Just Say Yes: God’s Invitation into His Kingdom (Mat 22:1-14)

Class Outline:

Thursday October 9, 2025

 

Main idea: There is no other way to enter the kingdom of heaven other than responding positively to the invitation. 

 

Intro: The first mention of kingdom is in EXO 19:6. 

 

EXO 19:4-6

'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."

 

To be a kingdom of priests was conditional. “If you will …” (vs. 5). 

 

Priests atone for others, represent God to others and bring others to God. Israel as a kingdom of priests was to act mediatorily in religious matters between the true God and the nations of the earth.

 

To function and live as a priest - a life of obedience. (Parable 1; the Two Sons. Calling God Lord does not make you priestlike; obedience does). 

 

To function as a priest - production of fruit offered back to God in thankfulness (Parable 2: the Tenants. When warned of failure to attend the vineyard, which we all need (HEB 12:5-11), we need to respond with repentance - there is no other legitimate response). 

 

Parable 1 - told to obey the command to go. Parable 2 - told to heed God’s desire for fruit. Parable 3 - Entrance into the kingdom of heaven is not by works. 

 

MAT 22:1-14

 

Parable of the Wedding Feast. 

 

Main theme of parable: Salvation is not by law keeping, but by accepting God’s gracious invitation (faith in Christ as Savior).

 

As in the second parable, God is gracious.

 

To reject Christ’s invitation means eternal judgment (outer darkness; weeping and gnashing of teeth). 

 

Entrance into the kingdom of heaven is a wonderfully joyous affair. 

 

REV 19:7-9

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 

 

9 Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God.” 

 

ISA 25:6-9

The Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain;

A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,

And refined, aged wine. 

7 And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples,

Even the veil which is stretched over all nations. 

8 He will swallow up death for all time,

And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,

And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;

For the Lord has spoken. 

9 And it will be said in that day,

"Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.

This is the Lord for whom we have waited;

Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation." 

 

ISA 56:7

Even those I will bring to My holy mountain

And make them joyful in My house of prayer.

 

Why did they not come?

 

“They paid no attention: (ameleo - unconcerned). What they were concerned with was their farms and businesses. The remainder seized, mistreated, and killed the slaves (just as in parable 2). 

 

Application: concern. What are people interested in? How about you?

 

Christ promised that this situation in the world would continue. It has; enough for Fox’s Book of Martyrs. 

 

MAT 23:34-35

"Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city,  35 so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth. 

 

God will fill His kingdom. 

 

Who are the “had been invited ones”?  Israel. God’s elect nation and are first invited. (ROM 1:16; ROM 9:4-6). 

 

So the king does the most marvelous and amazing thing. He sends the slaves out a third time and he has them go to the outskirts of town and whether good (moral, clean, religious) or evil (criminal, pagan, unclean) they are invited. They have to respond; yes or no.  

 

Entrance into the kingdom of heaven is not based on works or past works but on saying yes to the invite.

 

“Invite” - divine call to partake of the blessings of redemption. (1CO 1:9; 1TH 2:12; ROM 8:30). 

 

This parable, and other passages, refutes the idea that all the called are saved. The call can be rejected. Volition has to accept the invitation. This is an eternal lesson that Christ closes with. 

 

MAT 22:14

"For many are called, but few are chosen." 

 

The word choses (eklektos) is used of the church age priests in 1Pe 2. The elect refers to believers in Christ as Savior.

 

HEB 9:15

For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance

 

Church age - interim, mystery age. 

 

Israel’s reception of their covenant promises is still yet future - at the second coming of Christ.

 

We in the church have been given some of the spiritual blessings of the kingdom (indwelling of the Holy Spirit, secure position in eternal life, the law of Christ written on our hearts, forgiveness of all sin, new hearts) - life should be a marvelous affair. 

 

Application of our interim period as the bride, preparing for the return of our Husband as also His royal priests proclaim His excellencies to the world (1PE 2:9).

 

What robs Christians of life’s joy? 

 

If we use the example of the “invited ones” in the parable - they are concerned with the farm and the business. 

 

We lose joy when our occupation with life’s details become our main reason for living.

 

In the example of the two sons, one would not go. We lose joy when our Christianity loses the reality of Christ as a person in our lives.

 

In the example of the tenants, they would not give the fruit to God. We lose our joy when we do not sow the word of the kingdom in our own souls and the souls of others as the priests we are elected to be.

 

Suffering enters this discussion. Though suffering in emotional or physical pain, we have to see suffering as a door to see more of God. 

 

MAT 5:8

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

 

Pure means clean. A clean heart sees through the suffering to the One who is always with you and is training you to see Him. It is not fun. You are not commanded to smile, just not to complain or worry. Even in suffering, God is preparing His final wedding feast. 

 

Psa 45; Rev 19

 

Finally, who is the guy who seems to have snuck in or stumbled into the feast?

 

Lesson: There is no other way to enter eternity than saying yes to the invitation. 

 

He could be a church member who never personally accepted Christ as Savior. He would be a very good and moral man. He could be a religious person (leaders). 

 

ACT 4:11-12

He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone.  12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."