Matthew 22:1-14
It is a true blessing to have the privilege of sharing today’s message with you on this Family Day weekend. As the Family and Marriage Ministry Coordinator, it seems fitting to speak on this weekend. Today’s passage, which we will get to in a few moments, also seems fitting.
Indeed, with a wonderful wedding taking place here last week, the season of love (Valentine’s) having just come and gone, speaking about a wedding feast is almost apropos – although the one in Matthew 22, as we will find out, has a bit more in store than just love, love, love.
Pastor Tom has been taking us through the book of Matthew, and last week we looked at the latter part of chapter 22. So, what I would like to do first is just take us back 2 weeks to situate where Chapter 22, verses 1 – 14 take place. Of course, we have been in the Holy week for several weeks now. We have seen Jesus make some bold statements about who He is; He cleared the Temple; and, in the past couple of weeks, have seen Him take particular aim at the Temple leadership.
On Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus presents three extended parables showing God’s judgement on the leaders for not encouraging the people to accept Jesus’ invitation to the kingdom of heaven. We have watched Jesus in the parable of the Two Sons and the parable of the Tenants confront the leadership with a message showing how they have missed God’s plan (their invitation to eternal glory) and how a new people would be taking their place in God’s plan.
Today is the third of these three parables that are directly targeted to the Temple leadership in this way. The parable of the wedding feast describes the consequences that will befall the derelict religious leaders.
