Servias Ministries Blog

In yesterday’s blog I wrote on the parable of the Wedding feast from Matthew 22.  There were three different attempts to bring forth attendees:

1)  Those who were not willing to come.

2)  Those who made a mockery of the Wedding and were lawless.

3)  Those who were called: Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.

The Scripture is multifaceted in what it speaks to us.  As we dig deeper into the parable and seek greater understanding, revelation opens up to us.  In this parable there are three groups of people who represent the major dispensations:  Passover Age (Israel), Pentecostal Age (the church), and Tabernacles Age (the Overcomers).  The Jews were not willing to come to the Wedding feast since they did not believe Jesus to be the Son of GOD.  The church in the Pentecostal Age has been known for its unrighteousness and sin.  Lawlessness included plundering and killing in the name of GOD.  The last 2,000 years of history confirm this prevailing attitude.  They have been too busy with their own doctrine to realize the importance of coming to this wedding.  Let’s focus on the third group.

“Therefore go into the highways” indicates where the servants are to find the third group.  They are not in organized religion but seem to be dispersed into the general population.  Further, “highways” is the same word translated as “The Way”.  In John 14:6  Jesus said “I am The Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  The Way into the Holy of Holies is by righteousness.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:8 “Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”  Those with the revelation of The Way were called to the Wedding feast.  The messengers of Our Heavenly Father brought in the third group of people to the Wedding hall but then we are given an interesting addition to the parable:

Matthew 22:10  So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Both good and bad?  Here we have Our Heavenly Father who has sent out HIS servants and they return with some who are “bad” or wicked?  It is clear that the servants were not able to discern the hearts of the attendees or they would not have been gathered to attend.  It is one thing to get invited to the Wedding, and it is another to be acceptable.  You can have the revelation of Tabernacles and not be chosen to bring forth the Kingdom.  It is a heart issue.  The servants could not discern which people were to attend.  They were to gather all of those who were called to be Overcomers.  They did their job.  Now comes the time for the fruit inspection:

11  “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment

Our Heavenly Father begins HIS inspection.  How would you like to be the man without a wedding garment?  Revelations 19 tells us more about the wedding garment:

7   Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

8   And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

9   Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

We will be inspected for our righteous acts, our fruit.  Will we be clothed with that fine linen, bright and pure?  Our Heavenly Father will judge our acts to determine if they are righteous.  We must understand that apparent righteous acts are subject to scrutiny.  They must be pure.  We will be judged for our intent behind those acts.  Will your wedding garment be fine linen?  Linen is what the High Priest wore in order to enter the Presence of THE LORD.  Can you imagine Our Heavenly Father asking you this question:

Mat 22:12   So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.

Our Heavenly Father has given us ample opportunity to prepare.  HE has given us gifts and a calling plus all the tools to bring forth that calling that we might produce good fruit.  Our fruit WILL BE inspected.  Our intent will be discerned.  What motivates you?  Where do you spend your time?  Where do you place your finances?  You will not answer to me or any other aspiring Overcomer.  Will you too be speechless?  My desire is to get us all to the Wedding feast in proper attire however you are accountable for your actions and your fruit.  What was the result of not having on an acceptable wedding garment?

13  Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

You will be removed from the Presence of Our Heavenly Father.  You will then be placed into judgment for an extended cleansing and purification cycle.  Let not this judgment be exacted on you or me.  My goal is to insure that the brethren are acceptable in HIS sight.  How can we be assured of acceptance?  We must focus on becoming as our elder Brother Jesus.  He is the expression of the Love of Our Heavenly Father.  As we focus on Love, our actions based on Love will follow.  Those actions will produce good fruit.  When the time comes for inspection, we will be acceptable because we are wearing bright and pure wedding garments.  We will then fully comprehend the final verse of this parable:

14   “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Proverbs 9:​1 Wisdom has built her house, ​​She has hewn out her seven pillars;

2 ​​She has slaughtered her meat, ​​She has mixed her wine, ​​She has also furnished her table.

3 ​​She has sent out her maidens, ​​She cries out from the highest places of the city,

4 ​​“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” ​​As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,

5 ​​“Come, eat of my bread  ​​And drink of the wine I have mixed.

6 ​​Forsake foolishness and live, ​​And go in the way of understanding

Wisdom prepares a feast for us to partake.  The number seven means“Spiritual Perfection” and here it is being associated with a feast.  Messengers are sent out to notify the people of a feast of wisdom and understanding.  It is a Feast of revelation.

Jesus also spoke a parable of a feast in Matthew 22:1-14.

The servants were sent out three times representing the revelation of three feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles in verses 3, 4, and 9:

3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’

5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.

6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.

9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’

10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.

12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.

13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Notice in verse 8 there are those who are not worthy.  Who are they?  Jesus spoke on this topic in an earlier parable:

Mathew 10:37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Worthiness centers around “losing” your life, dying to self.  It is all about Love.  Our Heavenly Father has issued the command to “Come!” and people are too busy to receive the revelation of being an active participant in the coming age.  In all three dispensations, Our Heavenly Father issued the call.  Each time those who were invited were too busy with worldly tasks to partake of HIS bread.  The Age of Tabernacles is preceded by the command to Come and dine.  The Bride of Christ is to be consummated.  Are you distracted with other areas of focus?  Have you been misdirected to worldly projects?  Weddings are all about Love and unity.  If you are not clothed in a wedding garment of Love, will you be allowed to stay?  Unprofitable servants (Matt 25), those without revelation of how to serve, will be cast out of the banquet.  “For many are called, but few are chosen.”  Think about it!

Are we willing to believe and act on a prayer by Paul The Apostle?  The current system would fight us to the end on this prayer to bring forth the Kingdom.  Why do we continue to focus on all else?  The adversary and the current system wants us to focus on “B” and “C” priorities, not the “A” priority of Agape Love.  If we will continue to focus on anything but the prize, we will never attain the prize.  Jesus Christ directed our focus to Love in HIS Sermon on the Mount.  HE stated the Law is summed up by Love.  He stated that we must Love our enemies in addition to Loving Our Heavenly Father and our neighbor.  In Matthew 22 HE told us “Many are called but few are chosen”.  This would indicate there to be a condition that satisfies HIS selection of us.  Some believe there is nothing for us to do in order that we be chosen.  I disagree.  We are called to do many things: we are to plant, we are called to pray, we are called to fast, etc.  Paul prays that we be strengthened with might.  This would indicate that we need strength for “something”.  We are to occupy until HIS return, another action.  We must accept the fact that we need power to accomplish what we have been called to do.  We must accept the fact that the adversary will test our resolve to act.  If we had no impact on the outcome, why would we need an adversary?  Why would we need to be trained and tested?  For those of us who believe that Our Heavenly Father will reveal the mystery that is tied to the the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we will actively pursue this fullness.  What is the key to this pursuit?  Paul says “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge”.  The key to the fullness is right there before our very eyes!  Why is it that we continue to focus on anything else?  Our fleshly man wants to stay in control… period!  Look in the mirror and ask yourself if you really want “the fullness of God”.  Do you want to be in that core group who brings forth the Stone Kingdom that grows and takes over the entire planet?  The time is now to focus on the prize set before us.  Quit assuming that the “fullness” is somewhere out in the future.  It will remain there as long as the fleshly man has his way.  The ego wants to control your path and focus and thus keep the manifestation of the Love of Christ out in the future, never to arrive on earth.  If Paul didn’t think that the manifestation would come, he surely would not have written the following, directed by the Spirit of Our Heavenly Father:

Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

At the beginning of the Pentecostal Age, there were a small group in one accord in the Upper Room.  Will you be in that small group in accord for the initial manifestation of the Tabernacles Age?  I believe this is who the Apostle Paul was praying for.

Our Sunday Afternoon Bible Study is intended to bring forth the manifestation of this prayer.  See: http://www.servias.org/?p=1230

Over the last forty years I have heard many teachings on the Book of Revelation.  Each teaching was based on a facet of the focus of the minister.  If he or she was focused on global destruction, the teaching would center around those passages that spoke of such destruction.  I am interested in looking at facets that cover the broad spectrum of the intent of the Revelation of Our Lord Jesus Christ which is how this final book begins.

First of all this Revelation was given to John, the beloved disciple.  He wrote through the eyes of Love, thus the name “Beloved”.  He ends his Gospel with the revelation of the 153 fish- the Sons of GOD.  Who better to give this prophecy to but to one who has the revelation of Love.  Who better to entrust such a prophecy to that would span thousands of years but to one who would walk and write of the greatest revelation “For GOD so Loved the world”.

It is not my intent to dissect each symbolic passage and apply it to history or focus on some forthcoming geopolitical event.  I want to look at how it applies to the here and now.  After all that is where we live each day and must direct our efforts to produce fruit for the Kingdom.  We are first instructed:

Rev 1:3  “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

What are we to “keep”?  The understanding that produces some response on our part.  When we hear, we respond.  When we hear not, nothing happens.  Think about it.  Revelation produces a response in us whether it be a specific action, a change in our path, or a new focus.  Something in us changes.

John writes to the seven churches in Asia.  We can look at these churches in various facets of history, in various states of challenges, or at a personal level.  The leader of a country is a reflection of the people.  The state of each church is a reflection of its members.  The very first church John addresses in the Revelation is Ephesus.  When we consider the issues that so easily beset us, we normally deal with the first and foremost issue.  I believe this Revelation did just that:

Rev 2:4   “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

The very first issue with the people is Love!  How many of us were overcome with excitement at the time of our salvation or at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?  It was like the weights were removed from us and we had this new zeal for The LORD.  Nothing else mattered.  We were like young thoroughbreds who wanted to run even though we knew not where to go.  Have you lost your first Love?  Have you forgotten what your salvation was based on?  Love!

The Book of Revelation is written to "him that overcometh”:

The church of Ephesus:  “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

The church in Smyrna:  “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”

The church in Pergamos:  “ To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

The church in Thyatira:  “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations”

The church in Sardis:  “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

The church in Philadelphia:  “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”

The church of the Laodiceans:  “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

Consider the progression of the promises listed above: Life, no second death, manna to eat, power over nations, clothed in white garments, pillar in the temple, sitting with Jesus on HIS throne.  What does it take to overcome?  We must not lose our Love.  Love must be our motivation to overcome or otherwise we will grow weary.  Love will sustain us as we overcome all obstacles.  Our Love empowers us as overcomers and without it, we will fall into the same situations that were mentioned among the churches.  What must we overcome?  All challenges that would prevent us from embracing the Revelation of Love and walking in the same Love that overcometh the world.  Think about it.