Running to Joy in Jesus (Matthew 22:1-14)

Here’s my sermon from March 9th of 2025 in our series through Matthew. You can listen to the audio here.

Several times a week, I catch up with a pastor friend Alex, using the Marco Polo app. He’s been a massive encouragement to me - and to Karis - over the years. There are actually four adorable girls running around here this morning that wouldn’t even exist without that friendship. Did you know? As it’s on a trip, to visit Alex in Mississippi, that I dragged along clean-cut, baby-faced Derek Zimmermann, he met his wife Charlee, and yada, yada, yada… here we are.

But anyway, Alex and I were talking this week, and he mentioned a little detour he took on a race last weekend. He lost track of the course. And what was meant to be a 20k run turned into a half-marathon really fast. I’d like to think that text I sent - asking him to pray for a meeting - that he said he read on that run - caused my boy to get a bit more exercise. But I don’t know for sure. Something distracted him. And his time wasn’t nearly what he’d hoped.

In this passage this morning, we see a feast spread before us, the path to our joy. And so many of us get distracted. And end up driving the wrong way. Now Alex got across that line. And maybe we will - even by taking a really roundabout route. But there’s a more straightforward way - that we see in this parable right here. And one that will keep us from flying off a cliff.

We’re in our last section of seeing Jesus work and teach. That stretches to the end of  Matthew 25. After that, we’re off to the cross. We’re in the third of three parables by Jesus - followed by three stories about Him - all characterized by controversy and conflict. Last week, I walked us through the Parable of the Tenants. You can catch up on that online. Today, we look at this Parable of the Wedding Feast. Jesus wants us to run straight for our joy found in Him.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

Well, I’ll approach this passage much like I did the one last week. We’ll briefly walk back through the parable. And I’ll offer four points that I think Jesus really wants us to hear. Let’s first jump into the parable again.

There’s this “king.” He’s excited to throw a party. His “son” is getting married. So he sends out “servants” to begin to spread the word. Verses 1 through 3. And there are four groups of people - some, for sure, that overlap - that teach us so much. But before we get there, let me state what may be obvious. The “king” is surely our Father, our God who’s great and good. And His “son” refers to Jesus here, who’s telling this story. The “servants” are the prophets, the apostles, or any bearers of the gospel.

The invitations go out. Those “servants” go and announce it’s party time. Now back in that day, a date would be set. Guests would be notified. Pretty much like the “save a date” cards we send out today. Preparations would be made. For this, a multi-day affair. Then the king’s crew would go out. Tell those guests it’s time. No doubt, some privileged people there in that land. But verse 3 says, “They would not come.” Notice: it doesn’t say that they could not come. No. They “would not.” They’d given the original thumbs-up. Their calendar was clear. It’s that they didn’t want to. Not at all.

Now this would have been a major affront to the “king.” Along the lines of treason, in fact. You just didn’t do this kind of thing to royalty. For starters, turn down the invitation at all. But then renege on your commitment? No. No way. But the “king” does something unexpected. Something that never would be done. He sends out another group. He lowers himself a bit. And makes another hopeful appeal. Verse 4.

“See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” Look, I’ve got this major spread ready to go. The party’s gonna be great. Please come.    

But verse 5 says some blow the “servants” off. “They paid no attention.” They ghost the king. And they “went off” to other things. Tending to the “farm.” Working on their “business.” But others take it further. And abuse those sent by the king. Verse 6. This hearkens back to what we saw last week. How people treat those God has sent. Way back with the prophets. Later with the apostles. Still today on the mission field. Too often this happens. But the “king” sure sees. Doesn’t He?

Verse 7 says it justly makes him mad. So he brings down judgment on those ungrateful people. The citizens of his kingdom. This time he sends troops. And he takes them all out. And burns their city to the ground. This no doubt points ahead to something coming at the end. But maybe also to a judgment coming soon to that nation. When the Romans brought the hammer back in 70 A.D.

But we see in verse 8, that doesn’t completely kill the mood. The “king” is still going to party. There absolutely has to be guests. He will not dishonor his “son” in that way. Those he originally invited may have not been “worthy.” But he’s for sure not going to let all the food go to waste. He’s determined to celebrate his son’s wedding.

So he tells some more servants, we learn in Matthew 22:9, to go out into the streets and find new guests for the feast. Invite “as many as you find,” the king tells those messengers. And verse 10 says they do exactly that. They go “out into the roads” and grab whoever says they wanna come. And who’s gonna turn that opportunity down?

Jesus says they bring along “both bad and good.” These weren’t the well-behaved, the prominent, the proud. No, those folks had already turned this king down. The servants brought many people back. “So the wedding hall was filled with guests.”

But there’s this interesting twist - right? - in verse 11 of this text. The “king” walks in, to see who’s come. And he sees a guy without the right garb for the gala. So he asks that man, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?” And the man doesn’t respond. He’s presumably without a defense. It’s like he wore shorts to the inauguration or something. This also dishonors the king. So it makes him really angry. So verse 13 says, he tells the servants at that feast: “Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Destruction is coming. Not just for those who shirk the party. But for those who don’t show up ready.

There’s this last statement - that’s not exactly easy to understand - there in verse 14. “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Jesus explains what it all means. And we’ll get to it in a bit. But here’s a preview: those who think they’ll be there dancing. And those they think will be outside. It might actually be the opposite.

With that, I want us to hear what seems to be Christ’s purpose for this parable. Here are four points I’m convinced we all really need to hear.

Running to the Feast

Now it’s a feast first of all that Jesus talks about here. And throughout God’s word, we see His people joining up to eat.

We see it in the history of God’s people. The festivals in Israel that culminate in the Passover. Where the Israelites celebrate their deliverance from Israel. To the Lord’s Supper that fulfilled that feast. Where we remember His blood painted on the cross. But all of those parties reach further ahead to a final, forever feast. Hear it from Revelation chapter 19.

Revelation 19:6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

the Almighty reigns.

Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and exult

and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his Bride has made herself ready;

Revelation 19:8 it was granted her to clothe herself

with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

Revelation 19:9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

The Lord God has sent out invitations. And He’s reminding us - and still through His messengers - the feast is coming soon. Maybe through Aaron or me or others up here. Maybe by the guy there next to you in the pew. Perhaps from that girl in the cubicle across from you at work. There’s a big party - around a wedding. And He’s calling you there. When His Son He loves. Comes back for His girl. The One He bought with His blood. One day, she - His church - will walk down that aisle. Jesus, the groom, will receive His bride. And the party will really get started.

And it’ll be full of joy. You know that story where Jesus turns water into wine? Back in John chapter 2, the first sign, or miracle, that He does. Jesus brings the joy to that party. But it’s nothing like the big one to come. That’ll last forever. And ever.

We can learn so much here from those that resist. It’s common for us to respond like those described here. To ignore. To attend to different things. Making excuses like here. The “farm,” the “business,” whatever it might be. Our schedules revolve around those things. We give our head and heart-space to them. And we get distracted. And hear me: it doesn’t mean those things are all bad. They just don’t come first.

And just like those we see here. It’s not that we don’t do these things - throw ourselves into church, talk about Him in the city, read our Bible and pray - because we can’t. It’s that we won’t. Our priorities are wrong. We’ll always give our time to what we truly value. But hear me, Karis. We’re missing out on joy.

I was waxing nostalgic last week, so I’ll do a bit more today. One book that had a massive impact on me, as a new Christian back then, was Desiring God by John Piper. And he argues in that book, that the problem isn’t that we pursue pleasure, run after joy, too much. He says we just run after the wrong things, choose lesser pleasures. We actually don’t pursue our happiness enough. That’s because the joy found in Jesus is what we so desperately want.

That’s what He’s calling us to in this parable. To run to the feast. To go to where true joy is found. And to run there. There’s a sense of urgency in this parable. To not turn from that road. And get diverted, distracted. Or ignore those He sends. The invitation is open. But it won’t last forever. The wedding has a date. But the joy starts now. And you don’t want to miss out. And you don’t want the Lord - to say on that day - “well, I guess you wouldn’t have your joy.” Run to the feast, friends. Before it’s too late. Don’t settle, as C.S. Lewis once said - “for making mudpies in the slum when you could have a holiday at the sea.” He writes, “We are far too easily pleased.” The Father’s spread out His feast. See His heart. Run to Him now!

Heading for the Streets

Here we second see the invitation widened to the streets. The king sends servants out - to the “roads” in verse 9 - to welcome other guests. He’s gonna have that venue full. His Son will be honored. Now it’s possible that this is continuing on the theme - of the Lord turning from Israel to Gentiles like us. Including all nations among the people of God. But I think it’s more likely this is saying something else. About Jesus calling His disciples from the margins.

That fits with what we’ve seen here in Matthew. Of Jesus moving toward the last, the least, the lost. Crossing over to the wrong side of tracks. Hanging out in the bad parts of town. Scholar Klyde Snodgrass talks about the importance of banquets. They’re a means for organizing society. Where social classes are arranged, where they’re reinforced. And where honor and shame are assigned. And Jesus is turning all that completely on its head. Think about the friends He kept. The dinners He joined. With tax collectors and sinners. Labeled a drunkard by His critics. We learn much here from those who replace. That is, those who held the original invites to the party.

The king turns from the privileged and to the disadvantaged. And from those who’ve got it all together. To those desperate for grace. The ones some might consider “bad.” Jesus welcomes them all. While those most would call “good” - they’re not even at the dance at all.

And He sends us out with the invites. Could it be that the “servants” are each of us here? We’re all missionaries - not just pastors like me. Or only people sent across the sea. We carry the invite to the wedding feast of the lamb. We call people to joy. To a joy that lasts. To joy right now. Our neighbors and friends. Our co-workers. Our family. And especially those everyone else avoids.   

This is a call to compassion, my friends. I keep hearing. And it makes me sad. More and more people are turning away from the church. And it’s because they no longer see us as a people of compassion. Now there’s teachings that we can’t abandon - for sure. God made us male and female. Marriage for a woman and a man. But it still doesn’t mean we don’t respond in love when we disagree. And it doesn’t mean we have to be known for cheering for really cruel things. That’s become our reputation in America. And it really makes me mad.

Maybe you’ve noticed “walk out” music at events. Baseball players, when they go up to bat. Professional wrestlers when they come out to fight. Grammy nominees when they head up to the stage. They walk up to certain songs. Usually ones they pick. What’s ours, Karis, friends? What are we known for? What do people hear coming? The Darth Vader Theme. Ozzy’s “Crazy Train.” Or something else? That points to His love? I’ve seen Christian writers of late mocking the need for empathy. Seriously?

We’re supposed to be moved with compassion. Because Jesus certainly was. And it’s His life that’s our model. We don’t dance around truth - I mean, we’re about to talk about hell. But we carry it in love. That’s where Jesus is pointing us in this parable. To head for the streets.

And that’s because we see ourselves in those streets. We’re - I think - all Gentiles here. But we’re the strangers, the needy, the desperate, as well. And Jesus - and His servants - they sought us out. So the thought of ignoring - or mocking - the orphan, the widow, the immigrant, the addict - anyone on the margins. It’s absurd. If that’s how we act, we’ve forgotten who we are. That is, or we don’t really know Him at all. It means we’ve missed His heart. Shouldn’t we be known for doing “justice,” loving “kindness,” and walking “humbly with [our] God?” As Micah 6:8 says? Head for the streets, friends. That’s where Jesus went. And where He sends us.

Putting on His Clothes

We third see the parable move to talking about clothes. They fill up the hall. With people from the streets. And the king sees one man not dressed for the occasion. Recently Aaron and Caitlin went to a wedding. And apparently when he grabbed his suit off the rack, the pants fell to the ground. And he never noticed. Til they got to the hotel. So he showed up at this wedding with an outfit that - you could say - wasn’t Instagram worthy. He was supposed to do the prayer at the meal - and he did what he said - but he had to warn the bride and groom that he wasn’t dressed to impress.

We’re not sure exactly what this guy wears. But verse 11 says he “had no wedding garment.” The king asks him why not, and how he even got in. And the guest is “speechless.” He has no defense. And He’s back in the streets. Really sent to his demise. We’ll get to that soon. But first, what about the clothes?

Now some have argued that kings would provide their guests garments. And it would have been an insult to show up without putting them on. And that this points to the righteousness - that’s Christ’s given to us. Now while that’s true, and really does preach, I think I agree with the other interpretation. That guests chose their own garments. And much like today, they needed to be clean. Certainly at a wedding. This points to the change He makes in our lives - moving us away from sin, transforming us into those who do good. This is what we learn from the one who’s not ready.

Now whereas that last point was directed to the proud - what you’d call the “arrogant Christian” - oxymoronic as that sounds, this character points to the nominal Christian, which obviously also makes no sense, either. A Christian in name-only. Someone who may call themselves a Christian. Maybe they check a box on a survey. Or even come regularly to church. But there’s been no obvious change in their lives. And they really don’t think there’s a problem at all.

Now that’s obviously also a problem in our society today. Where “evangelical Christian” has come to be more of a political category. And most people expect Christians to be no different at all. Or maybe worse. If we’re gonna show up at that wedding, we’ve got to be wearing the right stuff. Clothed in righteous deeds that He produces in us. Not looking dirty and dingy and smelling really bad. But transformed, cleansed by the work of Christ in us. That’s what the Lord is pointing to in this story. We have to put on His clothes.

It reminds me of what we saw, back in the Sermon on the Mount. Some scary words from Jesus, that many will hear on that day:

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 7:22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

Matthew 7:23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

So here’s the question: what are we wearing? Today, where we are. And what will we be wearing when the day of that wedding comes? Good works of love that He’s done in our lives? Or dirty, stinky clothes that don’t look like Him? Has He worked - is He working - transformation in our lives? Is the gospel really producing in us fruit? Repentance from sin? Growth in our faith? Otherwise, He’ll ask us who we are. And He’ll show us out the door. Put on His clothes, friends. That’s what’s required for this feast. Otherwise, things are going to go really poorly.

Escaping His Wrath

We fourth move in this story to Jesus talking about wrath. Now that’s a fun subject. But it’s one we’ve already seen. From Jesus.

Did you think about that? People like to talk about an angry Old Testament God. But this is the New Testament, and this is His Son. Jesus Himself. And He’s not only full of compassion. He also gets mad. He flips tables. He throws chairs. He yells at fig trees. And curses them on the spot.

We first get a glimpse of this in Matthew 22, verse 7. Where the king sends troops to get Him revenge. For those of His servants that were killed. The murderers are slaughtered. The city’s burned down. We see this second with the man we just discussed. Who shows up undressed. In verse 13, we see the king tells his attendants to tie him up, to cast him out “into the outer darkness,” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This certainly points to the judgment of God. Yes, this is a parable. These are metaphors, for sure. But what do metaphors do? They try to help us understand a reality. And not one less severe than the picture.

Now there’s a sense in which those judged here just get what they want. Right? They won’t have their joy. So they get the opposite. They want to be away from God. They don’t want into the party. So God hands them over to that. This is more His passive judgment. As Tim Keller has put it, “Hell is simply one’s freely chosen identity apart from God on a trajectory to infinity.”

But there’s more here going on. Something more active, for sure. Where people get destroyed. Where people get cast out. Where they’re sent into torment. That’s a little bit harder for us to take. For dishonoring our God. For disregarding His Son. But we really need to think about why that’s the case.

Usually, we’re thinking about this from the place of the strong. What do I mean? It’s wealthy, majority folks in 2025 America, who’ve not experienced a lot of injustice, who’ve not seen a lot of loss, who can sit around and talk about not wanting hell. But what if you’re over in Ukraine right now. And they’re blowing up your homes and churches and running off with your kids? Judgment doesn’t just punish the wicked. It brings relief to the weak.

Usually, we’re also thinking of this from the place of the proud. There certainly needs to be hell. But not for people like us. For serial killers and child molesters. For Hitler and Stalin. But me? And if that’s the case, we’re buying into the logic of the religious leaders. The ones that Jesus is talking about here. They’re good people, right? God’s not mad at them. It’s all those bad people in the streets that need to watch out. But here’s a thought: maybe it’s pride that’s the most primal of all sins. The idea we can be gods ourselves. And if we think we’re too good for the wedding. And too good for the clothes. Maybe we’re the ones that hell was made for. Because we’ve insulted God’s glory. We’ve dishonored His Son. This is what we learn from those who get rejected.

But you ask why it’s eternal. And here are a couple of thoughts. Maybe the punishment fits the crime far more than we think. You don’t dishonor a king, like we see in this parable. But the King of the universe - the Creator of all things. An infinitely glorious being. Maybe spurning His glory would lead to an infinite punishment.

And here’s another thought. Why do we assume that the debt gets paid off? As D.A. Carson explains: ”Hell is not filled with people who have learned their lesson. It is filled with people who still refuse to repent.” We keep on sinning. Our punishment gets longer and longer until it never ends. That’s the fourth thing we can’t miss when we look at this parable. We must escape His wrath. And please don’t say this is at odds with His love. It’s an expression of His love. He loves His Father. He cares for the weak. He hates injustice. He loves what’s good. How could we love a God who just doesn’t care?

Hear how Rebecca McLaughlin explains why hell makes sense:

“If Jesus is the Bread of Life, loss of Jesus means starving. If Jesus is the Light of the World, loss of Jesus means darkness. If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, loss of Jesus means wandering alone and lost. If Jesus is the resurrection and the life, loss of Jesus is eternal death. And if Jesus is the Lamb of God, sacrificed for our sins, loss of Jesus means paying that price for ourselves.” (Rebecca McLaughlin)

I love Hebrews 12:2 that speaks of us running. Not just to Jesus, but like Him.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus saw the joy up ahead. And He ran to the cross. And what He did on that cross was take on hell for us. So we don’t have to take it on ourselves. Jesus was shut out from God’s presence on the cross, and took the wrath of God on His shoulders there. And that means we don’t have to suffer in that way. We can dwell in our Father’s presence. And that’s very good news, my friends.

We can escape His judgment. We can. By running to our joy. By putting on the clothes. And then He sends us out, calling in the streets. Sharing His love with compassion. So that people don’t get left out. We must escape His wrath, friends.

Called, Chosen by God

Run to the feast. Head for the streets. Put on His clothes. Escape from His wrath. Those are the four things we need to be challenged by here. But before we close, though, there’s also verse 14. “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The Jews thought they were the chosen of God. And not those people out there in the streets. Now the call certainly went out wider than them. But not all from the world would come to the feast. Most people wouldn’t put on His clothes.

But God’s call goes out, calling people to joy. He even uses us to carry those invites. But fewer people will respond than we might think. And it’ll no doubt be people most don’t expect. More from the margins. Fewer from the mansions. The insiders shut out. The outsiders brought in. Those thought worthy not there. But the unworthy are. As with what we’ve seen of His kingdom. There’s a reversal that takes place. Things look upside-down.

And those that respond will demonstrate what God already knew. That they’re among God’s chosen people. It’s all His initiative. He goes and brings people in. But our response - it displays whether or not we’re among his elect. As Jesus says, back in verse 2, this is how His “kingdom of heaven” looks and works.

The Wedding Coming Soon

Well, next week Aaron will jump into one of those teachings. Of those three controversies here the Lord has with those teachers. We all know Aaron’s just salivating to talk about Caesar and taxes. You won’t want to miss that.

But here in the next three months, I’ll be rocking at least two weddings. And even if I’m on a diet, I sure hope there’s some cake. And that they don’t make us wait four hours for a slice. But everyone will be dressed up. There’ll be dancing and drink. It’ll be a day full of joy. With people I care about. Events I won’t want to miss.

But hear me, Karis: those celebrations are just pointers. To a far greater party. A wedding feast that comes down. When heaven meets earth. The Father walking us down that aisle. To be married to His Son. The singing. The dancing. The food and the drink. The hugs and high-fives. The laughter. The tears. But only ones of joy that kickoff an eternity of deep, abiding happiness in the presence of our God.

Oh, would you join with me there? And start singing with me now? Let’s not get distracted. Let’s not lose the course. Though this time on earth is hard, there is an eternal weight of glory ahead of those who believe. Brothers and sisters, let’s put on our clothes. And let’s take along guests - our neighbors and friends. Karis, with forever in mind, let’s run here and now toward our joy in Jesus.