There’s room at the banquet table of the wedding feast! In the “Story of the Great Feast” Jesus told the crowds how the Kingdom of Heaven works. Let’s read the story in Matthew 22:1-14 (NLT):
1 Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.
7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Let’s dissect this story with the key points:
“A king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.”
The King is the Father, who prepared the wedding feast for Jesus when he finished his mission on earth. The purpose was to celebrate.
When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited.
God waited until the banquet was ready, not before. He sent his servants to invite people. God didn’t go himself. And they had the mission to “notify those who were invited.” Therefore, there was a guest list, meaning that not everybody was on that list. Initially, Jesus came to save the Jews, the chosen people of God. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said to the gentile woman, “I was sent only to help the people of Israel – God’s lost sheep – not the Gentiles.”
But they all refused to come!
Initially, the Jews rejected Jesus. When the first servants came back saying that no one accepted the invitation, God sent more servants. This time He specified that the entire feast was ready with the best meats and foods.
But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.
Again, the guests not only ignored the servants, but they even insulted them and killed them. When the King heard about this, He was furious. He then sent his armies to destroy the original guests and their towns. He told his servants his guests were not “worthy of the honor” to be part of the great feast.
Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.
God then directed his servants to invite everyone they found in the streets – good and bad people.
And the banquet hall was filled with guests.
This time everyone came, and they filled the house! The King was happy and ready to receive His guests!
He noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding.
But when the King came to greet the guests he noticed that one person wasn’t ready for a wedding. He was there but not prepared for the special occasion by not giving it the proper importance to dress up. So, the King threw him out. Therefore, even when we are invited to the banquet table, we must come prepared to receive the King and His Son.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
This is the key to this whole message. God first invited the Jews, His chosen people, to the banquet. Because they rejected Jesus, God opened up the gift of salvation to the Gentiles – the rest of humanity (you and me). Gentiles – good and bad – were invited to partake of the great feast. But they had to come prepared and at the least, dress for the occasion. In the end, many people will be called to the banquet, but few are chosen (by God).
Conclusion
There’s room at the banquet table and you are invited! How do you prepare for the banquet? By first saying “yes” to the invitation. Then start preparing as the special date approaches so you are ready to go “when the banquet is ready.”
So, as you start this New Year, would you answer the invitation to come to the banquet? Make this year the beginning of your journey with Jesus. It’s free and all you must do is get ready and dress up for it. Come with the expectation that you will meet the King and His Son, Jesus. Be a guest that is “worthy of the honor” to be at the banquet table.
Happy New Year!