Printer Friendly VersionTo begin the sermon I might recommend a re-telling of the Gospel lesson from
a contemporary version of the Bible, i.e. The Message or Contemporary English
Version, and just let it serve as the introduction. In fact, memorizing it
would be very helpful and effective.
Matthew 22:1-14
There is a sobering message to be heard today that is portrayed in the behavior
of the Israelites (the chosen), that we heard read earlier and communicated
in the parable from our gospel story just a moment ago. We can place ourselves
alongside those who have been called to the great wedding feast in heaven,
but with the fear that only a few will end up there.
Note that it is not because of a lack of invitation on God's part, nor a
lack of concern for his people as implied by the Israelites in Exodus, but
a failure to respond to the call.
When I get invited to a party I know that I made the guest list. Now, what
good is the invitation (a call) if I fail to RSVP? We miss out on the celebration
for which we have waited so long. And in the context of today’s story
we miss the great wedding feast where the bride is finally reunited with her
Groom for all eternity.
It’s true, many are called but few are chosen. The point is we’re
chosen by God, we’re on the list, but we choose not to respond! Why?
Could it be because if a similar attitude as that of the Israelites in our
Exodus story? Here we clearly see the chosen people of God called out of their
slavery and yet made a choice to not respond to the God of their call, but
chose to worship a golden calf instead! In verse four of that story referring
to the golden idol, The people exclaimed, “O Israel these are the gods
who brought you out of Egypt!” Wait a minute! The golden calf didn’t
issue a call! It was the God who is the great “I am.”
I wonder if sometimes we choose not to respond to God’s call because
we don’t like where he’s placed us in life, i.e. in the desert!
It’s kind of like getting an unexpected invitation to a party from a
person with whom you haven’t been all that happy! Typically, we just
throw it away. “I’ll show them!” we say. And really we could
be missing out on the party of our lives.
I wish Paul's words to the Philippians could have been said to the Israelites
in Exodus! Perhaps if they “fixed their thoughts on what is true and
honorable and right…thinking about things that are excellent and worthy
of praise…and putting them into practice” (Phil. 4:8-9) they may
have changed their behavior in the desert when they felt like God had left
them for dead!
Well, the Israelites couldn’t hear Paul’s words because they had
not yet been said, but we can! So putting them into the context of God’s
invitation, what choice are we willing to make this morning?
This is the invitation of a lifetime! Many are called, but few are chosen.
It’s your choice this morning.
“If we do this, we will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7) Amen.
