Parables of Holy Week
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 22:11-13
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet is a study in despising God’s privileged invitation. A King sent out messengers to summon his invited guests to his son’s wedding banquet. Those summoned were disinterested and unwilling; they had more “important” things to do. Some even mistreated and killed the messengers! The king was furious and destroyed them.
A second guestlist was drawn up, consisting of people off the street. They did not despise and refuse this privileged invitation. However, one arrogant man disdained the special wedding garments provided for the guests. He felt he was good enough the way he was. The King questioned the man. The man had no reply. He was shown the door—and the gates to hell.
It is also your privilege—sinner that you are—to be invited and summoned to the banquet of eternal life in heaven. Jesus, God’s eternal Son and your flesh and blood brother, has provided you a voucher and garments to enter in. In His grim and painful execution, He was punished for you. In His glorious return to life from the grave, He has guaranteed for you forgiveness and heaven. You can not qualify in your own garment. You are only properly dressed in His righteousness. It is His gift! Yet Satan wants you to plan for Christ later, when it’s more convenient. He wants you to think that you can provide your own garments of salvation. Not so! Your self-made apparel is an insult to the King. He tells you to clothe yourself with Jesus’ redemption and atonement and know that you have garments and a shirt fit for the banquet!
Heavenly Father, clothe me with the garments of salvation. Amen.