sf246 - Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen (Matthew 22 1-14)

Matthew 22:1-14

Introduction

This parable is the third in Jesus’ trilogy of judgment parables given in response to the Jewish religious leaders who maliciously challenged His authority (21:23, 28-30, 33-39).

The multitudes were awed by Jesus’ straightforward, authoritative teaching, which was in refreshing contrast to the confusing, legalistic, and complicated tradition taught by their scribes and Pharisees.

They were even more awed by His healing miracles, which had brought restored health, sanity, and even life to so many of their friends and loved ones. They doubtlessly appreciated the fact that Jesus never took financial advantage of them, never taking payment for any supernatural good work He did.

On the contrary, He was always giving to them freely and had on several occasions miraculously fed thousands. They deeply admired Jesus for His humble, self-giving love and compassion, and they must have rejoiced when He rebuked and embarrassed their hypocritical, self-righteous leaders, who looked down on them in contemptuous superiority. How wonderful, they must have thought, that the Messiah not only is so powerful but also so compassionate.

But when the people finally realized the kind of Messiah Jesus was, and especially that He had no plans to deliver them from the Roman oppressors, their acclamation quickly turned to rejection—as is evident in their change of mood from Sunday to Thursday of this last Passover week of Jesus’ ministry. Therefore, as He continued to respond to the Jewish leaders in the Temple, where He was teaching on Tuesday morning (21:23), it was also to the multitudes that the third judgment parable was directed.

1A. The King’s Announcement (22:1-6)

1B. The King’s announcement was sent (22:1-3a)

The son’s wedding was planned (22:1-2)

Ø The son represents Jesus

Revelation 19:9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”

The servants were sent to announce the beginning of the feast (22:3a, 4)

Ø This is a reference to the OT prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the early disciples.

Ø The feast was fully prepared (22:4)

2B. The King’s announcement was scorned (22:3b-6)

The first refusal (22:3b)

Ø They were unwilling to come – why?

The second refusal (22:4-6)

Ø They had a worldly attitude. (22:5a)

Mark 4:18-19 18 "Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 "and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Ø They had a materialistic mindset. (22:5b)

They were so selfishly preoccupied with personal concerns for profit that the invitation to attend his son’s wedding were altogether ignored.

Ø They hated the King (22:6)

Romans 8:7-8 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

2A. The King’s Anger (22:7)

1B. His anger is just.

Ø He had been very patient with them.

Psalm 86:15 15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.

Ø However there are limits to His patience

Exodus 34:6-7 6 … "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 "keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."

2B. His punishment is just

The term behind armies refers to any group of armed forces and is probably better translated “troops,” since the king would hardly have needed his full military might to accomplish his purpose.

According to the king’s instructions, the troops both destroyed the murderers responsible for killing his emissaries and set their city on fire.

The fulfillment of the second prophetic feature in the story occurred in A.D. 70 when the Roman general Titus destroyed Jerusalem.

3a. The Kings’ Answer (22:8-10)

1B. The great confession (22:8)

Isaiah 64:6 6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

2B. The Great Commission (22:9)

Hosea 2:23 23 …Then I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they shall say, 'You are my God!' "

Mark 16:15 …Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

3B. The great congregation (22:10)

The place they went, the “highways”

Ø We are to seek them

Ø We are to invite them

Ø We are to compel them

The people they won, the “bad and good”

Ø God has always extended His call for salvation to both evil and good people, because neither are righteous enough and both are equally in need of salvation.

The result of their obedience

Revelation 7:9-10 9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

4a. The King’s Standards (22:11-14)

1B. The man’s sin (22:11-12)

Nothing escapes the King’s eye

Luke 12:2-3 "For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 "Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

The man tried to come to the Lord on his own terms.

Proverbs 14:12 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Matthew 7:21-23

2B. The King’s sentence (22:13-14)

The sinner was bound hand and foot

Ø Represents prevention of the man’s resisting as well as prevention of his returning.

The sinner was cast into outer darkness

Ø Permanently expelled from the presence of the king and of the king’s people

The sinner would experience great regret and remorse

Ø In that place, he would experience perpetual weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Revelation 20:15 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Though he had a great opportunity he never had the godly sorrow that leads to repentance and salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Matthew 22:1-14

1A. The King’s ____________________________ (22:1-6)

1B. The King’s announcement was sent (22:1-3a)

The son’s wedding was planned (22:1-2)

Revelation 19:9

The servants were sent to announce the beginning of the feast (22:3a, 4)

2B. The King’s announcement was scorned (22:3b-6)

The first refusal (22:3b)

The second refusal (22:4-6)

Ø They had a ________________ attitude. (22:5a)

Mark 4:18-19

Ø They had a materialistic mindset. (22:5b)

Ø They _____________________ the King (22:6)

Romans 8:7-8

2A. The King’s _____________________________ (22:7)

1B. His anger is _______________________________.

Ø He had been very patient with them.

Psalm 86:15

Ø However there are limits to His patience

Exodus 34:6-7

2B. His punishment is __________________________

3a. The Kings’ ___________________________ (22:8-10)

1B. The great ________________________ (22:8; Isaiah 64:6-7)

2B. The Great ___________________________ (22:9)

Hosea 2:23

Mark 16:15

3B. The great ___________________________ (22:10)

The place they went, the “highways”

The people they won, the “bad and good” (Revelation 7:9-10)

4a. The King’s Standards (22:11-14)

1B. The man’s _______________________ (22:11-12)

Nothing escapes the King’s eye (Luke 12:2-3)

The man tried to come to the Lord on his own terms.

Proverbs 14:12

Matthew 7:22-23

2B. The King’s _______________________ (22:13-14)