May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:1-14)

In Christ's name and to his glory, dear friends: What do you think of those Pharisees? How do you feel about the teachers of the law that were constantly confronting Jesus? They were after Him again on this Tuesday of Holy Week. When you see how they chased after Jesus to antagonize Him it's easy to be upset with them or even dowright angry. But if I personally look down on them... then I admit I'm one of them. The whole problem was that they evaluated everybody else, even Jesus, by the imagined standard of themselves being better. Let's not follow their example.

We would be following their bad example if we looked at this parable and said - "You bet... the Pharisees and Jewish leaders really needed to hear that message" or "too bad so-and-so wasn't here to listen to this parable." Yes this parable incriminates the Pharisees. But it also warns us. If it didn't, God wouldn't have included it in the sacred record. The parable teaches that whoever rejects the Son of God will be rejected. It teaches that outward connection with religion is useless without faith in the Savior. It teaches us about God's desire to save. -- This is another parable about the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God. That means it is about hearts ruled by Christ now and forever in heaven. So it is a parable for us. Listen to it alert to being "at risk" of losing out on the kingdom of God. Listen to be assured of how not to be "at risk" of that happening.

Parable and It's Point

A King gave a wedding feast for his son. You'd expect it to be first-class. It was. Rich, thorough, lavish preparation was finished. The king sent servants out to gather the invited. But they would not come. What was more important to them? For some it was a lack of interest. Farms and businesses were more important to others. Some reacted violently to the invitation. They abused and murdered the heralding servants. The king destroyed these people and burned their city. They were finished. But the king would not give up on his desire to have people benefit from his bountiful banquet. He sent more servants to the busiest terminals or crossroads to invite anybody and everybody. The servants did that. They didn't ask for credentials or look for nobility. They brought the invitation to all. It didn't matter who they were. It did matter how they were dressed when they were there. Only one type of garment was acceptable wedding dress. That was the custom. Everybody knew it and it was available to everyone... maybe it was even given to them at the door. But the king walked in and saw a person reclining there as if he were ready for the banquet, but he didn't have the wedding clothes on. He had been more than graciously invited. How dare he insult and defy the king by coming as he is? When the king asks: "How could you?" there is no excuse the man can give. The king says "Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (13) I'm sure you can see that with these words, Jesus has made a transition from the story... to the point of the story. The main point is: Those who reject Christ Jesus will be eternally rejected.

Parable Audience And Message (more than at risk)

When we consider parables we always have to restrain ourselves from a tendency to match every detail of the story picture with a specific actual person or event. On the other hand, as we consider those standing before Jesus as he spoke, we can't pretend not to see some general truths Jesus means to convey. The king sends his servants out "calling" people to come in. Here and in Jesus' summary verse the word "call" is to invite. This is different from the God's call to faith taught in the epistles. So the servants of the Lord God repeatedly invite but the invitation is rejected. The people of the house of Israel heard the Gospel invitation of Jesus from prophets, from John the Baptist from Apostles and more. Can you imagine the grace of God that He, like the King in the story, would keep sending more and more and more messengers in spite of rejection? But there is a day of reckoning for those who reject. They will ultimately be rejected by God. And look at the heavenly banquet they missed out on. Isaiah described it in our epistle. The Spiritual blessings of Jesus that are described as a banquet are forgiveness of sins and all that goes with it: peace with God, peace of conscience, strength for thankful godly living and, of course, the sure hope of heaven. Instead of Jesus' blessings they were indifferent, or chose love of money, or even persecuted God's prophets. These rejecters found themselves not just "at risk" of facing God's punishment. They ARE facing God's punishment.

As we consider the kings desire to have his banquet hall filled, we can't help but see our God's desire to save. As the servants go out to invite anybody and everybody, we can't help but remember that Jesus came for Gentiles, too. We think of God's Gospel going out into all the world. But the Gospel invitation is not only abused outwardly and openly. Sometimes it is fatally abused by those who appear to be very close to Christ's blessings. The man not wearing the wedding clothes of Jesus blood and righteousness found that out. He appeared to be an insider, but he didn't trust Jesus alone. Such a person, also, is not only "at risk" of losing out on every blessing of Jesus. He has no place in God's kingdom.

"Are you "at risk?" If you have a history of it in your family you are "at risk" to have diabetes. If you overuse tobacco and alchohol, you are "at risk" of throat cancer. If you take your children to day care, they are "at risk" of illness from the other children... particularly upper respiratory infections or stomach viruses. If you are fair skinned and sunburn easily or if you have a history of being sunburned often as a child you are "at risk" for skin cancer. Either you listened to this list realizing that you or yours is "at risk" so you're paying attention. Or you're shutting down your attention because none of the things on that list apply to you. What about the warnings of this parable? Are they for you and me?

Present Company (at risk and not at risk)

Did you know that someone who constantly handles, talks about, thinks about and dreams about earthly things is at risk of losing heavenly treasure? Did you know that the Jews did not start out being the enemies of the Gospel, but the people of the promise? But did you know that accomodating and even defending teachings and actions which are contrary to the Bible puts a person "at risk" of eventually losing the very center of Scripture, who is Jesus? It happened to them by degrees. Are you aware that if a person spends more time recounting their good deeds than they do repentantly looking to the cross, they are "at risk" of putting back on old clothes? Last Sunday we prayed the historic prayer: "take off from me the spotted garment of my own righteousness." Jesus has. We never want to put those old clothes back on.

Revelation describes one dress common to all the saints in heaven: the clean and bright white linen robes cleansed in the blood of the Lamb. But what about us? We live on earth. Isaiah tells us we're already wearing that robe of Christ: "I delight greatly in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God, for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." (Isaiah 61:10) We are covered with Christ. How do I know I am? You ask. This Bible constantly assures you: Christ lived and died for you. Your baptism seals the matter. It says: "yes, you have been clothed with Christ." For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.(Galations 3:27). The Lord's Supper says "yes, you are" every time you receive it in faith.

Jesus begs us not to ignore the warnings in this parable. If we do then we are really at risk of being rejected by God and of enduring the eternal peril that follows. We are at risk... but we are NOT AT RISK while we are wearing the king's clothes. We are clothed with Christ. Why put yourself "at risk" of losing the eternal blessings of God's banquet? Don't dwell on earthly things and money and advancement constantly. Instead "set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:2) Don't compromise any part of God's truth and risk eventually becoming an enemy of the Gospel. That happened to Jesus audience and has happened to many others. And whatever you do, don't pick out your own wardrobe to stand in the presence of God. You're wearing the right clothes. We sang "Jesus your blood and righteousness, my beauty are, my glorious dress..." (CW 376)