The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Believers Life Style Bible Study
May 3, 2014
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
Matthew 22:1-14
Delivered by Michael Webb

 Open It

  1. What do you like or dislike about weddings?
  2. What tips might you give to someone planning a big wedding?
  3. What is your funniest wedding story?
  4. How do you tend to react when long-awaited plans fail to materialize?

Explore It

  1. What preparations were being made in this parable? (22:2)
  2. What did the king send his servants to do? (22:3)
  3. How did people respond to the king’s invitation? (22:3)
  4. Upon hearing that no one would come to the wedding, what did the king do? (22:4)
  5. How did the invited guests react to the king’s second appeal? (22:5)
  6. To what shocking acts did some of the people who were invited resort? (22:6)
  7. How did the king deal with the lawbreakers? (22:7)
  8. The king went to a “Plan B” that included what changes? (22:8-9)
  9. How did the king’s alternative plan work out? (22:10)
  10. What did the king say when he spotted an improperly dressed wedding guest? (22:11)
  11. What did the king order his servants to do with the man who was improperly dressed? (22:11-13)
  12. Why did the king throw out the unwelcome wedding guest? (22:13-14)

Get It

  1. What keeps people from accepting Jesus’ offer of eternal life?
  2. The wedding clothes in the parable that were needed for admittance to the banquet are meant to symbolize what quality that is necessary for entry into the kingdom of heaven?
  3. What events led to your acceptance of Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and heaven?
  4. For what reason are there impostors in the church?
  5. Why would a non-Christian want to be around Christians?
  6. How does God demonstrate His patience to unbelievers?
  7. What will happen to those who either reject Christ or try to enter His kingdom on their own terms?
  8. In what area(s) of your life have you been putting off a response to what God has asked you to do?

Apply It

  1. What response should you give to God this week?
  2. To what individuals this week can you extend Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and eternal life?

 

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

22 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them [a]spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, [b]take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”