As you can probably tell, the parables that begin with “the kingdom of heaven is like” are fascinating. Although we taste a bit of the flavor of the kingdom of heaven while we are on earth, the experience of the kingdom in heaven surely provides a feast beyond our imagination. Today’s parable leaves us with a couple of vital ingredients for our consideration.
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He 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. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Celebrations create many strong images in our mind. Your descriptions of your favorite party and its memories reinforce that concept. For the most part, the images are festive and positive. While memories can invoke a flavor of melancholy, the memories are whimsical and encouraging. Jesus reminds us the kingdom of heaven is like a wedding feast. Let’s spend some time thinking about some of the moments found at the wedding celebration.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]You can find this same parable in Luke’s gospel, Luke 14:7-14 NIV
Commentator R.C.H. Lenski believes the differences from beginning to end in this parable and the version in Luke are so great they must actually be two stories.
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Notice the parable does not say “the kingdom of heaven is like the wedding ceremony.” Wouldn’t that create quite a different image in your mind? It would also teach a completely different lesson. What do you remember about the words of the ceremony for your wedding? I remember who officiated at the ceremony. I remember the relationship we had with the preacher. Some of what he said reflected the long-standing traditions of the church. “Dearly beloved. We gather today to unite this man and this woman in holy matrimony.” In a very profound sense, the ceremony conjures images of formal and legal structure.
But not so with the party afterwards. While the party has some structure – serving lines, special dances and speeches, times for cutting the cake and throwing the rice – the reception following the wedding is a time to enjoy the company of friends and family, to revel in good food and festivities, and to honor the newly wedded couple by your presence. Often the celebration afterwards is the reason we endure the ceremony.
Shortly after COVID restrictions eased, my wife and I were invited to the wedding of a friend of our youngest daughter. During her school years, about ten girls enjoyed twelve years of school together in the same school system. Additionally, the bride shared the college years with our daughter. We would not have missed the wedding.
Sort of. We actually missed the wedding because of the pandemic. The couple were married in a private ceremony during restricted travel times. This celebration was really just for us – for their friends and family. The party was the couple’s way of saying, “Thanks,” and “We appreciate what you mean to us.” The feeling throughout the event was that the parents and the couple really wanted you there.
The grounds for the celebration were lavish. The event was held at a well-preserved property that was had been in a family since the Revolutionary War. The decorations and festivities centered around the theme of horse racing. The entire event appeared to be thrown by a team of professional party-givers. The needs of every one in attendance had been anticipated and met. Every second of the event was an orchestrated as perfectly as a well-rehearsed symphony.
The meal served was something that an Iron Chef would have prepared. The food was topped off by Graeter’s Ice Cream. Oprah considers Graeter’s one of life’s pleasures that is “worth every penny.” Enough said.
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Christian author and sociologist Tony Campolo talks about the concept of celebration in his best-selling book, “The Kingdom of God is a Party.” He tells an amazing story to begin the book. You can catch this video of the story here or on my website.
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There were celebrities at this party. The bride works for the ESPN network and formerly worked for NBC. People who were people knew this young woman and wanted to attend. I didn’t know any of them, but it was fun to just sit a few feet away and gawk. Mingling was the task of the evening.
The table reserved for us was with parents of our daughter’s friends. Although none of these people were close friends, our paths had crossed several times during the lives of our children. They were a bit more than acquaintances because of the common thread. We talked about things we remembered from the past. Questions abounded. Smiles were everywhere. In this instance, the bond between us had never been stronger. We were all there because we were invited. A celebration was in order.
My daughter is a musical entertainer. She sings for a living. On several instances at the party, she mentioned it is nice to be at this event with no responsibilities. She had no pressure to make the evening and the performance perfect. No one had expectations for how she should perform. She can sit back and enjoy the festivities. By midnight, she was on stage singing with the band. Her other friends joined her, dancing and expressing extreme joy. What followed was a rendition of “Proud Mary” that would have made Ike and Tina Turner gasp.
The kingdom of heaven is like a party. You don’t sit and quietly stare at each other at a party. You are actively involved with the relationships of people and with the circumstances. You may not “know” everyone present, but you feel connected because they are at this party for the same reason that you are. Some of the people have ties with you that you don’t even realize. “We lived at the house next door to your parents when they lived in Terre Haute.” “Oh! Mrs. Smith! I have heard so much about you!”
The kingdom of heaven is like a party. The ceremony has already occurred, but it took place during the pandemic of sin. No one was able to venture out because the entire world was covered with illness. Darkness shadowed every step; venturing out was a treacherous adventure. The pandemic has finally ended. Vaccinations through the blood of Christ are 100% effective. (editorial note: Just get the vaccine!) This celebration is because the Father wanted you here. He prepared the feast. He wants you here.
The kingdom of heaven is like a party. You walk around the grounds. “Look at the books in this library! On the top shelf, do you see the title of the book on the end? I first bought that book when I was a freshman in college. In my copy, every word was highlighted because Professor Jones tested on every word.” Even though you have never been there, some how things seem familiar. Even better, every moment of your life is a preparation for you to enjoy this celebration. Name tags are not needed. Your memory doesn’t have to remember names. You recognize people by their hearts.
The kingdom of heaven is like a party. And at this party, you can stay until the end. You don’t become tired. You aren’t tipsy. Work doesn’t need you at 7:00am the next morning. The cats aren’t scratching through your drapes because they are hungry. You aren’t trying to avoid talking to Aunt Martha. There is no earthly reason to go home early.
Ever.