You're invited thoughts on parable about a wedding banquet

Jesus had a lot to say about the kingdom of God.
And it was throught his parables helped people glimpse the way God's kingdom is moving into our world. These parables about the kingdom open us up to see just some of the possiblities God has in store. Jesus talked about the power of tiny seeds when he talked about the kingdom. He talked about the way little light can change the way we see the world when he talked about the coming reign of God. These stories get people like you and me thinking and looking at the world differently. These parables are all about seeing God's activity in our lives. Each one of these stories help us to see a little more of God's work among us today. These stories are all about God's action--they tell us what Jesus is doing to bring the kingdom to life--but they also let us see how people have responded to God's kingdom at work.

Jesus had inside knowledge because he was at the heart of the kingdom that was breaking into the world. With every step Jesus took the reign and rule of God came closer and closer to the people. The hurting people could feel it in their very being. Jesus was the one. He came and hope and healing came with him. It was so good and the poor and the hurting reached out to him.

But not everyone was excited that Jesus' kingdom was coming. Truth is we need Jesus--but we don't always want the real Jesus to show up in our life. Jesus told stories about people who would enter into his rule and others who would reject the offer to enter into his reign. The older I get I find these parables are more and more challenging. Jesus told a parable about a vineyard and tenants who refused to pay their share at the harvest time--when the vineyard owner sent servant to ask for payment they violently mistreated them. When the vineyard owner sent his son the tenants killed him. There's a long history in Christian churches of scapegoating--pretending that this story is about somebody else rejecting Jesus. But this story strikes close to home when I admit that I have rejected Jesus invitation to enter into his kingdom.

Jesus told a story about the Kingdom of God being like a banquet. The invitations were passed out. It was the king's wedding feast. This was going to be the party to be at--this was a big deal. But the invited guests ignored the invitation. But the king was going to keep on with the plan. This banquet was still happening. Servants went out to remind the invited guests. But those first people who were invited rejected the invitation that came from the servants. Some folks ignored the servants--and some did worse than ignore.

The king was still going to have the feast--this is how God really works. God has come. Jesus has entered the story of the world and many who claim to be close to God will ignore the invitation. But God is still coming. Jesus has come he has stepped into our world. God's grace is still going to be shared even if we deny we need that Grace. And Jesus will send his people out--first to the ones who are close to him already. But the good news is that Jesus will send his people out with good news. It's our workr--our mission to share the grace of God. That love and mercy will extend far beyond the first ones to be invited. See this story is telling the real truth about how God's message of hope is still spreading. God's rejected grace would still be shared. But there's one more uncomfortable part of the story. One man was singled out. He had no garment. And he was set outside of the feast into the darkness.

God's Word is full of challenge and promise. This story asks us to consider our response to Jesus. And--it really pushes us to see that God has a plan to keep sending Good News to us and to others after us. AMEN.