THE WEDDING BANQUET
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) The wedding banquet
i) 1Jesus 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 (dinner).’
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 So 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, the bad as well as the good, 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 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ 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.” (Matthew 22:1-14 NIV)
1. What is the parable all about?
a) In this culture, 2 invitations were expected when wedding dinners were given. The first asked the guests to attend; the second announced that all was ready. In this story the king invited his guests 3 times - and each time they rejected his invitation. God wants us to join him at his table, which will last for eternity. That's why he sends us invitations again and again. Have you accepted his invitation?
b) It was customary for wedding guests to be given garments to wear to the dinner. It was unthinkable to refuse to wear these garments. That would insult the host, who could only assume that the guest was arrogant and thought he didn't need these garments, or that he did not want to take part in the wedding celebration. The wedding garments picture the righteousness needed to enter God's kingdom - the total acceptance in God's eyes that Christ gives every believer. Christ has provided this garment of righteousness for everyone, but each person must choose to put it on in order to enter the King's dinner (eternal life). There is an open invitation, but we must be ready.
c) The garment of righteousness
i) 16 I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will ever sing for joy. (Psalms 132:16 NIV)
ii) 10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10 NIV)
iii) 3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” 5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by. (Zechariah 3:3-5 NIV)
iv) 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. (Revelation 3:4-5 NIV)
v) 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Revelation 19:7-8 NIV)
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray that we will accept the God's invitation to receive Jesus Christ so that we can have eternal life.
i) 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17: 3 NIV)
The End ...
0. Introductiona) The wedding banquet
i) 1Jesus 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 (dinner).’
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 So 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, the bad as well as the good, 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 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ 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.” (Matthew 22:1-14 NIV)
1. What is the parable all about?
a) In this culture, 2 invitations were expected when wedding dinners were given. The first asked the guests to attend; the second announced that all was ready. In this story the king invited his guests 3 times - and each time they rejected his invitation. God wants us to join him at his table, which will last for eternity. That's why he sends us invitations again and again. Have you accepted his invitation?
b) It was customary for wedding guests to be given garments to wear to the dinner. It was unthinkable to refuse to wear these garments. That would insult the host, who could only assume that the guest was arrogant and thought he didn't need these garments, or that he did not want to take part in the wedding celebration. The wedding garments picture the righteousness needed to enter God's kingdom - the total acceptance in God's eyes that Christ gives every believer. Christ has provided this garment of righteousness for everyone, but each person must choose to put it on in order to enter the King's dinner (eternal life). There is an open invitation, but we must be ready.
c) The garment of righteousness
i) 16 I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will ever sing for joy. (Psalms 132:16 NIV)
ii) 10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10 NIV)
iii) 3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” 5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by. (Zechariah 3:3-5 NIV)
iv) 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. (Revelation 3:4-5 NIV)
v) 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Revelation 19:7-8 NIV)
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray that we will accept the God's invitation to receive Jesus Christ so that we can have eternal life.
i) 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17: 3 NIV)
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