Not All Will Come Or Be Accepted

Matthew 22: 1-14

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

22 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, ² “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, ³ and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. ⁴ Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ ⁵ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, ⁶ while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. ⁷ The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. ⁸ Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ⁹ Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ ¹⁰ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. ¹² And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

This parable not only underscores the generosity of the king, but his frustration as well.  Ignored, rejected by the invitees, he was so disappointed and  frustrated  that he sent his troops to destroy them and then invites any and all to take their place. The hall was filled with these guests, but one, however, was not wearing a wedding garment and was cast out into the darkness.

Where do I stand among these? Am I an invited guest who refuses to attend?  Am I among the "subs" who have gladly accepted the invitation and are happy to be in the banquet hall?  Or am I the one who ignores protocol, or the minimum demanded of a guest (a wedding garment) who seeks to sneak in without fulfilling what is expected from me? Food for thought on this lovely Sunday.  God bless every one of you loyal followers.

Bro. Rene