54 22.01

INTRODUCTION

SLIDE 1 I’ve been thinking some more about one of the questions I asked Sunday night: “What is the fruit of an apple tree?” I asked the question the same way I’d heard it asked. However, the more I think about the question the more I think it’s misleading and confusing. Perhaps it’s intentionally misleading to make us think.

I asked some preachers this question yesterday morning and they gave the same answer you did which was the same answer I gave when I first heard it. The fruit of an apple tree is apples. After I gave the “right” answer and explained the answer one preacher gave this insightful response: “We throw away the most important part of the apple.” The most important part is not what we eat, but the seeds. The part we eat helps provides nutrients for the seeds when they start growing. The part that’s eaten also helps the plant disperse the seeds. But the most important part is the seeds.

I think a better way to ask the question is: “What is the mission of an apple tree?” The mission of an apple tree is to produce more apple trees that will produce more apple trees. That falls in line with the way God created apple trees. SLIDE 2

11Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. SLIDE 3 12The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. (Genesis 1:11-12)

God created the trees with the capacity to reproduce themselves. God doesn’t have to create new trees every time one dies, he created with the tree the ability to replace itself.

And didn’t God do something similar when he created people? SLIDE 4

28aGod blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:28a)

God created us that we might replace ourselves. We have children who are able to have children and life goes on after we die.

I think Jesus was saying something similar in the Great Commission, except that we aren’t to fill the earth with Christians just by having more babies. Jesus said to go into all the world telling people about him. We are to make disciples who will make disciples. And Jesus didn’t wait until after he’d been crucified and risen from the dead before he said it. Jesus made it clear from the very beginning. There beside the lake when Jesus called his first disciples we read: SLIDE 5

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matthew 4:19)

Jesus was calling Peter, Andrew, James and John to become disciples who would make more disciples. How were they to make the disciples? We find that in the Great Commission. They were to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and teach them to obey everything Jesus taught them.

What’s the mission of an apple tree? It’s mission is to make more apple trees. What’s the mission of a disciple? Our mission is to make more disciples. That’s one way we obey Jesus.

SERMON

We are in Matthew 22. Chapter 21 ended with two parables: The Parable of the Two Sons and The Parable of the Tenants. The first parable was about a father asking his two sons to work in the vineyard. The first refused, but later went and worked while the second said he would but never did. “Which of these two sons,” Jesus asked, “did what their father wanted?” The second parable was about a land owner who planted a vineyard and then leased the vineyard. When it came time to be paid however, the tenants refused to pay him. Instead, they beat up his servants and then killed his son. Jesus asked, “What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do to these tenants?”

Chapter 22 starts with a third parable which is about a wedding banquet.

Video

We might divide this parable into three sections. In the first section a king invites some of his subjects to a wedding reception for his son. Not everyone is invited, only a selected few. Imagine being invited to attend a royal wedding. Prince Harry will be getting married on May 19th. Crowds will line the street along the way to the wedding for miles, but only a few thousand will be invited into the cathedral to watch the wedding ceremonies and probably even fewer will be invited to the reception. Think of the nicest wedding you’ve ever attended. You can believe this wedding reception will be much nicer and much more expensive. It would be an honor to be invited.

And it would have been an honor to be invited to the wedding in this parable as well. But there were many who rejected the invitation and refused to come. So the king sent out more servants. Perhaps they misunderstood the first servant. Perhaps he hadn’t been clear. So other messengers were sent. But these messengers were ignored as well. And worse, some of the messengers beat up and others were killed by those invited to the banquet.

The meaning of the story is that God invited the Jews to enter into a relationship with him and they refused. He sent his messengers – the prophets. When they ignored the first prophets God sent more prophets. They rejected these as well. Some of whom they beat up and some they killed. So God allowed the cities of his people to be destroyed. About forty years after the death of Jesus the Romans came in and destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.

That’s the first seven verses of the parable. The second section of the parable, verse 8 through 10, tell about the king inviting strangers off the street. Because those invited refused to come the king extends the invitation to anyone the messengers could find along the street so that the wedding hall would be filled with guests. As a result, they brought in the bad as well as the good.

The meaning of this section is that God extended his offering of a relationship to others, to those not invited the first time. Much of Jesus’ public ministry was spent among those not considered worthy of God: the sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes. The religious leaders couldn’t believe Jesus would talk to them much less sit down and eat with them. Luke 15, where we find the parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son begins with this introduction: SLIDE 2

1Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. SLIDE 3 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3Then Jesus told them a parable. (Luke 15:1-3)

Jesus was extending the invitation to those the religious leaders didn’t consider worthy. More importantly for us though, Jesus also extended the invitation further. The sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes may not have been considered worthy, but they were still Jews. Jesus extended the invitation to Gentiles as well. SLIDE 4

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10:16)

The third section is found in verses 11 through 14. As the king mingled with his guests he saw a man improperly dressed. Each of the wedding guests had been provided with proper clothing yet this man refused to wear them. And when the king asked him why he wasn’t wearing the wedding clothes provided for him he had no answer. So he was thrown out.

SLIDE 5 What a privilege it would be to be invited to the wedding feast of a king and what an insult it would be to turn it down. But what a tragedy to be thrown out.

Why was the man thrown out? Was he thrown out because he wasn’t worthy of being there? No. He wasn’t worthy, but neither were many of the other guests. He wasn’t invited because he was worthy and he wasn’t thrown out for not being worthy. He was thrown out for not wearing the proper clothing. Proper clothing was provided and he refused to wear it. What was the clothing? We don’t know – or at least I don’t. Perhaps it was simply something new and clean as opposed to something old, dirty, and ragged. Whatever it was, the man refused to wear it.

You’ve seen signs at restaurants, especially at the beach, that read: No shirt, no shoes, no service. And then there are some restaurants, though I’ve never been to one, that requires guys to wear a coat and tie. If you don’t have a coat or tie they will be provided. There’s a certain dress code that must be met in order to enter.

This wedding had a dress code. Clothes were provided so that everyone could meet it, but this guy refused to wear it. He thought what he was wearing was enough.

So what is the application? Jesus tells us in verse 14 when he says:

For many are invited, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14)

Many were invited to the wedding feast, but not everyone accepted the invitation. And even among those who accepted the invitation not all were chosen. The message of the gospel is for everyone, but not everyone is chosen. Why aren’t more chosen?

First, some are not chosen for the wedding banquet because they ignored the invitation. They were invited, the invitation was given, but ignored it. How many people do you know who do the same with the gospel? They hear the good news but simply ignore. Perhaps they think it’s not for them. Jesus died for sinners but they haven’t sinned enough to need anyone to die for them. So they ignore it. They don’t pay any attention.

Second, some are not chosen for the wedding banquet because they’re too busy. Jesus said that one went to work in his field. He’s just been invited to a wedding banquet by the king and he has to work in his field? Jesus says that another man went tend his business. He too had work to do and was too busy for the king’s invitation. I’m sure you know people like that as well. Perhaps we all fall into this excuse at times. I can’t go worship today because I’m too busy. I’ve got other stuff I need to to do. If we’re too busy for God we are way to busy. Some people never get a round to making a decision to follow Jesus because they’re too busy. They figure they’ll get around to it tomorrow or next month and somehow never do find time. But when the trumpet call sounds time will have run out.

Third, some are not chosen for the wedding banquet because they resisted the invitation with violence, some even resorting to murder. This response just doesn’t even make sense. They’ve been invited to a banquet and the response is to kill the messenger. Why would you do that? But there are some who have that response to the message of God. Many of the Old Testament prophets were beaten and killed because the people didn’t want to hear a message from God. We think we’d love for God to speak to us, but perhaps we should think twice about that wish. God sent messengers to his people and their response was to beat or kill them. Even today there are people who have that same response to those who share the gospel. They don’t want to hear the good news and threaten the lives of those who share it. Why? John explains the reason in the opening verses of his gospel. SLIDE 6

19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. SLIDE 7 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. (John 1:19-20)

They refuse the invitation because they love the evil they do more than they love God. They don’t want to know they’ll be forgiven because they love their evil deeds.

SLIDE 8 How did the king respond to those who beat and killed his servants? He had them killed and their towns destroyed. The same thing happened to those who killed Jesus. Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD.

Fourth, there are those who are not chosen because they will not accept the requirements. What did the king require? He required all in attendance to be properly dressed. Not only did the king freely provide the banquet, he freely provided the proper attire. Which was good because there was no way most of the guest would ever have been able to afford appropriate clothing.

When it comes to our relationship with God, he has provided our appropriate clothing as well and that is Christ. SLIDE 9 In Romans 13 Paul encourages us to put on Christ.

Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. (Romans 13:14)

Zechariah prophesied about this clothing in chapter 3. SLIDE 10

1Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. SLIDE 11 2The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” SLIDE 12 3Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. SLIDE 13 4The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” (Zechariah 3:1-4)

And Isaiah rejoiced over this clothing of righteousness God would be providing in Christ. SLIDE 14

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 his righteousness, SLIDE 15 as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)

God clothes the redeemed. The wedding garment is the righteousness of Christ which is absolutely essential for salvation, and it is supplied to all who believe. God’s invitation is for everyone, but there is a danger for those who insist on coming on their own terms.

SLIDE 16 That’s what the religious leaders were doing. They were coming to God on their own terms and ignoring God’s terms. They wanted to earn their way to God. They thought that because of the good things they’d done they deserved God’s acceptance. They may not have been perfect, but at least they weren’t as bad as the sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes. Those were the really bad people who deserved God’s judgment. But they were good people.

Did you notice in verse 10 the types of people the king’s servants brought in for the banquet?

So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. (Matthew 22:10)

They brought the bad and the good.

When it comes to our salvation, which group would you put yourself in? The truth is none of us is good. As we read in Romans 3: SLIDE 17

22bThere is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:22b-23)

None of us deserve God’s acceptance yet we have righteousness from God not based on what we’ve done.

As one theologian has described it, it’s like several ship passengers who happened to get washed overboard in a storm. The reasons for slipping off the deck vary from individual to individual, but each one is in the water. It’s meaningless to debate which of the passengers was deserving to get swept over and who was not. All are in the water. It doesn’t make any difference whether if one was traveling first-class or economy, whether one is religious or not religious, even whether one is a good swimmer or not. All are in the same condition – they’re in the water. Our salvation isn’t based on what we deserve, it’s based on our faith in what Jesus did for us. SLIDE 18

21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who. . . . (Romans 3:21-22a)

. . . try really hard.

. . . do more good than bad.

. . . keep all of the Ten Commandments.

. . . give a lot of money.

. . . never miss a Sunday.

The verse says “to all who believe.” All who believe are given a wedding garment.

Some will say they don’t need to receive Christ, that they will take their chances before God. When they stand before God they think they will argue their case. Jesus said that this guy without the proper wedding clothes was speechless. You might be able to cuss out a senator or hang up on a president, but I don’t think anyone will be able to speak when they stand before God. Whether or not someone accepts the wedding garment is up to them, but Christ has provided it. The invitation has gone out to everyone, but they will have to come on the King’s terms.

“For many are called, but few are chosen” summarizes the theme of the three parables. God invites many people into his kingdom, as seen in the parable Jesus has just told. However, as the man thrown out of the wedding feast illustrates, not all who consider themselves part of God’s kingdom are genuine members of it. But those who hear and respond favorably to God’s invitation are able to join him in celebration.

I think there are two lessons we need to draw from this parable. The first is that everyone is invited. No one is left out. The second lesson is that we must accept the invitation on God’s terms. We can’t create our own terms. Even in church there will be those attempting to come to God on their own terms who not be properly dressed. Who is dressed appropriately? Who is really saved? The one who says:

I need a Savior. I don’t have the answer. I’m not righteous. Lord, I need you to robe me with your robe of righteousness.

It’s not the person who sits in the pew or even the one who is dipped in the water who is saved. It’s the one who says, “Lord I need you.”

There was a member of a church who greeted the preacher at the close of every service with the same observation. Sunday after Sunday he’d say: “You really gave it to them today, Preacher!” Over time, the preacher became concerned that this guy never seemed to consider anything in a sermon to be applicable to himself. He always seemed to think the preacher had done a good job giving it “to them,” whoever them happened to be.

Then came a Sunday when a heavy snowstorm kept everybody away from church except for the preacher and this particular member. Abandoning the sermon he already had prepared for that morning, the preacher decided to focus exclusively on the sins and shortcomings he had noticed in the life of this member. When the sermon and the service were finished, the lone attender came to the door and shook the preacher’s hand as he did every Sunday. The preacher waited, wondering how he would react to the blistering sermon he just had heard. “Well, Preacher,”the guy began, “If they’d had been here today, you would really have given it to them!”

We must understand our need for Jesus and the righteousness that comes through faith in him.