Sermon Outline

August 12, 2007

THE WEDDING FEAST

TEXT: Matthew 22:1-14

INTRODUCTION:

1. Jesus was in Jerusalem in what would be the last week of His life on earth.

2. He had created a great commotion with His entry into the city.

3. The multitudes has praised Him, making the self-righteous religious leaders jealous.

4. He did some of His most powerful teaching in parables in this same week.

5. The parables were usually for the purpose of teaching the Jews that He was the

Messiah and that they were making a grave mistake by rejecting Him.

6. Such is the lesson of the parable of the Wedding Feast.

I. THE PARABLE EXPLAINED:

A. God is depicted as the King of Heaven:

1) Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth."

2) Genesis 17:1-2 - When Abram was 99 years old the Lord appeared to Abram and

said to him, "I am Almighty God, walk before Me and be blameless."

3) Exodus 20:2-3 - I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of

bondage, you shall have no other God's before me.

4) Ecclesiastes 12:13 -The whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His

commandments.

5) Isaiah 63:16 - You, O Lord are our Father, our Redeemer from Everlasing is You

name.

6) Mark 12:29-30 - The Lord our God is one Lord, thou shalt love the Lord thy

God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength.

B. Verse 1: The marriage of God's Son to the church has enabled us to come and feast

upon the things which bring life eternal.

1) Ephesians 5:22-32 - I speak concerning Christ and the church.

2) Revelation 21:9 - Come I will show the bride, the Lamb's wife.

3) Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteous, they shall

be filled.

4) Matthew 11:28 - All, of the lost and dying world is invited.

C. Verse 5: The Jews were invited first but they made light of the invitation:

1) Romans 1:16 - Jews first and also for the Greeks

2) They refused to acknowledge Him as the Messiah and went about their own

business.

3) They rejected God's servants who were sent before to tell of the coming of Jesus.

4) They killed the Son of the King (Jesus).

5) Acts 2:36 - God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.

6) Acts 7:51-53 "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always

resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. "Which of the prophets did

your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the

Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, "who have

received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it."

7) Jewish persecution was some of the worst the church saw in the first century

(Acts 8:1ff)

D. Verse 7: Predicts the destruction of the Jewish system and the city of Jerusalem in

A.D. 70 as punishment for their rejection of Jesus:

1) Matthew 24:30-31 - The coming of the Son of Man in judgement in the form of

the Roman army on the Jews.

2) Hebrews 8:13 - In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first

obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish

away.

3) Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of

the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful

expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the

adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the

testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you

suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot,

counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing,

and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is

Mine; I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His people."

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

E. Verse 9: The Jews rejected Jesus: God now goes into the "hedges" the whole world

and invites all:

1) Ephesians 2:11-13 - Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--

who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the

flesh by hands-- that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the

commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no

hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were

far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

2) Acts 17:30 - commands all men everywhere to repent.

3) Acts 10:34-35 - Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that

God shows no partiality. "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works

righteousness is accepted by Him.

F. Verses 11-13: Some, will try to come in improperly clothed or not prepared:

1) Matthew 25:1-13 - The foolish virgins

2) Matthew 7:21-23 - Some will rely on works that they saw fit to do, not

authorized by God.

3) Verses 112-13 It won't be allowed.

4) Ephesians 6:14-15 - The belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the

preparation of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of

the Spirit ( which is the word of God).

5) Many today are trying to enter the Kingdom of God without proper preparation.

6) John 10:1-9

II. THINGS OF WHICH PEOPLE MAKE LIGHT TODAY: (VERSE 5)

A. Authenticity of the Bible:

1) 2 Peter 1:21 - for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God

spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2) 1 Corinthians 2:13 - These things we also speak, not in words which man's

wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things

with spiritual.

3) ABC Executive who called it a book of fairy tales, not relevant to the real world.

B. Authority of the Bible:

1) John 16:13-15 - The writers were guided by the Holy Spirit.

2) Matthew 28:18- Authority of Jesus to commission its writing.

3) John 12:48-50 - "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that

which judges him-- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

"For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave

Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. "And I know that

His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father

has told Me, so I speak."

4) Hebrews 1:1-2

5) Acts 1:2 - Jesus, through the Holy Spirit gave commandments to the Apostles.

C. Application of the Bible ("Doesn't apply to us!"):

1) 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All the equipment needed unto every good work.

2) Acts 2:42 - And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and

fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

3) 2 Peter 1:2-4 - All things that pertain to life and godliness.

4) 1 Corinthians 15:58 - Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of

the Lord.

5) John 14:15- If you love Me you will keep My commandments.

6) Ecclessiastes 12:13 - Whole duty of man.

D. Actualization of the Bible: (Will these things really happen?)

1) 1 Peter 1:25 The word of the Lord endures forever.

2) Matthew 24:35 - Word will outlast the earth.

3) John 14:3 - I will come again.

4) Acts 1:11 -He is coming back the same way He left, on a cloud.

5) 2 Thessalonians 1:7 - In flaming fire taking vengence on those who know not the

Lord and those who obey not His gospel.

CONCLUSION:

1. The Feast is ready.

2. You are invited.

3. You must be properly clothed.

4. Must not make light of it, it is a serious thing.

5. If you refuse to come you will be lost.

6. The Bible is Authentic, Authoritative, Applicable, and it will be Actualized.

7. How are you to prepare for this: Ephesians 6:15 - Shod you feet with the preparation

of the gospel of peace.