THE WEDDING FEAST OF THE KING

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE

Matthew 22:1-14.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

The purpose of this sermon is to reveal the heart and character of God in the kingdom invitation, expose the danger of rejecting or redefining His gracious provision, and call hearers to respond rightly by coming to Christ on God’s terms.

INTRODUCTION

I’d like for you to take the Word of God with me, please, and turn to Matthew 22:1-14.

Undeterred by the reaction of the chief priests and Pharisees to His last parable, Jesus continues to drive home the truth of the kingdom of God. You could even say Jesus gets progressively more intentional about His parables. Even though the cross is drawing closer and Israel has rejected Jesus as the Messiah, God’s desires, and Christ’s, are still to bring many more into the fold. Sometimes that is done through gracious means, other times it is accomplished through stronger methods, of which Jesus employs in our passage.

Today, we look at one of the most poignant parables about the kingdom of God.

Read Matthew 22:1-14.

As always with parables understanding the actors and setting is critical for us to rightly divide the truth. Let’s walk through the setting of the parable together.

SETTING OF THE PARABLE

KINGDOM OF GOD

Jesus opens by revealing this parable is one of the kingdom parables. The purpose is to help us understand how God’s kingdom is established and governed.

KING = GOD THE FATHER

Next we find “a certain king.” This is a reference to God the Father.

SON = JESUS

This king prepares a marriage for His son. The son is a reference to the Messiah, who is Jesus.

WEDDING = THE KINGDOM’S CELEBRATION

The wedding is a reference to the kingdom’s celebration. A middle-eastern Jewish wedding would last anywhere from a few days to a week. The fulfillment of many Old Testament prophesies is being accomplished during the time of Jesus. Jesus’ preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand.

SERVANTS = GOD’S PROPHETS AND PREACHERS

The servants bidding those invited to come are God’s prophets and preachers.

ORIGINAL GUESTS = ISRAEL

The original guests which were invited to the wedding celebration is Israel as a whole.

NEW GUESTS = ANYONE WHO IS WILLING

The new guests that the servants go into the highways and find are anyone who is willing to come. The reference to both bad and good in verse 10, is an ethnic term, which would symbolize Gentiles (who are the bad) and Jews (who are the good). Don’t think in terms of moral behavior, instead, think in terms of ethnicity.

MAN WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT = UNREPENTANT SELF-RIGHTEOUS SINNER

The man at the end of the parable who does not have on a wedding garment is a picture of an unrepentant self-righteous sinner. The offense was not that he lacked a garment, but that he rejected the one freely given.

PURPOSE OF THE PARABLE

Those are the main characters and setting of the parable. Quickly, let me explain the purpose of the parable, which is four-fold.

To reveal the heart and character of God,

To reveal how Israel has rejected the coming of the kingdom of God,

To see how God shifted His attention from Israel to anyone willing to come to the kingdom, and

To understand everyone must come to the kingdom the way God provides.

Let’s break down this parable into three thoughts and then one final thought of application.

THE PREPARATION OF THE KING | VV. 1-6

Notice first of all as Jesus begins, He reveals the preparation of the king. Briefly, look at verses 2 and 3,

Matthew 22:2–3 KJV 1900

2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Ever since the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden, the world has been waiting for this event. The marriage of the son, the celebration of the long awaited Messiah. This marriage has been in the works for thousands of years. It was prophesied by so many faithful men.

REVEALS HIS HEART

This preparation identifies two key components of our God. It reveals His heart and reflects His character. To know ones heart is to know ones motivations, desires, and intents. What drives a person, in other words.

HE DESIRES TO CELEBRATE WITH US

According to this parable of the kingdom, God desires to celebrate with us. While His focus has been on the wedding, He has prepared things so that a celebration can take place.

HE VALUES RELATIONSHIP, THEREFORE HE IS LONGSUFFERING

We also see how God values relationship and is therefore longsuffering. I’ll mention in more detail in a few moments, but God is extremely longsuffering with the guests who were called to the feast. Why? Because God values the relationship more than the offence.

HE IS MOVED TO SHOW MERCY

We also notice a third heart motive, which is mercy. God was moved to show mercy. He could have blown off the original guests, but He didn’t. He sent them servant and servant.

REFLECTS HIS CHARACTER

Not only does Jesus reveal the heart of the King, but we also see His character. This parable reflects the character of God.

HE IS SOVEREIGN AND FAITHFUL

We notice first of all, God is sovereign and faithful. He is the one who has prepared the marriage. He is the one who established the guest list. He is the one who adjusted the plan. He is the one who hands out the wedding garments. He is the one who metes out judgment. He is the one who sets the standard. This is a critical component to the whole parable. He is faithful. He would not allow all of the issues to compromise the plan, which was to celebrate the wedding, to bring about the kingdom.

HE IS JUST AND HOLY

We also notice how the king is just. While He is longsuffering and merciful, justice flows. We see this in verse 7 as well as verse 13.

We also see God’s holiness on display. There is a standard established for the people who come to the wedding. Though a man came, he refused to accept the wedding garment, and was therefore rejected.

HE IS GRACIOUS

And we notice He is gracious. He is gracious with the first guests and the second. Verse 8 tells us God calls the unworthy to the wedding. Again, this is a reference to the Gentile world, those that have rejected God.

THE ATTITUDE OF THE INVITED GUESTS | VV. 3-6

Much preparation had gone into the wedding, which is why the attitude of the invited guests is so shocking. Look again at verses 3 and 5–6,

Matthew 22:3–6 KJV 1900

3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come... 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

The response of the invited guests reveals not passive indifference, but active rebellion. Their reaction unfolds in a clear progression.

THEY DELIBERATELY REFUSED THE INVITATION

First, they deliberately refused the invitation. Jesus says, “they would not come.” This was not confusion or misunderstanding, but a willful decision. They knew who was calling and what was being offered, yet they chose to refuse.

THEY QUICKLY HARDENED INTO CONTEMPT

That refusal quickly hardened into contempt. Verse 5 tells us they “made light of it.” What had once been rejected was now mocked. The phrase carries the idea of treating something as insignificant or unworthy of serious consideration. The King’s invitation was pushed aside as trivial compared to personal interests and self-directed pursuits.

THEY OPENLY ATTACKED IN HOSTILITY

Finally, their rebellion reached its fullest expression in open hostility. Some did not merely ignore the servants, but abused and murdered them. What began as refusal escalated to ridicule and culminated in violence. In rejecting the invitation, they rejected the authority of the King Himself. Their actions exposed hearts unwilling to submit, unwilling to yield, and unwilling to recognize the rightful rule of the King over their lives.

This is the tragedy of the original guests. Nothing was required of them except their presence. The King provided the celebration, the provision, and the invitation. Yet they chose self over submission, convenience over commitment, and rebellion over relationship.

THE DETERMINATION OF THE KING | VV. 1-11

Beginning in verse 7 Jesus shifts from the attitude of the people to the determination of the king. Look at verse 7 with me,

Matthew 22:7 KJV 1900

7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Notice the King’s determination.

REFUSED TO ACCEPT DEFEAT | VV. 4, 8-9

Here is a king who refuses to accept defeat. He’s not in denial, but He won’t quit. We see this in verse 4 as well as 8 and 9. The guests wouldn’t come and verse 4 opens with the king determining to have them come.

Then, in verse 8 we find the king telling His servants to go into the highways and bring anyone who is willing to come celebrate the marriage of His son.

ADJUSTED TO ACCOMPLISH THE PLAN | VV. 7-8

The king wasn’t in denial, He simply adjusted His position in order to accomplish His plan. The goal remained the same, but the direction of the plan was adjusted.

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This is biblical truth. Sometimes, we take the sovereignty of God so far and think more in lines with what is known as determinism, or that God cannot alter a position.

DEFINITION: Determinism is the incorrect doctrine that all events, actions, and decisions were “causally determined” by God.

Scripture does not teach that God changes in His nature, character, or ultimate purposes. However, Scripture does repeatedly show God changing His declared course of action in response to human repentance, intercession, or obedience. In other words: God’s character and ultimate purposes do not change, but His revealed actions within history often do.

UPHELD HIS GRACIOUS REQUIREMENTS | VV. 11-13

And finally, we see the king maintaining a determined mindset with this man who comes in not wearing a wedding garment. The king upheld to His gracious requirements.

By not wearing the wedding garment, the man is doing more than keeping his own clothes. The man is presumptuous and self-righteous and worse yet, he is willfully unrepentant. This is why the judgment moves from feast to outer darkness. The contrast is intentional.

He has rejected the king’s gracious garment, but wants all the benefits of the wedding.

He is a man who accepted the invitation but rejected the provision.

He wanted the feast without the King’s terms.

This is a direct confrontation to the chief priests and Pharisees who think their religious and moral behavior will somehow grant them access to the kingdom. And in truth, it is a direct confrontation to all today, who refuse to come to Christ through His sacrificial death and blood atonement.

OUR RESPONSE TO THE PARABLE

That’s the parable from the setting to the conclusion. Yet, it is not complete if we don’t stop and consider how Jesus wants us to learn from it. While it was directly addressed to the Pharisees and chief priests, it also applies to our own hearts and lives.

This parable forces us to confront not only whether we were invited, but how we respond to the King who invites. Let me share three brief thoughts of application as we consider our response to the parable.

COME TO CHRIST THROUGH HIS SACRIFICE

First of all, and most poignantly, come to Christ through His sacrifice. The concluding verse is extremely powerful. Verse 14 reads,

Matthew 22:14 KJV 1900

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

God called all those that were bidden, but they refused to come and therefore were not chosen. The call then went out into the highways and those who answered the call, came. Still others chose not to come. Finally, we have the man who came but refused the wedding garment. He was called as well, but he was not chosen. Not because he didn’t have the opportunity, but because he refused the garment.

Many people today have the knowledge of God and even Christ, but are choosing to answer the call their own way. The only way you can be a guest to the wedding celebration is to come through the sacrificial atonement of Christ and receive His righteousness placed on your account. The wedding garment is symbolic of Christ’s righteousness. Jesus so beautifully guides His listeners to an Old Testament prohpet where we read in Isaiah 61:10,

Isaiah 61:10 KJV 1900

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

When you accept the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ and come to Him and confess Him, you are given that wedding garment. You stand before the king, then, not in your own filthy rags, but in the pure spotless garment of Christ’s righteousness and you are accepted into the beloved.

CHECK MY OWN ATTITUDE TO THE KING’S PURPOSES

Secondly, going back to the original guests, check my own attitude to the King’s purposes. The original guests were to be celebrating with the king, but they chose to live their lives for themselves. The failed to acknowledge the King is the sovereign Lord who reigns over them and has the right to direct their lives. In fact their lives exist because of the King. Therefore, the King is not wrong to demand such loyalty and respect.

In simplicity, let me ask, “Who are you living for? Who is on the throne of your heart?” When God asks something of you, is it yes, Lord?” Mat our attitude and heart match that of the King and His purposes.

FAITHFULLY BRING MANY MORE IN TO THE CELEBRATION

Lastly, moving to the servants, we need to faithfully bring many more in to the celebration. While we may struggle with some not wanting to be a part of the kingdom celebration, our mindset must be to press forward and continue to go into the highways and talk to those who will listen and heed and desire to be a part of the kingdom.

CONCLUSION

As Jesus closes this parable, He leaves us standing in the banquet hall, looking not first at the guests, but at the King. We have seen His patient preparation, His sovereign determination, and His unwavering holiness. The invitation has gone out broadly and graciously, yet the entrance into the celebration has never changed.

This parable reminds us that eternity turns not on how close we stand to the kingdom, how long we have heard the call, or how confident we feel in our own standing, but on whether we have responded to the King with humble submission and received what He alone provides. The question Jesus leaves ringing in the air is not, “Were you invited?” but rather, “How did you come?”