You're Invited

By Alessandra Velsor

“Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to 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.” But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, “The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.” 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. But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, “How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?” The man was speechless. 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. For many are invited, but few are chosen.”’”—Matthew 22:1–14 (NIV)

It's an honor to be invited to a wedding, isn't it? I remember planning my wedding and the most stressful part was creating the guest list. Weddings cost a fortune these days, so unfortunately, not everyone I knew could be invited.

For a few years, I planned numerous weddings as a caterer and can easily recall each couple's burden as they tried to figure out how to throw a reception without breaking the bank. Sadly, the solution is to reduce the guest list—but not every couple wants to take this advice.

Now imagine the opposite. Imagine spending a lot of time and money choosing your guests and planning a wedding, only to learn the ones you did invite responded “No” to your invitation. This is what we see in today’s parable. A king enthusiastically invites everyone to his son’s wedding—the budget is limitless so the best food and entertainment will be offered. After all, it’s a royal wedding! This invitation reminds me of Isaiah 25:6 (NIV), which says, “On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines.”

And instead of paper invitations, the king sends actual messengers to personally invite his guests, but everyone refuses the invitation and even mocks it! Perhaps he thought that was odd, so he tried again! He gives his guests another opportunity to accept only to be rejected for a second time. Some simply ignore the invitation because they’re busy with work and don’t have time to attend, but others kill the messengers! This extreme action leads the king to burn the city and kill those in it as retaliation.

At this point, the king sends his servants to invite ANYONE willing to come—“the bad as well as the good.” The hall is full and everyone’s having a great time until the king stumbles across someone who isn’t dressed properly. You see, there’s a strict code when attending a wedding, so this man needs to be dealt with, “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”These are such powerful and exclusive words, aren’t they?

The first group who rejected the invitation represents the Jews of the time who persistently refused to attend. The second group, who were too busy with work and maintaining a certain status quo, represent those who didn’t want to give up the comforts of their earthly treasures. This latter group refers to the majority. Most of us are too busy with life, work, family matters, and everything in between! And finally, the man who gets thrown out of the banquet represents those who accept the invitation but come unprepared to the banquet.

Isn’t it amazing that Jesus invites everyone in—that He made a way for us to come into the banquet feast of heaven? All we have to do is earnestly accept His invitation and follow Him in! And, not only do we get to come in with Him, but He also dresses us in His robe of righteousness!

As those who have been grafted in and received Jesus, we have this sacred privilege and honor of being used by God to pass out invites to this party! Will YOU take up the call?

Pause: What would keep you from accepting an invitation to a wedding from a king?

Practice: Extend an invitation to church this weekend to a friend who doesn’t know Jesus!

Pray: Father, thank You for inviting me and adopting me into Your family. Thank You for sending Jesus to this earth to save us and offer us the gift of eternal life. I’m sorry for the times I’ve been distracted with matters that don’t add to eternity and Your kingdom. Help me stay focused on You and Your Word, and guide me through this life when times get difficult. Amen.