Matthew 22:13

0:00 As I was prepping for this sermon, I received a text from Jake a few weeks ago asking if I wanted to preach, and he showed me the text. And as I went around and told people what I would be preaching tonight, there's a near unanimous response to this verse. Almost everyone said, what? That's the verse that they give you? That's the verse that Greg gives you? And one person last night even says, classic Third Avenue. My roommate laughed at me this morning when I told him what I was going to be preaching. Near unanimous response to this verse. Everyone sees it and everyone says, wow, there's going to be a sermon on this verse. But why is that? Why is it that a verse like Matthew 22, 13 elicits, brings out such a response in us, and not just us, but so many people. That's because our verse tonight speaks about something that no one wants to talk about,

1:02 no one wants to think about. Our verse tonight is the biggest elephant in the room, and not just the room, the whole world. Society is all over the world. There's lots and lots of people who say they're Christians, and yet they reject what this verse is teaching. And so what does this verse teach us? What does this verse talk about? Well, to answer that question, we have to first look at the parable that Jesus taught in this chapter. Jesus has just entered Jerusalem, and He's now preaching against religious leaders of His day, people who hated Him, people who hated His message, and our verse is part of that story. And so, our story begins like this. Jesus began by comparing the kingdom of heaven to a king who had a wedding feast for his son. Sounds very familiar to us Christians. And like all good wedding feasts, there has to be guests, people who are there, people who are invited to come and partake in the feast. And so the king invited all his friends,

2:02 confidants, to come and partake, but all of them refused. The king sent another servant to tell them, the feast is ready. The lamb chops are juicy, the steaks are medium rare, the sushi was caught this morning. Come and feast. But they refused. Some even killed the servants of the king. The king was enraged and destroyed the murderers and their city. But there's a problem. There is still a feast to be had, but there's no guests. And so the king said, the wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. And so go to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you can find. And so they did. The servants went out to the road, invited all they could find. The Bible says they invited both good and bad. And Jesus tells us that the wedding hall is now filled with guests. But there's a problem. When the king came in to look at these

3:04 guests, he saw a man wearing gym shorts and a t-shirt from middle school. And in a wedding, I was at a wedding yesterday, and if I had shown up like that, I would have been thrown out. Everyone else is in suits and dresses, and here he is in flip-flops. So the king asked him, friend, how did you get in here? How did you get in in this wedding feast without a wedding garment? And the Bible tells us the man was speechless, couldn't say anything.

3:37 So what happened? Well, our verse tonight is the king's response. Our verse tonight is what the king has decided to do in light of this great error. It's printed in front of your bulletin, Matthew 22, verse 13. It reads like this. Then the king said to the attendants, bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. And in that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus ends the story, for many are called, but few are chosen.

4:12 The point of the parable is clear. The king, who is God himself, has invited his guests, Israel, his people, to come and feast. But they have sinned against God and refused, even killing God's servants. This is a theme that's been repeated over and over in the Gospels of Jesus accusing the religious leaders and the people they represent of being rebels. And so now the king has opened the invitation to all who would listen, not just to his people, but to everyone in the world. But Jesus makes a point that although the invitation is given to all, not everyone can stay at the feast.

4:51 You must come to the king's feast prepared in the way that the king has commended. While our verse tonight is not about the main point of the parable per se, but rather about what happens to those who come to the feast unprepared. It's what happens to those who come presuming on God's grace. In other words, our verse is about judgment. Judgment for those who reject God. Judgment is a sensitive topic in our culture.

5:23 I mean, even our reaction to this verse is an instant, oh, I don't know if that's going to be a good sermon or not. I don't know if that's going to be a verse that's going to be encouraging. No one wants to talk about judgment. People don't want to be told that their actions have consequences that would go against our modern worldview that love is love. Do whatever you want. There's no consequences for anything that you do. Punishment is not loving. Well, the Bible is clear. Those who rebel against God, who presumes upon God's grace without faith and repentance, will be judged, will be punished.

6:05 Actions have consequences. They have eternal consequences. The man in this parable came to the feast unprepared, and so he's punished for it. And so what can we learn about judgment from this parable, from this verse? First, judgment comes from God. Look again at our verse. The servants didn't decide to throw the man out themselves. No, they were following an order from the king. Cast this man out to eternal judgment, the king says.

6:38 So many in our culture often rise up, rebel, reject the gospel message because they say, how can God judge us? I thought judging was bad. I thought judging others is not what you're supposed to do. It's not loving at all. How can God judge us? How can God love and judge at the same time? The Bible tells us that that's what happens. How? Because He is the one whom we have sinned against.

7:10 The man in the feast did not insult the servants or the other guests by showing up unprepared. He insulted the king himself. If I came to that wedding yesterday and I was wearing flip-flops and t-shirts and shorts, I would essentially be saying to the wedding, to the bride and groom, I don't care what you guys are doing here. I want to do my own thing. I want to wear what I want to wear. I don't care about the ceremony that you're doing. When we sin, we're not just sinning against our next-door neighbor or the grocery store clerk.

7:41 We're not even just sinning against a senator or a president. Our sins are done against the king of the universe, the king that has the right to punish, a righteous king, a just king who punishes. And so second, this punishment, this eternal judgment is eternal separation from God. Where was this man cast out to in the verse?

8:14 A jail cell? Does it say, throw him out to the jail cell or to the prison or to Rapunzel's tower? No, it says that the sinner was cast out to the outer darkness, to a place with weeping and gnashing of teeth. What kind of place is the outer darkness? When I read it, it actually sounded like Star Wars, the outer rim. It's not that. The outer rim is not as bad as the outer darkness. The outer darkness, and combined with the phrase weeping and gnashing of teeth, is unique to the Gospels most often found in the book of Matthew and always refers to eternal judgment, judgment that comes at the end.

8:50 Not just judgment that comes now, just a result of bad actions, but it's judgment that awaits everyone when the world is destroyed, when God Himself comes back. The idea of a place in the outer darkness implies a separation from the kingdom, From God himself, eternal judgment is eternal separation from God, from the life giver, a place that no one wants to be, no one wants to stay at.

9:22 And third, judgment, when it comes, is final. The man, when he was caught and rightfully accused of not having his wedding garment, He was bound hand and foot before being thrown out. There is no second chances when judgment comes. There is no second chances when God has finally looked at you and say, that's it.

9:59 You're done. Friends, if you are here and you have not trusted in Jesus, Do you realize the judgment that is waiting for you? If you're here and you're still living in rebellion against the king, do you realize that the time is coming when the king will judge? I have one thing to say to you. This is the point of the whole sermon. Judgment is real.

10:33 Judgment is real, and it's coming. That time is not here yet. The parable that says that the judgment comes after the wedding feast has already started. Well, friends, the wedding feast has not started yet, but it is coming. So will you be found unprepared as this man was? Well, then we have to ask the question, what was the wedding garment that the man should have worn? What did this man lack to bring him into the feast?

11:05 Well, it's Jesus' righteousness for you. It's Jesus' righteousness attainable only by faith in him. Faith that is given by God himself. For many are called, but few are chosen. Friends, the only way you can be found prepared to be in the wedding feast is if the king finds you in his son's own wedding garment.

11:37 He said it himself, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Friends, if you have not believed in Jesus, trust that Jesus died for you and that his righteousness is for you so that you are ready for the feast. Now, many of you here have placed your faith in Jesus and praise the Lord for that. And I have one thing to say to you. judgment is real. Judgment is real, and you have been saved from it. Your wedding garment is ready to go. It's dry clean. It's hanging in your closet. You're just waiting for the day to wear it.

12:18 Not all who come to the feast are thrown out to the outer darkness, right? If you read the story, only the man who was not prepared was thrown out, and the rest, what did the rest do? They partied. They feasted with the king. They celebrated with the king to celebrate his son. Brothers and sisters, remember the judgment that you have been saved from. Don't let yourself forget that you have been saved, that you have been bought with a price.

12:53 This life is no longer your own. This life is not just a willy-nilly, you can do whatever you want now. it's because you have a college degree or a good job you can now do whatever you want no friends the outer darkness is still there you have been saved from it like a kid who learns not to touch a hot pan after being burned by it fear the lord and his justice as you continue to fight sin in this life you have been invited to the feast you have been given the wedding garment to be in the feast. So don't look back to your old life with longing. Don't look back to the outer darkness with nostalgia. Rejoice that the king has brought you in. Look to the king with hope. Remember also, church, that this invitation to the wedding feast has been given to all and has not yet been made to all. It has not yet been announced to all. Many in our world

13:59 still live and have not heard that they have been invited to the feast. The king wants all people to be invited for the gospel to be shared to all, lest they stay in the outer darkness forever. Church, remember the judgment you have been saved from, and remember that others are invited to this feast. Also, remember and go. Share this invitation to those who have not heard, that judgment is real.

14:32 Judgment is real. There is punishment for sin, for our rebellion against the king. But for those who have faith in Jesus, there is no outer darkness for you. so remember the love of the king remember the love that he shown you by inviting you to his feast by giving you the garment that you needed by saving you from his judgment let's pray father we thank you that you are a just god we thank you that you are a loving god who have sent your son to die for us father i pray that for those who have not believed that you would cause them to be regenerated that they would have faith in your gospel Father, I pray you would encourage those of us who have faith for us to continue to remember the judgment that you have saved us from, that we would not stray, we would not look back, that we would continue to move forward in faith and hope.

15:27 Pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen.