And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14)
As I read these words, I am struck by the importance of the right garment. I don’t know about you, but when I get a wedding invitation, I tuck it away somewhere where I can come back to it and consider it at a later date and hopefully not forget to respond. Yet, despite my best intentions I often totally forget about that invitation until the last possible moment, the last possible day to RSVP. So then I hurriedly respond to the anxiously awaiting couple, with little thought to anything other than my meal choice when given the option. Then the wedding is forgotten yet again until the long awaited day comes and I am somehow caught by surprise and have no idea what I am going to wear. So I hurriedly rummage through my closet trying to ascertain what dress I should wear. When I finally settle on a dress and head off to the wedding, I find myself insecure and wondering if I chose wisely. As I am seated in the church and await the start of the ceremony, I find myself looking around me to determine if I made the right choice, hoping to be comforted by the attire of others. I find it so funny to really think about the process I go through from the time I receive the invitation to the time of the actual ceremony and unfortunately, how totally self-absorbed I can be.
Our invitation has been delivered; it was delivered long before we even existed and has been waiting in our mailbox for the time when we will retrieve it from the box and RSVP. My invitation sat in my mailbox for 36 years before I actually accepted and received it. Oh what a beautiful invitation it is; more beautiful than any invitation I have ever seen! We don’t need to put any thought into our meal choice; our every need has been met. While there is a dress code, the wedding garment was sent with the invitation; we only need to put it on. But wait, no date is specified…there must be an oversight. How do we know when to get ready, how do we know how long we can procrastinate, how do we know when to put on our wedding garment? The reality is we don’t know when we will be called home to be with the Lord, but if we have not put on Christ, if we have not put on our wedding garment, we will be cast out into the darkness. Therefore, we must put on our garment now and wear it always that we will be prepared and ready when we are called. However, the wedding garment only fits when you remove your old clothes; we must put off our old self and put on Christ.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14)
As I read these words, I am struck by the importance of the right garment. I don’t know about you, but when I get a wedding invitation, I tuck it away somewhere where I can come back to it and consider it at a later date and hopefully not forget to respond. Yet, despite my best intentions I often totally forget about that invitation until the last possible moment, the last possible day to RSVP. So then I hurriedly respond to the anxiously awaiting couple, with little thought to anything other than my meal choice when given the option. Then the wedding is forgotten yet again until the long awaited day comes and I am somehow caught by surprise and have no idea what I am going to wear. So I hurriedly rummage through my closet trying to ascertain what dress I should wear. When I finally settle on a dress and head off to the wedding, I find myself insecure and wondering if I chose wisely. As I am seated in the church and await the start of the ceremony, I find myself looking around me to determine if I made the right choice, hoping to be comforted by the attire of others. I find it so funny to really think about the process I go through from the time I receive the invitation to the time of the actual ceremony and unfortunately, how totally self-absorbed I can be.
Our invitation has been delivered; it was delivered long before we even existed and has been waiting in our mailbox for the time when we will retrieve it from the box and RSVP. My invitation sat in my mailbox for 36 years before I actually accepted and received it. Oh what a beautiful invitation it is; more beautiful than any invitation I have ever seen! We don’t need to put any thought into our meal choice; our every need has been met. While there is a dress code, the wedding garment was sent with the invitation; we only need to put it on. But wait, no date is specified…there must be an oversight. How do we know when to get ready, how do we know how long we can procrastinate, how do we know when to put on our wedding garment? The reality is we don’t know when we will be called home to be with the Lord, but if we have not put on Christ, if we have not put on our wedding garment, we will be cast out into the darkness. Therefore, we must put on our garment now and wear it always that we will be prepared and ready when we are called. However, the wedding garment only fits when you remove your old clothes; we must put off our old self and put on Christ.
“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Romans 13:11-14)
What are you wearing? Are you ready? Do you have your wedding garment on?
COACH’S CALL TO ACTION
- Where is your invitation? Is it still sitting in the mailbox, have you tucked it away for a later date, or have you accepted and received it?
- What are the old clothes that you are wearing that prevent you from putting on your wedding garment, that prevent you from putting on Christ?
- What would it look like to remove, to put off, those old clothes and put on Christ today?
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