Good evening. Over the past few months we have been examining The Parables Of Jesus. And for the last couple of weeks we have been looking at a couple of parables that have something in common. We looked at the fact that Jesus’ authority was questioned by the religious leaders of His day. In response to their questioning, He spoke 3 parables. We have already looked at The Parable Of The 2 Sons, and The Parable Of The Wicked Vinedressers. Today, we come to the third and final parable in response to Jesus’ critics.
Before we read this text, If you could choose one unusual way to do, or redo your wedding, how would you do it? (Parachuting, Under Water, In Costume, ?)
Well in today’s parable, we read about a wedding. This evening we are examining The Parable Of The Wedding Banquet or other translations say Wedding Feast. Go ahead and turn with me to Matthew chapter 22, and in verses 1 through 14 we find the parable of the wedding banquet. Let’s go ahead and read this passage. Here in Matthew 22:1-14 it says, “1”
Let’s open with a word of prayer.
Well, last week we began with some Who’s Who and What’s What, so let’s do that again this week so that we can best understand this parable tonight.
Let’s start with the King, who is the King? (God)
Okay, and if the king is God, then the son would be? (Son)
What is the wedding/marriage representing? (Relationship)
Who are the servants this week? (Prophets and Apostles)
Who are those that were first invited to the wedding? (Israel/Jews)
Who are the new bad and good that are later invited? (Gentiles)
What does the wedding garment represent? (Salvation)
And finally, what is the outer darkness? (Hell/Hades)
Now let’s gain some basic understanding of this parable. Here are a few questions just to get us thinking in the right mind about this parable.
Why was this banquet held?
What do you learn about those originally invited? What is so surprising about their response?
Okay, in verse 5 it said that they paid no attention and went one to his field and another to his business. These were obviously escapes for these people. What are some of the things that people use today to escape God?
Who did the king eventually invite and why?
Now after the banqueting hall was full, the king came out and saw something that He didn’t like. What is the problem with one of the guests in verses 11&12?
What does it mean to be in the King’s presence without your wedding garments on?
Why is this person sent away?
Finally, what does this parable teach us about the kingdom?
Well, what I would like to do with the time that we have left this evening is take a look at 3 key parts to this parable. To help us out here,
Could I get someone to read Matthew 10:5-7 for us please?
The first goal here was to go to the lost children of the house of Israel. It was a certain group of people that were being invited to this feast.
In Deuteronomy 7:6 it says, “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession.” This group of people, were God’s chosen people. Out f everyone on the face of the earth, He chose them to be His treasured possession.
Would someone read Isaiah 53:3 for me please?
Here in the Old Testament is was prophesied that this group of people would reject Christ. This group of people that Christ would choose out of everyone, would in turn reject Him.
Then in the New Testament in John 3:36 it says, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” This verse shows us that God’s destruction and wrath comes upon those who reject Jesus.
Now, as we have read this parable, and we have taken a look at these extra scriptures and ideas, Who is this group of people that we just read about? (The Jews)
Okay, well the next group of people that I would like to take a look at then are the Gentiles. The Gentiles where considered aliens. Could I get someone to read Ephesians 2:11-12 for me please?
However, despite the fact that the Gentiles were viewed as aliens, because the Jews did not believe, the Gospel was sent to the Gentiles. Would someone read Acts 13:46 please?
In our parable, because those that were invited would not come, a different group of people where invited. In real life, because the Jews would not believe, the Gentiles where given the Gospel instead.
Then in Ephesians 2:13 it says, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” Now the Gentiles have been brought to Christ.
And that brings us to our final point about the Gentiles. They show us that we are all baptized in Christ Jesus. Can someone read Galatians 3:26-28 for us please?
Now, there is no distinction. There is no longer 2 groups, but instead all are, or can be in Christ.
And the last aspect of this parable that I would like to look at is the Wedding Dress. Let me start by reading Galatians 3:27. in Galatians 3:27 it says, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Now I think that the idea here is that we must put on Christ.
Now when we put on Christ, that means there needs to be another thing that we do or put on. Would someone read for us Colossians 3:9-10?
After we have put on Christ we must remove the old man that is inside of us and put on the new man. The wedding the new creation. In the parable, the one man came to the banquet without his wedding garments. It’s not talking about his clothes that he was wearing, it was talking about the new man inside. He came unchanged. He had not put on Christ.
Now, when we have put on Christ and the new man, there are a couple of things that we must do. First, we must die to our sin, or our old way of life. And then we must walk in the newness of life. Someone read Romans 6:1-4 for me please?
And lastly, when we have clothed ourselves in Christ, we must be ready and waiting. In Luke 12:40 it says, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” If we call ourselves Christians, and we say we have put on Christ, then we must be ready and waiting for the return of Christ.
Now before we close, I want you to think back to the parable, which character in the story do you most relate to and why? Think about that for a moment to yourself. Which character are you most like, and why is that?
Now answer me this question. What cay you do in the week to come to encourage attendance and proper dress?
Does anyone have anything that they would like to add tonight before we close?
Well, as we close, just remember that the Biblical Israel is not the physical place. Today, we the church are the Israel, we are the chosen ones of God. Let’s not make the same mistakes that the first group of people did.
Let’s Pray |
