The Importance of Dressing well!

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The Importance of Dressing well! Matthew 22: 1-14 What does Sodom and Eden have to do with this Story? 1. The long-awaited Marriage Feast (Revelation 19: 1-11) 2. The Three-Fold Invitation Two Stages of the invitation: 

The pronounced of the event

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The Event is now ready

Revelation 19: 1-9 Revelation 19: 7 “…the bride hath made herself ready” 3. The attitudes of the King's Friends and Family 4. The Third Invitation to the Good and Bad outside the realm of the Friends and Family of the King or the Prince 5. The Feast – The long awaited Feast… more than just a feast… this is The Feast! 6. The Garments – The Gift of the Garment… more than just a garment… this is The Garment! The Gift of the Garment is His Righteousness but we are responsible to put it on! Galatians 3: 27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Ephesians 4: 22-24, 30 ”That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 30 and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. “ Colossians 3: 8-10 ”...now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” 1st Corinthians 5: 13 ”But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” This Garment represents a transformed person!

Isaiah 61: 2-3 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness:..” Isaiah 61: 10-11 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garment of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” 7. The Speechless Embarrassment This man’s crime was: 

A defiant attitude

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A lack of gratitude

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A lack of respect for the King and His son

8. The actions of the King in response to the arrogance of the Unprepared. This man was not just thrown out of the Feast, He was thrown into Outer Darkness! Jesus said, “many are called but few are chosen.”

This story has nothing to do with clothing but everything to do with attitude, motive, honor, and appreciation, a garment representing Obedience. The Garment here was the garment of respect, the garment of surrender, the garment of honor. This Garment represented the gift of Christ / it represented growth / this Garment said that this person was anticipating this meeting of the King / this is a story of preparation / this garment said that this man came by the one responsible for the invitations. He or she got this garment in anticipation and excitement.

What does Sodom and Eden have to do with this story??? Modern American Christians want to dress like the lost and be treated like the Saved. Modern American Christians want to party in Sodom and come home to the safety, security, provisions, and blessings of Eden at night and in the end.

What does this story tell us about that thinking? Jesus is telling us that if we are not preparing in humility, there is a problem! 1. For us to be invited was a miracle. 2. For this man not to have put on the gift of the garment is a big declaration of the man’s heart.

? Does your actions declare your appreciation for the invitation? ? Are you anticipating the feast and the meeting? ? Are You Dressing?