Matthew 22:1-14 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 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
We’re settled in at the banquet, astonished at our luck to be invited, when there is an uproar. The king notices someone inappropriately dressed and has him forcibly removed. It is a tense moment. Afterall, how could he have the right clothes when he was invited right off the street? Yet he didn’t respond appropriately. Accepting the invitation and then taking it for granted isn’t enough.
The doors of God’s reign are wide open, and the invitation extends to all. But once we come in, there are standards. These are the garments we are to wear: not taking grace for granted, being open to God and allowing God’s gracious invitation to change our lives and energize us to live in a committed response to God’s gracious invitation to enter God’s reign. When we receive a gift as amazing as God’s largess, all there is to do is to respond with grateful and joyful hearts.
Prayer
All we can do is say, thank you God. The gifts you give us are overwhelming and sometimes leave us speechless. So, we lift our hearts to you hoping that you will find in them our love and devotion to you. Give us grace to continue receiving and sharing so that your reign flourishes. Amen.
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