Passion Week Devotion #3
Text: Matthew 22:1-14
Pastor Jimmie Suggs, Jr.
“And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
This is one of the “kingdom parables.” It is the second one that we have dealt with in this Passion Week devotion series. You may be wondering: what is a “kingdom parable”? A parable is a story that is used to convey a particular message. It is a story with a teaching laid down beside it. Jesus used parables as one of his methods of teaching.
The kingdom parables are stories that Jesus used to communicate specific things regarding the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. Now, there is a sense in which many, if not all of Jesus’ parables are “kingdom” parables because they communicate things about the kingdom of God. But the ones designated “kingdom parables” are those which are introduced, “the kingdom of heaven is like…” or “the kingdom of heaven may be compared to…” This is important because it points the audience to the subject matter. Jesus is speaking of things as they relate to the kingdom of heaven.
In this parable we read that Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a king that has prepared a wedding feast for his son and he has sent out invitations. We have all received invitations to various events. We have been invited to parties, graduations, showers, receptions and weddings. Being included on an invitation list is usually pretty special. The host always goes to great lengths to insure that everything is prepared properly for the guests. The host as well as those being honored look forward to the attendance of their guests.
If you are like me you probably have not attended all the events to which you have been invited. Often times we are not able to attend due to prior engagements. And, there are times that at the last minute something has come up that prevented our being able to attend the special event. But if we are honest there are some invitations that we have just disregarded. We didn’t throw the invitation on the floor and stomp on it, and we didn’t shoot the messenger. We just had no interest and therefore declined the invitation.
This is the situation in the parable. The king went to great lengths to plan his son’s wedding feast. He sent out invitations. When it was time for the feast he sent out messengers to inform the guests that the preparations were complete. The guests disregarded the invitation and some even killed the messengers. Now we cannot imagine this happening in real life, but Jesus was making a point. His point was tied to the fact that the story was about the kingdom of heaven.
The story continues to tell of things that seem even more absurd. The king sends soldiers to kill those who had killed the messengers. In all of this the wedding is not postponed; it goes on as planned. More invitations are sent out and this time the people come. “The wedding hall is filled with guests” (vs. 10).
Great end of story -right? But not so fast. Now something even more strange happens. With all the emphasis on invitations and those who came and those who didn’t, now we are introduced to a “wedding crasher.” That’s right, someone shows up who doesn’t belong at the wedding feast. His clothes give him away. When asked how he got in, he had no response. “He was speechless.” And the story ends on this note. “Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” (vs. 13). The wedding crasher is severely punished, cast into outer darkness.
The last sentence of the story sums it all up. “For many are called, but few are chosen” (vs. 14).
Jesus is clearly speaking of the kingdom of heaven. So, what are we to make of all of this? What was Jesus intent on communicating?
First, it is clear that God, the King of the kingdom of heaven, has prepared a great wedding feast for his Son, Jesus. It is an event like no other. We come to discover that the guests are honored with Jesus. They are the Son’s bride (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:23-22; Rev. 19:6-9).
Second, this wedding feast is an “invitation only” event. But it is clear that not all who are invited accept the invitation.
Third, it is a serious matter to decline God’s invitation.
Fourth, it is also a serious matter to be unprepared (improperly dressed) to participate in the feast.
As we meditate on this text, be reminded of God’s grace in his invitation. It is clear that no one is worthy of receiving the invitation. “But those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.” None of those invited were worthy. You and I are not worthy. Realizing this fact, consider your life. Does it reflect the life of one who is appreciative of being invited by God? Does it reflect the life of one who is longing to be with Jesus? Passion Week, as well as every other week, is best lived with an understanding of the worthiness of God to be loved and longed for by those who are unworthy to be loved and longed for by Him.
Prayer: Father, thank you for your invitation to love you, be with you and worship you! Thank you for the preparations you have made in Christ for all those you have chosen to be with you. Though unworthy, you have sought me out that I may be with you. Help me as I seek to honor you rightly in my living as I await being with you. I offer this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.