HOST: Ron House
SPONSOR: Start2Finish
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 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.” ’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 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. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 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.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
When I read this parable, my initial reaction to it is one of sadness. The king had prepared a great feast because of this joyous occasion, the marriage of his son. He is happy, excited, overjoyed, and he wishes to share his joy with his friends and neighbors. He initially invites people to the feast who he has a relationship with, those whom he knows and cares for. But they all reject him. They do not desire to share in his joy or have enough respect for him to accept his invitation. They even beat and kill the servants that are sent to him with the invitation. How saddened and hurt the king must have felt at being treated so shamefully by those who were supposed to be his friends. Obviously, the king represents God, and the friends are the Jews. God had desired to share with His chosen people this great and joyous event, but they were not willing. So He rejected them and opened the feast to any who would answer the invitation and prepare themselves for the wedding feast. May we be found dressed (see Galatians 3:27) and ready when the bridegroom appears.
How should we prepare ourselves for this wedding?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
