THE WRONG PEOPLE

The wedding table is set, the food is prepared, the fine linen and the best silverware is orderly arranged, the candles are lit, and the chairs are arrayed and neatly positioned, yet the people who were invited to the wedding feast did not come. Maybe they were the wrong people? Now it is important to know it was not the fault of the groom that the people did not come after all the people made promises and even confirmed the groom's invitation, but when the groom called for the people to take their seats no one showed up. One would say this would never happen, well I beg to differ with you sadly this happens almost every day. In the 22nd Chapter of Matthew there is a very sad parable Jesus uses to describe the way it seems things happen today in the world. After reading the parable my thought was maybe the wrong people were invited. Maybe the groom should have went after different people. Jesus shares, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, 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. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So 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." (Matthew 22:2-10) I really think there is much we can gain from this parable that could prevent the mistakes and loss of the past in the church. Now here let me say I wish none to be lost not one, please understand what I am saying, but we know that will not be the case. We know, "many are called, but few are chosen." The wedding call goes out every day, but only a few will answer the call and these are the ones who God chooses not because they were special, rich powerful, black, yellow, white, or mighty, oh no they were chosen because they answered the call of the LORD. I see it does not matter the ability, gender, color, or social status, but answering the call. Let us take some verses and look at the application of them today: "And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, 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.' (Matthew 22:3-4) For over 2,000 years since the death of Christ on the cross the call of God, "the deep calleth unto deep" (Psalms 42:7) has gone out to the heart of man, a depth of longing and desire (filled with peace and contentment) from the heart of God to the heart of man yet man habitually rejects it. The table is set the fatted oxen has been killed and prepared with all of the fixings, but it seems less and less people answer the call to come and dine. Growing up in church I can remember when it would be strange not to have a packed sanctuary, but today it is strange if the sanctuary is half full In the past people were never the problem, but today people are just not interested in the things of God. Distractions (media, social media, sports, job, entertainment, you name it) can fill our lives leaving little to no time to spend with the LORD, read His word (the Bible), or even go help our neighbor in time of need. Now it seems there is a certain level of people (the upper crust folks with money) meet this criteria. Most poor people have no time (they are too busy working two or three jobs) or money to waste on frivolous things, oh no food is too expensive, but one thing (lately) I have noticed is most churches go after people with money, but the people with money (unless they have a heart for the LORD) are filled with distractions, themselves, and seem to find little time for the LORD. Maybe the church of today too has went after the wrong people? Maybe the church of today needs to go after the poor and halt, the down and out, the folks who have nothing, and who really need the help of the church. The people who cannot give back. One of the greatest signs of spiritual growth and maturity is when we can give to someone who cannot return the favor. Again I believe we need to go after everyone with the message of the Gospel as the Holy Spirit gives the green light, but the poor and lowly folks seem to be more receptive to the Gospel than the rich. I have seen this all over the world. Maybe we need to refocus and double our efforts looking at the people who need the help and will answer the call. The rich young ruler is a prime example, he could not sell out. Jesus continues His parable, "But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city." (Matthew 22:5-6) Of course this is talking about how the world system and the people in the world treated Jesus, but when the king (the Father) heard how the people who were invited to the wedding feast treated His servant (the Son) He grew angry and punished the world system and the people in the world for their disobedience. Maybe the "Camp Fire" in Paradise, CA that killed 88 people (not mentioning the 1,000s injured) and over 500 people still missing was no accident. One thing that was strange from this fire was the report of the number of suicides from the fire fighters. Maybe all of this fighting around the world "army on army" is no accident. You know God has His ways of dealing with man. God draws with mercy, forgiveness, and justice, but if man rejects God's calling then God can only give (still a part of God's love) judgment, discipline, and punishment for man's waywardness. Again God has His ways of dealing with man. And you know weather changes and storms always gets man's attention from the devastation they provide. Just look at the wild fires, frigid weather, the hurricanes (Michael and Florence this year), tornados, drought, famine, plagues all to get man's attention and to soften his heart. Yes a loving God who sent His Son has His ways of getting man to answer His call to the wedding feast. But please notice what the king did. "Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad (poor) and good: (rich) and the wedding was furnished with guests.' (Matthew 22:8-10) The king sent His servants (that would be us) after the poor folks and not the "worthy" (the rich) the ones first bid come to the wedding. The servants, "gathered together all as many as they found, bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests." They do not go after the first called ones the king wanted or should I say hoped would come. They (the latter quest) were both good and bad. Who would think the king would want bad people at the wedding? Notice the bad people are listed first. Who would think bad, poor people are worthy? God. The church today goes after the good people first, but God goes after the bad people first. I guess His ways are not our ways. The "worthy" people lost their worthiness to attend the wedding feast because of how they treated Jesus and (this is important) because they rejected the invitation of the king probably again and again. Maybe the church over the years has went after the wrong people. They go after people of means and power to advance the church and its denominational agenda, but that is not God's heart in the getting. Money, influence, and power is never an equation in the call of God. Not even the ability to serve and do for God. God's call is after the humble and lowly, the poor and down and out. Maybe the church has went after the wrong people. Written by David Stahl