Speaker: Rev Dr Roger Chilton from St.
Swithun's Anglican Church, Chairman of HART: Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust
Australasia
Scripture: Matthew 22
Many years ago he was in an army, he was a sergeant
major. One of the major lessons was on saluting. When we see a commissioned
officer, we have to salute him/her, but it’s not really that person who matters
but we are saluting the crown. He’s never met the queen, so it’s bizarre to
salute like this. But if he’s invited by the queen to attend one of her
functions, eg. Harry’s wedding, he’d probably take everything off the diary to
attend.
End of Matthew 21: parables on the judgment
against Israel’s leaders. Pharisees heard these parables and go out to lay
plans to trap Jesus.
When emperor’s Tiberius’ son Drusus got
married, the A-list would have turned up, or else…
When invited, the Pharisees were
indifferent, refused to go on the banquet, some murdered the messengers for
doing their jobs. Could anyone act so callously to such invitation?
The honour of the crown is maintained even
though the Pharisees reject. Then the king invited everyone. This action of the
king is shocking. A royal grace.
V10: everyone was happy, but then the king
was not happy.
V11: because one person was not
appropriately dressed. The king asked the man how he got into the wedding, he
refused to answer the king. This was the act of an intruder, a rebellion.
V13: refusal has a life and death
consequences. The inappropriately dressed man was thrown outside.
V14: many are invited but few are chosen.
The gospel is the king’s invitation. We can see how people respond today in
parallel to this parable.
The parable doesn’t tell the whole story of
the gospel. We can’t ignore the one telling it: It is Jesus. This parable ended
with unrelenting opposition by the Pharisees. It is not only the Pharisees, but
us who’d oppose: Coming to the banquet is to honour him, not me. We do not
naturally honour the crown.
When we honour the crown, we will receive
the crown of righteousness. May be that we understand the cost of our
invitation, the cost of our forgiveness, and the joy of being included in the
joy of the king’s wedding banquet.
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