The Father’s Invitation

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matt. 22:1-14)

The Parable of the Wedding Feast reminds us of how our hearts must always be prepared for the invitation of our Heavenly Father. This Parable depicts how God was rejected by His very own people during the time of Jesus Christ and how He had extended salvation to the Gentiles who were in the highways and in the streets. We can also read in verse 11 and 12 that there was man who wasn’t wearing a wedding garment, which means that the King had provided a garment for all the guests to wear at the party. When the man was speechless at the King’s question pertaining to his garment, he was sent out into the darkness.

We know that when we have received Jesus Christ into our lives – the very invitation of our sweet Heavenly Father – we have received a new robe, and that is the robe of Christ, His righteousness ( 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.). We have put off our old garments as sinners and have become new creations in Christ Jesus. The man in the parable is likened to those who are still working according to their own righteousness in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes, it takes a while to fully take off the old robe of our lives, for we have been used to a lifestyle that pleases men—performing before men and gaining favors, blessings, and a name through our self-efforts. But all these are filthy rags before God, for no one is righteous and everyone has fallen short of God’s standard (Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;). That is why the Father sent His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, Who has perfected the standard. Only by Him can we be saved and come into the presence of the “King.”

This parable also reminds us that even as we are Christians and believers of Christ now, we must always make ourselves available to the call of God at any time. This doesn’t always mean doing ministry. Sometimes, the Father may invite us for quality time with Him alone, but we can be too busy in the ministry that we miss His invitation. We can be like those people in the parable who refused the invitation of the King and went about their usual business. Sometimes, our busyness in life – whether in ministry, in business, in career, or even during leisure time – can become our idol. That is why we must see to it that our hearts are always connected to the One Who truly matters, to the One Who is the reason we are even called Christians, and to the One Who said, “It is done.”

May this parable remind us that Jesus Christ is all that matters in this life. It is our relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit that will give us full benefits in the Kingdom; not our own righteousness or performance. And it is only through Jesus Christ that we can come before the presence of our Heavenly Father, and we shall by no other means.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).