Rsvp-Ing Your Future Series

Randy Alcorn told story about his friend Ruthanna Metzgar, a professional singer. She had been asked to sing at the wedding of a very wealthy man, and they were invited to the reception. It was being held on the top two floors of the Columbia Tower in Seattle - the tallest skyscraper in the Northwest - and there would be magnificently carved ice sculptures; beautifully decorated tables filled with the choicest of foods; and a professional orchestra dressed in elegant white tuxedos. At the start of the reception, the bride and groom came to an elegant glass and brass staircase where someone ceremoniously cut a satin ribbon at the bottom of the stairs, and wedding party ascended followed by their guests. This wasn’t just a reception… this was an event!! And Ruthanna and her husband were excited to be there!

As they made their way to the top of the stairs, there stood a maître d’ holding a bound book. He asked: “May I have your name please?” “I’m Ruthanna Metzgar and this is my husband Roy.” He searched the M’s. “I’m not finding it. Would you spell it, please?” So she spelled her name slowly. But, after searching the book, the maître d’ looked up and said, “I’m sorry ma’am, but your name’s not here.” Now, she’s a bit worried and she said “There must be some mistake. I’m the singer!” The maître d’ answered, “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done. Without your name in the book you cannot attend the banquet.” Then he motioned for a waiter and said, “Show these people to the service elevator, please.” And so the Metzgars followed the waiter past the ice sculptures, the beautifully decorated tables filled with the choicest of foods, and the orchestra – dressed in white tuxedos who were preparing to perform. But Ruthanna and Roy were NOT allowed to take part because their names were not in the book.

After they’d left the event, Roy reached over and touched his wife’s arm. “Sweetheart, what happened?” And she replied: “When the invitation arrived, I was busy. I never bothered to RSVP. Besides, I was the singer. Surely, I could go to the reception without returning the RSVP!” And then … she started to weep. (Randy Alcorn, "50 Days Of Heaven", p. 23)

She hadn’t done what she should have done to be allowed to attend the reception. Her name was not found written in the book. She had been invited/ called… but she had not been chosen.

In our story today, Jesus tells a parable about a King who gave a wedding reception for his son, and the parable ends up practically the same as it had for Ruthanna and her husband. A man comes to a reception, but he doesn’t do what he was supposed to do, and the King shows him the door. The king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

He had been invited/called… but he had not been chosen.

Now let’s take this parable apart a little bit at a time. 1st – this parable tells us about the wedding feast for the Son of the King. I wonder what that’s all about? Well, we don’t really have to wonder, because in Revelation 19:6-9 John tells us “I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure" — for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.’ And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’”

The wedding feast Jesus referred to, is the great event at the end of time when all the saints (that’s you and me) are gathered in heaven to meet Jesus. We (Christians) are the bride, and Jesus is the groom - and we are going to have a party! A big and exciting party. A party like you’ve never seen on earth. And NOT just a party… but an event! That’s what Jesus is talking about!

But then, at the end of the parable, Jesus says something interesting: “For many are called, but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14

That’s an interesting statement by Jesus. And there are many folks who read that verse and believe that the only way you get into heaven is to be chosen. You can’t just decide to get into heaven… you have to be chosen. You don’t get to chose – only God can make that choice. I mean – that’s what it SEEMS to be saying!