Charles Simeon

Alas for those who are at ease in Zion,
and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria.

the notables of the first of the nations,
to whom the house of Israel resorts!

Cross over to Calneh, and see;
from there go to Hamath the great;
then go down to Gath of the Philistines.

Are you better than these kingdoms?
Or is your territory greater than their territory,

O you that put far away the evil day,
and bring near a reign of violence? 

Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory,
and lounge on their couches,

and eat lambs from the flock,
and calves from the stall;

who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,
and like David improvise on instruments of music;

who drink wine from bowls,
and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile,
and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.

1 My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; *
I will sing and make melody.

2 Wake up, my spirit;
awake, lute and harp; *
I myself will waken the dawn.

3 I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord; *
I will sing praises to you among the nations.

4 For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, *
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

5 Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *
and your glory over all the earth.

6 So that those who are dear to you may be delivered, *
save with your right hand and answer me.

Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”