How in the world could anybody, would anybody, be so stupid or so cocky or so out of it not to put on wedding clothes after all that has happened? The number one mover and shaker becomes so enraged that he grabs the man, and yells at him.

"How did you get in here without wedding clothes on?"

The man is speechless. He hasn't an answer. He doesn't even try to explain or defend himself. The Number One has him cast out of the party forever into eternal darkness.

There was a time I wondered how the Number one mover and shaker could expect the people to be ready for a wedding if they had been pulled in off the street, but somehow all the others managed to get appropriately attired. They found wedding garments. There is only one man who had not bothered with changing. "If he wants me there, he can take me like I am." Not to have put on the black tie must have been an intentional decision. All the others off the street managed to come appropriately attired.

That is the flavor of this story and Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is like that. Can you imagine the tension, I the apprehension, the fear that would hang over that party? If you were at that party you would be very much aware that what you did there and how you acted was serious business?

Jesus is talking about the coming Kingdom of God and the people hearing His preaching are debating the matter as if the kingdom of God is some small matter like whether or not the Feds are going to raise or lower the prime interest rate. So Jesus tells us a story to remind us that the Kingdom of God is the central question of our lives.

We are invited to the party of the Kingdom of God and that invitation is the most important invitation, a life or death decision, a central question.

The story is right in reminding us that in the presence of the Holy God, fear is the beginning of all wisdom. And what we do with what we have been given is part of how we participate in the party. This story of the Kingdom of God has a way of bringing fear back as part of that kingdom to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to awaken the sense of obligation and responsibility for what we do and how we act in the kingdom, to be made aware that what we do matters at the party. (Rick Brand)

Proper 24 (A)

October 20, 2002

Our Spiritual Duty

Matthew 22:34-46

What is our spiritual responsibility as Christian believers? What are our two most important attitudes and loyalties?

Jesus answered these requests as recorded by Saint Matthew in this Gospel passage. We will discover an interesting spiritual insight when we hear this passage of scripture.

I. What Is Our Greatest Law Command from God?

This great commandment passage tells us that a lawyer questioned Jesus. "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" verse 36.

Jesus gave a dramatic answer to his question. We must love the Lord our God. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 a basic statement of the Jewish faith text. 1) We are to love the Lord God with all our heart. 2) We are to love Him with all our soul. 3) We are to love Him with all our mind.