"The Royal Inauguration" (Matthew 21:1-11)

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Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

“And when [Jesus] entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:10-11).

 

Today, we begin a new Church Year, and the purpose of every Church Year is to put Jesus before our eyes.

 

To the world, most of their minds – maybe even yours – is on Christmas. Most of the world is thinking about Christmas decorating and shopping for loved ones. Radio stations began playing pop Christmas songs on November 1. And for so many of us, when you think about Jesus this time of year, we often think of Jesus as the babe in the manger.

 

But here we are on this First Sunday in Advent, and we hear about Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. What’s up with that? Again, the purpose as we begin each Church Year is that we do not lose sight on what truly matters: Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen for sinners.

 

It always does seem odd though to begin the Church Year at practically the end. But this is why Jesus came in the first place. He came to bring atonement between God and man.

 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Magi came from the east to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). This question greatly disturbed King Herod. He was troubled. This troubled Herod because he was obviously nearing the end of his time and was not sure who would succeed him. And there was no doubt that Herod’s violent and bloody reign had demonstrated how determined he was to maintain his grip on power – even though his power was severely limited being under Roman rule.

 

So when Herod’s fear was aroused, all of Jerusalem was disturbed right along with him.

 

Now, some thirty-plus years have passed between that first Christmas Day and Palm Sunday, and during that interval St. Matthew does not record a single time Jesus was called a king. He was called many other titles. Jesus was called “Son of David,” and that messianic title certainly does come with royal overtones, but it was not until that Palm Sunday that Jesus was proclaimed to be a king. According to St. Luke, the crowds roared: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 19:38a). And according to St. John, the crowds cheered: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13). And once again, some thirty-some years after His birth, “the whole city was stirred up” again (Matthew 21:10).

 

They ask, “Who is this Jesus?” “Where has this Jesus come from?”

 

Back when Jesus was 12 years old, He famously went up to Jerusalem with His mother Mary and His guardian Joseph to celebrate the Feast of the Passover (Luke 2:41-52). When the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. After searching for Him, they returned to Jerusalem and after three days, they found Him in the temple. 

 

Now, traveling to Jerusalem for the Passover was something pious Jews did every year. So, we can assume that Jesus made many trips to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. But this time would be different. Very different. For this occasion, Jesus was very much aware that He was going up to Jerusalem to die. And He taught this fact to His very own apostles that He would be handed over to the chief priests and later condemned to death, but on that third day would rise again.

 

As Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the last time, He wanted the attention of all the people of Jerusalem to be focused solely on Him. This is why He made some rather peculiar preparations before entering the city.

 

“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once” (Matthew 21:1-3).

 

This would be a strange way for Jesus to be acknowledged as the King of Israel. Through the Prophet Zechariah, God calls the coming King “humble” (Zechariah 9:9). 

Normally, powerful people are not humble. Normally, powerful people are far from being called “humble.” Normally, powerful people are aware of how important they are, and they expect others to be duly impressed by and deferential to them. They can be harsh and abrasive, because they havepower. Normally, to be humble or gentle is seen as a sign of powerlessness. Not so with Jesus.

 

Jesus enters Jerusalem upon an ordinary lowly beast of burden rather than a magnificent white stallion, as other kings would have done. Jesus did not wear a kingly robe or royal crown. There was no scepter in His hand. His attendants were mostly Galilean fishermen. His procession looked far from a royal procession, yet there was an obvious and undeniable majesty about Him. This Jesus was powerful, but not in the way of the world (1 Corinthians 1:25).

 

This humility of Jesus is the theme from the manger all the way to the cross. It is a weakness according to the world, but it is powerful because God works salvation in it. Salvation is not accomplished by external force or by gaining earthly power. Jesus’ humility is not a sign of powerlessness, but of a refusal to rule by force or coercion, and of His willingness to die for us.

 

Again, Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem didn’t look like a royal procession, but the multitudes were moved to shout: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9).

 

According to earthly standards, Jesus was far from being a king. He rode into town on a donkey. That’s a far cry from any royal steed. But Jesus is the King. 

 

Because Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, His mission has often been misunderstood. Herod feared Jesus as competition. Jesus was handed over to Pilate because He was declared a challenge to Caesar. But Jesus has not come to overthrow earthly rulers, nor to establish any earthly kingdom.

 

Jesus rules only by Word and Spirit, not by any external force. Jesus rules by calling and enlightening His disciples. He gives faith and a change of heart, so that we cling to Him as King. We didn’t choose Him as King, He chose us and made us His people.

 

Jesus is the mighty King. He is more powerful than all the great kings of all times. He is more powerful than all the world leaders of our own day.

 

Only He, by His cross, has the power to save from sin. Only He has the power to grant eternal life. Only He has the power to make enemies of God into children of God. Only He has the power to transform us so that we live godly lives.

 

Certainly, the manner by which Jesus entered Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday showed that He had no intentions of setting Himself up as an earthly king. The throne He would ascend would not be a fancy seat, but His throne to which He would ascend would be Him nailed to a crude wooden cross. The crown He would wear would not be adorned with jewels but would be a crown of thorns piercing His forehead.

 

Yet, Jesus would establish His Kingdom, but not by the traditional way by shedding the blood of his enemies, but by shedding His own holy precious blood. Through His humility, through His innocent suffering and death, Jesus would establish a Kingdom of greater glory and greater majesty than any earthly kingdom before or since. He gave all who trust in Him His Kingdom.

 

Today’s Gospel reading contain some very familiar words that we sing each Sunday: “Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.” These familiar words of the Sanctus remind us that the same Jesus who rode up into Jerusalem on a donkey comes to us under the bread and wine of the Sacrament of the Altar. On our own, we would never guess that we are receiving Christ’s very Body and His very Blood in this Sacrament, but Jesus says, “This is My Body. … This is My Blood.” Through the eyes of faith, we see so much more than just simple bread and simple wine, because our ears have heard what Jesus said.

 

We sing the Sanctus as we praise Christ knowing who He is, the promised Savior. We praise Christ, who feeds us with His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins, praising Him for who He is, our Savior, and for what He richly does, forgives our sins.

 

The crowds on that Palm Sunday may not have seen the significance of their own words, but we on this First Sunday in Advent do. He came to inaugurate His royal kingdom. Jesus has come to be our King. He has come to bring reconciliation between God and man. He is Here today hidden in His Means of Grace. And He will one day truly reveal Himself again on the Last Day! Christ is King. Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Christmas Eve: "No Room in the Inn" (Luke 2:1-20)

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:4-7).

 

When we think of Christmas, it’s easy to think of miracles. Angels make special appearances to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and to shepherds in a field.

 

Then there are miracles that don’t appear to be miracles. From what seems to be a typical government ordeal turns out to be arranged by God Himself. Remember, Mary and Joseph did not live in Bethlehem; they lived some 80 miles away in Nazareth. But they had to return to their ancestorial hometown to be registered for the census. And it was the Prophet Micah who prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

 

Of course, the greatest miracle of miracles is how God became man: Emmanuel, God with us! This Child was born of a virgin. This Child born is none other than the eternal God.

 

And no event in human history has been so celebrated in word and song than that of the birth of Jesus Christ! As the world celebrates “Happy Holidays,” we know what holiday is being celebrated. Yes, Hanukkah and Kwanza are among these days, but Hanukkah is a minor Jewish holiday and Kwanza is a made-up American day. The real holiday is Christmas, for which we remember the birth of the Savior from our sins.

 

But as it was then on this night in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago, there was no fanfare. The Savior had been born and there was no parade. There was no festival. There was no room. A census was being taken, so there was a great influx of people into Bethlehem, and Bethlehem was not exactly a large town. It was a small town with no surplus of lodging available to visitors. 

So, it would not be surprising that Mary and Joseph had difficulty in getting a room for they were not alone in losing out in supply and demand.

 

What is truly astonishing is that the Almighty God would choose such circumstances for the birth of the Messiah. The Savior of the world is to be born, the One who came to take upon Himself the guilt and sin of the entire world, the One who came to conquer death and open the gates of heaven to all who would cling to Him. How could there be no room?

 

This Child is the Creator of heaven and earth. He created all things. He is the One who gives breath to all, food to all who eat. How can this Child be born in a manger, a feeding trough, as His crib? This is just wrong that God would be received by His own creation in such a way. How can there be no room for Him?

 

There is no room in Bethlehem for the Creator of the world and true King of Israel. But what happened in Bethlehem on the night of His birth would become the theme for His earthly life. When the Magi would later arrive with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and worshipped Him, Mary and Joseph found a place for their small family in a house in Bethlehem. But shortly after the Magi left, the wrath of Herod the Great made it clear again that there was no room in Bethlehem for this holy Child. So, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt to protect their Son from Herod’s murdering soldiers. Again, there was no room for Jesus in Bethlehem.

 

After some time in Egypt, the Holy Family returned to Nazareth, where Jesus would grow up. Now that Jesus is in Nazareth, there must be room for Him there! One Sabbath at the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus was given the scroll of Isaiah. But when He proclaimed to the people of Nazareth the precious news of the Gospel, when He said that the promised Savior had come “to bring good news to the poor” (Isaiah 61:1), what did they do? They rejected Him. They rose up and drove Him out of Nazareth and tried to throw Him off a cliff. So, there was no room for Jesus in Nazareth.

 

From here, Jesus went north to Capernaum. While living there, He crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to the country of the Gadarenes. There, Jesus cast out demons from two possessed men and sent them into a herd of pigs. When the demons were cast into the herd of pigs, they all rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. When the people heard about this, they came to Jesus and begged Him to leave (Matthew 8:28-34). So, there was no room for Jesus among the Gedarenes.

 

Later, on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Samaria. He sent messengers ahead to find a place to stay, but the people of Samaria made it clear that they didn’t want Jesus there. Jesus said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Luke 9:58). So, there was no room for Jesus in Samaria.

 

Next, we come to Palm Sunday. The crowds came out to meet Jesus. Men, women, and children sang the praises of “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9). They were welcoming Jesus as their King! But by the end of the week, the crowds were shouting something quite different, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (John 19:6). Now they were crying out to Pontius Pilate against Jesus. And rather than see Jesus let go, they demanded the freedom of Barabbas, who was a murderer, a robber, and an insurrectionist. There was no room for Jesus in Jerusalem.

 

Now, Pilate wanted to let Jesus go as he insisted that he had found no guilt in Jesus. But to show the sheer strength of the Roman Empire, Pilate, despite finding no guilt, would still whip Jesus. And in order to keep his position safe, Pilate released Barabbas and Jesus would be crucified. No room for Jesus on earth.

 

As Jesus is nailed to a cross, He is wracked by pain, thirst, and insults. Then it goes from horrible to worse. Jesus cries out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me” (Matthew 27:46). God the Father pours out His righteous anger on Jesus, the One who has come to bear the sin and the guilt of the world. Jesus would face the punishment for all the sins of every man, woman, and child who would ever live. God the Father punishes Jesus, who knew no sin, for the sins of all the world. Jesus dies for you and me on that cross. He is abandoned by God the Father.

 

There is no room for Jesus. It all began in Bethlehem, and it continued all the way through His earthly life until He died on the cross. Why? Why did it have to be this way? 

 

This was the only way. This was the only way that you and me could be saved from the power of sin, death, hell, and Satan. Christ took our place in what should have been our death, because of our sin. Christ was obedient, even to the point of death. Christ was obedient, honest, and truthful where we are not. He took upon Himself our sin and suffered for it. He was rejected and despised so that our Father in heaven could look at you and say, “You are my beloved child, with whom I am well pleased.”

Because there was no room for Jesus in Bethlehem, in Nazareth, in Samaria, in Jerusalem, there is now room for you. There is always room in the Church for you. No matter your past, no matter how you have failed, there is room here for you. No matter how long you have strayed from Jesus, no matter how greatly you have sinned against God, there is room for you here. And there will always be room here. For this place is the hospital for sinners that is doctored by the Great Physician Jesus, who not only died, but rose from the dead, and lives and reigns to this day. It is He who gives us His medicine of immortality in His Means of Grace: His Word and Sacrament.

 

So, how sad it is when not all humanity is open to Jesus. How tragic it is that so many say that they have no room for Jesus in their lives.

 

Even in the celebration of His birth, Jesus is crowded out to make room for reindeer, snowmen, and Christmas songs that have nothing to do with Jesus, whose birth we celebrate this evening. More and more there is no room for Jesus in our lives.

 

May it never be so with us! May we be willing to lose every secular and cultural attachment to this holiday if only we keep the baby Jesus. Let them take our trees, let them take our presents, let them take our snowmen as long as we can keep Christ, the Lord, born to the virgin Mary in Bethlehem to be the Savior of the world.

 

So, may there always be room in our hearts for this Christ Child who brings salvation and life to all who cling to Him. May the Holy Spirit so work in us that we always belong to Christ. Let us join the angelic choirs to praise Him not just this evening, but at every Divine Service and every day of our life, for He freely gives us forgiveness, life, and salvation and all by grace through faith in Him! Merry Christmas! Amen! 

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.   

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Pentecost 21: "Rendering to God the Things that are Gods" (Matthew 22:15-22)

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

“Jesus said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).

 

There is an old saying that politics make strange bedfellows. Here the Pharisees and the Herodians display a common hatred for Jesus that overshadows their sharp disagreements with each other. The Pharisees were ardent nationalists who opposed the Roman rule and despised the Herodians for their cooperation with the Roman government. They despised each other, but they did have one thing in common: their common hatred toward Jesus.

 

Today, we find ourselves where we have been the last four weeks. Again, we find ourselves at the temple grounds on Tuesday of Holy Week.

 

Tensions continue to mount between the Jewish religious leaders and Jesus. First Jesus lays on them the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32). Then Jesus lays on them the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33-44). And to top it all off, the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14). These religious leaders knew that Jesus was talking about them, and they did not like it. They were ticked. They wanted Jesus silenced – and for good.

 

So, they leave Jesus for a time to plot how to entangle Jesus in His own words. This time a new strategy. Could there be another way to silence Jesus? 

 

You see, at this time, Jerusalem was full of pilgrims preparing for the Passover Feast, and multitudes of people are now gathering to hear Jesus preach and to heal the sick. Multitudes of people are coming to faith in Jesus by the power of the Gospel. This is further ticking off the Jewish religious authorities. They want Jesus silenced. They want Him dead. But could there be another way, so that they would not be the ones to ultimately get rid of Jesus?

 

Christ’s presence at the temple offered a forum for an assault. With the large crowds, the Jewish religious authorities thought this was their moment to flex their muscle by challenging Jesus and prove Him to be a fraud.

So, the Pharisees plotted by sending their disciples, along with their sworn enemy, the Herodians. You see, in times of war, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And for the Jewish religious authorities, this was war. The Pharisees were going to find any possible way to get rid of Jesus, even if it took their enemy – the Herodians – to do so.

 

So, they attempt to butter up Jesus. Surely compliments can change the tenor of confrontation. Think for a moment as to why we give compliments. Why would you compliment your father or mother? You do it to show your parent that you love them and that you really appreciate everything they do for you. Why do you compliment your friends? You do it to show them that you’re glad they’re your friends and that they mean a lot to you. 

 

But in debates, compliments serve a much different purpose. The compliment is being used as venom and as deadly intention. 

 

The Herodians were a small political party among the Jews, which favored and supported the rule of the Herodian dynasty. The Herodians looked favorably upon Rome, since the Herodians ruled at the pleasure of the Caesars, the Roman emperors. So, they would be in favor with paying taxes to Caesar since the House of Herod was dependent on the Romans.

 

The Pharisees were the largest political party among the Jews, which favored national independence from the Romans and despised the Herodians for their cooperation with the Roman government.

 

But on this day, these two enemies were united.

 

So, these two sworn enemies come up to Jesus and greet Him with some very nice compliments saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and You do not care about anyone’s opinion, for You are not swayed by appearances” (Matthew 22:16).

 

We can see ourselves in these schemers. We can easily become manipulators in order to get others to do what we want. You may compliment your boss in hopes for a raise. You can help a neighbor in need in hopes of them helping you later with your project. In this, we show our sinful nature, as we fall short of any ability to truly render love to God and love to your neighbor.

 

Surely, because these men are speaking such flattering words, Jesus is almost certain to consider them as friends. Surely, Jesus will speak openly and freely with them, answering any questions they would ask. Jesus knowing what is in their hearts allows them to ask their question: “Tell us, then, what do You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Matthew 22:17).

 

This debate was never about getting a wholesome desire to understand God’s Law; it was all about discrediting Jesus.

 

So, if Jesus tells the people to not pay taxes to Rome, the Herodians will report Him to Pontius Pilate and have Him executed for treason. But if Jesus tells the people to pay taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees will spread the word that Jesus is unpatriotic.

 

Jesus appears to be trapped. How can He escape this? Either way He answers, Jesus is finished: Tried for treason or as against the Jewish people.

 

Despite their plotting, the Pharisees and Herodians were correct about Jesus. He was a Man of integrity. He was true and teaches the way of God truthfully and doesn’t care about man’s opinion. Jesus never deviated from the standard of truth. So, when Jesus taught God’s way of salvation, His teaching was in absolute agreement with God’s revelation of the truth. Nor could Jesus be swayed by the so-called truth of men. He would never feel the urge to tailor His teaching to suit the people. Nor would Jesus be intimidated by others who might do harm to Him if His preaching ran counter to their likes and expectations.

 

Even if these men said the truth about Jesus, they didn’t mean it. They wanted to silence Jesus by any means necessary.

 

So, how does Jesus escape this trap? He doesn’t. Jesus, aware of their malice, says, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?” (Matthew 22:18). And to their astonishment, Jesus says, “Show Me the coin for the tax” (Matthew 22:18-19).

 

Their plot appears to be working. So, they complied by producing a denarius. Jesus asks them, “Who’s likeness and inscription is this?” (Matthew 22:20) At once, they reply, “Caesar’s” (Matthew 22:21).

Little did they know that they who had set the trap for Jesus had fallen into a trap themselves.

 

At once they admitted that the coins, they and all the Jews were using every day had the emperor’s image and title imprinted on them. They had also admitted that they were legally a part of the Roman Empire and were rightfully under the jurisdiction of Caesar. Then Jesus said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). With those words, Jesus is saying, “You are all subjects of Rome. It follows that you owe to the Roman government all the obligations of its subjects.”

 

The Pharisees wanted to isolate the question to only paying taxes, but now Jesus is compelling them to consider paying taxes as only one item among many when it comes to obedience to the Roman government – a government that God, in His good providence, has made them subjects.

 

When they heard this, they marveled at Jesus’ words and left Him and went away. But even if it sounds like Jesus won this debate, His words here would be used as one of the two accusations against Him, which ultimately would lead Him to His death on the cross three days later on Good Friday. Jesus would be accused of rebellion against the Roman government – and He would be accused of blasphemy against God for claiming to be able to forgive sins, claiming to be the Son of God, and claiming to be God Himself.

 

From today’s words from Jesus, we get the Christian doctrine known as the Two Kingdoms, also known as the Two Realms, which God has placed every one of His followers. Christians live in both the secular realm and the spiritual realm. The secular realm is the temporal government: Federal, State, County, City. The spiritual realm is the Church. These two realms have different purposes: the secular realm’s purpose is for the wellbeing and protection of people; the spiritual realm is for the spiritual wellbeing and eternal life of the people.

 

These two realms are never to mix. But so often, they do, and when they do mix, it ends with disastrous results: confusion, distress of conscience, suffering, heartache, and general spiritual decline.

 

So, if the secular realm forces the Church to change its doctrines, it is placing itself as the authority, and is stealing the seat of God. Examples of this are the definition of marriage, the definition of man and woman, or forcing churches to include abortion coverage in church healthcare plans. The secular realm has no authority to tell anyone, Christian or non-Christian, what to believe. This is purely a matter between God and the Christian.

Conversely, whenever a Church has lost sight of its spiritual mission and has reached into the domain of the State, foolishly attempting to achieve spiritual goals through earthly means, such as legislation to “make this a more Christian country” or legislation to “promote social justice,” the Church has stepped into the domain of the State. The Church cannot legislate morality. The Church is the Church and cannot step into the role of the State. Only harm for the State and for the Church is the outcome.

 

Martin Luther, who coined the terms “Two Kingdoms” and “Two Realms,” believed that there is a rational authority and a Biblical authority. In the secular realm, you argue reason. In the spiritual realm, you argue Biblical authority. When reason is operating properly, reason is always in accord with the Ten Commandments.

 

To His opponents, Jesus shows them the denarius with Caesar’s likeness and inscription. He does this to show them and us that the duty of every citizen is to keep the Fourth Commandment by honoring the ruling authorities in paying taxes. Jesus could have condemned the Roman government, but He didn’t. He didn’t place any limits on paying taxes to the government – such as funding abortions. Jesus said to honor your authorities by giving them what you owe them. This is rendering to Caesar what is Caesar’s.

 

But what does it mean to “render to God the things that are God’s”? Well, for one, respect for the government. Two, the government and Church should not mix. But most importantly, it is to do God the Father’s will. This means to repent and believe the preaching of John the Baptist, especially concerning the One who came to fulfill all righteousness. This means that you, the tenant farmers, will care faithfully for the Owner’s vineyard by acknowledging that the vineyard and its fruit belong to God and to His Son, the rightful heir of all things. This means that you honor the King by accepting His invitation to the wedding banquet and paying homage to His Son – this heavenly feast which is both now and forever. 

 

To give God what is God’s is to bow before Him – all on earth and all in heaven – since everything belongs to God. To give God what is God’s is to repent of your sins and to follow His Son in trusting obedience, since Jesus has paid your debt of sin by His suffering and death on the cross for you. He has destroyed sin’s power over you. He rose from the dead to prove that your sins are forgiven – and all by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.   

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Pentecost 20: "Come to the Wedding Feast!" (Matthew 22:1-14)

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

To the chief priests, elders of the people, and to everyone else in attendance, Jesus spoke: “Tell those who are invited … Come to the wedding feast” (Matthew 22:4).

 

It is amazing how much teaching Jesus did in a single day. Again, for the third week in a row, we are hearing Jesus teach from the temple grounds on the Tuesday before His death on the cross. We are nearing the end of His earthly ministry. Tensions are mounting; hate is increasing. It is clear that the Jewish religious leaders of God’s own people have rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They have not only rejected Jesus, but they are actively plotting how to arrest Him, and ultimately put Him to death.

 

But Jesus isn’t finished yet. His time of salvation would not be until Friday. So, Jesus tells a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven – it’s not only about eternity, but God’s Kingdom now as it exists already here on earth. It is as if Jesus were speaking from the perspective of Judgment Day and looking back over the history of God’s people. 

 

In the Parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus likens this feast to a King – God the Father, who prepared a wedding banquet, which is eternal life in heaven. And God’s Kingdom on earth is compared to all that happens in between. The King sends His servants to those who had been invited to the banquet – the Jews, His Old Testament people – to tell them that all was ready and that they should now come.

 

But they refused. These called people were just like the wicked tenants in the vineyard from the proceeding parable. Those wicked tenants refused to give the Owner His share of the crop. Instead, they beat, murdered, and stoned each servant who came for the Owner’s share of the crop, including the murder of the Owner’s Son in hopes of gaining the inheritance of the vineyard.

 

In today’s parable, the King sends His servants to invite His called people to the wedding feast of His Son. Now, this invitation should not have been a surprise. The King wasn’t inviting His guests out of the blue with only a couple hours of preparation. You see, those who were invited had been already called.

 

But at first, those called paid no attention to the King. But this King is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15), so He sent out other servants saying, “Tell those who are invited, ‘See, I have prepared My dinner, My oxen and My fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast’” (Matthew 22:4). 

 

Here, the King is giving out even more details about His gracious wedding banquet. He has prepared several of His finest cattle. He has prepared a rich food of the best beef, and the finest of wines. Everything is prepared to perfection!

 

Nevertheless, even after the second invitation, His guests continue to refuse to come. But this time, instead of complely ignoring the King’s invitation, some at least give reasons. But each reason was just being dishonest. Each reason to refuse the invitation was because they had a low opinion of the King and His Son.

 

One went to his field – representing the agricultural cares of this fallen world. Another went to his business – representing the commercial cares of this fallen world. Again, these excuses were not really excuses at all, but each displayed their opinion of the King and His Son, while at the same time showing their high opinion of earthly things, worldly things. They chose works righteousness rather than a King’s gracious banquet hall full of savory flavors and aromas of a “feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (Isaiah 25:6).

 

By refusing to come, these called guests insulted the dignity of the King and His Son who had counted on their attendance by graciously preparing this savory feast for them. But at least some were polite. They were wrong, but at least they were polite.

 

Still some others who were invited took a whole different direction by seizing the King’s servants, treating them shamefully, and murdering them (Matthew 22:6). Although the feast is ready, the King will not and cannot allow the murderers of His servants to go unpunished.

 

Now, God may be “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,” but there will come a time when His mercy and grace will run out. This time is known as the Last Day – Judgment Day. At that time, there will be nothing more we can do. There will be no more time for repentance and forgiveness. For these who were called and invited and refused the invitation, this was their Judgment Day. 

Due to their hardness of heart, due to their hate toward the King and His Son, and due to the way they treated His servants, the King was enraged. So, He sent His troops, executes them, and burns the city to the ground (Matthew 22:7).

 

Just like the wicked tenants who refused to give the Owner of the vineyard His share, these who were called to the wedding feast and refused the King’s invitation were destroyed. And in a matter of years, this divine judgment would come upon Jerusalem in AD 70 with the destruction of the temple. This divine judgment came because the Jewish religious leaders have, by and large, rejected God’s Son and the reign of God present in His Words and deeds.

 

Despite their refusal to come at the King’s invitation, the King desires that His banquet hall be filled anyway. If the first to be called will not come, He will show His grace and generosity to others! So, the King turns His attention to a new group of people – which will include both believing Jews and Gentiles. The King says to His servants, “The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find”(Matthew 22:8-9).

 

Lone and behold, these invited guests actually come! And guess what, those who came were “both bad and good” (Matthew 22:10), so the wedding hall was filled with guests!

 

Everyone is called to the feast! Now, these “bad and good” represent the Church here on earth. These bad people are the hypocrites, who come to church, recite the liturgy, and sing the hymns, but refuse to believe by not living out a life of faith. They withhold forgiveness. They don’t fear God’s wrath. But in the end, God always sorts out His faithful from the unfaithful by separating the true believers from the false believers.

 

So, like Jesus said previously to the Jewish religious authorities, “The tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you” (Matthew 21:31). The tax collectors and prostitutes enter the kingdom of God before the Jewish authorities only because they admit they are sinners in need of forgiveness. They enter because they are penitent sinners who desire to be in the presence of the King and His Son. They enter because they need to be saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

 

Now, the banquet hall is filled! But the parable is not over. “When the King came in to look at the guests, He saw there a man who had no wedding garment” (Matthew 22:11). Sternly and politely, the King asked this man, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?” (Matthew 22:12). The man was speechless.

 

Now, the banquet is the King’s, and the hospitality is His. He has the authority to receive and the authority to reject. So, when He sees a man who is not dressed in the “garment of a wedding,” He naturally confronts that man, and asks how it was possible for him to gain entrance.

 

For so much of my life, I have heard this “wedding garment” preached that it was custom in those days for the king to provide a wedding garment – as a sort of ticket to get into the wedding banquet. I’m sure you have heard that preached. In fact, I have preached that in the past. But I have since come to understand another way on interpreting this wedding garment. You see, according to Concordia Seminary Professor Jeff Gibbs, we really don’t know too much about Jewish First Century wedding customs.

 

But what do we know? Well, this “wedding garment” likely refers to “a normal, clean, festive garment.” We might say, “Church clothes” or your “Sunday Best.” So, a wedding garment is just your best outfit. So, a wedding garment could be a tux, a polo, plaid shirt, a gown. It could be wearing slacks or blue jeans. But what matters is that the garment is clean.

 

So, there is not just one type of garment here. But this person, who is without a wedding garment, is apparently dressed in dirty clothing. In other words, this man has shamed the King. This man is not treating this like a wedding feast. He flat out doesn’t care. He’s like the others who refused to come.

 

And when asked about it, this man has nothing to say. He doesn’t say that he’s sorry. He doesn’t say, “Please forgive me.” He just has nothing to say. He’s speechless. So, what should this man have said? What if he had said: “Please forgive me, since I snuck in under false pretenses.” Maybe, then, the King would have welcomed him.

 

So, to be without a wedding garment is to be without true faith. It is to insult the King and His Son. To be without a wedding garment means to oppose the claims of the Son of God as the Lamb of God who has come to take all sins upon Himself. This is what brought God’s Son to Jerusalem to be rejected, to suffer, to be crucified, and to rise from the dead.

Then the King said to His attendants, “Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13). To this Jesus concludes: “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).

 

You see, called is to be invited, but not all those called end up believing.

 

The Parable of the Wedding Feast ends on a grim note. We cannot ignore that. So, by rejecting the King and His Son, this is what happens. So, we can’t treat His wedding feast like it’s going to McDonald’s or Burger King, but as a dress rehearsal for heaven when death is swallowed up forever (Isaiah 25:8).

 

Jesus is speaking this parable not only to the Jewish religious leaders of Israel, but also to you and me. So, this parable serves as a warning to us, since sham religiousness is an ever-present danger for every believer. Each Sunday morning or Monday evening, the King calls you to His banquet, but how often do you choose earthly things rather than experience a foretaste of His heavenly feast to come? At each Divine Service, the King invites you to rest, reflect on His Word and receive His forgiveness in order to strengthen your faith in Him and His Son.

 

How many of you have heard or even said, “I believe in God! I am a Christian!”? And yet, these same people often want to fit into the society of this fallen sinful world and in doing so, reject the King’s invitation. Just think about all those who claim to be followers of Christ, and yet support the evil of elective abortion by denying God’s command to be fruitful and multiply or those who deny how God created mankind as male and female. The fallen world – led by its prince Satan – wants us to focus on your sinful wants and your sinful desires, rather than God’s will for you and me.

 

This parable challenges us to ask ourselves, “Have I put on the wedding garment? Am I here on my own terms or God’s terms? Am I seeking to have a share in God’s banquet in the way He wants – by grace through faith in Christ alone who died for my sins – or on my own?

 

This is the question. And this is a life and death question – for the Lord will ultimately destroy those who reject Him.

 

There is only one way to be found at the eternal banquet hall and it is to heed His invitation. This way is to cling to Jesus and Him crucified for your sins. Upon that cross, He won for you His robe of righteousness, which He first gave to you in Holy Baptism. In Baptism, Jesus covered you with His righteousness. So, all your materialism, your earthly mindedness, all your sins – they are all paid for and covered by Christ and His righteousness.

 

Until that Last Day, God’s mercy continues. Today, He continues to urgently invite you and all people to His banquet hall. Through the preaching and teaching of His Holy Word, by the mouths of His messengers through the ministry of His Church, He invites you to trust in Him for your salvation! 

 

Today, He invites you to experience a foretaste of His eternal banquet in heaven as you come to His Table. For Jesus is the heavenly Bridegroom, and you – the Church – is His Bride. Today and each Divine Service is but a rehearsal for the never-ending feast of heaven! So, come to the wedding feast! Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.   

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +