Matthew 22 Jesus tells the parable of the marriage feast comparing the kingdom of heaven "to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son."  We know this story.. those invited to the wedding refused to come.. making excuses.. mistreating  and killing the slaves who were sent to bring them to the feast.. causing the king to become "enraged".   To the point that the king sent his armies to destroy the city and those who murdered his slaves. 

The king did not stop there.  He sent his slaves out to the highway to invite anyone they found to the wedding feast.  Everything was ready.. all they needed to do was come.  But.. "both evil and good" came to the wedding feast and the "hall was filled with dinner guests."  When the king came across a man who was "not dressed in wedding clothes" he was insulted.. "Friend, how did you come here without wedding clothes?"  he asked.  The man had no excuse and the king told the servants to bind him and throw him out "into the utter darkness; in the place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 

Jesus tells us that this parable has this point. "For many are called but few are chosen." (v14) 

Called.. invited.. to the wedding feast of the Son.  We can get the meaning of this parable easily.. The King.. God Almighty.. invited the Jews to come into His Kingdom and to honor His Son, Jesus the Messiah.  But.. they ignored those who came to bring them to the feast.. they killed the servants.. the prophets.. and they enraged God to the point that He will pour out His wrath on all those who will not come in response to His invitation.  We also see that God opened up that invitation to any who would come.. and many did!  But, not all came with the right clothing.. they did not come through the Way, the Truth, and the Life.. through Jesus.  They wanted to come in.. but failed to turn away from unrighteousness and they will be cast out just as surely as the man without his wedding clothes. 

Jesus said ( in verse8) "...the wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.."  They were not deserving or suitable.. they did not merit the privilege of the Kingdom.  They had been invited.. called.. but they were not chosen.. Not selected.. not favored... not worthy. 

We know that in reality that none of us are worthy of such a privilege.. but that it is only by God's great grace that we can be saved.. through the Son who went to the cross.  It is His righteousness that covers us.. clothing us in garments washed in His blood and made whiter than snow!  The invitation is open to all who would come.. but only those who come through the cross of Jesus Christ will enter into the Kingdom. 

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Father, You are the God of grace and compassion and we are so amazed and grateful. Thank You for calling us and making the way for us to be chosen as we put our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. We pray for those who have heard the invitation.. but have ignored it.. refused it.. or have tried to come without knowing Jesus. Open their blind eyes, Lord God. Let Your glory and grace overflow in our lives so that others might see Jesus and find their way through Him.  We ask this in His glorious name. Amen.