2011 10 09 Two Stories

Two Stories  Matthew 22:1-14

Introduction

 Speaking at weddings is a bit of a nightmare

A particular pitfall is the wedding joke.

There is an old joke that I have heard a number of people give at weddings.

Every married couple lives in a two storey house

The wife has one story and the husband has another.

I know it’s not very good… not even if you have had a bit to drink

This puzzling gospel reading we had this morning is actually a two storey house

On the one had is the story of the wonderful grace of God in the light of our

rejection of the good news, and on the other a story that recognises the need to

change… or else!

These two stories weave together and depending how you’re feeling you could end

up missing the other.

Story one – the optimists story

If you are feeling particularly happy with the world you might read this as a positive

story of God’s gracious acceptance of everybody no matter what they’ve done as he

flings open the gates of the heavenly party to let us all in.

Story two – the pessimists story

If you are feeling that the world and yourself is a bit rubbish then there is a story here of how God will destroy the rubbish and you most likely will get thrown into the outer darkness. You would have to feel pretty bad about yourself … but the gloomy story is certainly there.

 Story Number One –the optimist story

 Last weekend - Fiftieth Birthday Who are you going to invite? Who are you not going to invite I mix in many circles – and some of them might clash. Catherine’s boast about who she has slept with.

Straight forward story – a King holds a party for his son and sends out invites to all the important people to his party… so far so good

 Request number one - A friendly request

Nobody is coming Do they not like him? Does he throw particularly awful parties?

We don’t know – but the sense is that they just don’t realise how serious the invitation is.

A couple of weeks ago it was back to church Sunday. As usual in our church we invited lots of people and as usual our congregation was smaller than usual! There were more strangers there.

We think it’s good to do just to remind people we are still there.

In our community we are the church that people don’t go to!

Request number two - A royal command

In our story the King ratchets up the invite It becomes a royal command

This time with an explanation that everything is ready… no longer is this a speculative invite, clearly they are expected to come.

 a few years ago I was invited to number 10 Downing Street I got there

In the story - Still nobody is coming

This time it’s getting more serious they actually go off and find something else to do.

“They make light of it.”

Somehow or other they just don’t get how important it is.

The invite God gives us is the most important invite we will ever get in our life Through Jesus we are invited into the presence of the King Coming here this morning means you have responded with a “yes”

Many others here the call, get the invite but go and find something else to do.

It baffles me

 Story Number Two – The Pessimist Story

At this point story number two kicks in.

Some of them do realise the invitation is serious because now they rebel capturing the messengers, torturing them and killing them.

1. A friendly request

2. A royal command

No more mister nice guy – the king is outraged and destroys them.

Hang on a minute – this great story of grace has just taken a nasty turn!

Justice has to be done and is done swiftly.

God doesn’t ignore what we do… it matters to him.

God doesn’t ignore what is done to us… it matters to him

 Dealing with the victims of abuse Last thing they wanted to hear was that everyone’s sin was going to be ignored by God

 In the political field – Desmond Tutu sounding off about the ANC and it’s apparent inability to issue a visa to the Dalai Lama.

His birthday has been overshadowed by a feud with the government over its failure to grant an entry visa to his friend and fellow Nobel peace laureate the Dalai Lama, allegedly under pressure from China. Earlier this week Tutu claimed the ruling African National Congress was worse than the white minority regime and said he would one day pray for its downfall too.

 Story Number One returns - A Gracious Invitation

The slaves are asked to go and get anybody else who wants to be a part of the King’s story – good or bad and they flood in.

We love this story and can forgive the King for his overreaction in killing those who wouldn’t come.

Now we get it – Jesus is saying that everyone is welcome.

That means that you and I can go.

 Radical Hospitality Learning to say yes to everybody Learning that we need to remove obstacles to people coming.

But it’s not long before Story number two returns and we’re back with thte bad news of the Gospel.

 Story Number Two – The wrong clothes

Story number two returns and somebody appears to be in the wrong story

The picture of Catherine’s Grandma’s wedding in the 1930’s and the man who is smoking. Clearly he is in a different story.

The place is packed and somehow or other they are all dressed in their Sunday best… except one man… he is not in the wedding outfit, he is clearly not playing his full part.

He has accepted the wedding invitation but he is not behaving like a wedding guest.

When challenged he has nothing to say, even though the King calls him friend

Clearly this man is in the wrong story

The man in the different story is kicked out: leaving the wedding picture and the story complete.

This is a warning to us, having accepted God’s invitation we need to behave like people of his Kingdom.

We all live in a two story house

My story and God’s story.

My story is one of busyness

My story is of my own incompatibility with the Kingdom

My story has me at the wedding but I shouldn’t be there.

I refuse the wedding clothes.

God’s story is about a gracious invitation

God’s story is of a party and clothes made ready for me

God’s story doesn’t turn away from the evil of the world but brings it to an end

Which story am I in?

Which story are you in?

If we accept the invitation we are in

If we are in we need to behave as guests at the kings great feast.
George Herbert. 1593–1632
LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning " If I lack'd anything.

'A guest,' I answer'd, 'worthy to be here:'
Love said, 'You shall be he.'
'I, the unkind, ungrateful?
Ah, my dear, I cannot look on Thee.' 
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
'Who made the eyes but I?'

'Truth, Lord; but I have marr'd them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.'
'And know you not,' says Love,
'Who bore the blame?' 
'My dear, then I will serve.'
'You must sit down,' says Love, 'and taste my meat.'
So I did sit and eat.