Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

⁴ “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

⁵ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

⁸ “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹ So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Few Are Chosen

Jesus, you invited Galilean Jews and Judean Jews to enter the Kingdom of God.  You wanted them to sit at the table, but they refused.  Then you came to those who were outcast and downtrodden and they responded.  I seem to take your message to very few people, but you took your message to the masses and invited anyone who would to come closer.  Those who loved the system they had created without you, did not come.  Those who had no system and who were desperate for positive changes, took you up on the offer.  To those who came in close and became disciples, you clothed them with garments of righteousness.  You gave them a new life to wear.  Of course, like Judas Iscariot, there were those who played the game; went along with the crowd.  They were exposed and thrown out.

Jesus, this life confuses me.  I want to be clothed in your righteousness, but I don’t know well how to live that out.  I have a lack of confidence and I would like you to give me an inner peace and a knowledge that I am truly welcome at your party.  I want an emotional assurance that I belong.  What is the path?  I guess it is you.  I will move in close to you each day.  I will nestle in your chest and then move forward in the strength of your acceptance.  I will experience you more as brother and friend as well as righteous king.  Jesus, hold me today.  Embolden me and carry me along as one who has been chosen to attend the banquet.

Questions

1. Who does the king invite to his banquet?
2. Who comes?
3. What does the parable mean?
4. Who does Jesus call in our days?
5. How do you know if you haven’t responded appropriately to God’s call?