The Rejection Pt 3: The Feast

Matthew 22:1-14 The Feast

Now before we get into this mornings text, lets look at the other 2 parables Jesus gave them. The king has come and is in the temple and now, challenges the leaders.

In the Parable of the 2 sons, one who said no but did it, the other said yes, but didnt, Matthew 21:31–32  “ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.”

Then we have the Parable of the Landowner when the vinedressers killed his servants and Son, Jesus concluded in, Matthew 21:43–46  “ “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” 45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.”

Rejection 1-6, Retribution 7-10, King 11-14

Now for my second introduction, I want to make an observation of what we see here. What number parable is this? The third. I believe that Jesus is applying two principles Deuteronomy 19:15  “ “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.” and Jesus spoke of using this in principle of confronting brethren, Matthew 18:15–16  “ “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’”

Here for the third time, Jesus tells them, the consequence of their choice.

Rejection 1-6

Matthew 22:1–6 

1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: (parabole: to place one thing beside another: analogy: comparing one thing to another, message in a message)

2 “The kingdom of heaven (synonymous kingdom of God) is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, (1)

3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 

4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ 

5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. (like many today, they here, and just keep going)

6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. (2)

We had talked about the two kingdoms. One was of god, the other of heaven. They are different but yet synonymous. To belong to one is to belong to the other. Don’t get too hung up on the difference of language

The marriage is not our responsibility. Ours is only to respond as directed. The king, arranges it all.

God planned this all. Not last minute like me. 1 Peter 1:20  “ He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” Christ said, He came specifically for the ones that He was talking to (this doesn't mean salvation was only for the Jews but they were to take the gospel out, which they did!) Matthew 15:24  “ But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”” Jesus came to fulfill the promise, and establish the church.

So this marriage, this banquet, is about the Gospel. There is only one place we can evade the condemnation of our sins. Romans 8:1  “ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

Some even compare it to being invited into the Millenium - Isaiah 25:6  “ And in this mountain The Lord of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees.” Even common folk knew this, Luke 14:15  “ Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!””

Some think the banquet is the millenium because the kingdom is establish and Israel is called in, (reminder) the Lord says that Israel will be saved, Romans 11:26–27  “ And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”” v2

John 1:6–11  “ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”

To reject the only protection from condemnation is to take that responsibility on yourself. There is a standard yes, but God offers them and us a way out. Not a law or standard you can meet. But Jesus.

They kill in the very name of the one sent to save them. And we think people can save themselves. John 16:1–3  “ “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.”

Retribution 7-10

Matthew 22:7–10 

7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. (70AD?)

8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. (1)

9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 

10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. (2)

 Why weren't they worthy? Wasn’t about being good or bad. They denied the messenger, Son, and they denied the Father. Do me a favor, turn to John 5, they thumbed their noses at a long time open invite to the wedding. yet they rejected. Their choices have consequences.

John 5:37–47  “ And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. 41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”” (v8)

Remember the first parable? They heard, but don’t have it living in them, (Jn 5:38 above) no faith. How do we know? (no obedience).

note too, how are these guest described? right, bad and good. But are they worthy? What makes them worthy? Answering the call. We’ll talk more about about this at the end of the next section.

King 11-14

Matthew 22:11–14 

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 

12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. (this choice is not accepted consequences)

13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Wow. First off , they were invited to what? A wedding. They have to come to the wedding as invited. For the wedding. There was no doubt in the invitation a requirement for entering the feast. But many refuse. They decide they will follow in their own way, etc.

This goes back to the Matthew 13:38  “ The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.” there will always be those who pretend at Christ.

there is no denying this call, it is the gospel. Repentance, walking in obedience and completely resting IN Christ for our salvation. Romans 3:19  “ Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” you cannot obey enough.

In Mark 16:15  “ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” There is a call that goes out to everyone. Bad, good, all called. To respond in obedience is to know you’re chosen.

The consequence of doing it your own way. They refused to change into the wedding cloak or garments. No doubt presented at their invitatio. Jesus makes it plain. You don’t add him onto your world. You die to this one.

Colossians 1:23  “ if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

What it is to be called, this is why it isnt about you. Its about the wedding. 1 Corinthians 1:26–29  “ For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. (As we saw from Ecc. most who are “wise”, mighty, noble would repent and turn to God) 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

Jesus is going to the cross. He is calling out for the them to come with Him. Just like He calls you now. To answer the call is come as he calls. Don’t just look at one verse. Look at many. Take the narrow road, its easy to say God will just accept me because of X and then don’t obey anything He said. Repent was the first thing Jesus preached. Take up your (metaphorically) cross and follow him. Die to this world. Trust in, rely on, lean what Jesus did. And when you can do that, its easy to believe was born a virgin (cause son of god), commanded wicked spirits and creation itself. Healed, and touched thousands of thousands in just 3 years. Then it becomes easy to have faith in the cross and the empty tomb. The requirement is to clothe yourself with his robes.

Isaiah 61:10–11  “ I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

Your response, is to put on the garments given by Him. Or not. Come to the feast. Join the party, welcome, to the kingdom.