VI. DESPITE GOD'S KINDNESS AND PATIENCE MEN BECOME HARDER

1. They chose to disregard His invitation.

"But they made light of it, verse 5. They put no value upon the King's invitation or the marriage of His Son. There is a verse in Proverbs which sets forth the awful wickedness of this action. "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof," Proverbs 1:24-25.

God has often to complain of such behaviour. "But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me," Psalm 81:11.

Boys and girls this is how men treated Christ! "And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate," Luke 23:11.

Tell me, what value do you place of God's Word today? Do you listen to it, read it, heed it, obey it? Have you accepted His invitation yet?

2. They counted the common things of this world more important. "But they . . . . went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise," V 5. Cows and goats and sheep are more important to some than is the Lord!

3. Furthermore, some went even further in their rejection of the invitation. "And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them," verse 6.

Rejection hardens the heart. Mockery of the servants of the Lord is but a rejection of the Lord and His invitation. It leads to murder!