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THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S
ask Helen to tell us what a wedding is like. Now Helen has told us about the marriage, and the wedding supper, and how all the people who came to the wedding feast were dressed in their best clothes. Today our story is about a wed ding party also, but some of the people who received an invitation to the wed ding would not go and acted in a very wicked manner. Prayer, Lesson Story.—In our story today Jesus is telling them what the kingdom of heaven is like, and he tells them a story. Jesus said a certain king made a marriage feast for his son. The king sent out his servants, telling those who were invited to come; and they would not. Then the king sent to them again, saying, My oxen, my fatted calves, and 'my sheep have been killed for my din ner, and all things are ready, therefore come to the marriage. But some turned away and would not hear, and others took the servants of the king, and treated them cruelly and killed them. When the king -heard this he felt very badly indeed, arid sent' out his soldiers and destroyed the wicked men who killed his servants who invited them to the wedding feast. Then the king said to his other servants, “The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited cannot come. Go out, therefore, into the streets and lanes and ask all whom you meet to the marriage.” So the servants went out and gathered all the people they could find and brought them in. Now thd"1king had bought new and beautiful clothes for all those who should sit down to his feast, and one of these lovely garments was offered to each person as they came into the house, and he was commanded to put it on. Now when the king came into the room where the feast was held, he saw there a man that had not on the wedding garment. And the king said to him, “Friend, how earnest thou in here not having on a wedding garment?!’ And the man did not answer the king
a word, for he had refused to take it when it was offered to him. Then the king said to his servants, “Bind his hands and his feet, and take him away, and, put him in the dark dungeons where those persons are kept who will not obey me.” In this story the king who gave the feast means God, and the king’s son for whom it was given, means Jesus. Those who were first invited and woul^ not come, mean the Jews, because they were first asked to believe in Jesus, but they would not. Those who were brought into the feast afterward, mean those of all nations Who have believed in Jesus since that time. And the man without the wedding garment means any one who pretends to believe, but in his heart does not. Such a person may seem to obey God’s word, and thus de ceive others, but God sees our hearts, and nothing we can do will hide them, evgn for a moment, from Him. . Now boys and girls God has invited every one in the world to the marriage feast of His- Son Jesus, and the Wedding gar ment is the righteousness’ or goodness of Jesus, and when we believe in Jesus, then God gives us the wedding gar ment and we can go to the great wed ding feast of God’s Son, Jesus up in heaven. But we must really mean it in our hearts, for if we just say we be lieve and do not mean it, we will be like the man who did not have on a wedding garment. Jesus wants us all to come, as He tells us in our verse for today. Teach memory verse. Jesus has provided a wedding garment for each one of his guests. Have you re ceived yours? Closing Prayer.—Our dear heavenly Father we thank thee for asking us to come to the wedding feast of Jesus.
Let every minister while he is preach ing remember that God makes one of his hearers.
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