The Sermon: Matthew 22:1-14

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, ² “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, ³ and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. ⁴ Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ ⁵ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, ⁶ while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. ⁷ The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. ⁸ Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ⁹ Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ ¹⁰ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. ¹¹ “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. ¹² And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Theme: COME TO THE WEDDING FEAST!

Summary: The Kingdom of Heaven is pictured as the joyful wedding reception of Christ and His bride, the Church. Everyone is invited. Everything is ready. Sadly, many reject the invitation or refuse to wear the wedding garments provided. We pray that God would work faith in our hearts to receive the gospel invitation, and in turn, invite others to come to the wedding feast!

Sermon Worksheet:

What is the definition of the Kingdom of Heaven? (aka Kingdom of God)

Who do the servants in the parable represent? What happened to them?

What one word sums up the entire message of Scripture?

What words did Jesus say from the cross which declared that the feast of salvation is finally ready? (John 19:30)

When did God destroy Jerusalem as judgment for rejecting His Son?

What words from the parable are a reference to the Great Commission?

What does the wedding garment represent? (Is. 61:10; Gal. 3:27)

What will happen to those who rely on their own garments (works)?

What excuses do we make for neglecting the Kingdom of Heaven?

How are we like the “main road” guests in the parable? The servants?