The Wedding Feast

I. Introduction

A. Previous Chapter

1. The Triumphant Entry (Read Mt. 21: 6-11)

a. There was a gross misunderstanding concerning Jesus.

b. He was not going to be Savior the Jews thought he would be.

c. His kingdom was of a heavenly nature.

d. Many of these same people cried, “Crucify Him”, shortly after this

occurred.

2. Jesus in the Temple

a. Thrashes the moneychangers

b. My Father’s house will be called a “House of Prayer”.

3. Teaching in the “face of death”.

a. Actual cursing of the fig tree.

b. The Parable of the Two Sons – Mt. 21: 28-32

1. The prostitutes and the tax collectors were entering eternal life

before the chosen ones.

2. They believed and heeded John’s warning.

c. The Parable of the Tenants

1. Question, Answer, Realization

2. Read vs. 43 – the would be taken away from the Jews and given to

those who will bear fruit.

B. Mt. 22: 1-14

1. Read the Text

a. There is a continuation of the progressive nature of what will happen

to those who reject Christ and His church.

b. “Many are invited but few are chosen.

2. Let’s take a closer look.

II. The Lesson – “The Wedding Feast”

A. The Wedding

1. The wedding invitation was not sprung upon them at the last minute.

2. Scripture had prophesied of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ.

a. The Book of Isa. Is full of prophecies.

b. Jesus quotes Psa. 118: 22-23 in the previous chapter concerning His

rejection by the Jews

B. God Didn’t Give up Easily

1. The king sent his servants out and reminded them of what was in store.

a. He reiterated to the invitees what He had prepared for them.

b. The fatted cattle had been butchered.

c. Indicative of a sacrifice which in reality turned out to be Jesus.

2. Have you ever hosted something that did not have a good turn out?

3. How did you feel?

4. Did you sacrifice your son for the party? God did!

5. I am reminded of the invitation song, “All Things Are Ready, Come to the

Feast.”

C. The Consequences of Rejection

1. Read vs. 5-6

2. What do we let come between the Lord and us?

a. Work, hobbies, relationships

b. Pure stubborn will not to accept Him, regardless of reason

3. We do have the right to refuse. Those who chose this try to eliminate Him

from their body, soul and mind.

a. God will allow; just read Rom. 1:18

b. God has an end prepared for those who ignore Him.

c. Most people who don’t belief have contempt and malicious feelings

toward those that do. Mt. 21: 45-46

D. The king was determined to not waste his feast.

1. The servants brought in the good and the bad.

2. Wow! Remember what Mt. 21: 32 said.

3. The banquet hall was filled. Free food and drink!

E. The king throws out the man.

1. You can’ understand vs. 12-14 unless you understand the customs of the

day.

a. It was customary for hosts to provide appropriate for clothing for

their guests.

b. The implication here is that he thought he was acceptable to God as he

was.

2. He didn’t need God’s righteousness.

III. Application then and now

A. The roles

1. The king is God and will always be God.

a. Heb. 13:8 – Jesus Christ the same today, yesterday, and forever

2. Jews were the rejecters but we who are Christians today can be also.

a. We are modern day Jews in a sense.

1. We as Gentiles are now chosen, not first, but none the less chosen.

2. I Pet. 2: 4-9 Read

b. When Christ died God fulfilled His covenant with the Jews.

c. That also could place us in the role of the Pharisee.

1. We can refuse God’s grace just like the Jews of old refused Jesus.

2. We can think we have a monopoly on knowledge as the Jews did.

3. The Servants

a. We are to go out and spread God’s word. The Good News, the banquet

is set.

b. Though we are to wield the sword of the Spirit we must be careful

how we brandish it.

4. The underdressed Guest rejected the proper clothing.

a. Not only can we never accept God’s invitation; we can reject it even after we have accepted it.

b. Makes me think of the third vs. of a song I mentioned earlier.

“ All things are ready”, Come to the feast

Come, while He waits to welcome thee;

Delay not why this day is thine,

Tomorrow may never be.

c. We cannot attain salvation or reach heaven on our own self righteousness. We must be clothed

in the righteousness of Christ.