Marriage Of The King's Son

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2w42py

Marriages are times filled with a wide array of emotions. Love, of course, is present. But so also is joy, laughter, friendship. And don’t forget panic and worry! Most people, especially the parents, are glad that marriages don’t happen very often.

For many weddings there are countless numbers of hours that go into planning, decorating, arranging and coordinating the event. This day is going to be special. And we want our friends to be with us to celebrate.

Invitations are sent out and preparations are made for the wedding, reception and celebration of this union. In an ideal world, everyone would attend this wedding. But we know that some may not be able.

Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 22:1-14 about a king who prepared a wedding for his son. Invitations were distributed and the anticipation was set for all to come and attend this great event. Here is that parable.

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

When it was time for the wedding those who had been invited were not serious about attending. They went on their own ways and followed their self-directed interests. This was a great insult to the king and his son.

But some of them were not just rude in declining the invitation, but actually became violent. They mistreated the servants and even killed some of them.

Naturally this made the king very angry. So he arranged to punish those killers and destroy their city. Then he sent other servants out to gather other people to come. The original ones invited had proven themselves to be unworthy.

The servants do this and fill up the wedding hall. But one of the guests is spotted without a wedding garment. In those days a king would require everyone to wear elaborate clothing at these events. In fact, many times the king would present each guest with clothing as a gift. To either not accept such a great gift or to refuse to wear it would be a terrible insult to the king.

This garment is seen as being the act of “putting on” Christ, or being clothed in Christ. With this in mind we can see how this man stood out as unacceptable to the king. All of the others, even the poor, were properly dressed because the king had provided for them. But this man was speechless and without excuse for he had not accepted the king’s gift.

Many people have rejected God’s invitation and many more will do so before this earth is destroyed. Unfortunately, some others will be drawn to God through His word but will not be willing to accept God’s terms and will stubbornly choose their ways over God’s ways.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we remember God’s love for us that allows us to have hope of eternal life. May we readily accept His invitation and live so as to be pleasing to Him.

Our thought for the day: “The Christian who claims the promises of God should obey the commands of God.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.