Matthew 'Many get invited; only a few make it.'

 

Matthew

'Many get invited; only a few make it.'Invitation

In Matthew 22, Jesus gives us another story or parable

This Parable is to give us a look at what the Kingdom of Heaven is like

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. Matthew 22:2  

 We read about the preparations for the invitation of the guest

These Invitations are personal, hand delivered by the Father’s servants

Matthew 22:1-7

Jesus responded by telling still more stories. 2 "God's kingdom," he said, "is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests. And they wouldn't come!

4 "He sent out another round of servants, instructing them to tell the guests, 'Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving. Come to the feast!'

5 "They only shrugged their shoulders and went off, one to weed his garden, another to work in his shop. 6 The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up on the messengers and then killed them. 7 The king was outraged and sent his soldiers to destroy those thugs and level their city. MSG

Invitations to three types of people who let

Pleasure or responsibility keep them from coming

The third group killed the messenger because their kingdom

Was more desirable than the Kingdom of Heaven 

'Many get invited; only a few make it.'

 

'Many get invited; only a few make it.'

 

There is something in Sandy and my DNA

that loves to be hospitable.

 

We love planning and having events for people.

 

I think I can safely say every time we looked for a house

our first priority has been a large area to entertain.

 

Some events are very simple

but some events are very complex.

 

Out of all the events we have ever done

it is the wedding that is the greatest.

 

For the bride and groom…

 

 

It is the biggest day of their lives.

 

They will make a public commitment to each other,

a commitment of love and sacrifice for the rest of their lives.

 

For the parents, this tops the birthday parties,

 and graduation parties.

 

A wedding is the biggest celebration of them all.

 

The most important and hardest part

of a wedding celebration is the invitations.

 

Wedding invitations are not announced

on the radio or TV.

 

You may spend a lot of money on the wedding…

 

But it is not for a big show of lights,

 music and fireworks to get people to come.

 

All the preparations are to honor the bride and groom.

 

It is the invitation that is very important.

 

Why?

 

Because invitations are personal…

 

 You do not want to forget anyone.

 

Every good father wants the best for his daughter or son.

 

Our Father in Heaven wants the best for His Son.

 

We can find throughout the scriptures

this event of God, the Father,

giving His Son in Marriage.

 

In Matthew 22…

 

 Jesus gives us another story or parable.

 

This Parable is to give us a look at

what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.

 

The kingdom of heaven is like a king

who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

Matthew 22:2  

 

We read about the preparations

for the invitations of the guest.

 

These invitations are personal,

 hand delivered by the Father’s servants.

We see every detail of the wedding celebration is ready…

 

This is not an event of sometime in the future.

 

God, the Father, and His Son are all prepared and ready…

 

 “And they wouldn’t come!”

Then he sent some more servants and said,

'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner:

 My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered,

and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.

Matthew 22:4

 

This story has three parts…

 

 Three sets of invitations are sent out.

 

The banquet is ready.

 

 Everyone has known about it

and been invited but…

 

 “They wouldn’t come!”

 

The second set was the second chance

for those the Father knew.

 

The third are strangers.

 

The first are the descendants of Abraham,

who get a second invite.

 

The second are the descendants of Adam.

   

There are three types of people in each set of invitations.

 

Total of six types of people.

 It is important we recognize the response

of those receiving the invitation

because an invitation is sent to you.

 

Of the descendants of Abraham…

 

 All three refused to come.

 

One went to his garden to weed, plant

or maybe pick his own fruit.

 

Another to his workshop…

 

Maybe to make more product or

send out billing statements to

collect more money from the business.  

 

Both found their pleasure or responsibility

more valuable to them than the biggest celebration

of Jesus’ eternal life.

 

What pleasures or responsibilities

keep you for God’s invitation?

 

The third group to receive an invitation…

 

 Wanted more then to avoid the invitation.

 

 They wanted to make sure they got no more invitations,

they killed the messengers.

 

These were like those who killed the Prophets

or those who cried out “crucify Him”

when Jesus was offered freedom.

 

We read the prophecy of what would

shortly take place in 70 A.D…

The king was enraged.

He sent his army and destroyed those murderers

and burned their city.

Matthew 22:7

 

On August 10, 70 A.D., the newly renovated Temple of Herod

was burned by the Roman general.

 

The fire was so hot,

the gold in the temple melted

and flowed into the streets

and settled in the cracks of the pavers.

 

The solders broke the stones apart to retrieve the gold

and not one stone was left connected to another.

 

Although this prophecy was fulfilled,

we still have the problem of allowing our Pleasures,

our Responsibilities, to keep us from

entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

We still have the problem of being people

who kill the messengers who bring Good News...

 

 So we can enjoy and control our kingdom.

 

There are three more types of people to

receive invitation to the Kingdom of Heaven,

the Wedding feasts.

 

But for now, let us reflect on our pleasures

and responsibilities and personal kingdoms…

 

In order to make sure we are not refusing to come.

  

 

 

 Scripture Reading

 

Matthew 22:1-14 NIV

 

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

 

4 "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

 

5 "But they paid no attention and went off — one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

 

8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

 

11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.

 

13 "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

 

14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."