Sunday, October 11
Matthew 22:1-14
Many are invited, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22: 14)
Does this sentence give you a chill? Maybe it makes you wonder, “I hope I get chosen for heaven.” Or maybe you question the justice in it. “If God has already invited people, why would He not choose them?” Today’s parable offers some answers.
First, we hear about a king who decided to look elsewhere when the first set of invitees refused to come to his son’s wedding and abused his messengers. “Those who were invited were not worthy to come,” he said (Matthew 22:8). Then, we see him telling his servants to go invite everyone they could find. Look at the “worthiness” of the kings initial invitees. They turned out to be murderers, so the king probably knew they weren’t “worthy” to begin with. But that didn’t matter. Even if they had a sinful past, that did not have to disqualify them. By accepting the invitation and making their way toward the banquet hall, they would have placed themselves on the path of repentance and new life.
The same is true of the second group, which’ was made up of the “bad and good alike” (Matthew 22:10). They were not bound by whatever they had done or failed to do earlier. The same is true for you. Your worthiness is not based on whether you have done everything right. You become worthy as you accept his invitation. Every step you take that brings you closer to the heavenly banquet hall makes you more worthy: It weaves another thread of the garment of holiness that all the saints in heaven wear.
God invites everyone to his banquet. His light shines “on the bad and the good” and “on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Ever and always, He is calling out, urging, and even begging us to come to Him. Everyone is called; may we all accept the invitation so that we can be counted among the “chosen” (Matthew 22:14).
“Thank You, Jesus, for inviting me to Your banquet! Help me to choose to live for You this day.”
Isaiah 25:6-10
Psalm 23: 1-6
Philippians 4: 12-14, 19-20
Daily Reflections from “The Word Among Us”
Recorded music remains the property of the Artists/Writers.
No ownership is implied
Our Hymns:
Open the Eyes of my Heart – Oslo Gospel Choir
I Surrender All – Oslo Gospel Choir
Take Our Bread
Simchat Torah – Malchus Choir
