Sunday, October 8, 2017

The King's Invitation Rejected

1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. (Matthew 22:1-7)

Thoughts: First the kingdom of God is like a party.  It is a fun.  It is not like a funeral.  It is like a wedding banquet- everything laid out- an amazing feast- just waiting.  But some think it is a waste of their busy time.  It is the best of the table -not gruel, not just one fattened calf but many.  The people were too busy for a real king's party.  They went off to their fields, and their business, forgetting about the king to whom they owed their allegiance.  They were apathetic.  Bu others were actively hostile, killing the messengers of the king.  The king sent an army and burned the city of the people who killed his messengers.
     What does all this mean? God chose the Jewish people to be His. He would be their king, they would be His people.  The party is when God comes down in the person of Jesus to be with His people.  It is the marriage of the bride (the church) with the groom (the Messiah- God's Son).  But the people were not interested in the marriage, and some actually tried to kill the groom- Jesus.  By 70 AD an army of Romans came and destroyed Jerusalem and tore down the Temple.   To some, this had nothing to do with Jesus' death.  This would be a bit naive since Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple.
     Out task is to join God's party- to accept His invitation.  Listen to His voice.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to listen to your voice and accept your gracious invitation.  

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