(Matthew 22:1-14 The parable of the wedding banquet)
Weddings: In some point of our lives we all dreamt of having such an event. Some of us would love to witness this kind of event, a union of two souls, a celebration of love at its peak. But today, we are going to talk about an extraordinary wedding. Not like the weddings that we see everyday. This is the kind of wedding that is vital to our souls; the one that you wouldn’t want to miss. It is a “must attend” event.
Let’s open our bibles to Matthew 22:1-14. This chapter is a continuation of Christ’s discourses in the temple, 2 or three days before he died.
The parable represents the Gospel offer, God’s offer of salvation, and the blessings prepared for the people it was offered to. It is described in this chapter how people responded to the King’s invitation for the wedding banquet for His son.
A King has prepared a feast and you are invited. Wouldn’t you want to attend? Can you imagine what will be served in such a feast? Remember it’s not just your common neighbor who prepared the dinner. It is the King! The King who rules and owns the land you live in and yet the invited guests made light of the invitation and went their own ways.
In this culture, two invitations are sent. The first asks the guests to attend. The second announces that everything is prepared and they should come. This shows the persuasiveness of the King, our God. He really wants to us to attend the feast that He has prepared. He’s first invited guest, the Jews, made light of His invitation. They didn’t take it seriously. They disregarded the worth of the invitation. Why would anyone turn down a king’s invitation? Oxen and fatlings were killed, the best of the best. There were no light meals offered, all were substantial. The appetizer is the pardon of sin, the main course is reconciliation with God, and for dessert, eternal life and all the blessings that comes upon the church. And yet the Jews chose to attend their farm (countrymen) and merchandise (city dwellers). Matthew 6:33 reminds us of what is essential as we live our lives. Like the Jews, many people nowadays have become myopic on how they see life. They cannot see the far future so instead, they invest their time and effort to the things that easily perish. Sometimes, we become too much indulged in our worldly employment. What is 80 years of life on earth compared to eternity?
Some went to the farm; some went to the market, and so what happened to the remnant? The ones who were left were neither working in the farm nor selling merchandise. They were Scribes, chief priests and Pharisees. It’s hard to fill a cup when it’s already full with something else, like the knowledge of religion and ego. They would not accept the invitation because they are not aware of the need for it. (Like the religious leaders in the parable, the religious leaders whom Jesus was talking to cannot accept Him as their Christ and King because they have the full knowledge of the Jewish law and teachings. They knew that the Messiah is coming, but they were expecting a different kind of king). They treated the messengers spitefully, and worst they slew them (Mat 22:6). This act brought upon their own destruction. Take note that He did not destroy the despisers of His call, but the ones who murdered His messengers. It’s God’s way of telling us not to lay one finger on His servants.
Observe that the reason why people would not accept the invitation is not because they cannot, but because they will not. They chose not to! They perished because of their own doing.
Because the invited guests were utterly unworthy, the invitation was brought to everyone. It was intended for the Jews but extended also for the Gentiles. Now the feast was furnished with guests, both bad and good. (Everyone is invited to God’s salvation through Christ.) It was customary for wedding guests to be given wedding clothes to wear to banquet. But one man was not wearing clothes the king had provided. It was unthinkable to refuse to wear these clothes. It would mean an insult to the host who could only assume that the guest was arrogant and thought he didn’t need the clothes, or he did not want to take part in the wedding celebration. Think of your dream wedding, everything was perfect until a one of your groomsmen enters in wearing a clown costume. What would you feel?
Let’s give emphasis on the man who wasn’t wearing the wedding clothes the king had provided. Indeed he answered to the invitation. But he came unprepared. He neglected the wedding clothes. Why? Was he too attached to his old clothes that he couldn’t give it up for the wedding garment? Were his clothes too precious? Were his clothes stitched to his skin that it would cause him too so much pain he doesn’t want to remove it?
The wedding clothes represent the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We may have answered to His call for salvation but not everyone is wearing His righteousness. We may have a hard time letting go of our old clothes. Are we blinded by the glimmer of the luxury of this world as it is embedded to our clothes, or is it the sin that is stitched to our skin that is hindering us on putting the wedding clothes? Maybe some had put on the wedding clothes, but underneath is their filthy smelly shirt. The case of the hypocrites was represented by the guest who had not put on the wedding clothes. It concerns everyone to prepare for scrutiny, and those only who is sanctified by the Holy Spirit, who live by faith and walks with Christ, have the wedding clothes on.
SUMMARY:
1. God has prepared a feast in celebration of the wedding of His Son.
2. Everyone is invited but not everyone decided to come.
3. Not everyone who came was prepared.
CONCLUSION:
Many are called but few are chosen. Many are called to the wedding feast that is to salvation but few have their wedding clothes on, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit.
Let us examine ourselves whether we are in the faith, and let us seek to be approved by the King.
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