Imagine receiving a posh looking envelope in the post one day, the envelope is addressed to you personally on cream paper with an italic script and the letter starts,
"Dear sir/Madam.
You are cordially invited to attend your own wedding...."
But that is effectively what an invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb is.
We are invited....but not as guests....as the bride!
Jesus told this story in Matthew 22
22 1-3 Jesus responded by telling still more stories. “God’s kingdom,” he said, “is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son. He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests. And they wouldn’t come!
4 “He sent out another round of servants, instructing them to tell the guests, ‘Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving. Come to the feast!’5-7 “They only shrugged their shoulders and went off, one to weed his garden, another to work in his shop. The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up on the messengers and then killed them. The king was outraged and sent his soldiers to destroy those thugs and level their city.
8-10 “Then he told his servants, ‘We have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited weren’t up to it. Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.’ The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on—every place filled. (MSG)
I like this a lot. The good and the bad....regardless. I liked the message version but, for the last verses
I have decided to return to the NIV;
I have decided to return to the NIV;
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.”
This parable (and let us not forget it IS a parable rather than straight doctrine) seems to play fast and loose with all kinds of concepts.
But what I like about it is that it seems to address universalism and election.
Firstly the Gospel is broad. It is an open invitation to all people, regardless of background or gender, regardless of sins, all are to be invited.
And we cannot suppose it is a genuine invitation unless all are able to come.
And yet it is not for every. There is no back door into this party.
The person who seeks to sneak in will be spotted and ejected.
Seems strange to eject a guest on the basis of their attire, when the king sent his servants out to literally drag people in off the street.
But the wedding clothes we will need to be wearing are those we spoke of yesterday, the robes of Christ's righteousness that cannot be earned but only bestowed on us by the wedding host himself.
There are no short cuts to heaven.
All will not be welcomed regardless of Jesus.
If you received the invitation you were notified of the dress code.
And what's more, the clothes are freely provided!
But many are invited. Not all are chosen. Only those are chosen who are in Christ. There will be no chancers, no crashers.
The time to choose is now.
And we are encouraged, even commanded to invite folk in, wherever we may find them. They need nor be model citizens or even models... They don't need to buy a wedding present.... They simply have to come... The table is ready and waiting, loaded with good things.
Jesus help us to live for the broad gospel, fill us with your spirit and place your words in our mouths, be reflected in our lives and personalities, that you may make your appeal through us,
And we thank you for our free invitation to the wedding, for including us in your great salvation,
We are eternally grateful,
This day,
And all days,
Amen.
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