Matthew 22, 1-14. When Chris did the reading, if you're familiar with the Bible, you might have thought déjà vu. You might have said to yourself, I've read something very like that somewhere else before.
And you'd be quite right, wouldn't you? Because if you're precisely in Luke's Gospel, in chapter 14, there's another parable, or story, and Jesus sounds almost identical.
But it's quite different, and quite distinct.
A story about a man who was holding a feast, and he sent out invitations, which was normal for a feast.
And then people were pressed to come. And the emphasis of that parable, if you remember it, is that people made excuses.
Got a field, got lots, and all sorts of things. I'm getting married. I can't come.
The emphasis of this parable, though, is there's a king who has made a feast.
And this feast is a wedding feast, and the person who's getting married is his son.
And the emphasis, as we're going to look at it, is not so much on the excuses that are made,
as upon the refusal of those who were invited.
They refused even after repeated invitations.
And we'll see how the way that they refused elicited the anger of the king.
And the account of Matthew has a sting in the tale, it adds a little bit,
a particularly sharp reminder that the invitation the king gave is to be accepted on the king's terms.
And so the story is a different one from Luke 14.
Here in Matthew 22, the circumstances of this story are different.
Jesus has been engaged, has he, with controversy with the religious leaders.
It's the start of the week, when he will be killed on the Friday.
And they're moving to the point where they're trying to ensnare him, and arrest him, and destroy him.
And they hope to silence him forever.
They're challenging him on his authority.
Who do you think you are?
He teaches and performs miracles.
And it's within that context that Jesus tells this remarkable story.
There are four scenes in the story.
In verses 1 to 6, there is the invitation.
The rejection of an invitation.
In verse 7, there is the indignation of the king.
The king is enraged and sent in his army.
And then thirdly, you see, the third scene is, this invitation is redirected
to an altogether different company of people.
And then the final scene is the exclusion of an intruder.
For those who are listening when Jesus preached, it wouldn't have been difficult
for those who immediately grasp who and what he was speaking about.
All of these parables focus on them.
He is addressing the Jewish leaders.
He's addressing the people who are already plotting his death.
And he's at the same time explaining to them his ministry.
And it doesn't take much imagination or much knowledge
to see that Jesus is speaking about that.
When the king gives his invitation.
When he's preparing the marriage of his son.
And the invitation is pressed upon the king's subjects.
And they refuse.
And the king is angry.
It's very easy for you and I to see exactly who Jesus is speaking about.
And as we go through, you'll see that this is not only speaking to those original hearers.
But the sting in the tale is we find ourselves in this story this morning.
So first of all, the rejection of an invitation.
The rejection of an invitation.
You need to realize that there's a preliminary scene which we all get here.
Jesus doesn't even speak about it because it was taken for granted
that when anyone was sending out invitations in this particular time in history.
There was of course no postal service.
No email.
No church suite.
No Facebook.
No Insta.
But they did have couriers.
And the king had couriers who were his servants.
And he dispatched through the kingdom
with the initial invitation that we don't see here
that his son was getting married.
The invitations are not like the wedding invitations we receive.
Saying there's going to be a wedding on such a time
and such a date in such a place.
There was a kind of casual and laid back attitude towards times and dates.
And what would happen is that the messenger would initially have gone and said
that the king's son is getting married.
You're welcome to come.
But then he would have sent another messenger.
He would have gone and said the people concerned.
And he would have said everything is ready.
When that initial invitation came
nobody thought of saying where and when and what time.
Because the invitation would be repeated.
And that's why you get the king saying
the food is ready.
Everything is now ready.
Come.
So the invitation that we read up in verse 1
and verse 2
is actually the second invitation.
It was the pressing personally
of an invitation which had been delivered earlier.
And the couriers went back out
when the wedding plans had come to a climax.
And they say everything is ready.
They would have allowed just the right amount of time
for people to come
to make their way to the king's banquet in Paul.
And they went out and they pressed this invitation
on those people.
And what happened was totally unpredictable.
The altogether unbelievable happened.
To be invited to any wedding
we know, don't we, is a privilege.
But to be invited to the royal wedding
that's a great privilege.
To be invited to the wedding of the king's son
just imagine you've got an invitation
to a royal wedding.
An invitation sent out
from the greatest person
that they could have imagined
for the greatest occasion
that they could ever have imagined.
they were, weren't they,
the most privileged of people.
And so it's an extraordinary thing
to receive this information
and the amazing thing is
they turned it down.
All of them.
You'd have almost thought
that there was a pact.
They refused the invitation.
And the most remarkable thing
of all is that
the king then sent his servants back.
And said there must be
some kind of mistake.
The servants went back again
and they paid no attention.
What makes their refusal
even more extraordinary
is the number of times
they were asked.
It's the third time.
The third time
they'd be invited to the wedding.
The trouble that the king
has gotten to
the nature of the feast
is a glorious
and lavish affair.
And the nature of their reply
well it's extraordinary.
Look at verse 5.
But they paid no attention
and went off.
They just ignored him.
One went off his field
another went off his business.
They were indifferent
about the king's invitation.
They were apathetic.
They couldn't care less.
And they were really saying
to him
they were saying to him
in our lives
and in our plans
you and your plans
have no place.
Do you see the application there?
In our lives
and in our plans
you
and your plans
have no place.
And so they went on
in their daily business.
But not all of them.
I'm looking very sick.
Some of them
get angry.
Some of them
react violently.
And they didn't respond
with apathy
and care less
but with antipathy
with anger
and rebellion
and hostility
and enmity
towards the king.
And some of his
servants
mistreated them
and killed them.
So for some reason
we're not told
in the parable
the overtures
of the king
and the summons
they received
to enter into his plans
and receive the riches
of what he was giving them
infuriates them.
You ask yourself
as you read it
what unburden
would stop you
gladly accepting
and coming
but instead
it actually
enraged them.
it produced
a venom
and a hatred
in them
that ultimately
led to murder
because they murdered
his servants
and abused others.
And it wouldn't be
taking much thought
for this
or much imagination
for the Pharisees
in some corner
of their minds
to recognise
that Jesus
is describing them
precisely
and describing
their ancestors
because what were
they planning to do
what were they plotting
to do
they were planning
to kill him.
The glorious
good news
of restoration
and joy
and forgiveness
and God's kingdom
coming
it had produced
in these people
what?
Envity
and anger
and rebelliousness
and hatred.
And so by the end
of the week
they had been crucified.
And down through
the years
the ancestors
of these people
had stoned
and killed
the prophets.
They had reacted
against God's servants
with violence
and rage.
And you say
what a generation
are they in?
How primitive
these people were.
How uncultured.
How uncultivated.
But you know
it's not just true
is it to say
that a reaction
to the Lord Jesus
and the gospel
and the riches
of God
that's offered
in Jesus Christ
when that's offered
to people
it's not true
just to say
that the reaction
is apathy today
in our world.
There is
isn't there
really infuriatingly
enormous amounts
of apathy
in our culture.
Materialism
that preoccupation
with the business
of our daily life
has blinded people
for real values.
That certainly happened.
Sultan Eatsen
spoke about
the western world
that it was like
a shop window
where all the price tags
have been changed
and so the cheap things
are the most expensive
and the really
valuable things
are priced cheaply.
And the estimates
that our culture
puts on
all manner of things
is crazily upside down.
And so people
value things
which are worth
nothing
and that which is
worth most important
is not valid
at all.
There's an enormous
amount of apathy
from the dead
and the blind
and we must never
be surprised
when we find that.
We find ourselves
dealing with it
but there's something
else isn't there?
When people
hear about the Lord
Jesus
and they understand
his claim
on their life
we see particularly
in dead religion.
When the invitation
comes to the Lord
Jesus Christ
and from the Lord
Jesus Christ
and people
understand
what the message
of Jesus
is all about
that it is about
you and I
being naturally
spiritually dead
and we need
new life
and we are under
the wrath of God
unless we accept
his son.
What is that?
There is often
anger
and there is
often
incense
outrage
how dare
you believe
that?
We find
don't we
that when
somebody is
confronted
with the
authentic
gospel
of the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
with that
sobering
reality
of his
kingly
right
of the
living
God
over every
single one
of us
it's amazing
isn't it
how apathy
gives way
to anger
don't you find
that?
So it's not
surprising
we're taking
to the
second scene
which is in
verse 7
and that is
the indignation
of the
king
the indignation
of the
king
now the
reason the
king responded
and he did
the king is
enraged
he sent his
army and
destroyed those
murderers and
burnt their
city
was that they
mistreated his
servants of
course
but the reason
the king reacted
in the way that
he did was not
simply because
they were
ungrateful
and impolite
and they were
rude
but it was
simply because
they were his
mutinous
subjects
you see
these people
whom the
invitation went
out to
could not
simply say
I've got
nothing to do
with him
I don't
know him
his invitation
is irrelevant
to me
I've got no
relationship with
him and I
don't want it
and he's got
no relationship
with me
and the
longer that
continues
the better
I've got no
interest in
God
I don't
do God
he's got
nothing to
do with
me and I
want nothing
to do with
him
if he does
exist
I'm a free
man or a
free woman
or a free
boy and a
free girl
and I will
do whatever
I want
and I don't
want him
interfering
the simple
truth is
that that
position is
just a
figment of
our
imagination
because this
morning
whether you like
it or not
you do have
a relationship
with him
whether you
want it or
whether you
don't
you have a
relationship
with God
because he
is your
rightful
king
in the
coronation
of
Queen Elizabeth
the second
they came
and they
presented her
to the
lords and
the commons
in Westminster
and they
said I
present you
I present
to you
Elizabeth
our undoubted
queen
and the
lords rose
and the
commons
rose
and they
said God
save the
queen
and what I
am saying to
this morning
what every
faithful preacher
of the gospel
should be saying
to you
is in the
name of
God
I present
to you
your undoubted
king
whose name
is Jesus
Christ
the king
of kings
and lord
of lords
and you
are his
subject
whether you
want to be
or not
is irrelevant
God has
made him
king of kings
and lord
of lords
and you
are his
subject
this morning
and because
these are
his subjects
and the
king sent
out his
army
and after
repeated
impetitions
and repeated
rebellion
and repeated
refusal
his patience
came to
an end
but you
say to me
God
will never
do that
let me read
to you a
verse from
Genesis 6
in Genesis 6
the story
of Noah
when God's
patience ran
out in the
days of Noah
and God
said my
spirit
shall not
strive
always with
man
and God
sent
judgment
and that's
exactly what
Jesus is
telling us
here
there will
be a day
when the
patience of
God runs
out
the king's
lavish
hospitality
they would
never
experience
but his
wrath and
his judgment
they did
the third
scene
the rejection
of an
invitation
the indignation
of the
king
and thirdly
wonderfully
the redirection
of the
invitation
look at
verses 8
to 10
notice the
point of
this
the wedding
banquet is
now ready
but those
who are
invited
do not
deserve to
come
they refuse
to come
so the
king says
you go to
the street
corners
and you
invite to
the banquet
and you
find anyone
you can
and they
come back
to him
and they
say we've
done that
but there's
still room
and they
gathered
together all
the people
they could
find and
the wedding
hall was
filled with
guests
the whole
point is
that the
king's
plans were
changed
you know
when they
rebelled
against him
and when
they turned
against him
these people
and when
they murdered
his servant
they thought
that's the
end of it
it's all
over and
done with
but the
king's
plans
have not
changed
he was
going ahead
with his
purpose
he was
going to
have a
wedding
banquet
for his
son
and what
changed
was those
who were
invited
and I
want to
say to
you this
morning
that in
seeking to
set yourself
against the
sovereign
purpose
of the
holy God
that is
described
here
by his
son the
Lord Jesus
by setting
yourself
against him
that will
not change
God's
plans
but it
will
lead to
you breaking
yourself
against his
sovereign
will
that's what
it leads
to
exactly what
happened
the original
invitation
went out
and it
was rejected
and then
the king
turned to
all manner
of people
and the
invitation
was sent
to the
good and
the bad
and the
ugly
and it
was sent
to the
outsiders
and again
do you see
how the
parallels
be applied
the king
was
God
and the
invited
guests
initially
they are
his people
Israel
whom he
has called
out of
Egypt
he says
out of
Egypt
I have
called
my son
that's
what he
said
the
wedding
feast
might
well be
a reference
to our
messianic
banquet
which
Jewish
tradition
spoke of
the
servants
the
servants
would
have
been
his
prophets
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Hosea
who came
and came
again to
Israel
offering the
invitation
and John
the Baptist
and now
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
but they
rejected
and they
stoned
and they
killed the
messengers
and they
were about
to crucify
Jesus
Christ
but now
the new
guests
are invited
and they
are
outsiders
you know
who they
were
the people
like you
the people
like me
they were
Gentiles
Jesus
himself
at the end
of this
gospel
repeats
that
invitation
doesn't
he
what we
call
the
great
commission
but the
gospel
the message
of the
kingdom
is to
go out
into
all the
world
and we
are to
make
disciples
of all
nations
which
includes
Gentiles
that's
why the
apostle Paul
went out
and said
he was
sent
by God
to the
Gentiles
to the
world
the
apostle Paul
is like
the invitation
of going
out
a second
time
to Jerusalem
to Judea
and Samaria
and all
the ends
of the
earth
he's
inact
and he
embraces
all who
will hear
and come
and of
course
that's
always been
God's
plan
it was
prophesied
and predicted
through the
Old Testament
you think
of Isaiah
those who
are not
my people
will be
called
my people
and that's
what Jesus
is speaking
about here
he's
speaking
about us
and so
the application
of the
parable
is really
obvious
to us
so far
but there's
a fourth
scene
it's a
thing in the
tale
it's the
exclusion
of an
intruder
not an
outsider
don't think
that
for they're
all outsiders
aren't they
they all
come in
at the
second
invitation
it's not
a gate
crasher
like we
would call
them
they'd all
been invited
but he stood
out amongst
the guests
as an
intruder
he stood
out as
the only
man who
was not
wearing the
proper
dress
notice
I'm the
king
in verse
11
he comes
in and he
looks at the
guests
and he
saw that
there was
a man
who had
no wedding
garment
no wedding
clothes
now since
all the
others
had wedding
clothes
and they'd
been rounded
up from the
streets
remember
and everywhere
they could be
found
it is quite
impossible
this man
was not
wearing the
proper wedding
outfit
it's quite
impossible that
he wasn't
wearing the
proper wedding
outfit because
he couldn't
afford it
that's what
some people
think
the
commentators
quite
extraordinarily
stupidly
suggest that
but what
had happened
obviously was
that the
king had
provided the
proper wedding
dress
these people
that came in
from all over
the place
from the
highways and
the byways
they came in
from the
streets
they had no
money
they had
nothing
and the
king provides
for them
but here
is a man
who is
unwilling
to come
to the
wedding
on the
king's
terms
that's the
point
certainly not
that he
couldn't afford
it
he came
to the
of course
he wished
to receive
the invitation
he wanted
to participate
in this
lavish reception
the riches
of the king
that he was
laying on
for them
but he was
determined
to come
on his
own
terms
I'm not
going to
wear
what the
king
has given
me
that's
what he's
saying
and arrogantly
he comes
not as the
king chose
and not as the
king chose
into
he refused
the king's
provision
there's little
doubt really
that what
Jesus is
referring to
in the
parable
is what
Isaiah
talks about
Isaiah 61
verse 10
Isaiah 61
10
let me read
it to you
it speaks
about when he
says this
he says
I will rejoice
greatly in the
Lord
Isaiah
says
my soul
will
exalt him
in my
God
because he
has clothed
me
with the
garments of
salvation
he has
wrapped me
in a robe
of righteousness
he has
clothed me
in the
garments of
salvation
he has
wrapped me
in robes
of righteousness
and that
is Isaiah
61
verse 10
and so
this man
at the
wedding feast
and the
host of the
wedding feast
he would have
offered to him
garments of
salvation
he's provided
for him
the robe
of righteousness
they need
the garments
of salvation
they cannot
choose
how they
will appear
before the
king
they have
to take
what the
king has
given
and be
wrapped in
his righteousness
and clothed
with the
garments of
salvation
you see
it's not
just a matter
of receiving
and healing
and accepting
an invitation
from God
you can only
come to
God
on God's
terms
and being
clothed
not with
a marriage
of your
own
and a
righteousness
of your
own
but only
in the
righteousness
that he
offers to
you
now what
about your
response to
God's
invitation
this morning
what about
it
there's a
personal
element
isn't it
to Jesus
teaching
which is
inescapable
don't turn
away at
this point
and say
to yourself
well I
know exactly
where
he's going
to talk
about
he's going
to appeal
to those
who've
never
received
Christ
that they
might have
the right
attitude
I want us
to think
more
than that
how do
you respond
to the
word of
God
and the
invitations
of God
in Jesus
Christ
this morning
so what
about the
apathy
what about
the
preoccupation
with the
business
of daily
living
the
preoccupation
with the
business
of daily
living
that shuts
out the
living God
and eternal
matters
out of your
life and
consciousness
by and large
for large
chances of
the week
we talk
about
apathy
in the
world
but God
knows how
much we
should be
concerned
about apathy
in the
church
apathy
towards
God
amongst
his
people
and what
about anger
against God
hostility
to his
demands
refusal
to bow
before his
rightful
place
in our
life
refusal
of his
rights
we're
really into
our rights
aren't we
we're
obsessed
with our
rights
but what
about God's
rights
in your
life this
morning
you should
like
study
Matthew
22
what I've
noticed
is that
I am
far
nearer
than I
imagine
to the
people
that I
read about
in this
story
and what
about
entering
the
kingdom
by
profession
yeah I've
accepted
the invitation
and then
going on
to try to
be part of
the whole
scene in
my own
terms
you see
there is a
great deal
more for
us to
ask God
to write
into our
hearts
here
and we
need to
pray that
in his
mercy
he will
help us
not to
run away
from it
let's pray
Thank you.