Matt. 22:1-14 (NRSV)
Read Matt. 22:1-14 on biblegateway.com
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
Invitations from a king do not allow for optional responses. A royal invitation is an unconditional summons, a subpoena. To refuse is to be in contempt as if to say, “My will, not thy will, be done.”
Nor should one show up on one’s own terms. To do so is to say, “You, Lord, must conform to my expectations, not I to yours.”
“The kingdom of heaven is like this,” Jesus said. God rules like a king who invites all to join in the king’s joy. But, having invited us, God demands a response. God calls us to respond to the invitation to celebrate that “kingdom life” is not based on the principle of looking out for number one, but upon the promise that Number One looks out for us.
William Tyndale responded to the invitation, despite personal danger – and ultimately, martyrdom. The world – and our language – is richer because of his work translating scripture into English.
Prayer
Lord, you have called us into this day to walk upon paths that we cannot yet see. Nevertheless, we celebrate this day. Because it is a day that you have made and in which you will be. That’s good enough for us. Let’s get started. Amen.