1. ARE YOU READY FOR
THE WEDDING?
18th Sunday after Pentecost
12th October 2014

2. What’s up with us today?
Not sure where are we? Not sure who we are? Not sure what to do?

3. Matthew 22: 1-14
• 22:1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in
parables, saying:
• 22:2 "The kingdom of heaven may be
compared to a king who gave a wedding
banquet for his son.
• 22:3 He sent his slaves to call those who had
been invited to the wedding banquet, but they
would not come.
• 22:4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell
those who have been invited: Look, I have
prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat
calves have been slaughtered, and everything
is ready; come to the wedding banquet.'

4. Quick contemplation…
LAW
PART 1
Odd, who turns down royal summons?
Second call with more descriptions, still they did not care?
As parables go, this seems strange, yet at one level, it makes sense,
even today… people reject the call of God
Or are too busy to be impressed with the call of the King to celebrate with
him
Are WE too distracted with life today to heed the call to the wedding feast?

5. Matthew 22: 1-14
• 22:5 But they made light of it and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business,
• 22:6 while the rest seized his slaves,
mistreated them, and killed them.
• 22:7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their
city.
• 22:8 Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding
is ready, but those invited were not worthy.
• 22:9 Go therefore into the main streets, and
invite everyone you find to the wedding
banquet.'

6. Quick contemplation…
LAW
PART 2
The people murdered the servants of the King?
The King got angry and torched the city! After disposing the murderers!
Weirder still, dinner still on!
But now the King invites the people from the main streets, to the ends of
the territory, meaning EVERYONE else!
Remember, writer was to the Jews, so is it about God calling Israel first,
then to the rest of the world because of how they treated the call of God?
2 themes:
A. The people’s rebellion cannot interfere with the love of God for His son
and the wedding feast prepared for the people
B. We are all undeserving subjects of God’s hospitality

7. Matthew 22: 1-14
• 22:10 Those slaves went out into the streets
and gathered all whom they found, both good
and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with
guests.
• 22:11 "But when the king came in to see the
guests, he noticed a man there who was not
wearing a wedding robe,
• 22:12 and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you
get in here without a wedding robe?' And he
was speechless.
• 22:13 Then the king said to the attendants,
'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the
outer darkness, where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.'
• 22:14 For many are called, but few are
chosen."

8. Quick contemplation…
LAW
PART 3
Of course he was not dressed properly, he was dragged from the streets!
Warning against self satisfaction?
Be on your guard against complacency.
Even if you are invited, you are still in the home of the King
There are standards to be observed.
This is not your run off the mill party!
We are at the wedding banquet of the Son of the King!
Not only are we to accept the invitation, we are to come accordingly as well.

9. Philippians 4: 1-9
• 4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love
and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord
in this way, my beloved.
• 4:2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the
same mind in the Lord.
• 4:3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion,
help these women, for they have struggled beside
me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement
and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in
the book of life.
• 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say,
Rejoice.
• 4:5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The
Lord is near.

10. Quick contemplation…
PART 1
We are too often:
Focused on sin instead of celebrating that we
are forgiven
Frustrated by feelings of weakness instead of
being delighted about the strength of the Holy
Spirit working in us
We need to be reminded to REJOICE
from the confidence that, no
matter what happens, we are
inseparably connected to God
and saved

11. Philippians 4: 1-9
• 4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God.
• 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus.
• 4:8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if
there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy
of praise, think about these things.
• 4:9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned
and received and heard and seen in me, and the God
of peace will be with you.

12. Quick contemplation…
PART 2
Do not worry…
trust in God leads to prayer…
referencing what Jesus had said in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or
what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear” (Matthew
6:25)
In the midst of the current reality, how do we attain the peace of God?
There is another… the one of God’s rule… think of these things

13. How then do we behave?
GOSPEL
Prayer
Thinking about the
things of God

14. How then shall we live?
Help one another whom are in ministry (Phil 4:3)
Stand firm in the Lord (Phil 4:1)
As a FAMILY in Christ

15. Therefore….
Engage Him as a family…. And go change your world…
[So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also
send you.”] John 20:21