Culver Community Church

Pastor Chris Sweeney

Sermon Notes

November 11, 2018

Matthew 21:23 – 22:14 Christ’s Authority (Part 3)

{vs. 1-3} In our third parable, we move away from the vineyard (from Israel) to a great wedding feast.  The characters are obvious to us – God is Himself the King and Christ is the Son.  Now we can’t help but notice that the Son is alive (despite the fact that the farmers or husbandmen killed Him in the last parable).  Here the event in focus is the marriage of the Son – we know from Ephesians 5:22-33 that the church is the Bride of Christ but don’t get bogged down on this – the key point to focus on is the Kings invitations and the responses!  It would be helpful to think about it this way: God wants to throw a party and He has created all that is, all of us so that we may attend (be in fellowship with Him) – sharing in His love, joy, etc.  Shortly after creation, there was a hiccup in the party plans – we call this The Fall (sin which separates us from God and makes us unacceptable party guests!)  God foresaw this, and has been working a plan throughout history to fix this and once again fill His party (His presence, Heaven) with grateful, happy people!  Today, as in Jesus’ day the only thing preventing eternal blissful attendance is the proper response to God’s invite.  These invitations went out beginning in Genesis, and since then have repeatedly been sent in more and more detail, first to the chosen people of Israel and then to any and all who would receive and come!

In this culture, like our own, a wedding is and should be one of the most momentous events in one’s entire life.  Those of us who strive and struggle to follow God’s plans for our lives will hopefully have only one wedding/marriage (certainly, no more than one at a time!)  In Jesus’ day, the wedding and the banquet were inseparable (there was no church, synagogue or temple ceremony – it all happened at the party!)  A good banquet would invite the entire family and neighborhood.  A great banquet would invite the whole town!  This was an enormous undertaking and expense, since they typically lasted the whole week (yes, that’s seven days!)  The engaged couple and their family would provide food, drink and entertainment for all of these invited guests - to fail in any of these aspects would be a huge embarrassment as we saw in John’s gospel when we looked at the account of Jesus’ first miracle (the Wedding at Cana – John 2).  An extravagant banquet (like the king’s) would invite everyone!  Beyond any ordinary wedding, the wedding of a Royal family member (like the one that took place in England not too long ago) would be a much grander event!  To receive an invitation to such a party would be a huge honor and a comment on your social standing in the community!  Dignitaries from all over the country and the world would be expected to attend.  The king who would want everyone to share in his joy, would invite all within his domain (only royalty could afford such a party)!  We see such an extravaganza in the first chapter of Esther where King Xerxes throws a six month party, followed by a week-long feast (open bar).

{vs. 4} The tradition would be to announce such a party long ahead of time (as God did – thousands of years!).  The initial invitation would give a day without a specific time (it was often assumed toward evening or the end of the day) – when such a party went for days, does it really matter what hour?  The first invite would serve as a ‘save the date’ and give the host a head count of how many to prepare for.  Think about the scale here – there was no refrigeration, no fast food – everything had to be prepared all at once and for such a large group this could take more time than anticipated.  So when everything is ready, the King sends servants back to those who have already been invited (who have RSVP’d).  The message is ‘the time is now, the food and drink is ready – come and celebrate with me!’  (Israel repeatedly accepted God’s invitation by committing to serve Him, but consistently went back on their word by falling into sin.)

{vs. 5} At this point there would be gasps and audible shock in the crowd!  This was unthinkable!  Not only did the king hold power and authority over these subjects, but this request was a good thing!  This king is setting a table full of wonderful food and drink – an all-you-can eat buffet, at no cost to the guests!  Who in their right mind would refuse such an invitation?  God’s invitation is also summons to joy.  God’s call is an invitation to a never-ending, always-supplied, always-entertaining party (no one will be trying to sneak out the back door!)  There will be feasting, dancing, companionship and great joy.  There will be nothing lacking at this party. The food and drink will never run out. There will be friends and loved ones there, and best of all, the King and His Son will be right there in the midst of it all!

In the parable, people gave excuses not to attend. They had other (more important) things to do. If you or I had been invited (all expense paid) to the Royal wedding (no gift expected), front row seats – would we decline?  I think not!  And this was/is a much, much, much grander opportunity!  More than bowing out (after already RSVPing), these would be guests did not want to be invited to the king’s party any more, did not want to hear or be bothered by his servants,  and even became angry at them.  These reactions went beyond shocking, all the way to the absurd!  

· Some ignored the invitation; they had other things on their minds, they wanted to get caught up on their work, take a walk, or the invitation simply interfered with their plans.  What Jesus’ parable points out is the appalling apathy that looks at God’s gracious invitation to life and joy, and merely sighs with indifference.  We see this in those who get distracted by the things of this world – things that become idols, and keep them from what is truly important – God!

· Others violently rejected the invite, abusing the servants – a gross discourtesy!  Rather than being too busy to bother with the king, these are decidedly against him!  They don’t believe the invitation is on the level, think it to be a trick or trap or just hate the king so much that they would refuse just because he has anything to do with the party!  This crowd represents the anti-God and atheists today – not willing to come to God because they just don’t like Him! (or worse!)

Both of these groups in the story acted without considering the king’s response or the consequences, however.  Today, those who refuse to come to God do the same – they don’t consider the ‘what if’s?’ What if God is real?  What if the way I live my life will send me to Hell?  What if God really loves me and His offer is ‘on the level’?

{vs. 7-8} Rather than an occasion for joy, this became a great insult and reason for wrath!  Many of us make assumptions about God and His character that we have no reasons or justifications for: like God will never get angry, He won’t punish me or react to my sin and rejection.  The guests in the parable did not believe the king would respond, just as the Israelites assumed that they were God’s chosen people – they knew what was right and God would not move against them (despite all the evidence in their history and scripture to the contrary!)  God sent His only Son, their messiah and they rejected Him but even then . . . God sent the Apostles and early church (powered by the Holy Spirit) to extend yet more chances.  The ministry of the Holy Spirit was mighty during that first generation – miracles, just like and even greater than those done by Jesus Himself – but still they refused to see the work of God among them!  Tragically, this prophesy was fulfilled in 70 AD (only 40 years from this time), when God used the Roman army to utterly destroy “those murderers”, raze the temple (not one stone left on top of another – Matthew 24:2), scatter the remnant of Israel and burn Jerusalem to the ground.

I want you to understand something important here – they were not worthy, not because of sin (we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23) – God provided a way to repair that damage, to replace our filthy rags with robes of righteousness.  As we will see, the king provided everything that they needed – right down to the wedding clothes!  What made them unworthy was their rejection!  These guests had their priorities all wrong, they were concerned about themselves, the things of this earth and they would not bow to the king’s authority!  They would have been worthy if they had just accepted the invitation.  God is gracious, merciful and loving – but even with such a great God, there is room for anger and wrath after repeated, unrepentant rejection and scorn of His invitation!  No one knows how far God’s grace will stretch, how long the door will be open – if you hear His call today, don’t be among the distracted and indifferent, or the violent and ungrateful – turn to Him in humility and receive His invitation!

{vs. 9-10} Israel’s lost opportunity has become our great invitation!  As Paul wrote in Romans “their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles” (11:12b).  God invites everyone – bad and good (by man’s standards), anyone who will may come!  God will have His party – He will find people to love, to bless - - - to adopt into His family and to enjoy fellowship with!

{vs. 11-14} Now before you judge the king too harshly for inviting all the poor people and then kicking one out because of improper attire, you need to know it was the ancient custom for royalty to provide the clothing for the guests to wear. According to Barnes New Testament Notes, “In ancient times, kings and princes were accustomed to make presents of changes of raiment to their friends and favorites. To refuse to receive this gift was an expression of highest contempt.”  The king had supplied all the guests with a valuable gift (remember cloth was a way to store value), and this guy refused to wear what he had been given!  Why?  Perhaps he liked his own style, he thought his garments were good enough – maybe he was just stubborn (sinful), but whatever the reason it was a huge insult to the king.  The king had him cast out, indignantly – to match his ungrateful insult!  Applying this to our lives today, we see that we have been given a great invitation.  Everything has been prepared for us, all we need do is accept (in faith) and submit to God’s authority (do things His way, receive His robes of righteousness).  Today is the day of salvation but – “how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.” – (Hebrews 2:3 NIV)  Do not be indifferent or against this unimaginable offer!  Revelation 22:17 tells us that Jesus extends the offer still today (until the end of time) – “let the one who hears say, "Come!" Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”  The story has always been the same - let me leave you with the words of Isaiah 61:10 – “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.”