Sermons

Sermon for 10-12-08
Matthew 22:1-14

There is a question that is often asked to break the ice, to get to know someone better. ‘If you could choose anyone living or death to have dinner with who would it be?’ Ask yourself this question. Now imagine that some people got an invitation to share with their special person a feast that may go on for days. Of course they would say ‘yes.’
The day for the dinner arrives. They stand before the table. The persons’ special host invites them to sit down. And they say ‘no.’ The host says, ‘I have taken time and spared no expense to prepare a special meal for you. I made an extra effort to make sure your favorite dishes are here. I am looking forward to talking with you and spending time with you.’ Still they choose to walk out the door saying, ‘I have a meeting. I need to clean my kitchen. I have better things to do.’ A server moves to intercept them and they push him aside as they leave.
This is shocking. How could someone pass up this kind of opportunity? Why would someone go back on their word after making a commitment? How could someone reject this generosity?


Jesus’ parable leaves us with the same questions. Some people say yes to Jesus’ invitation to the great party that is the kingdom of God but then don’t show up. Why wouldn’t someone who has said yes to Jesus come participate in what God is doing?
Some people walk away in the face of God’s generosity. We are reminded of the reasons to come to God. There is free salvation that will sustain us. God loves us and has come near to us in Jesus and suffered to communicate his love. God has sacrificed his only son that we might have joy. A joy that is not for a moment but for life and beyond.
This parable exposes potential responses to God’s generosity. We can ignore it. We can not take it seriously. We can consider other things more important. We can give higher priority to home and work than God. My son is constantly inviting me to play with him. My son calls me to come read a book with him. I often ignore the seriousness of his invitation. I say, ‘just a minute, I doing this cleaning job or let me finish what I am doing.’ Sometimes in the midst of doing I even forget the invitation. Maybe we treat God like a toddler. Are actions saying that we will get to you when we are ready or when we are done doing our more important thing.

Other responses to God’s generosity make it clear a person is not willing to do life together with God. They acknowledge God by accepting his invitation. (They may even come to church.) But when they are asked to participate in life with him they respond angrily and sometimes in ways that do damage. They mistreat messengers, when they come with the challenge to be more than pew sitters. They lash out at the church, when asked for a greater commitment in response to God’s invitation. They may even leave.
The words of the parable are stark. “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy.” This condemns the contempt with which the religious often treat God’s grace. There is a different measure of worthiness beyond just receiving an invitation and saying an offhand ‘yes’ but not actually coming. Worthiness is based on participating in God’s generosity.
We see in the parable that failure to respond to God’s generosity results in a change in the composition of the people of God. We can dismiss this possibility. This was talking about the Jews who were God’s people, but didn’t accept Jesus. (However, Doesn’t it happen today? A church or people within a church can stop participating in celebrating the generosity of God. It can be easy in these times to focus financially. We don’t trust in God’s generosity. We trust in our efforts. We take care of our own business.
God doesn’t stop generously inviting everyone to be in relationship with him. He doesn’t withdraw his invitation of generosity to those who don’t respond. Such is God’s generosity that his invitation expands beyond our preconceived notions. This may mean God raises up a new church or new people become a part of the church, even those we consider ‘bad.’
In the parable these new folks come in to the feast. There was one man that was not wearing a wedding robe. He was sent out, exiled from the celebration. The person without a robe suffers same fate as those who reject the invitation. Before we lament about how God’s generosity is limited. Before we exalt about how God casts out those who are not worthy. Let’s examine God’s generous approach. “Friend” the man is named. Jesus is a friend of sinners. There is the chance for explanation, for grace. The man could have said please give me a wedding robe. But, the man does not respond. His lack of response shows that he is not a participant in God’s kingdom.
This part of the parable is not literally about what to wear, but about honoring God. We cannot participate in what God is doing without appropriate change in our life. When we respond to God’s generous invitation, we come ready to share in festivities, to offer our life to serve. Salvation is free but it doesn’t come without transformation. We put on the ‘new clothes’ God offers. That means producing fruit: using our time, talent, and money for God’s sake.
For today and the next two weeks, we are looking at giving our time, our money, our talent(special energy) to God through the church. We have received with everyone else an amazing invitation to participate in God’s generous kingdom. What is our response to God’s generous invitation? What is our response to the offer to join a banquet with Jesus, an offer not based on our worthiness?
Some will refuse to come. We can ignore God’s generous invitation by making other things bigger priorities. Some will come but refuse to be transformed. We can respond without being changed. Many times there is a gap between initial response to gospel and ultimate participation in what God is doing.
Tom Erich, a church wellness specialist says, “Most churches stop at “survival giving.” People give what they figure is required for the church to survive another year. Often they factor in the benefit they expect to receive.” People figure if they attend worship or give a little money they are a part of things. People may make the excuse that they are unsure that their church has a ministry and mission that are worth really giving to, worth really being a part of.
Consider your own excuses for not using your time, talent, and money for God’s sake. No matter how you look at it our response to God’s generosity is more than just showing up. If we want to be a part of what God is doing, we join in the celebration through our generosity with our time, talents, and money. If we are not willing to give money then we need to join in giving our time and talent to discerning God’s preferred future for our church so that we will engage in God’s mission in a way that inspires us to give.
What we have done with God’s call, with God’s generous invitation in the past isn’t important. What we do now is what matters.