Bidden

From: Echoes of Grace: 1958

Bidden

From: Echoes of Grace: 1940

• 1 min. read • grade level: 4

You are bidden to the great feast of salvation. (Matt. 22:2-13²The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, ³And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. ⁴Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. ⁵But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: ⁶And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. ⁷But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. ⁸Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. ⁹Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. ¹⁰So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. ¹¹And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: ¹²And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. ¹³Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 22:2‑13).)

What are you doing with the invitation?

You remember the parable. The invited ones made excuse. They had other engagements. They cared nothing for the great supper. Their business matters, their family concerns filled their thoughts.

But the feast was furnished with guests without them.

And God's house of blessing will be filled whether you are there or not. But if not there, where will you be?

We cannot trifle with God's invitation without danger.

It is a small matter to slight the offer of hospitality of a fellow mortal. "But God." Dare we treat Him with such scant courtesy and not be condemned?

"None of those men which were bidden shall taste of My supper," was the decision of the provider of the feast. They might choose to change their minds and come, after all. They were to be excluded, however. No further message was dispatched.

You have been invited to the supper. What have you done about it?

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.