12 October 2008 St. Athanasius Lutheran Church
Pentecost 22
Vienna, VA
“His
Best, His Abundance, His All”
Text:
Matthew 22:1-14 (Isaiah 25:6-9; Philippians 4:4-13)
Grace, mercy, and peace
to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
For most of us, fancy
banquets are a luxury. A fancy dinner in a fancy place is a once in a while
thing, for a wedding or some other special event. Most of the time, in our
everyday lives, we eat more regular meals in more regular places in more
regular ways.
But it is not so with
God. For Him, fancy banquets are the norm. Because God doesn’t do anything
half-way. When He gives, He gives His best. When He gives, He gives His all.
When He gives, He gives an abundance. And so when He invites the world to eat
at His banquet, at His feast, He serves only the best of the best. Or as the
prophet Isaiah told us: “a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged
wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.”
The question is, for
the people in Jesus’ time and for us today: do
we believe that?
If we did, why would
anyone not want to go to His feast? But not all go. In the parable that
Jesus told today, some did not go because they were too busy - the things of this
world demanded their attention and were more important than attending the
feast. Others didn’t go because they were hostile toward the king and his
servants - they didn’t see His goodness as being very good at all, but an
unwanted, over-reaching imposition on them and their lives. And then there was
the one who wanted to attend, but only on his own terms - not to wear the
wedding garment of the king, thinking that his own clothes should be good
enough. All these people did not see the feast as a gift from the king - as a
feast of the best of the best. But as something less than that. Less than the best. Less than what they wanted and
not really what they needed.
Shame on them? Shame on us. Because when Jesus tells
parables, they are not just crusty, dusty old stories about the Jewish people
living back then, but are words spoken to you and me today as well. Mirrors to
show us something about ourselves and windows to show us something about our
Father in Heaven. And so it is for you and me today that the feast has been
prepared and is ready, and to you and me today the call goes out to come
to the feast! The best of the best is ready for you, the abundance of
your good and gracious God. Are you
coming? If we knew the gifts and what was here being given to us, how could
we not?
But perhaps you are too
busy for the daily feast of Word and prayer Jesus has prepared for you - so
many other things demand your attention and are more important than attending
the feast. And so taking time out to attend the feast is a burden, another
unwelcome obligation in an already busy and hectic life.
Or maybe you are
hostile toward the king - yes, because you feel like you’re not getting the
best but the leftovers in life. You feel let down, maybe even a bit angry, that
your Lord is giving you less that you want and not what you need. Things aren’t
working out in your life quite as you had hoped, and so maybe there is
resentment toward God and His meddling servants.
Or perhaps we want God
to accept us on our own terms - not wanting to come to Him and His feast in
humility and repentance and to wear His robe, the wedding garment of His
righteousness, but wanting some recognition for what we have done, for our own
righteousness. For surely our clothes are good enough; we have not dirtied
ourselves as much as the next guy; we’re good, honest, respectable people.
And so the truth is
that with all these thoughts and temptations crowding our hearts and minds, it
is easy to hear Jesus’ invitation not as the wonderful invitation that it is,
but as something less than that - as not so important as other things in our
lives; as an added burden and obligation; even as an unwelcome imposition,
interrupting and getting in the way of what I want and how I want to live. And
then add to that that the feast itself doesn’t look very spectacular - words,
water, bread, wine, pews and pulpit occupied by sinful people . . . well, can’t
you do a little better than this, Jesus?
Well, no! And it is Isaiah who was sent to
remind us of how good and rich and abundant this feast is, and of all that our
Lord has done for us and gives to us here and everyday in His Word and
Sacraments. This feast where God gives His best,
gives His all, and gives an abundance. Isaiah says it was prepared
for us on “the mountain of the Lord” - which is the mountain we now call
Calvary. For there God gave His best:
His only-begotten Son; He gave His all:
laying down His life for us; and He gave an abundance: for in His death and resurrection, He offered Himself as
the sacrifice for the sin of the world, and He swallowed up death forever. And
so there, on the Calvary, our feast was prepared. There, on Calvary, the Lamb
of God was roasted on the cross to be the food for our feast, and He poured out
His blood into the cup that gives us life. There, on Calvary, all the Word of
God finds it focus, and from there all the Word of God flows to us. There, on
Calvary, is the beacon of God to break through the clouds of sin and doubt and
disappointment, that we see the love of God for us in Jesus; that we may not
reject, but rejoice, and be glad in the life and salvation of God. A life and
salvation not that He simply demands, but that He gives.
For that is the purpose
of His feast - whether it is the feast of Word and Sacrament that we gather
here each week to receive, or the feast of Word and prayer that we receive each
day - He calls us to come and receive what He has prepared for us. To receive
His forgiveness for our sins, His life for our death, and His salvation for our
slavery to sin. That is what Jesus is calling you to receive at His feast, and
what you can receive no where else. Calvary may not have looked spectacular,
but it was. And church may not look spectacular, but it is. And you may not
look spectacular, but you are. Because behind the outward appearance of these
things is a greater reality - the reality of Christ. Who not only came to
Calvary, but has brought Calvary to you, so that He not return to the Father
alone, but that He bring you to the Father. That the wedding feast be full.
And so this is not a
feast that we can “take it or leave it” - but
truly a feast we cannot live without. Not a luxury, that we’ll receive if
time and life permit - but a necessity, for here is the life we need. The life
that we need when the trials and troubles of this life are overwhelming; when
the cares and crimes of this life come crashing down on us; when the burdens
and obligations of this life make things seem hopeless. Where everything else
fails, here is exactly what we need. Here is the faith and strength and
forgiveness we need to make it through - the good times, the bad times, and all
the times in between.
And when we are fed by
the King, by our Lord, it is at the feast with the angels and archangels and
all the company of heaven, including St. Paul, who said to us today: “Rejoice
in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice!” And when you feast
with the King, you can rejoice - not because you will always be happy,
but because you have a joy that is deeper than mere happiness. It is the joy of
faith. The confident joy of living in
our Lord’s forgiveness. The patient
joy of living in His goodness. And the humble
joy of living at the foot of His cross and empty grave. For there everything is
in perspective. There we are focused on Jesus and His gifts. There our hearts
and minds are put at peace, and we are given the gift of joy.
And this is what St.
Paul went on to say to us, when he said: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things.” But to think on these
things, what else is that but to think on Christ? And to think on Christ then
to think like Christ. And to think like Christ then to be like Christ. For
feasting on Christ and His Word, and focusing on Him and His gifts, we too will
be changed. Like Paul. No longer thinking only of self, but also of those
around us, reviving our concern for them, and being content. And if there is
one thing most (if not all) people in this world are looking for and striving
for and working themselves to death for, it is contentment. But what is
contentment but peace of mind and joy of heart? The very things given us here
at the feast - the peace of forgiveness, and the joy of the love and salvation
of God.
So many are yearning
and searching and looking . . . and so the call is still going out. Our Saviour
still calling through His church, through His servants, through you. Still
calling you and all to the feast, to receive what we need most of all, until He
calls us to the feast of which all our feasts here are but a foretaste of the
feast to come! The wedding feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, the wedding feast
of heaven, which will have no end.
Until then the call
goes out. So come! Come to the feast. Today, and everyday. All is ready!
Receive the gifts of the King and all He has for you. For it is all the best,
all in abundance, all for you.
In the Name of the Father,
and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now the peace of God
which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in
Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.