The Marriage Supper

My friend was looking for a wedding outfit to wear for her daughter’s wedding. She found the most beautiful Italian lace dress that fitted perfectly and looked gorgeous on her. Unfortunately it was far too expensive for her to buy, so she began to look for a substitute, or material to make something similar. She could find nothing. Eventually, family and friends clubbed together to buy it for her.

We’ve been invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. There’s a wedding garment already made for each one of us. It fits perfectly and its beauty is outstanding. It’s made of righteousness and holiness, and it’s spotless and perfect. Jesus has already paid for it. It wasn’t bought with silver or gold but with His precious life-blood, so that we could go to the wedding feast of the King of kings.

Many people think that they can find something as good to wear, themselves, and if only they live a very godly life or do many good deeds, help the poor or give money to charity and missions or even fast and pray, these wonderful good works will make them acceptable for the wedding feast. But when the Lord looks at them, in those garments they’ve made for themselves, He’ll turn them away.

For the Lord will only accept and welcome those who are wearing the garments that He has purchased for them. Read the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22 where we see that judgement fells on those who rejected the king’s wedding garment.

We can receive the garments of salvation by admitting that our prized robes are like filthy rags compared to His garments of righteousness purchased for us at Calvary. For nothing that we can do can make us good enough. It’s only by His Grace and love that the way has been opened for us. ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ (Revelation 19:9).

Only by grace can we enter, only by grace can we stand.
Not by our human endeavour, but by the blood of the Lamb.
Into your presence you call us, call us to come –
Into your presence you draw us, and now by your grace we come.

Rez Valdez

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the garments You have provided. Help us, Your Church, to prepare ourselves and to be ready for the Bridegroom. Amen.