Banquet Invitation

The Kingdom of heaven is like …

That phrase is such an opening line to a story about what this wonderful Kingdom is like. At more than one point, Jesus didn’t mince His words when explaining what this Kingdom is like in the light of some attitudes and mentalities that prevailed among the religious rulers.

The parable of the Banquet in Matthew 22 is fascinating for so many reasons.

First, there is the generous invitation from the King which meets a refusal.  After the invitation is reiterated with a gourmet breakdown it’s met with ignorance, neglect and sometimes outright violently antagonistic reactions.

At this point it is so amazing that after the King makes those invitations it meets with that response.  The King makes that kind of invitation – not any old rich dude, not a celebrity, not a noted official – this is the King! The response we give is neglect and ignorance, choosing our own pursuits rather than graciously responding to this invitation.  This happened then.  It happens now.

What’s more amazing is that the King persists with the feast and the desire to maintain the banquet and the invite goes far and wide to whoever.  Such is the invite that good and bad turn up at the big deal.  Good and bad, people from the right side of the tracks and people from the wrong side of the tracks.  All in attendance.  all seeing the honour for what it is.

Well, almost all.

The crucial element is the person not dressed for the occasion.  No wonder Paul would later write about righteousness in the style of comparing our attitudes and character to our wardrobe. There is a response that says I’ll turn up, but I won’t show up as though it matters.  What’s all the more stirring is the King’s reaction to those who have such an approach.

All the way through the story shows that God is not messing about when He refers tothe invitation and the banquet Himself.  He is generous and merciful to extend the invitation, but He is not so lax that how we are dressed matters not.  Just as our character should change in the light of him.

I’m left with some questions reading this parable:

• How can we neglect so great an invitation?
• How can we ensure we’re among the chosen, not just the invited?
• What are the right clothes to wear for the occasion?
• How can we make sure this invitation gets across to the wider audience?

Just some of the questions to muse on as we celebrate the Kingdom of Heaven that can treat us with such a joyful occasion.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden