Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 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. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Leslyn Musch
Lighthouse Regional Church
Observation: Lord, I hear you calling me to come and feast with You and to celebrate with You. I acknowledge that I tend to take Your invitation lightly, to even take it for granted and just go about my own business (vs 4, 5).
Action: In response, I am making this change: I will intentionally keep my cell phone powered off in the mornings until I have come to feast in Your Word and to celebrate in praise, thanksgiving, and worship of You. Jesus, I intentionally focus my attention and affection on You in response to Your gracious and merciful invitation.
OBSERVATION: The Kingdom of Heaven is like… sometimes when Jesus says this it is followed by a description of what will be when the Kingdom is fully realized. In this text it seems like Jesus is describing the clash between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of God as Jesus is establishing his rule and reign in the world. It reads to me almost like a state of the union address. I certainly believe the Kingdom Come is not ultimately the place of ignorance and apathy Jesus describes here. How have I put the coming Kingdom on hold by my own ignorance or indifference?
ACTION: Sometimes I overindulge my appetite. Today I will embrace God’s Kingdom Come(ing) by trusting in God’s provision — eating in a manner that is healthy –— trusting that I will be fully nourished and satisfied at the master’s table.
I see God reminding me (and His whole church) that we were invited off the street and into His fabulous Kingdom banquet, and that by His grace, He even outfits us for such attendance. He reminds me to seek His Kingdom and righteousness, not my own; that innovation, in whatever form, will not precede imitation.
Lord I acknowledge that no activity is more important than celebrating your great love and mercy. Hanks for the invitation, I accept.
Observation: Lord you are offering us a happy life of feasting with you. The invitation is simple and straight forward. The free choice to follow you and see you in all aspects of life.
Action: today I am choosing to rejoice and be glad in how your kingdom will come. To let go of my unmet expectations of how and when I think the party is suppose to happen.
Observation: Jesus has provided me my wedding clothes – because of Him I am made clean – and yet sometimes I choose other attire. I hear God calling me into a fabulous feast that He has provided both the food and the clothing.
Action: Today I will fast. I want a to be hungry for God’s feast.
I was struck by the part about the person not wearing wedding clothes. The reaction seemed unreasonable to me. Why would he expect a guy pulled off the street to have wedding clothes? Why did he stand out? How did he end up being the only guy pulled off the street dressed inappropriately?
Thanks to the comments (which don’t just pop up btw; I had to go searching for them; I couldn’t believe no one was commenting. … Anyway), I see the king provided the clothes — although it doesn’t say that.
So I wonder how often am I unaware of what God is providing? What am I not picking up that he is putting down for me?
Action: I will look more carefully for God’s provision in my life, see where he’s leading me, recognize what He is giving me, and use it for it’s purpose.
… use it for its purpose. ….ugh!
Michele, that part struck me too! Your comments got me pondering more. I’m thinking about how we have been clothed in beautiful garments of righteousness, our beautiful wedding clothes, but so often rather than be conscious of Jesus’ righteousness clothing us, we live, speak and perceive ourselves as if we were still dressed in filthy garments. Jesus’ righteousness makes us honored guests, who are welcome and belong at the wedding feast! What a Savior! I want to intentionally be righteousness-conscious, free to love Him and those around me, free to feast and celebrate with Him and the community around me.
(Not sure if my reply to Michele posted so will post here too)
Michele, that part struck me too! Your comments got me pondering more. I’m thinking about how we have been clothed in beautiful garments of righteousness, our beautiful wedding clothes, but so often rather than be conscious of Jesus’ righteousness clothing us, we live, speak and perceive ourselves as if we were still dressed in filthy garments. Jesus’ righteousness makes us honored guests, who are welcome and belong at the wedding feast! What a Savior! I want to intentionally be righteousness-conscious, free to love Him and those around me, free to feast and celebrate with Him and the community around me.