Matthew 22:1-22 ~ the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a King who gave a wedding feast for His Son

Matthew 22:1-22

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 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.’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 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.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 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.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

~ The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son

Rick Warren says the most inspirational things on his Facebook. Today:
“Worship is expressing our love & joy to God for who he IS,what he’s SAID & what he’s DOING"- Purpose Driven Church.

Today's reading brings to mind Jesus creating wine from water helping to celebrate marriage, which is great because we remember Jesus celebrating. What Rick Warren says about Father God is so true, it wasn't a wedding story from dusty ages past, it is Today. When we go to church we should be excited, we should expect the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts.

The church is the Bride of Christ, we are making sure, as the body of Jesus Christ, the world is clothed in holy garments of love. Jesus isn't saying here there is a high wall separating us from the undesirables. He is commenting factually His Kingdom isn't come as you'd like, but He saying The Kingdom of Heaven, by definition, is the rule of God. This does not please the rules of religious appearance - the man-made rules. Man-made rules, ironically for this parable, of appearance, would exclude David, the most revered King of Israel.

A comedian had a famous monologue saying would God be so cruel as to throw people out, people who had maybe been too busy to know God in this life? He is, the comedian said, a God of love. This passage speaks directly to the comedian's question. For the comedian, he knew God is a God of love, he said it. So, he must have been a little acquainted. We leave him in those loving hands. Which just isn't a bad place.

Where does that place us? We are the invited. It seems like this king is an angry guy to a cynical world. But a King who gave His Son, that we might be offered the clothes of righteous love, to come in as His children.... We are the invited.... Today... it means a response should be given. If we know the King (& we do!), we should know the response is not to show up, sit down, looking appropriate on the outside. The response is not only to prepare ourselves, but to pray (keep the conversation going) and joyfully share His Love.


Psalm 27:4
One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

Expect to hear in your heart from Father God, expect the Holy Spirit to speak words in church to you, you will find something to share. Let the expectation build your faith each day, as you journey with the Lord, and fuel your prayers!

Luke 11:9,10
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

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