St. Matthew 22:1–14
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables. Jesus tells this particular parable during Holy Week, at the very end of His ministry. He has been teaching and teaching, but many of the Jews don’t accept Him, especially the Pharisees, the religious leaders, and learned men. Oh, they recognize that Jesus is warning them to repent and believe in the promised Savior who stands before them, but in sinful stupidity, they hate Him, and in a few days they will arrest Him, and crucify Him.
Still, Jesus has not given up: Again Jesus spoke to them in parables. He tells them of a King who holds a wedding feast for His Son. And when it’s prepared, He sends out His servants, calling those invited, “Everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” But they reject His invitation. They paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized His servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. Jesus is warning the Jewish leaders, “This is you. This is what you are doing.” They have ignored the message of the Gospel. They have rejected and killed the Lord’s prophets. And now they are plotting to kill the Lord’s Son. So, Jesus increases His warning: The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. This is what will happen to those who reject God’s gift of salvation. This is what happened to the Jews, His one-time chosen people. They rejected their Lord, and so He rejected them.
But that does not change God’s gracious character. If these people don’t want Him, He’ll take others. He wants His kingdom full—He wants to give His gifts away for free and see people feast upon His goodness. So, the King sends His servants out into the roads and [they] gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. This is how we find ourselves within the Church. Jesus sent His apostles to all nations—the Gentiles have been brought into the Kingdom of Heaven. No one can approach God on his or her own merit or by right of natural birth. All are invited into the feast by the free message of salvation: Jesus has died and risen for the whole world. No one is left out or forgotten. The world has been justified in Christ and a place has been prepared at the feast for you.
But the parable is not done yet. The first destruction was a warning to the Jews. Here at the end, there is a second destruction, and that is especially a warning for us. Jesus says that the King’s servants gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. This means that the message of the Gospel, the invitation to the feast, is sent to all people. And all kinds of people are brought into the Church through Baptism and the preaching of the Word. However, that does not mean that all church members believe. There are those who call themselves Christians in an outward way, but do not have faith in their hearts.
The true, one, holy, Christian and apostolic Church is hidden in this world. All we can see are visible church organizations. And within these outwardly visible organizations there are true believers and also hypocrites (or secret unbelievers). We cannot ultimately determine who is who because we cannot see the faith or unbelief that is hidden in the heart and visible only to God. All we can do is go by a person’s confession of faith and their outward manner of life. But there will come a day, when the King will make it known who truly belongs in His Kingdom by faith, and the insincere will be exposed and thrown out.
This is what we see with the man who is not wearing a wedding garment. He was brought into the feast by the servants but he is not there sincerely. He represents the hypocrites, the people who hear the Word of God, are members of the church, and claim to be Christians, but in reality they do not believe. The wedding garment is a symbol of faith and the righteousness of Christ that is given to faith. And so, it is true that many are called—many hear the proclamation of the Gospel and will act as if they believe it, but few are chosen—few are chosen in Christ, found to be clothed in His righteousness by faith.
You know, a lot of people will complain and moan about how terrible the world is today. They are shocked and they decry all the sin, the murders, the lies, the political fighting, the rudeness. But the greatest sin of all is when God’s Word is ignored (although you don’t hear too many people, not even too many Christians, complaining about that). In fact, God’s invitation is scorned, even by those who call themselves Christians and should know better.
How are you doing with that this morning? Are you yawning through the sermon, just waiting for church to be done so we can get home? Do you think it’s enough to sit there and not think about what is being said? Our Catechism students will have to start doing sermon reports soon, but do you think those are just something to get done and over with? You should listen to every sermon as if you were expected to know and repeat the main points. And really, what is so difficult about reviewing and discussing the sermon with your coffee after church today? Or on the way home from church, or around the lunch table? And I’m not just talking to families with children currently in Catechism class. This goes for all of you older members too. Or do you think that because you passed the “Confirmation test,” you know everything now and never need to crack open that Catechism or Bible again?
If this is what you do or how you think, then you might as well go back to the Pope, or really, back to the Jews, where you don’t have to pay attention to God’s Word. But when you’re exposed on the Last Day and God points out that you have no wedding garment, because you did not receive His Word with faith, then you will be speechless as He throws you into the outer darkness.
That’s what happens to the man in our parable. He is muzzled. He is silenced. He has no excuse for His unbelief. Take a warning from this. God has done what He is supposed to do. He gave you Holy Baptism. He gave you the Gospel and allowed you to have it in your home. He spoke the Absolution to you and fed you with His Holy Supper. Through pastors, parents, and teachers, He taught you what to believe and how to order your life. So, you cannot plead ignorance. If you are found without a wedding garment, you will have to confess, “Yes, I am baptized. I was preached to and taught. With my fellow Christians I received the Sacrament. But I did not take anything seriously. I did not believe. I loved the world more.”
If we are saved it is only by God’s doing. And if we are lost, it is not God’s fault. He has freely offered His grace and He has faithfully warned us. It is our fault, if we do not hold out our hands and take what He so gladly wants to give us.
But take heart, dear Christians. Your sins are forgiven. Soul, adorn yourself with gladness, Leave the gloomy haunts of sadness (LSB 636:1), because the call to the feast is still going out even now. The wedding feast of the King’s Son has begun, and it will continue for eternity. Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price (Isaiah 55:1). The feast is free. Jesus’ death has atoned for every sin—your selfish deeds, your unkind words, your greedy thoughts—Jesus even died for your sins of apathy, forgetfulness, and carelessness. If you have neglected God’s Word in the past, confess it; but also know that even that most terrible sin has been covered by the perfect blood of Jesus. The cross of Jesus means that God’s anger and destruction have been turned away from you. There is no condemnation, no punishment, but only forgiveness, peace, and love for those who hold onto Christ.
So, come to the feast! It has been paid for by the blood of the King’s Son, who died in our place and is now risen from the dead. This King wishes to give His Kingdom away for free to sinners and to see us feast upon His goodness. Pay attention to the invitation He makes again and again in His Word. Remember your Baptism and how you have been given the bright wedding garment of Christ’s righteousness that covers all your sins. By repentance and faith, continually put that garment back on. Then with joy, We enter all The wedding hall To eat the Supper at God’s call (LSB 516:2). And the Supper we eat now is but the first taste of the feast to come. By eating with faith now, we are strengthened and preserved while we wait for our Bridegroom’s appearing.
And there’s the truly most wonderful thing of all! Not only are we the King’s invited guests, but we are the very pure and spotless Bride of the King’s Son. The wedding feast is for us.
In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.
Some portions drawn from Martin Luther, Complete SermonsVII:91–116.
