Welcome! If I am traveling, sick, swamped, or otherwise unable to post any of my own thoughts, you can be sure that I am keeping up with the Bible reading. I hope you are too, because that is really the point of the whole blog. That being said, I hope that a lack of any comment on my part is a rare, rather than regular, event. Not because I think I am worth hearing from everyday. No. Rather it is because it helps me to process what I have read. I hope you do some processing everyday too. Whether you comment, or talk to someone about it, ask yourself some probing questions, or pray...these are all good things to do. Now, to our study.
Read Psalm 69
Read Matthew 22
I love the show down between Jesus and the religious leaders during holy week! Jesus is asked all kinds of trick questions, and he leaves them speechless. Then he concludes this chapter with a question about the Messiah. His point was that the Messiah is David's son, but also David's Lord because the Messiah is God. But the religious leaders are just stunned. Their hate builds. Soon they will kill him. Soon Jesus will die for our sin, our sin which kills him too.
But at the beginning of this chapter, he tells us of the wedding feast that awaits all who are in the kingdom of heaven. The Gospel invitation is extended first to Israel, for Jesus came from the Jews, so that through the Jews all nations would be blessed (remember our Genesis discussions?) Though some would accept this invitation, many would reject Jesus as the Messiah. The invitation was then extended out to all. And the banquet hall is filled with the "good and the bad."
We are either good and righteous in other humans' eyes, or we are bad. But how we stand before other humans is a matter of perspective. And human judgments are not always accurate, and they are definitely not the final say on our final destination. We may be surprised to see "bad" people in heaven. Then again, some might be surprised to see us there. But whether we were considered to be bad or good by fellow humans, we enter into the wedding feast of the King through the merits of Jesus Christ. His perfect righteousness is given to us. His death forgives us. His resurrection promises us eternal life.
And that is what the wedding clothes are all about: the righteousness of Christ. That's why Jesus includes the story about the person thrown out of the banquet. It's not that someone will sneak into heaven, or crash Jesus' party (like the White House crashers we've been hearing about!). That part of the story was included to remind us that the only way to heaven is to be clothed by Jesus. We are clothed, we are covered, we are dressed by the righteousness of Christ. When Jesus says, "I am the Way," he means it. That God that in Baptism we are clothed in Christ's righteousness. That God that he strengthens us through his Gospel and through Holy Communion to live in that righteousness with confidence and peace of our everlasting home. How I long to be at that banquet!
Ask Yourself:
What Christians do I consider to be "bad"? (Come on, be honest! There are Christians we consider to be bad!)
What does this portion of Scripture tell me about how I should treat them? How is Jesus adjusting our attitude?
How can I participate in extending the invitation to those still outside the kingdom?
Pray:
"Heavenly Father, thank You for preparing a table before us in the presence of our enemies and graciously calling us to dwell in Your house forever. Amen."
(TLSB p. 1630)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
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