This coming Sunday our sermon will focus on “The Wedding Feast of the King” from Matthew 22:1-14. (Click the highlighted text to read the Scripture passage.)

Here is a comment on the above passage from J.C. Ryle to prepare your heart to hear God’s Word:

“A certain man made a great banquet, and invited many.” This is the Gospel. The Gospel contains a full supply of everything that sinners need in order to be saved. We are all naturally starving, empty, helpless, and ready to perish. Forgiveness of all sin and peace with God, justification of our persons, and sanctification of the heart, grace by the way, and glory, in the end, are the gracious provisions that God has prepared for us. 

There is nothing that sin-laden hearts can wish, or weary consciences require, which is not spread before men in rich abundance in Jesus Christ. Christ, in one word, is the sum and substance of the ‘great banquet.’ He says: ‘I am the bread of life… He that comes to me shall never hunger, and he that believes on me shall never thirst.’ 

It is not avowed dislike of the Gospel that is so much to be feared. It is that procrastinating, excuse-making spirit, which is always ready with a reason why Christ cannot be trusted and served today. To us the Lord is constantly saying: ‘Come to the supper! Come to me.’ 

Have you accepted His invitation? Or are you practically saying, “I cannot come.” If we die without having come to Christ, it would be better for us to have never been born.”