Gospel | Matthew 22:1-14 (with Nick Locke)

Opening Song:
The Wedding Feast by Joe Deegan

Lyrics:
O Come and buy without money
Oh come and feast without pay
For the King has opened his banquet hall
To the beggar, the outcast, and the slave

Behold, He is coming soon
And He will surely bring his recompense
Go tell the world the Kingdom is at hand
His Kingdom shall make all things right again

And the first shall be last; the last shall be first
The poor will have everything they need
The orphan who sleeps alone in the cold
Shall dine at the right hand of the King

Go on and leave those filthy rags behind
And clothe yourself in garments white as snow
This is the hope that you’ve been longing for
This is the land that’s always been your home

This is love like an ocean as deep as the sea
This is love like the closest of friends
This is love without shame, this is love without cost
This is love, this is love without end
(Chorus)

Passage:
1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 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, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
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. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
(Matthew 22:1–14 ESV)

Musical Reflection:
“Be Thou My Vision,” old Irish folk tune

Reflection Notes:
The hymn commonly known as “Be Thou My Vision” is set to the tune SLANE, which is an old Irish folk tune. It samples both major and minor tonalities, with a perfect balance between the two.

Prayer:
O God, our refuge and strength, true source of all godliness: Graciously hear the devout prayers of your Church, and grant that those things which we ask faithfully, we may obtain effectually; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.