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Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again 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.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. ‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless.Then 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.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’(Matthew 22:1-14
Some years ago, an apple juice company ran a print ad that said, "Many are called, few are frozen." It made me laugh and made me realize the impact that Scripture has on advertising. This last verse of today's passage has our verse, "For many are called, but few are chosen." The reference is the response people continue to show towards God and His gracious invitation to come and join the wedding feast. The kingdom of God is for all who lovingly accept, enter, and do the work of God in reaching more. Jesus' parable is about a king who throws a wedding banquet for invited folks. They would not come. The king sends servants to go and invite them with a sharing of the menu. The invited made fun of the invitation and still would not come; in fact, some even seized the servants, treated them badly, and killed them. The king sent his troops to murder those who had killed the servants. Then the invitation was expanded to include all people, "invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet," and the servants even brought back "both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests." Upon entering the king finds one not wearing the wedding garment, asks how he got in, and had him thrown out "into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then the title of this devotional: "For many are called, but few are chosen."
The parable is a foretelling of what Jesus' mission would encompass. He came first for the Jews, then for the non-Jews. Earlier, God had sent prophets for the "invited," namely the Jews, and they were treated as the servants in the parable; ridiculed, mistreated, and killed. Their judgment awaits. Then the others, namely any who would accept, were sought, and these did accept and filled the wedding hall, as heaven will be one day. There, judgment will occur, and those found not worthy, will be cast out as their punishment. As our sheep friends above show, many through the ages have sought to define what the wedding garment is that those worthy are wearing. Saint Augustine thought the wedding garment was charity, and Gregory the Great thought the wedding garment was love. And some have thought the invited guest represented Satan and his desire to be in with all of God's people until the day he is thrown out into outer darkness for ever.
Here are our questions: Have we said yes to Jesus and no to our sin? Have we asked to be forgiven and asked to be invited into God's kingdom? And if so, have we sought to be people of love and good works to those who have not yet accepted?
PRAYER: Loving God, please count me in among those who have said YES to You. I ask again, forgiveness of my sins and I open the door of my heart to You. Enter in and be my Savior, Lord, and King. Clothe me with love and help me be one who does for others as Jesus taught. This I ask in His name, Jesus my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Show your love for Jesus today by doing something good for others.
Eradio Valverde
