Wedding Banquet
Applying the Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Reading:
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Introduction:
If there is a prominent criticism that people can find with the Jewish people, when dealing with Jesus, it could be that they don’t choose Jesus.
After all the years awaiting the arrival of the Messiah, He came and they rejected Him, and the good news He brought.
The criticism comes from the Jews rejecting God’s provision.
Why did they reject Him?
Jesus wasn’t who they thought He should be.
In essence they were dictating to God what He should do when He arrived.
How many times did Israel do that throughout the O.T.?
Too many times.
Unfortunately the Jews aren’t unique to doing this: Telling God who He should be and what He should do.
We do this.
When we come across a passage that we don’t really agree with do we just accept what it says in black and white?
Nah, we try and explain it away to make it fit into the space we think it should.
Illustration:
When I was little we had a toy at my grandma’s house.
It was a toy where you had to hammer shapes through a wood plank.
I really liked that toy.
That toy is supposed to teach us our shapes by physical touch and cognitive skills.
Turning each shape until they just kind of fit, then you hammer them home.
What do you think a little boy learns?
Almost any shape can fit through the square or round hole, if you hit it hard enough.
I would make the shapes fit where they didn’t belong.
It was wrong. Each shape is only supposed to fit in it’s proper space.
Why was I hammering the wrong shapes into the wrong hole?
I controlled the location, then forced it to go through.
We humans like to do that.
Make things fit where we want them and then, we force them to fit.
The Jews were called to be God’s children; but there had only been a few who chose to accept Him.
The Gentiles have been called through Jesus Christ’s death burial and resurrection; but few have chosen to accept His gift.
In Matthew chapter 21:33-45 Jesus taught a parable of the Tenants.
Ones in whose job it was to care for their Masters vineyard, and when the Master sent at the time of fruit some servants to check on the tenants, the tenants treated them harshly and killed them.
The Master sent His Son, whom had authority and deserved their respect, whom they also killed.
Jesus states in verses 42-44 the reality of what He was teaching and to whom He was teaching it.
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.
44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
The chief priests and Pharisees understood that it was about them.
They weren’t happy and wanted to arrest Him; but they feared the crowds, since they believed He was at least a prophet.
They feared the wrong thing. They should’ve feared God not man!
Transition:
The next parable is in Matthew 22:1-14 and this is the parable of the wedding feast.
Jesus moves into a parable that vividly illustrates what will happen; It would be understood by everyone as a whole, not just the Jews or religious authorities.
The wedding feast begins with:
The Calling (1-6)
The Calling (1-6)
1 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.
The King wanted to celebrate the joining of His son to His bride!
This was something in Jewish custom where all neighbors and friends were typically invited to celebrated together for 7 days.
It was something that all Jews would’ve understood and made a connection to.
Jesus makes the:
Correlation (1-2)
Correlation (1-2)
1 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,
What is Jesus comparing?
He has 2 things in the sentence that are being connected together.
The kingdom of heaven.
A wedding feast.
Those hearing, just as much as us today, were not confused about what a wedding feast is like.
How much can be spent on a wedding?
Why?
Everyone wants that day for their daughter or son to be one to remember.
Lets look at the top 9 most expensive weddings:
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s Wedding (1981) – $100 million
Anand Piramal and Isha Ambani (2018) – $100 million
Sushanto Roy and Seemanto Roy (2004) – $75 million
Gulraj Behl and Shristi Mittal (2013) – $73.5 million
Rajeev Reddy and Brahmani Janardhana Reddy (2016) – $66.8 million
Amit Bhatia and Vanisha Mittal (2004) – $55 million
Prince Charles and Lady Diana (1981) – $48 million
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (2018) – $45.8 million
Prince William and Kate Middleton (2011) – $34 million
Guess what the average wedding costs Americans in 2023?
$35,000.00
It isn’t difficult to understand what ridiculous price people are willing to pay for that special day.
Connection:
Let’s connect the Kingdom of Heaven to this.
It is on the same level as one of the most important things in a persons life, ever!
Something that is only once and lasts forever!
It is a very costly item.
It was more precious than any other and 1 was willing to pay everything to extend it to all who would receive it!
Jesus says that the King sent servants to collect or gather those invited.
The king sent the limo’s into the region for their:
Chauffering (3-4)
Chauffering (3-4)
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.” ’
The servants arrived; but no one would go.
Illustration:
Do you know how many times I have passed by weddings and wanted to see what kind of food they were going to have at the reception?
If my wife would let me I would crash so many weddings and open houses.
They always have the best sweetish meatballs, mac and cheese and desserts. And that’s not including the cake.
If the servants showed up letting me know that the celebration was ready there would’ve been no struggle with going from me.
I don’t know for sure but I wonder if people were just too full from their own meals and wanted to enjoy what they had prepared instead.
It says that these were the people who were invited!
3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.
It wouldn’t have come as a surprise that the wedding feast was prepared for them and they would’ve expected it and also witnessed it going by.
According to Unger’s Bible Dictionary this is what the “calling of the party” would’ve been like:
“After putting on festive dress, placing a “garland on his head”, the bridegroom set forth from his house, attended by his groomsmen, preceded by a band of musicians or singers, and accompanied by persons bearing lamps. Having reached the house of the bride, who with her companions anxiously expected his arrival, he conducted the whole party of young girls (virgins), friends of the bridegroom, who were in waiting to catch the procession as it passed. The inhabitants of the place presses out into the streets to watch the procession.”
This is what was normal for the when the bridegroom and bride were joined together!
It was a local parade with singers and bands playing joyous music in grand celebration for the joining together of the couple.
What a celebration!
All would celebrate and be there to rejoice with them.
Yet here: none would come!
This would’ve been a shocking insult from those invited.
I don’t think we quite understand how insulting this would’ve been.
According to some commentators inviting the right or wrong person could land you with a death sentence; imagine what happens when you reject the King’s invitation?
His authority spans over your life, and everything in it.
Here a whole area rejected unanimously his invitation which would be understood as a deliberate insult from all to the host.
How gracious is the king?
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.” ’
The king said: “ok, let’s do it again.”
Only this time tell each of them what food is prepared and ready for them to enjoy!
All of the best foods are prepared for free and ready for them to eat and dine!
They didn’t want to go.
Why not?
There must have been something more important to reject the Kings invitation or to reject all of the best foods prepared for them to enjoy.
We press on and hear of their:
Denial (5-6)
Denial (5-6)
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.
What comes to my mind while reading this passage is this:
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
What else was the religious leaders mind’s on?
What were they divided on that made them unstable?
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
They had devoted themselves to money and their earnings and wages.
notice what this passage stated about how you view the competing subject.
Hate the one, and love the other.
Devoted to the one and despise the other.
It was an emotional investment, and they revealed that they chose to follow their hearts instead of trusting the word by faith and believing in Jesus!
Transition:
The religious leaders and Jews had the invitation to celebrate the marriage of Jesus to the Church;
They rejected it.
They saw the procession of the bridegroom when Jesus entered the city on a donkey and they all celebrated with waving palm branches while singing Hosanna in the highest.
What was the King to do now that those invited denied Him and tainted His honor?
The King extended something to save some pride and dignity.
He offered:
The Addendum (7-10)
The Addendum (7-10)
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.
The Addendum to the original plan began with the:
Kings Response (7)
Kings Response (7)
7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
He was within proper authority to exact His anger on those who rejected His invitation.
This is more than just a watermark in history; it is a devastatingly humiliating moment for the Jews on the world stage.
In A.D. 70 Jerusalem was destroyed.
Connection:
A lot of what happens to us God is trying to get our attention to turn back to Him; but when we do not, He allows judgment which also should turn us back to Him.
Jesus said that the King was angry with those who were invited and would give them judgment
And through their rejection He:
Extended the Call (8-9)
Extended the Call (8-9)
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.’
The King said this marriage for my son will be celebrated!
It is awesome that the King didn’t want all of the great food and opportunity for a celebration to go to waste.
Where did He instruct them to seek people to celebrate?
The “main roads”.
Who could be invited?
Anyone they found.
To connect this part we can relate both of these points to who and locations where we spread the gospel.
The Gospel is preached to a wider circle of people.
To all in the public areas.
All who would hear of the invitation can come.
Then notice there is no rules for those who can come, all are welcome!
Further illustrating the point that the religious leaders rejected the call so it is offered to all!
There will be both good and bad who come to hear the invitation.
Of those who heard the invitation:
Many Accepted (10)
Many Accepted (10)
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.
Many responded and came to the celebration.
The Kings command to the servants was successful.
Many heard, responded and gained entrance to the celebration festivities.
They filled the positions of the first intended guests. They benefited from their rejection.
To believers this poses a problem.
If anyone can enter the celebration, does that mean that everyone who claims themselves as a believer is going to be in heaven?
This kind of issue is what Jesus addresses in the next few verses, with:
The Sifting (11-14)
The Sifting (11-14)
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.”
The King came and noticed something that was sticking out very clearly!
A man who had:
No Guest Pass (11-12)
No Guest Pass (11-12)
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.
When I was reading this it struck me kind of odd.
The king extended the invitation to the celebration to all these people.
It seems like all people came equally.
Why single out this guy?
The statement was that he wasn’t wearing the proper attire for the celebration.
Where would they get this wedding garment?
This point ventures into the spiritual rebuke and application:
Entry into God’s salvation is free for all; but it isn’t without standards.
It is a warning that all who come must produce fruit.
That isn’t earning grace; but making full use of your gifts to honor Him.
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.
This point is what Jesus is reinforcing.
One commentator states it like this:
Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary (c) The Wedding Feast (22:1–14)
It was the claim to belong without an appropriate change of life which characterized the old Israel and brought about its rejection; the new people of God must not fall into the same error
One man pushed his way in without wedding clothes and believed that his clothes were good enough.
He accepted the invitation on his own terms, which didn’t meet the standard of the King.
This brought about his:
Removal (13)
Removal (13)
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.’
This is one of those passages where some onlookers who don’t know the Lord personally would attempt to use to discredit God’s love.
“God was unloving enough to have people provide their own wedding garment and if they couldn’t afford it He casts them out?
There is a lot that is missed until we don’t dig into the culture that Jesus is teaching to.
For someone to come to a wedding in a soiled garment would be an insult to the host.
This King didn’t seem to be in the mood for further insults.
Some hold to the King handing out the proper dress attire for the celebration at the door or entrance.
This would properly reflect why the King is astounded at His dress attire and insulted by the rejection of desiring to be clean for the celebration of His son.
He is escorted to a places where the text portrays great distress!
- The term weeping and gnashing of teeth illustrates great distress and discomfort.
ultimately illustrating Hell!
That builds up to Jesus’:
Culminating statement (14)
Culminating statement (14)
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
The statement here is Jesus concluding the last few parables told to the religious leaders.
God calls many to the celebration of His son’s marriage to the church or into His kingdom.
The man thrown out illustrates that not everyone who considers themselves part of His kingdom are genuinely members of it.
You must come to God by His work and merit, all our efforts are as Paul stated: like filthy rags, and that is insulting to the Lord!
32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
There are some parables which go through and explain what a genuine faith is.
Go back through our sermons and listen to those sermons.
The vineyard
The seeds
The sower..
Conclusion:
The King is going to send servants into the world to collect those He invited to celebrate the wedding of His son.
A lot of people will come, and desire to attend; some have already rejected His call.
Will we be found to insult Him by believing that our garment is good enough to enter?
In so doing rejecting the proper attire for this celebration that He is providing at the door?
(Present The Gospel!)
Explain baptism.
Express the evidence of a faith through repentance.
You’re life changes because you were made new and no longer are you who you once were!
Rejoice over your faith because Jesus extended a call to you and wear the
clean garment provided for you to the celebration!
Trust that His garment He places on you is enough and admit that you’re garments weren’t enough and trust His word and believe that His love was extended to you!
- Pray!