Passage: Matthew 22:1-14

In verse 1 and 2, Jesus compared heaven to a wedding. God is the Father who invited people to come to the wedding.

The Garden of Eden was heaven. There were four rivers surrounded by precious jewels and treasures. There was no pain, no suffering, no disease, no aging. There was no sickness or headaches. The Garden was beautiful.

Then Satan came in Genesis 3. When Adam and Eve listened to Satan, the world became his kingdom. Disease came. Death came. Sickness came.

But God still loved His people. He sent Jesus to take back what Satan stole from us. He came to bring heaven back to earth.

This scripture has two parables: our wedding in heaven and the church on earth.

The wedding in this scripture is a shadow of the wedding to come, the wedding for the believers of Christ. This wedding feast also shows us the character of the church.

Matthew 22 tells us that Jesus is the center of the wedding.

Colossians 1:16
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

In Matthew 22:5, many people were invited. Business owners. Workers. But they rejected the invitation. They were busy with their work, with their family, with their own things. In verse 7, God sends an army to destroy those people.

The Jewish people rejected Jesus, killing Him on the cross. Since then, they have suffered much. If you provoke God by rejecting His Son, there will be a price to pay. You will be judged.

God’s first choice was Israel. He made a covenant with Israel during the time of Abraham. But the Jews rejected every prophet sent to them by the Lord. Then they rejected and killed Jesus.

But Jesus resurrected from the dead and became the ruler of the earth. Through Jesus, we have authority and power to cast out demons. Then, when we die, God will take us to the new heaven.

In verse 12, God sent out servants to invite people to come. They gave many excuses. Those were the Jews who rejected Jesus. After the Jews rejected Jesus, God commanded His people to go out into the highways and byways – to the Gentiles. The Gentiles were invited because the Jews rejected their invitation.

We have been blessed because the Jews rejected Jesus. We have been invited. Will you receive His invitation? What will you do with this invitation?

God bless you,
Pastor Sun East

More in this series:
Part 2: Are you chosen or just invited?