The Wedding Dinner

I have been enjoying some of the parables of Jesus in The Book of Matthew. The parable of the wedding dinner found in the first fourteen verses of Matthew 22 really struck a chord with me this week.

It took me back seventeen years to the marriage of my eldest daughter. Weddings are festive occasions which leave us with very positive and cherished memories especially in cases where a happy marriage has been the result. That being said, I would venture to add that planning a wedding for one of your children is one of life’s most stressful exercises. Those who have “been there and done that” will, I am sure, immediately nod their head in agreement with me. Planning for a son is daunting. Planning for a daughter makes the son’s wedding plans look as simple as a walk in the park, albeit with a picnic thrown in. There is the budget that must be decided and adhered to. There are emerging family dynamics which you may not have ever known existed. There is the reception venue, the food, the church ceremony, the decorations, the dress, the gifts, the invitations, the photographer, the transportation, the speeches and did I mention the budget and adhering to it? And then there is the guest list. Major diplomacy is required in having two separate families agree on its constitution.

Being a neophyte at the time, I asked that the invitations be sent out very early so that we could have an exact count of those attending the reception. We would have an exact count for the caterer and for setting the seating plan. Silly me...when you send them out is really immaterial. Most of those invited will be cooperative about returning the rsvp cards with accurate numbers. Some answer yes or no immediately. Oddly some of this group who says they will attend indeed does not. Some of the group who say no will indeed show up. Some will never answer, despite telephone follow up. Of this group who are unwilling to commit, some will attend and some will not. Then there is the group who change the number of their party attending either up or down without notification. For those of you who are now faced with the prospect of coming up with an exact number in attendance at your function, I can assure you through nail biting experience that each group balances itself out. It is almost like a law of physics. For each one that comes when not expected, there will be one that does not come when indeed they are expected. Whatever your final estimate is, and it will be an estimate if not an outright guess, add five for good measure and you will be right on!

When I read the parable of the wedding dinner, I can understand why Jesus used this example. Organizing a wedding dinner is typically a frustrating experience soon forgotten by the success of the function. Human nature dictates that precision is nearly always impossible. We can understand immediately the stress and the anger felt by the king who is arranging a wedding dinner for his son. The king (God) sends out the invitations to his son’s (Jesus) wedding dinner (heaven) through the personal contacts of his servants (disciples). The invited guests (Israel) refuse to come (accept Jesus as the Christ). Even after the crucifixion of Jesus, the message of Jesus was treated with contempt as were the apostles who carried the gospel to the Jews. The king (God) destroys the city with his armies. The king (God) now tells the servants (apostles) to go out and bring all, the good and the bad (the Gentiles like you and me), to the dinner. The wedding hall was filled with those offered and accepting the opportunity to attend (eternity in heaven). The king (God) comes across one guest who is not wearing a wedding garment and has him bound hand and foot and cast into the outer darkness.

This is where the parable becomes a little difficult to understand. The wedding garment represents the unconditional acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ. This man, who was speechless when asked why he was in improper apparel, had failed to accept Jesus as his Lord and Saviour and as a result was not going to enjoy the pleasures of heaven.

Verse 14 is so very simple yet so very important.

“For many are called, but few are chosen”.

The gospel of Jesus Christ goes out to many. Those who respond appropriately to the call are indeed the chosen. Some refuse the call. Like the unfortunate man in the parable, some for various reasons falsely profess their acceptance of Jesus. Some sincerely accept the invitation and become the few who are chosen.

What have you done with your invitation to this wedding dinner? Indeed you have been invited. Will you attend? Is your wedding garment back from the cleaners and ready to go? Do you wish to be one of the chosen?

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