Sabbath Day Thoughts — “Invite Everyone” Matthew 22:1-14
July third was the wedding of the decade as singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chief’s tight end Travis Kelce tied the knot in Madison Square Garden with 1,000 of their closest friends in attendance. The bride and groom both wore white—a custom haute couture gown and a hand-stitched tuxedo by the fashion icons at Christian Dior. Tatytay’s ring featured an eight-carat Old Mine brilliant-cut diamond. In attendance? A who’s who of celebrities, from Hollywood stars Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts to music icons Paul McCartney and Miranda Lambert to sports superstars Olympian Simone Beils and quarterback Tom Brady.
The dinner was sumptuous. Food stations served everything from steaks and seafood to burgers and fries. A dessert table featured no fewer than thirty cakes, along with Pop-Tarts, cookies, and an assortment of pastries. Multiple bars offered drinks, including 3 signature cocktails, specially crafted for the nuptials.
Taylor and Travis wanted everyone to rejoice with them, so they made $26 million in charitable gifts to food banks, children’s hospitals, educational programs, and an animal rescue organization. It was a party for the ages with music and dancing continuing into the early hours of the morning. Invitations were the hottest ticket in town. Even guests who love to spill the tea signed non-disclosure agreements and checked their cell phones at the door.
Jesus told a story about a wedding for the ages. The King’s son was tying the knot and no expense would be spared on the royal wedding. The marriage contract was signed. The rabbi was ready. The fatted calves would be roasted to perfection. The finest wines would be poured out. The musicians were tuning up. There would be dancing and singing and rejoicing all night long.
There was only one problem. The guests of honor wouldn’t come. In actions that were downright treasonous, they made excuses, then mistreated and murdered the King’s envoys. Once the rebellion was quashed, an entirely new guestlist was invited to the wedding banquet. Everyone. Literally, everyone, regardless of social standing, income, age, or ability got an invitation. In they came with great rejoicing, filling the courts of the king with loud shouts of “Huzzah!” and the sounds of celebration.
Jesus said that this story is about the Kingdom of Heaven. To understand his message, context is everything. As Jesus spoke those words, he was in Jerusalem at the Temple. Passover was near and pilgrims had flocked to the holy city from across the empire. Although Jesus found a warm welcome from the crowds who were eager to hear what he had to say, those who controlled the Temple—the chief priests, scribes, and influential elders of the Sanhedrin—were not so happy to see him. They questioned his authority, challenged his teachings, and tried to insinuate that he was a threat to the empire. Later that week, when Jesus finished spinning parables and interpreting scripture, those powerful opponents would put their heads together and plot his arrest and execution. On Friday, Jesus would hang upon the cross.
Considering that context, Jesus’ scary, exaggerated story of a fabulous wedding feast, rebellious subjects, and an angry king becomes a thinly veiled critique of the wealthy and powerful Temple elite, who were planning his demise. Jesus began his public ministry with the words, “The Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” Now as his public ministry came to a close, he used this Kingdom parable to challenge those who would deny and murder him. Jesus was saying, “Open your eyes, people. Don’t you know the bridegroom when you see him? God’s banquet is in full swing. You are meant to be honored guests. Get over yourselves, come on in, and celebrate with me.”
When we hear Jesus’ story, we are tempted to pass judgment. We shake our heads and tsk, tsk, tsk over those first century insiders who were blind to the work of God and the presence of the Kingdom. We are tempted to pass judgment on people here and now, too, like our atheist neighbors who think our convictions of faith are stuff and nonsense. It’s tempting to pass judgment on the powerful elite of our day, who are too busy building their own kingdoms to serve God’s Kingdom. It’s tempting to pass judgment on contemporary Christians who are eager for the Kingdom, but can’t be bothered to serve it, who can’t be bothered to clothe themselves in the wedding garment of love, compassion, justice, and humility.
But I suspect that we’ve all had moments when we have received the King’s invitation and allowed it to go unanswered. Our calendars are crowded, and it’s hard to make time for Jesus in our busy schedules. We skip church, forego Bible Study, and fall asleep at night before we can say our prayers. Some days, we struggle to allow the King to have authority in our lives. Afterall, we have big commitments to work, family, and community that demand our time and our better selves. Maybe we can sprinkle the King around the edges of all that important stuff. We may even be ashamed of the gospel. We play down our convictions of faith. Our neighbors may know us as parents, grandparents, teachers, healthcare providers, retirees, or Ice Palace Workers, but do they know we are Christians? Do we acknowledge that the most important relationship that we will ever have is our relationship with God through Christ? Do we see that the most important mission that we will ever have is to forge a world where the limitless love of God is known by all?
We say, “No,” to the Kingdom. Given enough time and enough “Nos,” our life begins to feel like we’re living in that burned-out city or that outer darkness of bitter tears and gnashing teeth that Jesus talked about in his parable.
But if we listen with the ears of our hearts this morning, we can hear it. The Wedding Feast is on. The bridegroom is here. There is a place at the banquet table with our name on it. There is room on the dance floor for all who will put on their boogie shoes. Won’t we join Jesus in the celebration? Won’t we join him in making the Kingdom of God come alive for our community? We are all invited, my friends. Everyone. How will we respond?
We’ll say “yes” to the King by feeding hungry people. 47.9 million Americans experience food insecurity. That means they will lack reliable access to sufficient food this year. With rising food prices, that number is also rising. Globally more than two billion people are hungry. Whether we lace up our shoes and walk in the CROP Walk, bring peanut butter and jelly to the Food Pantry collection bin, glean potatoes, or donate two-cents-a-meal, we will say “yes” to the King’s invitation.
I hope that a couple of you will say “yes” to the King’s invitation by sharing a story about your life of faith on Reformation Sunday. In what has become one of our favorite Sundays of the year, we listen deeply to stories of those blessed moments in life when we have known the goodness of the Lord. It could be a story of a life lesson learned. It could be a story of a challenge overcome. It could be a story of the surprising Jesus, who comes to us in the guise of a needy neighbor, a child, a wise mentor, or even the good creation. Your “yes” will inspire all our “yeses” as we consider how we will make a Kingdom difference through the church in 2027.
Our “yes” to the King could look a lot like Christian caring. We’ll visit with a lonely neighbor. We’ll listen compassionately as a friend shares their struggles. We’ll extend a kind invitation for a meal or a walk or a church service. Perhaps we’ll gift a prayer bear, some flowers, or a prayer shawl to someone who needs love. We’ll pray for others, inviting the King to be present and powerful for those who feel alone and powerless.
All those “yeses” will serve the Kingdom. All those “yeses” will nudge this fearful and broken world a little closer to the beautiful feast in the Kingdom of God. All those “yeses” are like being an honored guest at the wedding of the decade, at a wedding for the ages. My friends, the table is set. The savory smells of the feast waft from the kitchen. The dessert table beckons. The champagne is about to be poured. The musicians are tuning up. Consider this your royal invitation.
Resources
David Lose. “Preaching an Ugly Parable” in …in the Mean Time, October 6, 2014. Accessed on-line at http://www.davidlose.net/2014/10/pentecost-18-a-preaching-an-ugly-parable/
Lance Pape. “Commentary on Matthew 22:1-14” in Preaching This Week, October 12, 2014. Accessed on-line at http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2204
Carolyn J. Sharp. “Commentary on Matthew 22:1-14” in Preaching This Week, October 11, 2026. Accessed on-line at https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-28/commentary-on-matthew-221-14-10
Rachel DeSantis. “Taylor Swift Found ‘Happily Ever After’ with Travis Kelce. All the Details from the ‘Fairy-Tale’ Wedding” in People, July 7, 2026. Accessed online at https://people.com/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-all-the-details-fairy-tale-wedding-exclusive-12013138
Editors. “They’re Married! Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Wedding Details” in The Knot, July 7, 2026. Accessed online at https://www.theknot.com/content/taylor-swift-wedding
Matthew 22:1-14
22 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad, so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
