Do You Reject God's Invitation? (Matthew 22:1-14)

“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son." (Mt 22:2). This is the 3rd of 3 polemic parables confronting the rigid legalistic political ecclesiastical establishment.

1. The Parable of the Two Sons (Mt 21:28-32).
2. The Parable of the Tenants (Mt 21:33-46).
3. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Mt 22:1-14). This 3rd parable is about:
   1. God's invitation (Mt 22:1-4, 8-10).
   2. Excuses we make (Mt 22:5-7).
   3. Preparation for God's kingdom (Mt 22:11-14).

Questions:

1. In 3 consequetive parables what did Jesus want to expose about the religious leaders--the Bible people (Mt 21:32, 34, 38-39, 45; 22:4, 5-6)?
2. What does this 3rd parable tell you about God's desire and the nature of his kingdom (Mt 22:1-2)? How does the joy of an extravagant wedding feast (1 Th 5:16; Jn 10:10b) contrast with your everyday (Christian) life and view of faith?
3. What does refusing God's invitation (Mt 22:3, 5-6, 8) show about the state of one's heart (Mt 6:21; 15:8; 23:25)? Despite being spurned, why does his emphasis on the elaborate elegant menu show about him (Mt 22:4), especially "everything is ready"? How serious is it to continually reject God's invitation (Mt 22:7)?
4. In contrast to God's "wide invitation to both the 'good' and 'bad,'" are you "choosy" about who you welcome--prefering the "good" (Mt 22:9-10)?
5. What are the "wedding clothes" (Mt 22:11-12; Isa 61:10; Rom 13:13-14; Rev 19:8)? What does this suggest about the difference between being invited and truly belonging? Why was the man "speechless" (Rom 1:20)? Is his fate any different from the initial rejectors of God's invitation (Mt 22:13)?
6. How does being called differ from being chosen (Mt 22:14)? How does this summarize the parable?

Educational Enlightenment/Preaching Points:

• It is not enough to accept the invitation to the marriage feast--one must also go and attend the marriage celebration.
• Refusing a royal invitation is completely unnatural. In real life a king's invitation is not refuse, and people are very glad to be present at a royal banquet. So Jesus regards the actions of the high-priestly party as completely unnatural, as it would be completely unnatural for one to say they believe in God and yet disobey him. Also, for a subject to scorn the summons to the royal feast implied disloyalty and rebellion.
• Wearing wedding clothes/appropriate clothing (Mt 22:11-12): While the door of the kingdom is open to all, personal holiness cannot be dispensed with.
• Those who hear God's call and know of his grace must not think that a call is the same as a response. We know those who are elect by their obedient response (Jn 14:21). While many indeed hear the call, few are chosen (Mt 11:14).