Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad, so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Matthew 22:1-14
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
My sermon from the 20th Sunday after Pentecost (October 11, 2026) on Matthew 22:1-14.
I want to begin with a question: when was the last time you showed up at an event completely underdressed?
Two weeks ago, this church was recognized by Meals on Wheels of North Jersey as a faithful partner and friend. Since the late 1980s, a portion of the offering collected on Sunday mornings has gone to support their work and a number of our members volunteer to deliver meals to seniors and the homebound. Their presence within our building over these last three years has allowed our commitment to feeding and caring for our neighbors to grow. Their fall gala was held at Seasons, an event venue just down Pascack Road, and I wasn’t quite sure what the dress code would be. I checked in with the Meals on Wheels’ staff and they assured me a black suit, black shirt, and white clergy collar was more than enough. When Kate and I showed up at the party later that evening, we waited in line to drop off our car at the valet. And as we inched our way towards the front, we noticed what all the other guests were wearing. Some had a vibe that matched our own but others made us feel a little nervous. There were gentlemen in tuxedos, women in high heels and sequined flapper dresses, and white gloves everywhere. As I people watched, the idea of accepting an award while looking as if I didn’t belong filled me with a little dread. I wondered if I might have time to head home and change. But before we could sneak away, we were already at the front of the line so we got out and accepted our fate.
Now when Jesus told this story about a king and the unexpected guests in today’s reading from Matthew, he was in the city of Jerusalem. The city was, at that moment, overflowing with people who came to celebrate the Passover. Jesus had, a few days before, entered the city like some kind of king before heading to the Holy Temple and disrupting worship by tossing over a few tables. Jesus’ behavior was risky since a legion worth of Roman soldiers patrolling the streets were looking for any opportunity to imprison members of the community. The local political and religious leaders knew how central violence defined the Roman Empire’s idea of peace and so they wondered who – or what – gave Jesus the authority to do what he was doing. Jesus didn’t answer the question directly, using several different stories – including the one about a wedding banquet – to illustrate his point of view. We usually read Jesus’ stories in order – starting at the beginning, lingering a bit in the middle, and then hoping for a kind of meaningful conclusion at its end. I wonder, though, if rather than starting with a party that is empty if we should, instead, begin our interpretation by visiting the party when it’s already full. Ancient wedding feasts were always a week-long affair and royal celebrations would last even longer. There would be food; there would be drink; and there would be too much of everything. This party, though, was very oddly placed since the world outside was in flames. When the original invited guests – all the lords, ladies, and nobles who were in power because the king said they could be – made light of the invitation and even encouraged a revolution by killing the king’s messengers; the king burned everything to the ground. Partying while the city is burning is always a choice yet the king seemed mostly focused on someone who was underdressed. Jesus doesn’t give us much information about this person nor do we know much about why they do what they do. He was one of the folks on the street who knew they could never say no to the king. When the command was given to come to the party, no one had an opportunity to shop for a new outfit, order something off Amazon, or even head home to change. All they could do was come exactly as they were to a party they never expected to attend in the first place. When they showed up, their ripped jeans, athletic wear, sweat pants, and dirty uniforms were a sign of how under-dressed they knew they would always be. The king, however, refused to let themselves limit what’s next. Every guest was invited to participate exactly as they are in a celebration meant for them. But when the king wandered through the dance floor, someone still didn’t look the part. That person was enjoying the food, talking with their friends, dancing, and having fun. Yet they, for whatever reason, refused to be as committed to the event as the king was to his guests. The one who was underdressed had been given everything they needed to be part of what the king was doing in the world. But their unexplained refusal to embrace what was around them led the king to invite them to claim the burned and empty place as their own.
When Kate and I got out of the car, we breathed a sigh of relief. Seasons was actually hosting two separate events with two very different guest lists. On the top floor was the Meal on Wheels’ gala where I was supposed to be. But on the bottom floor was a party in honor of the YMCA of Garfield. The YMCA invited all their guests to dress with some 1920s flair since they were celebrating their 100th anniversary. And each party was exactly what they were supposed to be with lots of good music, too much food, and an incredible amount of joy. Those of us with Meals on Wheels were doing more than simply celebrating our friendship and partnership. We were also there to show how we are continuing to participate in what God is already doing in the world. The practice of recognizing those in need; of making sure others are fed; and showing up for those who aren’t always at the table – this work isn’t always easy but it is holy, important, and a little fun. And even in those moments when we find ourselves underdressed, the ways we wear God’s grace, mercy, compassion, and love will always be enough. When it comes to the stories Jesus told, our interpretations often focus on the actions each character takes and the multitude of ways we are – or are not – just like them. Yet Jesus often wants us to notice what’s simply there. Those who never planned to dress for a royal party were given all they needed to shine. And rather than being told to be something other than who they were, they were invited to a banquet hall where there was already a spot at the table for them. When the waters of baptism were poured over you – and you were sealed with the sign of the Cross etched in oil on our forehead – God declared for all to hear how you already have a seat at God’s table too. God’s commitment to all God loves isn’t only for the kind of faithful person you want to be but for the person you are right now. And while the ways we clothe ourselves in selfishness, greed, and fear will show how we’re never really fully dressed for the kind of lives God calls us to live, when we remember how we’ve already are clothed with Christ – then his love, his grace, his mercy, and his invitation – will be how we show others the place they have at God’s table too.
Amen.