Sermon summary (Click on the title) PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST – Chris Khoury - 11 June – 2017

SERMON SUMMARY

Matt 22:1-14 The Voice – PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST

22 Jesus went on speaking in parables.

Jesus: 2 The kingdom of heaven is like a king whose son was getting married. The king organized a great feast, a huge wedding banquet. 3 He invited everyone he knew. The day of the wedding arrived, and the king sent his servants into town to track down his guests—but when the servants approached them with the king’s message, they refused to come. 4 So the king sent out another batch of servants.

King: Tell those people I’ve invited to come to the wedding banquet! Tell them I have prepared a great feast! Everything is ready! The oxen and fattened cattle have all been butchered, the wine is decanted, and the table is laid out just so.

5 And off the servants went, and they carried the king’s message to the errant guests—who still paid not a whit of attention. One guest headed into his field to work; another sat at his desk to attend to his accounts. 6 The rest of the guests actually turned on the servants, brutalizing them and killing them. 7 When he learned of this, the king was furious. He sent his army to kill the murderers and burn their towns. 8 But there was, of course, still a wedding to celebrate.

King (to his remaining servants): The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited didn’t rise to the occasion. 9 So go into the streets and invite anyone you see; invite everyone you meet.

10 And the servants did just that—they went into the streets and invited everyone they met, rich and poor, good and bad, high and low, sick and well. Everyone who was invited came, and the wedding hall practically burst with guests.

11 The king looked around the wedding party with glee, but he spotted one man who was not dressed appropriately. In fact, he was dressed rather plainly, in clothes not at all fitting for a fine nuptial feast.

King: 12 Kind sir, how did you get in here without a proper suit of wedding clothes?

The man was speechless. He had been invited in off the street, after all! 13 Getting no response, the king told his servants,

King: Tie him up, and throw him out into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and grinding of teeth.

14 For many are invited, but few are chosen.

15 At that, the Pharisees left. They determined to trap this Jesus with His own words—hang Him by His own rope, you might say.

In this parable, the PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a wedding banquet. But the emphasis here is not on the banquet itself but more about the invitation. So he is talking about how we get there not what it will be like when we get there.

THE PARABLE - REVIEW

Jesus compares heaven to a wedding banquet that a king had prepared for his son. Many guests were invited but when the time came for the banquet those invited refused to come. Some went to their normal work, some were more concerned about their riches. Everyone had an excuse. The kings servants were mistreated and some were even killed.

The king was furious! He sent his army to wipe out the guests that refused the invitation. He then sent his servants into the streets to invite anyone they came across. All were invited. Good, bad, even total strangers and the wedding banquet was filled with guests. During the festivities the king notices someone who is not wearing a wedding garment. He had no explanation for his lack and was promptly ejected into outer darkness.

THE MEANING OF THE PARABLE

The king is God the Father, the son who is being honoured is Jesus Christ. He came to his own, but they did not receive him.  John 1:11 God’s people Jews/Israel were the guests invited. They held the invitation, but refused to come.

When Jesus came the Kingdom of God was at hand. The groom had returned. It was time for the kingdom to appear... Many servants (prophets) were murdered, including John the Baptist. The invitation to the wedding banquet was God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ!

The Jews refused to believe and so God sent invitations to everyone, i.e. the Gentiles. everyone they came across was invited, until the hall was filled with guests. The Gospel is for everyone.

Acts 13:46 (NIRV)

46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly. “We had to speak God’s word to you first,” they said. “But you don’t accept it. You don’t think you are good enough for eternal life. So now we are turning to the Gentiles.

God will not tolerate wickedness forever. His judgement will come on those who reject his offer of salvation. How typical of human nature, to be offered the blessings of God and to refuse them because the cares of this life are too important. The man without a wedding garment received his just rewards. Entrance into the Kingdom of God is through Jesus Christ, and only through him. We need the righteousness of Chris, not self righteousness. we cannot earn our salvation. It is the Gift of God to those who believe.

Philippians 3:9 The Voice

9 When it counts, I want to be found belonging to Him, not clinging to my own righteousness based on law, but actively relying on the faithfulness of the Anointed One. This is true righteousness, supplied by God, acquired by faith.

Just as the king provided wedding garment for the guests, God provides salvation for mankind. Our wedding garment is the righteousness of Christ. John 14:6 Christ concludes the parable with, ‘many are invited but few are chosen”.

WHY?

Why are only a few chosen? Their are only  a few chosen because so few respond. The main point of the parable is that the invitations are going out now, and we need to respond to them.

HOW ARE WE TO RESPOND?

1. WE ARE CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (NIV)
2. ENGAGE WITH THE SPIRIT John 14:16

Last week in her sermon Gill explained that the Holy Spirit is not just the power or energy of God. The Spirit is a person. Because the Spirit is a person he engages with us in different ways. We all have a different relationship with him. Just like our human relationships are all different.

IN CONCLUSION

The main point of the parable is that the invitations to the kingdom are going out now! We need to respond. Even more, once we have responded we now have a responsibility. Share the invitation with others.