A casual quest for wisdom’s banquet

We have explored wisdom in this series for the most part from the Bible’s book of Proverbs.  Solomon’s fame, fortune and riches brought leaders to his court seeking ‘words of wisdom.’ 

I suppose they would ask: What can I learn about the success of this wise King? Perhaps if I could be wise like Solomon I could replicate his riches.

Powerful leaders point uninformed others to places which will keep them in their place. The masses of humanity for the most part have remained uneducated and therefore cared little about wisdom.  Even the faithful have not been told God’s truth. So few have have read the truth recorded in scripture.

A thousand years after David and Solomon the Messiah Jesus came into this world and proclaimed:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ – John 14:6

Just like those who had come to Solomon for wisdom, people often asked Jesus about the Kingdom of Heaven, His Kingdom.

An uncomfortable truth

One day I saw a friend preparing for a great banquet for a wedding of important guests. As guests began to arrive in their tuxedos and gowns I asked a well-dressed guard at the door if I could enter briefly to greet my friend. The attendant guard of the door graciously agreed.

I became increasingly uncomfortable as guests arrived, knowing that I had not dressed in the formal attire of arriving guests. We didn’t belong at this celebration for the bride and groom, which was about to begin.

At the time I couldn’t help recalling  the uncomfortable ending of Jesus’ parable about the wedding feast.

Just as the truth of wisdom makes us a little uncomfortable, so do the truths of death, judgment and eternal life.

Until the days of Luther (and Gutenberg) most men could not read the Bible. Women rarely could read at all. Yet even now men and women who claim to seek wisdom fail to read the wisdom of the Bible.

Perhaps a few will make brief inquiry about God in an uncomfortable place, a church. Doesn’t it make us feel like the uninvited wedding guest?

 Matthew 22

2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast…

As pointed out previously in this series:

• “they would not come.”
• Other servants invited them again, but the invited guests refused.
  • Some ignored the invitation and went back to work.
  • Others of the chosen killed the messengers!

7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

• He sent messengers to invite as many as they could find.
• Other guests filled the wedding hall.
  

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  Now the King enters the festivities. As he looks about the room with joy the King notices a man like me (not appropriately prepared for the great feast).

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11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants,

‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness.

The outer darkness of the fool

Are you fearful? Here is the wise and all-powerful King and He judges you unfit for the feast. The King’s servants cast you into eternal darkness.

Solomon and the Bible have had much to say about darkness, which is always contrasted with light and good.

The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble. – Proverbs 4:19

Surely the deep darkness of which Jesus speaks is Hell!

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

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

Are you invited?

Such a staggering thought that the King of Kings would judge your sin!  (And mine, as well.) Therefore we fear Hell, the place of eternal punishment so much deserved by all.

In fact no reprieve can be bought, which was a catalyst of the Reformation.

Are you an ‘outsider’ who is invited, OR do you just tiptoe in the door of the King to hear His wisdom?

Because no family ties, riches or religious displays will get you into the banquet of the Lord, an invitation is required.

Other wisdom of the Son

Jesus IS the Son of Man and Son of God! Christ came to sinners as a sacrifice for our innumerable sins. Jesus frequently speaks wisdom to the crowds and Apostles, even explaining the meaning of parables.

Have you read the Gospel? Find your invitation to the banquet of the King and embrace His righteous wisdom in this Good News for all.