I want to thank you for keeping up with our readings in Matthew. I also want to apologize for falling so behind on my posts. I decided to just go with Matthew 22 and post as I can the chapters that I missed posting. Matthew I have found reading each chapter is full of so many teachings of Christ that I hope you are putting his words to daily practice.
There are a few items I want to explore with Matthew 22. The first is the Wedding Dinner. Here Jesus is saying that a king has prepared a feast for his guest and sent his servants out to gather up the guests and let them know the banquet is ready. However, the guest responded with ignoring the servants, and some even responded with insulting and killing the servants. The Lord Jesus has asked his servants to go out and preach the Good News to people. Jesus taught his disciples to first share with the Hebrew people in the Temples. The king then was furious and said the guests were not worthy and told the servants to go and invite EVERYONE - the good and the bad peope. ALL were invited.
Now lets a deeper look into Matthew 22:11-13 "But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn't wearing the proper clothes for the wedding. 12. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how is it that you are here without wedding clothes.' But the man had no reply. 13. Then the king said to his aides, 'Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14. For many are called, but few are chosen.
It it truly the clothes that are the issue? Wedding guests were given wedding clothes to wear at the banquet in those times. The wedding clothes represent righteousness. Jesus has provided righteousness for everyone. Just as the king became angry because the wedding guest refused to put on the wedding clothes, think about how the Father would be angry with those that reject his Son's gift of righteousness. What choice have you made or will you make today? The choice to reject what you read in His Word or the choice to clothe yourself with righteousness.
I want to tell you a story that I heard long ago in a Bible study. It was how to remember the difference between the Pharisees and the Sadducees which were two religious groups in Israel at Jesus time. The Pharisees were more religiously minded. They behaved as though their own religious rules were just as important as God's rules. This is a good example of discerning what a Christian leader is saying to you. Are what they telling you a God rule or a man's rule. For exmaple, when I was growing up, I was told dancing was wrong. There are many celebrations in the Bible and God's people danced. I have yet to find in the Bible where God says no to dancing. That was a man made rule.
Now the Sadducees were more politically minded. The Sadducees did not believe in a bodily resurrection and eternal life. That's why they were sad, you see? Imagine not having the hope of Jesus resurrecting and for us to live with him eternally.
Ah, may we remember every day what Jesus says is the greast commandment.
Matthew 22:36 - 39 "Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?" 37 Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 39 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.
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