Matthew 22:14: (Read Matthew 22:1-14)
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Dwell:
The Kingdom of Heaven is an open invitation to all, but it requires the proper “wedding garment” to be part of it. So, the question is: What is the appropriate wedding garment, and are you wearing it? This is a crucial question considering the consequences of wearing the wrong garment.
This parable is rich with nuance, and we could spend weeks exploring its depths. However, for the sake of our devotion, we’ll focus on this often-debated question. I believe we can arrive at a meaningful conclusion. There are two primary interpretations to consider:
The King’s Provision: In the ancient world, it was customary for the king to provide garments for his guests. This symbolizes the imputed righteousness of Christ given to us.
Evidence of Righteous Works: A clean garment represents the evidence of righteous works.
In either case, the man in the parable lacks something essential for being accepted at the wedding feast.
If you have heard the truth of the Gospel, responded in faith, and received the imputed righteousness of Christ, you have received the necessary garment to be at the wedding. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 states: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” When you receive this garment of righteousness from Christ, you will grow in holiness (being set apart) and become more like Christ as a result.
Conversely, if you hear the good news of Jesus, recognize its worldly benefits, attend church, and do the “right” things, but have never truly surrendered your life to Jesus, you might be in trouble. You don’t have the right garment.
Reflect on God’s call on your life. Will you be like the guests who heard the invitation but chose to pursue their own interests, or will you be like those who recognized their need for salvation and the incredible grace extended to them, accepting the invitation to the feast of feasts?
“The gospel is preached in the ears of all; it only comes with power to some. The power that is in the gospel does not lie in the eloquence of the preacher; otherwise men would be converters of souls. Nor does it lie in the preacher’s learning; otherwise it would consist in the wisdom of men. We might preach till our tongues rotted, till we should exhaust our lungs and die, but never a soul would be converted unless there were mysterious power going with it – the Holy Ghost changing the will of man. O Sirs! We might as well preach to stone walls as to preach to humanity unless the Holy Ghost be with the Word, to give it power to convert the soul.” - C.H. Spurgeon
Lord, grant us ears to hear and eyes to see. It is truly a miracle that you would save any of us. Thank you for extending your mercy and grace to unworthy sinners like me. The fact that I can call myself a righteous child of the King is not due to my own efforts, but entirely because of your mercy and grace. Holy Spirit, continue to shape me into the image of Jesus until the day of glory arrives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.