Matthew 22:1-14
In his book…David Brinkley: A Memoir…David Brinkley tells about coming to work for NBC in the 1940s.
- At that time…NBC considered itself the elegant network.
- The rule was that after 6:00 pm…radio newscasters were required to read the news wearing tuxedos.
- Imagine that?
- Their radio audience could not see the newscasters.
- But NBC management believed their attitude and presentation skills improved dramatically when they were properly attired.
A friend of mine is employed by the human‑development department of a corporation in the Midwest.
- Her job is to train employees in proper dress codes and etiquette.
- One day as she was stepping onto the elevator…
- A man dressed in jeans and a golf shirt got on the elevator with her.
- Thinking of her responsibilities…she said.
- “Dressed a little casually today…aren’t we?”
- The man replied: “That’s one benefit of owning the company.”
Anyway…Jesus tells a parable about a wedding guest who was not appropriately attired.
- His behavior is deliberately disrespectful.
- Showing that he has misinterpreted the king’s gracious generosity.
Now…Jesus’ audience would have understood that a “proper wedding garment” was simply one that was clean.
- It did not need to be new or fancy.
- This guest was not a poor man who did not own decent clothes.
- He was someone who was acting in a manner that was deliberately disrespectful.
OK then…this man represents a person who walks through a flower garden with work boots on…stepping all over the flowers.
- Who wipes his mouth on a clean tablecloth.
- Who crashes a wedding reception to get free drinks.
So…He’s the one who attends the wedding party without going to the church to witness the sacred vows spoken by the bride and groom.
- There was no excuse for this guest to be dressed inappropriately except for either hypocrisy and stubbornness.
This man is like some of those
individuals that Paul labored with so desperately in the early church who could not understand why they should give up drunkenness and gluttony.
- Since God had already forgiven them their sins and opened the kingdom to them.
And so…the man knew better than to be dressed as he was…but he evidently did not care.
- The king did not cut him any slack.
- He said to his attendants:
- “Tie him hand and foot and throw him outside…into the darkness…where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- For many are invited…but few are chosen.
- (So Jesus bursts out with Semitic hyperbole or exaggeration).
We want to hear a nice story about God’s throwing a party open to everyone.
- We do not want to hear about judgment on hypocrisy and stubbornness.
- Or about demanding standards of holiness.
- Or about weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Jesus’ love reached those who were invited to the feast where they were.
- But his love refused to let them stay as they were.
- Love desired the best for those who were invited.
God loves ruthless felons.
- God loves criminal and arrogant businessmen and businessswomen.
- God loves manipulative fathers and mothers that damage their children’s emotions for life.
- But the point of God’s love is that he wants them to change.
- He hates what they are doing and the effects it has on everyone else…including themselves.
- If God is a good God…he cannot allow that sort of behavior to remain at the party he’s throwing for his son.
God’s kingdom is a kingdom in which love…justice…truth…mercy and holiness reign unhindered.
- They are the clothes we need to wear for the wedding.
- And if we refuse to put them on…we are saying we do not want to stay at the party.
- God loves us as we are…but God expects us to clothe ourselves in the robe of Christ.
- Where Jesus love and goodwill are the rule instead of the exception.
- In Jesus…forgiveness and understanding are the order of the day.
I’m paraphrasing CS Lewis here…but he pretty much put it this way:
- We think God is going to come into our house…look around…and see that we just need a new floor or better furniture and that everything needs just a little cleaning.
- Then you look out the window one day and see that there’s a wrecking ball outside.
- It turns out that God thinks our whole foundation is shot and we are going to have to start from scratch.
Jesus was not saying that “sinners” are barred from the kingdom.
- Sinners…in fact…are all that are welcome in the kingdom.
- And we are all invited!
- But this guest does not see himself as a sinner.
- And that’s how he comes to stand out so severely at the feast.
Paul puts it best in Colossians:
- “Cloth yourselves with compassion.
- And patience.