Many Are Called

This reminds me of the draft system the military used when young men were drafted into the service for their country.  Many men were drafted, or you might say called, but not all were accepted because they may not have been able to pass the physical exam.  Some may have been disqualified for lying about their age or other factors that would cause them to be rejected.  If I remember right, when the Vietnam War broke out they only drafted single men, so if you were married and drafted by mistake you would probably be dismissed if the powers to be found out about it.

When you were young you may remember being called to be on a sports team but when the coach picked the team you were disqualified and not chosen.  Over the years many have experienced the same thing.  A person may be disqualified from many events after being called or chosen but there is one event that Jesus talked about in Matthew 22 that you don’t want to be dismissed, or disqualified for, after being called.  This is the wedding feast of the Lamb at the end of the age.

Jesus told a story (parable) about this in Matthew 22:1-14 saying this:

“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. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 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.

“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.”

Jesus was speaking to the chief priests and Pharisees and to all who were there at the time.  The parable is about God the Father and Jesus His Son and the servants that were Jews and Gentiles who were called, or invited, to the wedding feast.  God not only called many in the days Jesus walked the earth but He has been calling many all down through the ages.  But just like in the days this was written, many rejected the invitation then and many are doing the same thing today.

In those days Jesus, along with the other men that He called to be His disciples, walked about giving the invitation, teaching and preaching to all who would listen and many that they preached to were partly responsible for His death.  Today the Lord is still calling and inviting people to the wedding feast through His Word and His servants who teach and preach the Word.

God’s Word says this in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

The invitation is still there but many are still using excuses not to accept the invitation.  Let me share a little of what the Bible says about why many are called but few are chosen.  It says this in John 3:18-21, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

If you are reading this and you have never received the Lord’s invitation but you feel you are being called and you would like to accept the invitation, ask the Lord to be your Lord and Savior and ask Him to forgive you of your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.  While you are in this process don’t be in a hurry, wait on the Lord to fill you with His perfect peace, love and joy, then you can walk away rejoicing, thanking and praising the Lord for His great compassion and love and His grace.  Then go and share what the Lord has done for you.  Get into God’s Word and start studying and growing in your new faith.  Pray and ask the Lord to guide you to the congregation He would have you attend.  I have given you something to think about!  Have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!