Matthew 22:1-14 (NRSV)
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Chapter 22Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: Verse 2"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. Verse 3He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Verse 4Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' Verse 5But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, Verse 6while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. Verse 7The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Verse 8Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Verse 9Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' Verse 10Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. Verse 11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, Verse 12and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. Verse 13Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Verse 14For many are called, but few are chosen."
Devotion
This is one of my least favorite parables. I'm not a weeping and gnashing of teeth kind of guy. What about you? How could a joyful wedding banquet go so wrong? Wait, I withdraw the question. I've been to a wedding reception where the groom punched the best man in the mouth, and at least one where some of the attendants could hardly stand because of too much "celebration." That's life. We set priorities, we make choices that can cause us to pass up the invitation to fully participate in the true joy of the Kingdom of Heaven. It might be making the stuff of life more important than God. It might be words and actions that do harm to ourselves or others. It might be just plain apathy. The result is missing out on the banquet. Thankfully, for the sake of Jesus Christ, the invitation is still there.
Prayer
Dear Lord, open our hearts to the joy of your banquet and help us to set our priorities to focus on your Kingdom. Amen.