The Tale Of The Guest Without A Wedding Garment

Matthew 22:1-15  Philippians 4:1-9

A story in two parts with a bible study sandwiched in between, inspired by the readings we ‘ve just shared.

We were sitting in the hedgerow all huddled up together just trying to keep warm, when along comes this really smart car and the chauffeur bloke, all dressed up in his jacket and cap.

Out he gets with this posh looking bit of paper and gives it to us.

 He says it’s an invitation to a wedding and we’re just gobsmacked you know.

We didn’t know anyone what was getting married and we don’t know anyone who has a chauffeur bloke and all that stuff.

But there it was bold and brass.

And we have to be there in an hour. All ready for the wedding.

Now you know what the missus is like.

No matter that all we’ve got is the clothes we’re stood up in.

She wants to go getting all dolled up for it.

She says I’m not going to no palace without my head held high.

So we’re off to the charity shops in the town – ain’t we, all of us what’s been invited.

Rooting through the bin liners for something half decent.

I get this white silk shirt, bow tie and a tux – next to nothing it cost me.

You look a right gent she says when I’m washed and all done up in it.

And she, well she brings tears to my eyes I don’t mind telling you.

She looks pretty as a picture with the stuff she’s got

We’re off to the palace, arm in arm. A right couple of swells.

On the way we meets old Joe.

 Dawdling along he is.

Dirty old great coat sweeping along the ground.

 Same old hat pulled down over his ears.

Stinking to high heaven.

You coming to the wedding – we ask him.

Well, I am – he said – but they’ll have to take me as they find me.

You’ll not find me getting dressed up for gentry.

There’s something not quite right about it – inviting the likes of us.

Something fishy if you ask me.

We tell old Joe not to be so silly, but he’s not having it.

Well, the palace was wonderful.

The king’s really pleased to see us all.

And we’re waited on by butlers and maids and there’s more knives and forks than we’ve scraped into our swag bag.

Now you mind your manners – says the missus – but she’s loving it, really loving it.

Been treated right for a change you see.

But old Joe he’s just letting the side down for us hedgerow people.

He’s sitting there in his old breeches, feet on the table, smoking a roll up.

Scowling round at everyone he is.

Well, the king throws a right old wobbler, Old Joe is, how do you put it, escorted from the premises.

Told you he says wagging his finger. Told you they’re stuck up.

You should have made the effort – I says – everyone makes an effort for a celebration.

But no he can’t see it at all.

Everyone knows You can’t just come to the king’s place and just think you can stay as you are.

This little section of Paul’s writing is one of my favourite passages in the whole of scripture.

He’s writing to the church in Philippi about how we should behave when we come into the king’s place. About how we should be in our worship I guess. At one level theses verses are instructions to us about our liturgy, what the church service should be made up of.

We come in joy. “Rejoice in the Lord always” is the cry that should go up from us whenever we gather as a church.

However down we might be feeling, what ever hard things are going on in our lives, God’s love is greater than those things and the hope he gives us for the future is most sure thing we have to cling onto.

So we come in joy and that’s why we sing at the start of church – to set the joy free.

Free that it might fly.

We’re told that here in the king’s presence we need have no anxiety.

 We can take all the things which grind us down and bring them before the God who loves us, so that if there was no longer a spring in our steps when we arrive at church, by his grace there will be when we leave.

It’s our time of confession which begins that work in us.

Then verses 8 and 9 of the reading are all about celebrating the good things and learning about the ways of God – going deeper in thought and word and deed.

Taking God’s life into our own life and making something of the touching places.

In word and sacrament we do this.

In bible and then in bread and wine we make the dimensions of Paul’s instruction.

And then when it’s time to leave here – we go in peace.

The restlessness and the inadequacy which can dog us, they are put in their rightful place.

And we go on our way with something vital to share.

We come in joy (verse 4) and we go in peace (verse9) and in between we let ourselves become ever more closely grafted into his life – through that which we can let go of (our shortcomings) and that which we can pick up.(his grace)

All he needs of us is our honest intention.

At least to be outwardly prepared – like a wedding guest who has at least got time to change their clothes.

Back to the second part of the story….

We still carried on being an outdoor sort of people – even after the great day of the wedding feast.

But we were all a bit different somehow – a bit more proud, a bit more confident.

Like the missus said actually – just holding our heads high a bit more.

That’s not to say there weren’t any hard times. Because there were.

Scuffles and disagreements. Being moved on.

The thing I want to tell you about is this.

We was out on the far side of town one day, keeping our eyes peeled for this and that.

It’s not a nice road, is that, the one that goes to the hilltop  –  where they take people, when , well, you know.

Once sentence has been passed.

There’s this man and he’s carrying his cross to Golgotha.

Dirty old great coat sweeping along the floor.

Same old hat pulled down over his face.

I’d know Joe anywhere, but I’d never actually seen him since the day he was thrown out of the wedding feast.

But why, had he been sentenced to death, why were they killing him.

I push through the cordon that’s around him to try and find out why.

I get up close, same old Joe all over until I look in his face.

When I look in his face I get the shock of my life.

It’s not Joe at all, it’s the king.

The king who invited us hedgerow people to his feast

The king who’d made us feel so different about our lives.

They’re crucifying the king – I whisper.

They’re crucifying the king – I shout.

And it was like in that moment I understood the truth about God and his love for us all

RH  12 10.08