A Royal A Royal InvitationInvitation

Matthew Matthew 22:1-1422:1-14

Matthew 22:1-14Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a

wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the

banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

““Then he sent some more Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and have been butchered, and

everything is ready. Come everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’to the wedding banquet.’

““But they paid no attention But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, and went off—one to his field,

another to his business. another to his business. The rest seized his servants, The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed mistreated them and killed

them. The king was enraged. them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and He sent his army and

destroyed those murderers destroyed those murderers and burned their city.and burned their city.

““Then he said to his servants, Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ‘The wedding banquet is

ready, but those I invited did ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went find.’ So the servants went

out into the streets and out into the streets and gathered all the peoplegathered all the people

they could find, both good they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came “But when the king came

in to see the guests, in to see the guests, he noticed a man there he noticed a man there who was not wearing who was not wearing

wedding clothes.wedding clothes.

‘‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without you get in here without

wedding clothes?’ The man wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. “Then the was speechless. “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him hand and foot, and throw

him outside, into the him outside, into the darkness, where there will bedarkness, where there will be

weeping and gnashing of weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited, teeth.’ “For many are invited,

but few are chosen.”but few are chosen.”

1.1.The King The King Extends a Extends a

Royal Royal Invitation (vs. Invitation (vs.

1-7).1-7).

2.2.The King The King Enlarges His Enlarges His

Royal Royal Invitation (vs. Invitation (vs.

8-10).8-10).

3.3.The King The King Examines His Examines His Royal Guests Royal Guests (vs. 11-14).(vs. 11-14).

You have already been invited, but

what have you done with the King’s

invitation?

Are you properly Are you properly clothed with a clothed with a

relationship with relationship with Jesus Christ?Jesus Christ?

Time is short so Time is short so receive Jesus receive Jesus Christ as your Christ as your

personal Lord and personal Lord and Savior today!Savior today!