Sermon

Oct 15, 2023

Readings: Ex 32:1-14; Ps 106:1-6, 19-23; Phil 4:1-9; Matt 22:1-14

Good morning, St Andrew’s.

Today’s gospel reading is known as the Parable of the Wedding Banquet. A parable/story told by Jesus, which has a very sharp and piercing point to it.

Before we dive into this parable, I would first like to share about an experience in my life.

About 18 months ago, I connected with a small group of Pastors to start a fellowship group to talk all things football (soccer). It was a terrific opportunity to get together to support one another, while also sharing our common love for the sport. We started by having meals together, then we started to watch football matches together and all along the way we had some deep philosophical discussions about the sport. We quickly named ourselves “The Football Philosophers”. Naturally, it was not long until we started having discussions about starting our own team. Coincidently, a member of the group was an organizer for a local league, and he invited us to enter a team. We were all excited about this opportunity and agreed to start a team this past Spring.  We were so excited that we even decided what position we would each play, what formation we would use, and even chose our team’s name “The Philosophers.” However, when it came time to commit to the team (fees, equipment, time), every single one of us backed out. Although we all loved the idea, we were not willing to do what it required to have a team.

I share this personal story because of the surprise ending, as this is similar to the surprise ending in our gospel reading today. Jesus intends for us to take clear notice of the ending of the parable. With that in mind, let’s now take a closer look at the Parable of the Wedding Banquet.

The Parable

This Parable is divided into two sections with each section directed to a different group. However, there is one main point, which relates to both groups. That main point is made at the very end of the story.

1st Section (Verses 1-7)

This section of the Parable is a prophecy to and about Israel. Here the Lord Jesus speaks symbolically about the time after his resurrection up until the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (so roughly from the year AD 33 to the year AD 70).

To the chief priests and Pharisees who heard this parable, the symbolism might have concealed the truth, but to us who hear and see from a much later vantage point, the symbolism reveals the truth.

The son mentioned in verse 2 is clearly Jesus. When in doubt, as it was for us in Sunday school, always say ‘Jesus.” The bridegroom is Jesus. The King? This is God the Father.

The wedding feast then is the messianic banquet, a celebration centered on the Messiah (Jesus), which the prophets, John the Baptist, and Jesus himself and later the Apostles talked about. “Eternal life with God in heaven” is how we might commonly talk about this banquet today.

The King’s servants/slaves represent those who offered the gospel invitation to the banquet. Those who were invited symbolize Israel in general and their religious leaders in particular. We should always remember here that not all Jewish people in Jesus’ generation rejected him (remembering of course that the earliest disciples were all Jewish).

Finally, the troops mentioned in verse 7 symbolize the Roman army under Titus, who was ultimately, under the sovereign control of God.

Those are the characters is the first seven verses in this parable. In case you missed the story here, the story is simply this……

God patiently and persistently invited Israel to the messianic banquet. However, most Israelites rejected the invitation. Verses 5 and 6 reveal the two basic types of rejections: busy indifference (people who had more important things in their lives), and the other rejection was hostility towards God’s servants.

Finally, God justifiably and justly judges. That is the picture in verse 7. God has been gracious; God has been patient. However, Reject the King, reject the King’s son, reject the King’s servants, reject the Kings’ invitation to the table, and all that is left then is the King’s righteous and justly acceptance of that rejection.

Those first listening to Jesus words in verse 7 at that time, may not have known fully what he was talking about. However, the first readers of Matthew’s gospel certainly did. The readers of Matthew’s gospel would understand this years later to be the Roman Empires destruction of the Holy City (Jerusalem).

In these first 7 verses, Jesus is claiming that God is the ultimate actor.

There are many lessons to glean from verses 1 through 7, as we move into the second section of this parable. These lessons include that God is a King. He is a sovereign ruler. God has a Son. God is gracious and generous. He invites people to his wedding feast. God is patient. He sends out word again and again. God is very patient. However, God is also holy and just.

2nd Section (Verses 8-14)

That first section of the two-part parable is for the people of Israel. The second section (verses 8-14) is for us the church, and what will happen in the last days. This section is the time ever since the destruction of the temple (A.D 70), until the final judgement.

We have the similar structure in the second section which includes: Invitations, Responses and Judgements.

There are however two new characters in the second section. There are the “attendants” and the “guests”. The guests represent the church. The attendants are angels (this is clear as we read the gospel of Matthew).

Therefore, the short symbolic story we read is the long history of the world mission of the church, the gathering of the church, but also the judgement of the church. This is what is know as the Great Commission! Today we understand it the Great Commission as this:

We are to go out and invite all those who would like to come. All outsiders are welcome. Verse 10 triumphantly records the mission’s success. “The wedding feast was full of guests”. Praise the Lord!

In verses 2 through 7 – we heard rejection, rejection, rejection. Now finally, with verse 10 someone (many someone’s) accept. The banquet is packed. Three hundred is a lot for a wedding nowadays. Now imagine three hundred million! The music is playing and the choir sings “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.”

How wonderful that sounds. The end! Right?

Wrong! Jesus does not end this story on this positive note. He does not say “And they all lived happily ever after.” Rather, this is a parable with an alarming conclusion. An ending that is piercing and cutting to the heart. And Jesus intended this to be.

We should all experience an emotional cut to the heart when we read the end (verses 11-14), about the man without the wedding garment. How can we not feel heartbreak?

Why such a sober story?

Let me explain a few details to help us understand why Jesus magnifies this alarming end.

First, what is clear is not everyone who has accepted the invitation to the wedding and shows up to eat gets to eat. What is also clear is that those who do not show up with the proper wedding attire eventually get thrown out. What is not clear is what the wedding garment is.

There are many options and many opinions about this. Some believe the wedding garment symbolizes baptism, some faith, some good works, some just simply love.

When it comes to interpreting parables there are two clear rules. First, if Jesus gives you the interpretation, then that is what it means. Second, if Jesus does not give you the interpretation, then do not be afraid to let the application be more elastic.

What I mean here is that the Lord Jesus leaves out nothing by accident, and therefore a lack of a clear definition is highly likely intentional on his part.

Here Jesus intends for us all to take time to ponder for ourselves………What do you think you need to get into the wedding banquet and stay in? Here Jesus is holding up a mirror to all Christians and says “take a good look, are you properly dressed? Are you prepared for the wedding banquet?

Theologian and Pastor John Calvin summed this up best when he said:

“There is no point in arguing about the wedding garment, whether it is faith or a holy and godly life; for faith cannot be separated from good works and good works proceed only from faith in Jesus Christ. All Jesus is saying here is that we are called by the Lord under the condition that we be renewed in out Spirits into his image, and therefore, if we are to remain always in His house, the old man within us with all his blemishes is to be cast off and we are to practice the new life we have in Christ so that our appearance may correspond to our honourable calling.”

To Jesus, grace, faith, and salvation are never opposing to repentance, holiness, and obedience. The gift of the Holy Spirit, given with faith in Christ, moves believers to want to be holy. Simply put, we should all desire to be increasingly like Jesus each day. In other words, to conform our lives to the gospel.

It is not my duty to determine who is ready for the wedding banquet. However, it is my responsibility as a Pastor to point to Jesus and to encourage everyone to seek him with their whole being. This parable speaks of the urgency for each of us to seek him, today and every day.

Conclusion (Called but not chosen)

Jesus gives us his summary of his parable in verse 14. This is climax of his alarming point:

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

Here the word “called” in the context of the parable is clear. It means to accept the invitation.

In our context today, we can think of it meaning someone who professes faith in Christ and becomes part of his visible church.

As Christians we live between the cross (in the past), and the chair (in the future), under the commands of Christ (in the present, by the power of his sustaining presence). In the meantime, for the end time, we must conform our lives to the gospel. That is the short of it. We are to conform our lives to the gospel. If there is one thing to take away from this Parable, may this be it.

This Parable does not end the way we expect it to, or (let us be honest) how we really want it to. It has a surprise/alarming end: Just like:

  • the story of the football philosopher group, who were fully expecting to start a team. However, despite accepting the invitation and having the interest, deep down we were not willing to do what was needed to be a part of the league.
  • the Israelites in our Exodus reading today, who were unwilling to wait on the Lord and quickly turned to other gods to worship. They would not end up entering the promised land that they were expecting to enjoy.
  • the Israelites of Jesus time, who did not experience the end that they expected. They rejected the King’s Son and therefore refused to live in the ways that the Apostle Paul talked about in our Philippians readings (lives that are honourable, pure, pleasing, commendable).

It is a shocking conclusion to the end of this Parable. Why does our Lord give us this difficult ending? This piercing conclusion?

The clear and honest answer to this is because Jesus loves us so much. Jesus has given us this Parable as an important reminder that we are to keep our eyes fixed on him and live for his Kingdom, and not our own kingdom. Just like any loving parent, our heavenly Father wants what is best for us, both now and for eternity.

The personal story I shared about my friend group was meant to be lighthearted. But Jesus’ Parable of the Wedding Banquet was not meant to be taken lightly. It is a very direct and love-filled reminder to us who are called, to conform our lives to the gospel. May all of us who are called, hear these words today from our loving Father in heaven.

My prayer for all of us today comes directly from 2 Thessalonians 1: 11-12.

“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ”.

 

AMEN.