“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 22:14 NIV
The parable of the wedding banquet, like most of Jesus’ parables, tells us something about the kingdom of heaven. In this parable, a king (God) prepared a wedding banquet for his son (Jesus). He invited a group of people to the banquet (Israel), but they refused to come. So others were invited (Gentiles), and the hall was filled with people. But one guest was found who was not dressed in the provided wedding garments. He had apparently tried to sneak in through another door. But he was thrown out into the darkness.
This last verse of the parable is the point of the parable. Many were invited to the wedding feast. In fact, it appears that ultimately everyone received an invitation. But only a few were chosen to participate in the feast. Who was chosen? Those who responded to the invitation, came in through the front door, and put on their wedding garments. While those who rejected God’s invitation, or attempted to enter a different way, faced destruction.
All too many people today are trying to attend the wedding feast of the Son by coming in through the back door. Rather than repentance and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus, they put on a form of godliness (2 Tim. 3:5), hoping that will be enough. But it will not be. If we hope to feast with Christ in the life to come, we need to live for him in this life. Only those who take off the clothes stained by the world (Col 3:5-9), and put on Christ (Col. 3:10-14), will be chosen to share in the feast.
