筵席的食物已经摆好，万事俱备。凡是被邀请的人都被告知，该来赴宴了。他们却选择不来。
如果是我们被邀请去参加一位伟大领袖或国王的筵席呢？我们会不会因为太忙，而决定不去参加？会不会因为不喜欢那位领袖的政策而决定不去？
在这个比喻中，王就邀请了国中其余所有的人——无名小卒，好人歹人，流浪汉，非法移民，穷苦人，罪犯，游客——总之是仆人在街上能找到的任何人。所有人都被邀请了——婚礼大厅坐满了人！
这个国王为儿子摆设筵席的比喻是有关耶稣的。主耶稣是在说，祂的天父邀请每个人来赴一个盛大的、充满祝福的筵席，以庆祝祂的儿子耶稣——也就是新郎和祂的教会——神的百姓之间的联合，共获永恒、丰盛的生命！
需要考虑的问题是：你要不要接受这份邀请呢？
你已经被邀请了！每个人都被邀请了！只有接受王的邀请，我们才能拥有完满、丰盛的生命。
天上的王，我祈求自己把天国放在优先位置。我不想错过你的邀请！我渴望参加你儿子耶稣的筵席。感谢你邀请我进入你的国度。奉耶稣的名，阿们。
马太福音 22:1-14
1 耶稣又用比喻对他们说：
2 “天国好比一个王为他儿子摆设娶亲的筵席，
3 就打发仆人去，请那些被召的人来赴席，他们却不肯来。
4 王又打发别的仆人，说：‘你们告诉那被召的人：我的筵席已经预备好了，牛和肥畜已经宰了，各样都齐备，请你们来赴席。’
5 那些人不理就走了：一个到自己田里去，一个做买卖去，
6 其余的拿住仆人，凌辱他们，把他们杀了。
7 王就大怒，发兵除灭那些凶手，烧毁他们的城。
8 于是对仆人说：‘喜筵已经齐备，只是所召的人不配。
9 所以你们要往岔路口上去，凡遇见的，都召来赴席。’
10 那些仆人就出去，到大路上，凡遇见的，不论善恶都召聚了来，筵席上就坐满了客。
11 王进来观看宾客，见那里有一个没有穿礼服的，
12 就对他说：‘朋友，你到这里来怎么不穿礼服呢？’那人无言可答。
13 于是王对使唤的人说：‘捆起他的手脚来，把他丢在外边的黑暗里，在那里必要哀哭切齿了。’
14 因为被召的人多，选上的人少。”
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.” — Matthew 22:2
The food was prepared for the feast. Everything was ready. And everyone who was invited was told it was time to come. But they chose not to.
What if we were invited to the banquet of a great leader or king? Would we decide we were too busy to go? Would we decide not to go because we didn’t like that leader’s policies?
The king in the parable then invited everyone else in the kingdom—the nobodies, the good and the bad, homeless people, illegal immigrants, the working poor, criminals, traveling tourists—everyone his messengers could find on the streets. All were invited—and the wedding hall was filled!
This parable about a wedding feast for the son of a king is about Jesus. The Lord Jesus is speaking about his heavenly Father inviting everyone to a banquet of great blessings to celebrate the joining of his Son, Jesus, as a bridegroom, with his church, the people of God, for everlasting, abundant life together.
The question to ponder is this: Are you going to accept the invitation?
You are invited! Everyone has been invited! All we need in order to have full, abundant life is to accept the King’s invitation.
Heavenly King, I pray that my priorities will be kingdom priorities. I do not want to miss your invitation! I want to be at the banquet for your Son, Jesus. Thank you for inviting me into your kingdom. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
