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Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14)
Dawid Konotey-Ahulu, 1 November 2015
Part of the The Parables of Jesus series, Sunday Morning service
This morning we are looking at another rich parable Jesus told in the week leading up to his death.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a King who issues an invitation to a lavish wedding. The guests are distinguished and drawn from the very highest echelons of society. But they turn the King down – they have better things to be doing with their time.
Matthew 22:1-14
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « Storeroom Treasure | Psalm 128 | Remember to forgive and forget » |
Matthew 22:1–14 (Listen)
22:1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then 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.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
(ESV)