“What Not To Wear”

EPISODE 3

Dress for Spiritual Success

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Have you ever showed up to a party wearing shorts and flip flops, only to find out that it’s a black tie affair?

“And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:12–14).

In Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet, he highlights both the inclusive and exclusive nature of the kingdom of heaven. Here’s the story: a king hosted a wedding feast for his son and invited many guests. Some paid no attention to the invitation, going off to their farms and businesses. The rest abused the king’s messengers, even killing them. The rejection angered the king so much that he sent armies to destroy them and their cities. Then the king commanded his servants to invite anyone they could find in the streets, both the bad and the good.

On the day of the feast, the king sees a man inappropriately dressed, and asks him how he got in without a wedding garment. The man has no words to offer in response. The king commands him to be bound and cast out “into the outer darkness.” Why would the king first lower the standards by inviting anyone from the street to attend the party, but then raise the standards by demanding a certain kind of attire? What does Jesus want us to get from this?

Many Are Called

Jesus’ came first to the Jewish people, but Jews eventually rejected and killed him. The end of that story, though, is a broadening of his invitation to the rest of the world. Now, anyone who believes and faithfully obeys Him will be saved. Praise be to God that we are all recipients of Jesus’ invitation! So what’s expected of us as those called to the feast?

Few Are Chosen

We were all invited to the celebration, but there are expectations for our holiness and conduct. The language of clothing is often used to explain our walk with God, as Paul said in Romans, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Rom. 13:14). Are you wearing the wedding clothes of Christ or your self-satisfaction? There will come a day when God will inspect our garments and will either bless us with endless enjoyment or cast us out of his presence forever. So, what kinds of clothes are you wearing?