Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14, NRSV)
Here we go again… The Good News of our Lord!!!
Wow.
The king invited people to the banquet and they wouldn’t come, so he went back out and invited them again, and they still refused, so he burned down the town! And while the buildings smoldered around them they had a feast, with the common people from the streets.
So there is still a feast with those common people. The king is very open and inviting…
But then we see the one who is not dressed appropriately…
Now hold just a minute, we should say. Didn’t you just pull this person in from the street and now you are giving him grief because of what he is wearing? Really?
Yes because it was the custom in those days for the king, or the host of the banquet to provide the proper clothing for the guests.
Genesis 45:22 talks about Joseph supplying clothing for his brothers as they come to Egypt. Esther 6:8-9 also speaks of this…
So if the king is providing clothes than this person has no excuse to not be dressed properly, unless of course they are thinking they do not need the kings clothes, and are fine just the way they are…
And Ezekiel 16:10-13 talks about God clothing unworthy people in beautiful garments…
So if we refuse the garments of God, are we saying we are beautiful on our own? We do not need God?
You see many are called, actually we could easily say all are called, but only those who admit they need God, and need His love and forgiveness and His presence, and His clothing are chosen. Not for what we have done, but our acknowledgement of what He has done for us.
aSacredRebel 