Invitation by Dr. Abidan Shah

INVITATION by Dr. Abidan Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction: I’ve done a lot of weddings in my 20+ years of ministry. What I have observed is that one of the toughest things for any couple in planning their wedding is sending out the invitations—who to invite and who not to invite. Does that sound right? “If we invite so and so, then we have to invite so and so. But, if we don’t invite so and so, but invite so and so, then their feelings will get hurt.” At times, I’ve had to talk a couple or two out of eloping because they couldn’t agree over the invitation list! So also, the kingdom of God is like a wedding to which everyone is invited. Unfortunately, not everyone accepts the invitation. But, if you do accept the invitation, don’t forget it’s a gracious gift. Dress appropriately. Your confession may get you in but it’s your clothing that will keep you in. Are you dressed in Christ’s righteousness? In our series on the parables of Jesus, we coming to the final parable of the Wedding Banquet and the message is titled “INVITATION.”

Matthew 22      1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, “Tell those who are invited, ‘See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Question: As you know by now, parables are like a mirror. You have to see yourself in the story and ask which character you are playing. Are you the invitee who made light of the invitation and went his way? Are you the invitee who seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them? Have you ever received the invitation? If not, here it is—Jesus, the Son of God, came 2000 years ago in the form of a baby, lived a sinless perfect life, preached the good news, and then gave his life on the cross for our sins. He was buried and he rose again on the third day, according to scriptures. If you repent and believe in him, you can have forgiveness and life everlasting.

Context: The parable of the wedding banquet is one of the most difficult parables of Jesus. As you know by now, the context is the key that helps us understand its correct meaning. To understand the context of this parable, we have to back up to Matthew 21    14 Then theblind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant.” I want to focus on the blind and the lame for a moment. Why were the chief priests and the scribes so indignant over the blind and the lame coming to Jesus in the temple? It could be because of a misunderstanding of Leviticus 21. Listen to verse 16 onwards—And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Speak to Aaron, saying: ‘No man of your descendants in succeeding generations, who has any defect, may approach to offer the bread of his God. 18For any man who has a defect shall not approach: a man blind or lame…21 No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the LORD…22 He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy; 23 only he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he profane My sanctuaries; for I the LORD sanctify them.’” On first reading, those words seem so cruel and heartless? Does that mean that God discriminates against those who are sick, weak, and cannot help their circumstances? Of course not! If you read further at Leviticus 22, it will begin to make more sense, starting in verse 17 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, who offers his sacrifice for any of his vows or for any of his freewill offerings, which they offer to the LORD as a burnt offering— 19 you shall offer of your own free will a male without blemish from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats. 20 Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be acceptable on your behalf. 21 …it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it. 22 Those that are blind or broken or maimed…you shall not offer to the LORD… 25 …because their corruption is in them, and defects are in them. They shall not be accepted on your behalf.’” Why was there so much emphasis on being perfect? Because sin is imperfection and it can only be countered with perfection. All these sacrifices were simply a picture of the sacrifice of the perfect lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Listen to what Peter says in I Peter 1    18 “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” What happens when we receive Jesus as our Savior? Our sin is countered with his holiness. Now, we are made perfect and holy before God as he is.

Application: What sacrifice are you bringing before God? Are you still trying to offer your defective and broken sacrifice to God? The only one acceptable is Jesus Christ.

With that in mind, let’s return to the parable: The king arranged a marriage for his son and send out his servants to those invited to come to the wedding. It appears that the wedding invitation had already gone out and this was simply a reminder that the dinner was ready. Surprisingly, they were not willing to come! He sent out other servants to plead with the guests saying “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. The Greek word for “to make light of it” is “ameleo,” which means “to have no care for” or “be unconcerned.” Question: Is that you? God’s invitation is coming to you but you are making light of it, you have no care for it. Do you think you are too good for it?

But some went beyond that. 6 “And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.” Keep in mind that this parable is coming to us in the language of Israel’s history but the application is to all of us. Throughout history, God has sent his messengers to different peoples with the gospel. Some have accepted and some have rejected. People ask me what happens to those who haven’t heard the gospel. My answer to them is that many times people haven’t heard because servants and missionaries who went with the gospel were treated spitefully and killed. Nonetheless, our job is to go or send others. That’s what the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is all about. What was the king’s response? 7 “But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.” That’s judgment. Listen to what Jesus said in John 12:48 “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” Don’t forget: Grace is amazing because there is a judgment!

The king decides to revise his list—8 Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.” 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. The word for highways is the Greek word “diexodos” which means the place where the street leaves the city limits and goes into the open country. Translators made it highway, which is technically okay but not in the sense of our highways today. What is the significance of this? In the city limits, you could find the lame and the blind on the street corners but these are those who are not even worthy to come inside the city limits!

Illustration: My father did not grow up in a Christian home. He never even went to a church. He was one of those who were outside the city limits. By the grace of God, he was invited to the banquet and he came!

Just when you think that the parable is done, there is a twist in the story. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.” Just like today, weddings are special occasions. You want to put on the best that you have. The man may have been poor, blind, and lame but he could have put on his Sunday best for the wedding. Apparently, he didn’t care! 12 So he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.” Application: You may have been the blind and the lame. You may have grown up in a rough situation. You may have gone through a rough past. But, when it comes to the kingdom of God, it doesn’t give you the excuse to live as you please. Is that you?

What was the consequence? 13 Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Listen carefully: Your confession will be powerless on the other side. God will also look at your clothing. What is your clothing? Isaiah 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herselfwith her jewels.” Paul sings out from the New Testament—Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” How is your spiritual attire this morning? Are you clothed in his righteousness? Do people see Christ in you? Are you saved?