February 2

Many people hear the call of God coming through His revelation of Himself through creation, the conscience, and the preaching of the Word. But only the “few” will respond because they are the ones who are truly hearing. Jesus said many times, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8, 14:35). The point is that everyone has ears, but only a few are listening and responding. Not everyone who hears the gospel receives it but only the “few” who have ears to hear. The “many” hear, but there is no interest or there is outright antagonism toward God. Many are called or invited into the kingdom, but none are able to come on their own. God must draw the hearts of those who come; otherwise they will not (John 6:44). ~ gotquestions.org

Exodus 15:19-17:7
Matthew 22:1-33
Psalm 27:1-6
Proverbs 6:20-26

Read Today’s Scripture – Click Here

Click on the Play Button below to Listen to Today’s Scripture

New Testament: Matthew 22:1-33

Summary:
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
Paying Taxes to Caesar
Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

Matthew 22:29

You don’t know the Scriptures

Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. ~ Matthew 22:29

The fear of man has replaced biblical conviction in some so-called Christian circles today. Public opinion has overridden the clear teaching of Scripture on many social issues. Entire denominations are caving to the fear of man, and it has become a snare to them. The desire to be viewed by the world as progressive, enlightened, tolerant, or politically correct is a snare Satan has used to reel people into his way of thinking. The need to be liked and accepted has become more important than the Word of God to many professing believers, thus proving the truth of Proverbs 29:25.

Romans 8:31 points us away from the ensnaring fear of man: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” While Christians should always be sensitive to current social issues and be compassionate and kind to all, we must never allow the fear of man to determine our course. Thousands of martyrs could have avoided death had they only remained silent about their loyalty to Christ. If they had allowed the fear of man to silence them, they may have won the world’s applause but lost heaven’s. While Satan cannot steal the salvation of those born again into God’s kingdom (John 1:12; 3:3), he can and does use snares to steal our victory, our witness, and our opportunities to store up treasure in heaven by magnifying the fear of man (John 10:10; Luke 12:33). ~ gotquestions.org

“For many are invited, but few are chosen.” ~ Matthew 22:14

Matthew 22:14 many are called, but few are chosen. The call spoken of here is sometimes referred to as the “general call” (or the “external call”), a summons to repentance and faith that is inherent in the gospel message. This call extends to all who hear the gospel. “Many” hear it; “few” respond (see the many-few comparison in Mat_7:13-14). Those who respond are the “chosen,” the elect. In the Pauline writings, the word call usually refers to God’s irresistible calling extended to the elect alone (Rom_8:30), known as the “effectual call” (or the “internal call”). The effectual call is the supernatural drawing of God which Jesus speaks of in Joh_6:44 (see note on Rom_1:7). Here, a general call is in view, and this call extends to all who hear the gospel. This call is the great “whosoever will” of the gospel (cf. Rev_22:17). Here, then, is the proper balance between human responsibility and divine sovereignty: the “called” who reject the invitation do so willingly, and therefore their exclusion from the kingdom is perfectly just. The “chosen” enter the kingdom only because of the grace of God in choosing and drawing them. From: MacArthur Bible Commentary

How do we know if we are among the few that have ears to hear? By responding to the call. Assurance of this certain call, this chosen call, is from the Holy Spirit. Consider Philippians 1:6, which says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13.) If we listen with our spiritual ears and respond to the invitation, there will be fear and trembling in our souls as we recognize that it was God’s work in us that caused our salvation. ~ gotquestions.org

Overview: Matthew 14 – 28 – Click Here

Grace to You

Responding to a Royal Invitation

Matthew 22:1–14

And Jesus was the master of analogies, and the master of figures of speech, and the master of language, and the master of articulating truth. He understood everything that His hearers understood. He knew what they knew because He had grown up in their culture. So, He started with things they could understand and move to things they couldn’t understand, going from the known to the unknown. And Jesus used all the things of common life, all the things of culture, all the things of daily routine, and turned them into spiritual messengers which conveyed profound spiritual truth.

Decisions