Matthew 22:1-14

Matthew 22:1-14

Wedding Clothes

I. The gracious King patiently invites whosoever will come, to enter into His Kingdom; so we must not reject the King’s invitation (1-10)

a. When the prince is getting married and the king is throwing a party, it’s an incalculable honor to be invited. Then as now, there was a process to being invited to a wedding. First, an invitation was sent out to alert people that they had been honored with the call to attend. As the time for the event drew closer, everyone who had been invited was alerted that the feast was ready, and it was time to come. So, those to whom the king’s servants came in our parable had already received an invitation, but when it was time, they were unwilling, or flatly refused to come! But the king shows amazing patience and grace and sends his servants back with the message that, not only is the feast ready, but that he’s spared nothing to prepare it. This time some of the invitees, more interested in what they were doing, what they had planned, and the work of their hands, didn’t even pay attention to the king’s invitation. Still, others went so far in rejecting the king, that they attacked, beat, and kill his servants. Even after two invitations and rejections, the king was willing to compel his invitees to come a third time, but to ignore the kings gracious request and even kill his servants, called down the wrath and judgment of the king on these habitually disobedient and unworthy people. But even in the face of this unthinkable rebellion and rejection, the king loves his people and desires to be in fellowship with them, and his plans are firm. So the king sent more servants out into the area to invite anyone to the feast who was willing to come, no matter who they were or what their condition, and the wedding hall was filled. This parable is a picture of the Kingdom invitation of God through His call to His covenant people, their continued sinful rebellion and rejection of Him, their persecuting and killing of His prophets, and ultimately their rejection and crucifixion of His Son, Jesus Christ; which precipitated God to turn His Kingdom invitation towards the Gentiles. In order to extend this priceless invitation, God in His amazing grace, mercy, and love, sacrificed His Son, the only way to satisfy His holy, righteous, and just requirements for fellowship, and continues to sustain us, that we might respond to His invitation, but time is limited. We must not reject God’s invitation in indifference or in hostility, because even in His amazing longsuffering grace, all will be held accountable. (Vv. 1-10; Prov. 20:2; 29:1; Isa. 42:6-7; 45:20-23; 49:6; 55:1-7; Joel 3:32; Zech. 12:10; Matt. 21:42-44; John 3:16-21; 36; 6:44, 63-66; 7:37-38; Acts 17:30-31; Rom. 1:16-17; 10:8-13; 11:25-29; Eph. 2:11-22; 1 Tim. 2:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:9; Rev. 22:17)

II. The gracious King patiently invites whosever will come, to enter into His Kingdom; so we must not take His invitation and its implied commission for granted (3-6, 11-15)

a. Now that the wedding hall was full, the king comes in to see and greet all his dinner quests. As he scanned the crowd, he quickly notices a man who isn’t wearing wedding clothes and confronts him for his improper attire. The man has nothing to say about the incorrect clothing, and the king orders him bound, removed from the hall, and thrown out into the outer darkness of pain and misery. The man stood out so starkly, because wedding attire of the day was intended to make everyone look the same. In order achieve this and validate invitation, wealthy families usually issued wedding clothes with the invitation. So this man was either uninvited, or refused to his wedding clothes. But notice that the king didn’t just have the man snatched up and thrown out. He asked him why he wasn’t properly dressed. To which the man could’ve easily sought forgiveness and proper clothes, but he didn’t. One day, all who’ve responded to God’s Kingdom invitation will join together in white garments given by Christ because we repented, threw ourselves on His mercy, and were washed clean! God doesn’t call any He invites to His Son’s wedding banquet to clean themselves up and buy wedding clothes for themselves. He calls whosoever to come, just as they are, in repentant faith, and be made clean and new through the blood of Christ. But we must not take that newness for granted, we must cherish it, and live it out daily. We must constantly evaluate the motives of our hearts. We must not let the works of our hands and the plans of our calendars divide our hearts so that our garments become stained. Because, just as the man without wedding clothes stood out at the banquet, those of us who have been issued ours, must stand out in the world for Christ! (Vv. 3-6, 11-15; Isa. 64:6; Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 16:19-31; John 15:1-5; 2 Cor. 5:10, 17, 21; 13:5; Eph. 2:8-10; 4:17-24; Phil. 2:12-13; 3:7-11; Heb. 9:14-15; 12:15-17; 1 Pet. 1:17-19; Rev. 7:9-10-17; 12:11; 20:11-15)