preached by the late Rev. M. MacSween, M.A., Oban.
(on 27th November 1960).
Text: “But they made light of it, and went their way, one to his farm, another to his merchandise,” Matthew 22:5.
WE shall consider three things which are to be learned from this verse in the parable of the marriage feast: first, the blessings which are prepared and which we are invited to receive; secondly, those who made light of the invitation; and thirdly, the folly and sinfulness of making light of the invitation, and despising so many opportunities.
First: the blessings prepared and to which we are invited.
A marriage feast is prepared for Jesus Christ, the Son of God in our nature, and His bride, the Church. Christ and His bride are united at this feast; they become one spirit, for “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit”. She becomes His beloved. He is “all in all” to her.
The feast contains all the blessings of grace and glory. “The Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” There is nothing that can cleanse the soul, direct the soul, or delight the soul but is provided in this feast of gospel blessings.
The Church, in being united to Christ the bridegroom, is reconciled to God the Father. She becomes His daughter. The bride was drawn to the Son by the lovingkindness of the Father, and she can therefore say,
“God is of mine inheritance
and cup the portion,
The lot that fallen is to me
thou dost maintain alone.”
What else can she then desire for time and for eternity? Christ is hers and therefore all things are hers. All good things that we can desire for time and eternity are found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Receive them freely – enjoy these rich blessings. Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” He calls, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
God sends many messengers to invite sinners to the gospel feast. The
invitation comes to sinners with the declaration that no unworthiness will keep the sinner from the feast. The “poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind” are all invited to come. In coming they shall be freely provided with a wedding garment. Accept the gospel invitation, and the blessings shall be yours – the blessings of pardon, peace, holiness, comfort, cleansing, support, food and water. All are provided and made over to the soul when Christ is received in the exercise of faith, and united to Him by faith. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life,” and, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” Receive Christ and you have everything.
* Rev. Malcolm MacSween (1904 – 78) was Church Deputy to Canada (1946 – 47), and minister in Bracadale (1947 – 56) and Oban (1956- 78). He was a Church Tutor from 1952 until his death.
Secondly, we see that the message is much disregarded. Many make light of it. Who make light of it?
They make light of the message who make excuses for declining the invitation of the gospel. They are in a slippery place – in a very slippery place indeed. They are on dangerous ground. The excuses which we read of in the parable are not worthy excuses. All excuses for refusing the gospel and rejecting Christ are unworthy. Those people who made light of it were dealt with most solemnly and severely. We ordinarily excuse ourselves from receiving Christ and laying hold on the blessings offered to us in Him. It is a common but a dangerous thing to make light of the Gospel.
The second class of people who make light of the invitation are those who do not accept the gospel with all thankfulness. Gospel blessings are of first importance to those who receive them with gratitude. Are they of first importance to ourselves? Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith. Try yourselves by this mark.
Yet others make light of the message by devaluing the blessings of the gospel. How valuable the blessing of liberty is! Many portions of Scripture show the bondage of those whose sins are not pardoned. Jesus says, “Come unto me for pardon; come now for freedom.” Bondage under Satan is blinding and terrible. What liberty there is in Christ! In His service is perfect freedom.
Again, how valuable are the riches imparted by Christ to the soul in union with Him! What are the riches of the world in comparison to these? Value the riches imparted by Christ above everything else. Do you so value them?
Thirdly, let us consider the folly and sinfulness of rejecting the gospel – of making light of the invitation.
What folly and wickedness it is to reject that only Saviour whom God has sent. “Neither is their salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Words cannot express the folly and sinfulness of making light of the Gospel.
Unless the Holy Spirit applies the gospel to men they will not receive it but will reject it – and they will be held responsible for their rejection of it. On the other hand, those who by grace do receive the gospel will value it above everything else.
They estimate the value of the blessings of the gospel by the price paid for their procurement. Every spiritual blessing – pardon, peace, and so on – was bought by the precious blood of God’s coequal, coexistent Son in our nature. If ever you shall be saved, what value will you be able to put on pardon? All your dreadful guilt will be removed. All your debts to divine justice will be paid to the last farthing. Is it not foolish and wicked to make light of God’s provision which was procured at so great a price? Surely it is!
Those who receive the blessings of the gospel also estimate their value by weighing them against other things. Of what value are all the pleasures of the world and all that the world contains when compared to the blessings of the gospel? These worldly things are lighter than vanity and are as the small dust of the balance. “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” The things of this world are truly vanity. Worldliness, as well as every other sin, deserves God’s wrath and curse. May the Lord awaken us by His Spirit to realise the folly and wickedness of putting more value on the world than on the blessings of salvation.
There is this solemn declaration in the truth: “For the fashion of this world passeth away.” It is a passing world, and we ourselves are hastening from it. Great changes take place in families and homes, by sickness, death, and other means. Think of this awful truth: men are being continuously hurried out of the world into eternity. These things are tremendously solemn. Great changes occur throughout the world. Once flourishing cities have vanished; powerful kingdoms have been destroyed, vast empires have risen and fallen. Scripture informs us that even the very “heavens shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
When we read these things in the word of God do we say to ourselves and others, “Why concern ourselves about worldly betterment?” We ought to use temporal blessings thankfully, and “use this world, as not abusing it.” We are in the world but we are not to be of it. Build no hope of salvation or happiness on the sand of this world. We are counselled in the truth to build on Christ, the Rock of Salvation, and then all will be well in sickness, in health, in life and in death. Beware of the folly and wickedness of refusing Christ and embracing the world.
Christ calls to us, “All things are ready: come unto the marriage.” God the Father says, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” All is well with each one who obeys the call. On the other hand, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” There is no safety or true happiness for us if we are without Christ. The world at best is a broken cistern, but the believer who has Christ is happy even though he may be destitute. All things are now ready. Come ye, sit down with great delight at the marriage made for the Beloved of the Church. Of Him she says, “My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand, …yea, he is altogether lovely.”
The Drawing of the Cross of Christ.
“What gives peculiar attraction to the Cross of Christ, and communicates to it the most powerful influence in bringing nigh those that were far off, is the love therein manifested to the sinful, perishing sons of men. Much of the goodness of God in creation may be seen by an an enlightened eye, much in His providential care over His creatures; but it is in the Cross of Christ that the glory of divine love has been most eminently displayed, and shines forth with a lustre surpassing all wonder and praise.”
Rev. Charles Calder (1748 – 1812), of Ferintosh