Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, March 12, 2023
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: All are invited, but God expects those who show up to act appropriately.
This is clearly a story about insiders and outsiders. The original insiders—the king’s invited guests—quickly became outsiders when they ignored the king’s invitation, and even killed the king’s slaves. Probably not the best way to get invited back again. The king had them all killed and their cities burned.
But then the original outsiders—"everyone you find” (who are left after the king annihilated the rude ones)—quickly became insiders. Interestingly, the king didn’t distinguish here between the “good and bad”—all were invited.
Previously, people could only attend the wedding if they had been invited. Now, everyone was invited. Everyone. All by itself, this was a radical shift in tone for Jews who believed they were God’s chosen. They were the only insiders. They were the only ones invited to God’s kingdom. But now, Jesus was saying that everyone was invited. It kind of takes away from the specialness of being God’s when everyone is given the same ticket to ride.
But not everyone invited was allowed to attend. One friend showed up to the wedding unattired for the event. The consequence was dire—he was thrown “into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
So, here’s an interesting takeaway. God’s generosity is abundant. God invites everyone—good and bad—to the wedding. But the wedding isn’t a free-for-all experience. Those invited (everyone) can’t just do whatever they want and reap the benefits of the banquet. The invitation is wide open. But those who choose to attend have some responsibility to regard the invitation with respect. They must come to the wedding adorned in wedding attire.
We might read it like this. We are all invited to participate fully in God’s kingdom. But we do have a responsibility to regard the invitation to participate with the honor and respect the invitation deserves. We can’t show up in the world in a way that is contrary to the intention of the inviter. We can’t show up to God’s kingdom of peace, justice, and equity, and also walk through the world with contempt, hatred, and jealousy. If we do, we come unadorned. God’s invitation raises the level of expectation that we show up ready to honor the kingdom God has invited us into.
