Cutting through all the symbolism of this parable I want to
assert straight away that this parable is about integrity, and a warning
against smugness and complacency in our faith. Essentially it is about “cheap
grace”.
The original guests that had been invited to the wedding
banquet but found every excuse under the sun not to come represent the Jews who
had rejected the gospel of Christ.
In the parable the wedding guests were the ones both good
and bad who had been invited to the feast in their place. These people were the
young church that included many gentiles outside the original “chosen people”.
So we have been invited to join the wedding party – which is the
church! We are those wedding guests and we are here by right. But just as in
society with rights also comes responsibilities which is the thrust of the
final part of the parable.
We may recall that one of the guests was thrown out of the
wedding party because he wasn’t wearing wedding clothes.
Now on the face of it that seems an extraordinary thing to
do. What does it mean? It means that it is not enough to just be invited and
come to the party. We need to adopt , to metaphorically “wear the clothes” of a
Christian.
We should walk the walk rather than just talk the talk. In
my sermons from Matthew’s gospel over
the past few weeks have been talking about bearing the fruit of the gospel. The
fruit of the gospel is our outward vesture. These are the “clothes” that we
wear. It is what people see and react to.
The hard meaning of the parable is that a true disciple of
Christ is one that exhibits in their life that the gospel is truly working in
their life and affects the way we live and relate to God and our neighbour.
In Christianity this is achieved not by simply following the
rules as presented in the Law in the Old Testament but is achieved by an inner
transformation of our disposition by the Holy Spirit.
That incidentally, contrary to popular opinion, doesn’t mean
a loosening of those rules. If anything the law of love is much tougher than
the written law. Anyone who disputes that should consider the difference
between “an eye for an eye” with Jesus’ command to “Love your enemies”. Which
do you think is the harder requirement?
Jesus incidentally recognises that walking where he has
walked before us is not easy. The way is narrow and few find it. People who do
are those people we regard as the saints, and we remember them as an
inspiration to us when we find ourselves tested.
Few may find that narrow way, but we are still asked to look
for it. We must be pointing in that general direction and want to find it even
if we don’t.
To use the picture language of the parable, we should be
wanting to wear the wedding clothes even if they are sometimes ill fitting,
makes us feel slightly uncomfortable and we have metaphorical stains all down
our lovely white shirt or dress. There is a massive difference between trying
and failing and not even trying.
