Last Hours Of The Invitation

A certain king made a marriage for His Son and sent forth His servants to call those who were invited to the wedding, but they refused to come. He sent other servants with a more urgent message, “Look, I have prepared My dinner: My oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready! Come to the marriage!” But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise, and others insulted those who invited them, even murdering them. – (Matthew 22:2-6)

We understand this parable refers to the Gospel invitation of Jesus’ day. But this parable also applies to our generation, for we are now in the last hours of the same invitation. Knowing what befell Moses' generation and Jesus' generation, the Bible asks those still delaying a gripping question... "For how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" (Hebrews 2:3).

“So great salvation.” What a statement! It is “so great” because it saves us from death and hell, and brings us into eternal glory, in the presence of One who loved us, and washed us from our guilty sins in His own blood, that in the ages to come we might experience the riches of His unending kindness An eternal wedding feast awaits! Who would want to miss it?

The Gospel invitation requires a response - repentance regarding our sins, and faith in Christ's work on the cross for us - in a "ASAP" urgency. “Be diligent (with speed and sincerity) to confirm your invitation! … So an entrance shall be fully and abundantly reserved to you into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10,11).

May those we speak to hear life-saving urgency in our voices, “Come! for all things are now ready!"

(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)