The Invitation List II

Preparing for a special event, the invitation list is something that is considered carefully. Who to invite? Who do you want to see at your celebration? Who do you want to share this time with? Who do you want to share your memories with of this event?
Yesterday, we had the story of the wedding banquet. Rather than rehash that, I would say let’s just focus more on the highlights of the story.
We have a king whose son is getting married. He excitedly prepares everything. When it comes time to celebrate those who had been invited snub the chance to come, the king is upset. When those who were invited kill the servant – the king is furious.
Stop!!! Wait – in this story, the servants were killed because of the guests not wanting to come. Talk about moody guests! But let’s put this in a different context. Who would a king invite to his son’s wedding? There would of course be family and friends. But, these would be those with power, who are perhaps perceived as leaders, as successful.
Now remember, this is a story that is being told and the story teller must always remember their audience. Who in this case were the party snubbers? The Pharisees who had been invited, through opportunities to learn God’s word, to make the life of being in the temple their life, and yet were standing on the cusp of the wedding banquet refusing to come and even having murder in their hearts. They had received the engraved invitation, the filigree and the beautiful language. They had sent their RSVP cards and e-mails, but when it actually came time to go, were not willing to sacrifice their schedules, their wishes, their wants.

The king tried again, God tried again. He sent servants in the form of prophets, warriors, those who loved the heart of God. He sent his son in the form of a servant.
The servants went out again, they collected everyone they could find. Come – the banquet is ready. The hall was filled.
But, in the midst of the celebration about to begin, as laughter and amazement swirled around, the king entered. He noticed that one did not belong. It wasn’t a statement of have or have not, the man being too poor to have wedding clothes. It was either being prepared or not. The man did not come prepared. He received an invitation, he was called.

But, he didn’t come prepared.

On the day of the wedding, on the day when Christ returns again. We must be prepared. As we do not know the hour, the day, the moment, we must stay prepared. Let’s be on the invitation list. “For many are invited, but few are chosen,” (Matthew 22:14).

The Invitation List I

A good story teller contains a powerful ability to manipulate words into thought, thoughts into a plot. The story is something which captures your attention and sends your imagination spinning like a child’s top across the path of possibility.


For instance, take this story... (in a very paraphrased version of Matthew 22:1-14)
A king was preparing a wedding banquet for his son. The preparations were well underway. The chef had been consulted and a special meal had been planned. Decorations had been ordered and were being prepared. The clothing for the special day was being worked on, each thread and each stitch carefully prepared. The invitation list was arranged, family, friends, associates – everyone to come and celebrate this very special day.
Then, on the day of the wedding, the servants left the castle to go collect the guests. The limo pulls up in front of their home and someone goes to knock at the door. However, when they arrived at the homes, all they heard was excuses.

“I would like to come, but...”

“Oh, I forgot it was today and I promised I would...”

“I just can’t possibly go today...”

The servants return back to the king, their limos empty, the flowers and decorations not being admired, the smell of the sumptuous meal not being sniffed. The king said to some other servants, “Go and tell them that everything is ready, tell them about the meal. Remind them that this is for their king and their king’s son.”


Yet the people still refused to come. Instead, they were mistreated.

“I thought I already told you...”

“You are trespassing; I’m calling the police....”

“That’s it, they came back – let’s get ‘em...”

The king was furious. These were his servants, being sent to the people were under his rule! How dare they act in such a manner and on such a special day? They were in effect not only turning up their noses at celebrating this day, but now were being rebellious and murderous. The king turned his attention now not to his servants, but to his soldiers. He sent the soldiers to the murderers and they were destroyed. The town was burned.


The king went back to his servants; I have taken care of that group which was invited. They did not deserve to come. But, we still must celebrate this special day. Go out again and invite anyone you can find. The servants left again, they invited everyone they could find and soon the hall was filled. Both the good and bad, both those with well known social status and the invisible. They filled the hall, the smelled the smells, the admired the views.


The king entered the hall to see the guests. He had prepared, every special garment was in place. He looked around and saw one man who was not wearing wedding clothes.


“How did you get in here without wedding clothes?” the king asked.


The man was speechless. The king went to the attendants, this man did not come prepared. Throw him out. “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”


So, let’s let the story digest....