Parable of the Wedding Feast. Mt. 22:1-14.

Are you going?
Of course I’m going! This is a once in a lifetime event. Folks will be telling their great-great grandchildren about the time they literally had a meal fit for a king.
What about you?
I’m undecided, I mean this is the king’s banquet.
So. You’ve heard his servants shouting an invitation for all who wanted to attend.

Yeah I did and that’s what’s bugging me. Think about it, why would the great king want to have just anybody rolling up to his house for a banquet. And not just any banquet this is the special wedding feast he’s been preparing for his one and only son. This feast has been in the king’s mind from the day his son was born. It will happen once and once only. It is the meal of meals and wedding of weddings. Doesn’t it seem just a tiny bit strange that the king’s men would have to beg people to attend. Something’s not right, it just doesn’t seem real.

Well I don’t know about all that, but I do know that the food is going to be… what do the young folks say these days, ‘off the hook’. And besides all the guests get to greet the king and his son personally. Everyone is provided with a ride to the feast, a place to stay for the festivities (you know it’s going to be at least a week and probably more) paid vacation leave to attend and the king himself will provide wedding clothes for all the guests. So let’s see. You get a fully paid vacation to attend the wedding of a lifetime at the request of the king who is so eager to have you in the house that he’s gone to the trouble of even providing your wedding clothes. Sounds like a win win situation to me.

And you don’t think something’s wrong with that? Didn’t you hear that none of the people the king first invited are going? Didn’t you hear that they made up some lame excuses not to go? Did you forget that some of his servants got killed when they offered these cats the invitation? Something smells to the high heaven here. Look, I know you’re naïve and really want to believe that you’ll get something for nothing. But nothing’s free in this world. Pretty soon they’ll even figure out a way to charge us for the air we breathe. Do you really believe the king is going to go through all this trouble and pay all of his money just to have a bunch of no-names, misfits, outcasts and rejects at his son’s one and only wedding banquet? Get real! Don’t show up and embarrass yourself.

One wonders is it better to be naïve or cynical? Could you imagine a world where it just might be possible that the king loves his son so much that he wants his wedding banquet to be filled with guests? Is the king’s generosity so completely beyond belief? I don’t care why any of the first guests didn’t want to go, it’s their loss and our gain. Come on, let’s go. You know this is going to be the bomb. You’ll get to meet the king, his son, eat fabulous food for days and keep the wedding clothes he gives you.

You see that’s another thing I’m not feeling. Why do we have to wear the king’s wedding clothes? Why can’t we show up with what we have? My clothes are just as good as anything he could provide.

Uh.. I’ve seen your stuff and well to be straight… it’s raggedy. Besides you know the kings edict. Anyone appearing in the king’s presence on an occasion like this must wear the clothes he provides. You don’t want to think about what will happen if you show up in your own worn out, dirty clothes.

THAT’S IT! That’s exactly the problem. The reason why none of his first guests want to go is that they know the king think’s he’s better than them. Do you think their own clothes are worn out dirty rags? They probably wanted to show off their own clothes. But what does the king insist? That they wear what he’s provided just to be in his presence. You know I think I will go. But I’m not wearing the clothes the king provides. I’m going to march right up in his house, eat his food and show off my stuff!

PLEASE , PLEASE DON’T GO THERE! All you have to do is ask and one of the king’s servants will gladly give you the proper wedding clothes. You can’t go into the king’s palace and enjoy his food on your terms. If he commands that you appear in his presence in the garment he’s provided then you need to wear that garment. Your clothes won’t cut it. You’ll be found out, called out and then thrown out.

Oh really? I thought the ‘great king’ really wanted me to be there? I thought he was so concerned with having a bunch of chumps at his son’s wedding feast? You go on ahead. Follow the rest of the sheep and humiliate yourself by taking what the king provides. I’ll show up when I’m good and ready and wearing my own clothes thank you very much.

The king does want you there. And he wants his banquet house filled with guests to share in the joy of his son. But above all the king will to preserve his honor. No one appears before the king at his banquet in their own clothes. NO ONE but a fool dares to even imply that he is on the same level as the king. You know what they say ‘better to enjoy the king’s favor in humility than to face his displeasure in pride.’ Do what you want to do but know this, you’ve been warned. The king will not deal lightly with those who refuse his provision no matter what their excuse.

Yeah… we’ll see.

To His Who Loves Us…
Pastor Lance