went out into the streets and So the servants went out into the streets and

gathered all the people they could find, both gathered all the people they could find, both

good and bad, and the wedding hall was good and bad, and the wedding hall was

filled with guests. filled with guests.


"But when the king came in to see the guests, "But when the king came in to see the guests,

he noticed a man there who was not wearing he noticed a man there who was not wearing

wedding clothes. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did wedding clothes. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did

you get in here without wedding clothes?' you get in here without wedding clothes?'

The man was speechless. The man was speechless.


"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him

hand and foot, and throw him outside, into hand and foot, and throw him outside, into

the darkness, where there will be weeping the darkness, where there will be weeping

and gnashing of teeth.' and gnashing of teeth.'

"For many are invited, but few are chosen.""For many are invited, but few are chosen."

The The ignorantignorant guests… guests…

• Said they Said they wouldwould come but then come but then didn’tdidn’t..

"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who

prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He

sent his servants to those who had been sent his servants to those who had been

invited to the banquet to tell them to come, invited to the banquet to tell them to come,

but they refused to come. but they refused to come.


• Resisted the Resisted the graciousgracious repeatrepeat invitation invitation

"Then he sent some more servants and said, "Then he sent some more servants and said,

'Tell those who have been invited that I have 'Tell those who have been invited that I have

prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened

cattle have been butchered, and everything is cattle have been butchered, and everything is

ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'


• Were totally Were totally selfself--centeredcentered

"But they paid no attention and went off—"But they paid no attention and went off—

one to his field, another to his business. The one to his field, another to his business. The

rest seized his servants, mistreated them and rest seized his servants, mistreated them and

killed them. killed them.



The king was enraged. He sent his army and The king was enraged. He sent his army and

destroyed those murderers and burned their destroyed those murderers and burned their

city. city.



• They “They “paid no attentionpaid no attention” could be translated: ” could be translated:

“They just don’t care…about the will of God” “They just don’t care…about the will of God”


hishis field and field and

another to another to hishis

businessbusiness. .


• The ignorant guests are found The ignorant guests are found undeservingundeserving of of

the the invitationinvitation..

"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding

banquet is ready, but those I invited did not banquet is ready, but those I invited did not

deserve to come.deserve to come.

The The undeservingundeserving guests… guests…

Go to the street corners and invite to the Go to the street corners and invite to the

banquet anyone you find.' So the servants banquet anyone you find.' So the servants

went out into the streets and gathered all the went out into the streets and gathered all the

people they could find, both good and bad, people they could find, both good and bad,

and the wedding hall was filled with guests.and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

The The offensiveoffensive guest… guest…

"But when the king came in to see the guests, "But when the king came in to see the guests,

he noticed a man there who was not wearing he noticed a man there who was not wearing

wedding clothes. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did wedding clothes. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did

you get in here without wedding clothes?' you get in here without wedding clothes?'

The man was speechless. The man was speechless.

The The offensiveoffensive guest… guest…

"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him

hand and foot, and throw him outside, into hand and foot, and throw him outside, into

the darkness, where there will be weeping the darkness, where there will be weeping

and gnashing of teeth.'and gnashing of teeth.'

Jesus story had a Jesus story had a bottombottom lineline……

"For many are "For many are invitedinvited, but few are , but few are chosenchosen."."

Our Bottom Line:Our Bottom Line:

• It’s not how you It’s not how you startstart, but how you , but how you finishfinish

that matters! that matters!

For the curious and For the curious and those with questions :those with questions :

• You have received an You have received an invitationinvitation from God: from God:

RSVPRSVP required! required!

For the curious and For the curious and those with questions :those with questions :

For those living a For those living a Jesus-centered life:Jesus-centered life:

• You can not escape the You can not escape the consequencesconsequences of of

offendingoffending a holy God. a holy God.

You can not escape…You can not escape…

You can not escape…You can not escape…

Ephesians 4:1-6Ephesians 4:1-6

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to

live a life worthy of the calling you have live a life worthy of the calling you have

received. Be completely humble and gentle; received. Be completely humble and gentle;

be patient, bearing with one another in love. be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Make every effort to keep the unity of the

Spirit through the bond of peace. Spirit through the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:1-6Ephesians 4:1-6

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you There is one body and one Spirit—just as you

were called to one hope when you were were called to one hope when you were

called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

one God and Father of all, who is over all and one God and Father of all, who is over all and

through all and in all. -through all and in all. -

DressDress appropriatelyappropriately

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and

dearly loved, clothe yourselves with dearly loved, clothe yourselves with

compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness

and patience. and patience.

DressDress appropriatelyappropriately

Bear with each other and forgive whatever Bear with each other and forgive whatever

grievances you may have against one grievances you may have against one

another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

And over all these virtues put on love, which And over all these virtues put on love, which

binds them all together in perfect unity.binds them all together in perfect unity.

- - Colossians 3:12-14Colossians 3:12-14

FinishFinish wellwell!!

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Journey Into Holiness – p.12 “What Determines Your Future?” Matthew 22:1-14