Grace, Mercy, and
Peace to you in the name of Christ our Saviour. Amen.
A
few years ago, maybe more than a few, I wanted to celebrate an important
birthday in a big way. So, I sent invitations out, asking people to meet me at
a restaurant for food, drink, and a good time. Based on the responses, I expected
a big bash with all my friends. In the end, only a couple of people showed up.
Frustrating,
isn’t it? You take the trouble to send out invitations, people respond back in
the affirmative, you make preparations, but then they don’t show.
That’s
exactly what happened to the king in today’s parable. He was holding a wedding
banquet for his son and so he sent out invitations to all sorts of people. And
he based his meat and food order on how many people said they were going to
come. He must have gotten a lot of positive responses because he cooked off some
oxen and a bunch of fat calves. But then on the day of the banquet, no one showed
up.
The
king is understandably upset that all this meat is prepared and there is no one
to eat it. So, he sends his slaves out to those who accepted his invitation,
telling them that dinner was ready. But the guests had all the excuses. One had
a farm to tend to, another had his business. What a lack of consideration for
the king! I’m sure we can all understand his anger at the situation, even if
his retribution is a little over the top. What’s he going to do with all of this
already-prepared meat?
At
this point, the king just needs some people to come and eat dinner, so he sends
his slave to gather anyone off the street who is hungry. It doesn’t matter at
this point who they are, whether they are good people or bad. In Luke, where
this parable is also found, it says they are to bring in “the poor, the maimed,
the blind, and the lame.” The king just doesn’t want to see all this food go to
waste. Gone is the need for a special invitation. All are welcome to the king’s
feast!
But
wait. If that’s the case, if all are now welcome to the table, why does the
king reject the man wearing the wrong clothes? If people are being brought in
from the street, it’s not like they would have had time to go home and change. Well,
it’s likely that the king would have had a robe the man could have borrowed.
The same way a fancy restaurant would lend patrons a jacket if that was what was
required to enter the establishment. So the lack of wedding robe isn’t the underlying
issue here. It’s the man’s lack of response to the king. It says, “he was speechless.”
By refusing to respond to the king and put on the proper clothes, the man has
removed himself from the party.
Gospel
living begins with an invitation, but it can’t remain a mere idea. The man in
the wrong clothes accepted the invitation of the gospel but refused to conform
his life to the gospel. Are we willing to accept the invitation to God’s feast?
Are we willing to put in the work of loving God, loving others, and loving ourselves?
By saying yes to the invitation, we are declaring that our behaviour will align
with the covenant that we have with God. By putting on the wedding robe, we are
putting on Christ, meaning that we will live out our baptismal covenant in
clear and visible ways.
According
to Marvin McMickle, there are many Christians who are like the ones in the parable
who refuse the invitation from God. They want the safe route to discipleship,
but they shy away from the difficult work of outreach and social justice. They
want peace on earth, but don’t want to work toward that end. They want to end
world hunger, but they don’t want to serve a meal at a soup kitchen. They are
always in for a free meal, but don’t want to donate groceries to a food pantry.
Through
worship, God invites us to a party where Holy Communion is a feast for all of
us – friends and strangers. We share bread, wine, and blessings together at the
table. And the number one rule for this party is that the Lord will take
anybody who shows up. As it says in John, “For God so loved the world that
whoever believes in God shall not perish but have eternal life.”
But
we must go beyond simply accepting the invitation to the table. The parable
today is a warning to listen to God and to do the work of God – loving God,
loving others, and loving ourselves. To not do that work is to refuse the
Kingdom of God. To give false lip service to this ministry is to show up in the
wrong clothes.
So,
will you accept God’s invitation and then make excuses not to show up?
Or
will you accept the invitation, clothe yourself in Christ, and give honour to God
by living out the Gospel?
Many
are called, says Jesus, but few are chosen. And it is we who do the choosing.
Are you ready? If you are, then God will be with you wherever you are, wherever
you go. Because God passionately wants us to come to the banquet.
Amen.
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