Sunday, June 7, 2009 
Scripture Reading: Matthew 22: 1:5; 8-14
22Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4Again 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.” 5But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, ....
8Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” 10Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 ‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. 13Then 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.” 14For many are called, but few are chosen.’
Sermon Title: "THE ULTIMATE INVITATION" Sunday, June 7, 2009
ASSOCIATE PASTOR STEELE:
The Scripture lesson today provides us with an interesting and challenging parable.
It’s a parable about an invitation to a party, a wedding feast! The King’s son is getting
married, and that is big business. After all, no social event could be much bigger than a
wedding banquet for the King’s son!
However, this particular parable takes a peculiar turn. Just at the point where the band
is striking up the music and we’re headed to the big moment in the celebration, the host,
the King, gets downright nasty and what’s worse, that’s where the story ends.
The parable appears to be directed to the chief priests and Pharisees, the religious leaders
and the organized church.
Jesus tells them this story and says the Kingdom of Heaven is like a King who was giving a
wedding banquet for his son. When things were just about ready, the King sent out servants
to the previously invited guests, to tell them that the time had come. Yet, strange as it may
seem, they ignored the King’s invitation. The King then sent out another team, this time with
a more insistent message: “Look, I have prepared the dinner, the oxen, and the fatten calves have
been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.” Matthew 22:4
It is at this point in the parable that we realize Jesus is describing an irrational situation. A good
movie producer could make this story into a comedy of the absurd!
Following proper social protocol, the King had sent out early invitations; and then when the event
was near, he sent his messengers to announce that everything was ready and the time had come.
These messengers were ignored, so he sent more, this time with an urgency that is somewhere between silly and pathetic.
It would be silly if this were an ordinary host or hostess. But this is no ordinary household celebrating a
son’s wedding: this is the King!
And the King is being made to look like a comic strip character. To make the situation worse, Jesus
notes that those who were invited didn’t take the invitation very serious. One translation says, “They made light of it.”
Another translation says, “They paid no attention to it.” They ignored it!
Let me stop here and point out that this part of the parable has two applications. First, it describes the historic
relationship between God and the people of Israel. Israel had been “invited” to be God’s chosen guests, to
experience all His blessings and to take those blessings to the world! But Israel had been very casual in their
response. As a result, the invitation was offered to others through God’s Son, Jesus Christ!
But, before we criticize the nation of Israel for being lax in their response, we should consider how these verses
apply to the church, our church, as well.
How many times have we (and I include myself) failed to accept God’s invitation to celebrate the blessings
of the new covenant? How many times have we “made light of God’s invitation” to receive, accept, embrace,
and share the Good News and truth contained in the Gospel message?
Church, how many times have we “not paid attention” to God’s invitation to experience the joy of helping
someone in need? How many times have we “passed” on God’s offer to experience the peace of standing up for what we know is right?
Think about this in general terms, have you ever wanted to turn down an invitation to something because you
didn’t think it to be worthwhile or a good use of your time, only to find out afterward that you really enjoyed the experience and
were glad you accepted the offer?
The Bible says those who received an invitation made excuses, one had to go to his farm, the other to his business,
they were too busy to respond. Too busy or their priorities were out of order.
How many times have we rejected God’s invitation because we are too busy, or because our priorities are out of whack?
Perhaps we don’t see the value in the invitation because it is simply not important enough to us? Or, maybe we have become
apathetic toward the things of God!
I believe God is going to have a celebration, regardless of whether we have sense to accept His invitation!
We serve a God of celebration!!
But then there’s the last part of Jesus’ story. At first reading, this scenario is hard to hear and difficult to comprehend…
When the party is in full swing, with joy and good feeling everywhere, the King notices a man there “who was not
wearing wedding clothes.” Matthew 22:11
The mood changes dramatically. The King asks, “Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?”
The man was speechless. Then the King order the man to be bound “hand and foot and thrown into darkness where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 22:12-13
Earlier in the story the King was so anxious for a party that he expanded the guest list. How is it that the generous host
has now become a vindictive enforcer of the dress code? The difference in the King’s attitude is shocking. When we first
read about the King sending out his staff to recruit additional guests, it doesn’t appear he is all that interested in
qualifications, it appears that he is more interested in filling the seats at the banquet table. So, what is the meaning
in this strange turn of events?
First of all, we need to consider the parable makes it clear that the guests who finally came to the party got
there by grace! The King instructed his servants to “go into the streets and invite anyone and everyone you find” and we read that
those who were gathered together for the grand occasion were “both good and bad” Matthew 22:9-10
This was not a select group!
SO, this was a group that was made up of good and bad. The King’s net had been thrown our and drawn in indiscriminately.
J. Ellsworth Kalas says, “People didn’t qualify for the invitation, the invitation qualified them.”
So, what was this guy’s problem? What was it that caused the person in Jesus’ parable to be thrown out?
Again, Kalas, a favorite author of mine, says the man’s problem may have been presumption or pride. He contends
the man may have taken God for granted. Perhaps the man in the parable thought he didn’t have to follow the rules.
You see, in Jesus’ culture, it was customary for wedding guests to be given garments to wear to the banquet.
It was unthinkable to refuse to wear these garments. That would insult the host, who could only assume that the guest was
arrogant and thought he didn’t need the garments or that he didn’t want to participate in the wedding celebration.
So, apparently the man mentioned here decided against wearing the wedding clothes offered to him. The guest in our
parable thought he could somehow get by, and that the rules didn’t apply to him.
I think of Naaman in the Old Testament. Do you remember the story? Naaman was a very affluent man, he had wealth,
power, prestige, and influence, yet he also had a problem, he had leprosy. And, back then, there was no cure for leprosy!
A servant girl from Israel encouraged him to go visit Elisha, the prophet. She believed that her God could heal him.
So, Naaman took an entourage and a whole lot of money. (I guess he thought he could impress Elisha or buy his healing.)
When Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house, Elisha sent a messenger out to tell him to go wash in the Jordan River 7 times.
The Scripture says that Naaman became very upset and highly offended because the prophet didn’t even come out to see him.
And in his arrogance began to say things like, “Well, doesn’t he know who I am? Besides, the rivers in Damascus
are better than the water in the Jordan.” And Naaman left in a tizzy because of his pride and presumption.
Fortunately, Naaman’s servants talked him into following God’s instruction and when he did, he received a blessing and
was healed of his leprosy.
You know, we are all somewhat susceptible to Naaman’s initial attitude. Sometimes, if we’re not careful, we can begin
to take God for granted and thing the rules don’t apply to us!
It is worth noting the manner in which the King in the parable addresses the guilty party. “Friend,” the King says.
The person who came in an improper garment was not a stranger. AS Jesus tells the story, the King addressed him with
the same word Jesus used when Judas betrayed him: “Friend.” Matthew 26:50
This guest knew better than to do what he did. The attitude of presumption and pride has no place in God’s Kingdom.
As I think about this parable I realize that sometimes we miss out on experiencing God’s goodness and blessings
because we are too busy, too apathetic, or because our priorities are out of order… Sometimes we miss out on the
celebration because we refuse to follow the rules.
Yet, the Bible makes it clear, God offers His invitation to everyone. The Bible says, “Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
Jesus said in Revelation 3:20, “Here I am. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
I will come in and eat with him and he with me.”
Friend, today is the day of salvation, would you openthe door to your heart and accept God’s Ultimate Invitation of grace,
mercy, forgiveness, strength, power, and victory!!!!!!
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen!