The Ultimate Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22 - P 57)

The chapter break between Matthew 21 and 22 is unfortunate.  Chapter 22 begins with a parable that is the last of a set of parables Jesus told the religious leaders who were questioning His authority (Matthew 21: 23 - 27).  His response to their belligerent challenge was to tell stories.  First there was the parable of the two sons.  Point?  Obedience matters ... your behaviors are more revealing about your heart than are your words.  The second story was the parable of the tenants.  Point?  The ones to whom God had entrusted care of His vineyard had rejected, not only their task, but also Jesus himself.  And their end would be "wretched".  And then Jesus tells two more parables to those antagonistic Jewish leaders ...

Read Matthew 22: 1 - 14

Our verses today contain two parables:  verses 1 - 10 followed by a twist on the story in verses 11 - 14.  

There was a wedding banquet - not just any random wedding banquet - the king's son!  The custom at Jesus' time was to send out two invitations to a wedding.  The first was an invitation saying that you were invited to a great banquet.  A time and date were not included.  The preparations began ... and when all was ready ... the second call went out announcing that the time had arrived ... come!  

Since we are not part of the Jewish religious leadership, are there any lessons for you and I?  What can we learn?  

1. The invitation into God's kingdom is now for all.  All are invited.  There is not an exclusive invite list.  It is not for one echelon of people - not for one social strata - not for one nationality or culture - not for one gender ... it is for all.  Have you ever been guilty of predetermining who will be accepting of Jesus and who will not?  I must confess that I have.  We tend to make assumptions about people or categories of people.  And we tend toward selectivity.  We prefer people like ourselves - however your "self" looks.  We must hear Jesus' words in this parable and know that God extends the invitation  ... our task is to deliver it ... without deciding beforehand who will be receptive and who will not.  Is there someone in your life who needs to hear you speak about Jesus?  Have you been hesitant because you are so sure they are not interested?  Have you been afraid to say anything because of lifestyle or political preferences or any host of other reasons?  Read this parable again ... the invitation is from God ... to all ... your job is to deliver it.
2. The things that keep us from the kingdom of God are not always bad things.  There was nothing wrong with taking care of business, or tending to your field.  It's still a matter of priorities.  Don't let the good rob you of the best!  Let your focus be on the best ... and take care of the good along the way.  
3. The invitation is into joy ... into celebration.  The driving force behind the kingdom of God is not avoiding punishment.  The driving force is the joy that would be missed if one does not respond.  Remember Jesus' picture is one of a great celebratory banquet.  THAT'S what God wants to offer you.  
4. It is an invitation of grace.  No one deserves to be invited ... but invited you are!  Pure gift.  

Verses 11 - 14 take the parable down a different trail.  The imagery that Jesus uses is familiar to these religious leaders.  Note the following:

Psalm 132:16  I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will ever sing for joy.

Isaiah 61:10  I delight greatly in the Lord;  my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness ...

Zechariah 3: 3 - 5  Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.  The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes."  The he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."  Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head."  So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.

And the imagery continues ...

Revelation 19: 7 - 8  Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!  For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear..  (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

So do you see the problem in the story Jesus told?  The guest assumed it didn't matter how he came to the banquet.  He could stay filthy.  Yes, the invitation is pure grace ... one does not have to get "cleaned up" to receive the invitation, to come to the feast ... you come "just as you are" ... but one must consider what going to that banquet means in their lives.  I love the way William Barclay describes this:

The way in which people come to anything demonstrates the spirit in which they come.  ... This parable has nothing to do with the clothes in which we go to church; it has everything to do with the spirit in which we go to God's house.  It is profoundly true that church-going must never be a fashion parade.  But there are garments of the mind and of the heart and of the soul ...

And there is the garment of Christ himself.  Without being clothed in Christ, we are not clothed at all.  Without being clothed in Christ, we remain filthy and unrighteous.  And you cannot participate in the wedding banquet of the Son if you are filthy and unrighteous.  Hence, the ABSOLUTE NECESSITY of Jesus.  It is his righteousness - his cleanness - his covering - that allows us to be full participants in the most glorious celebration in all eternity.

So my question is ... are you clothed?  Please put on the pure, clean garment that is our Lord!  

The invitation is in your hand ... what will you do with it?