2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Exodus 15:19-17:7 ESV, Matthew 22:1-33 ESV, Psalm 27:1-6 ESV, Proverbs 6:20-26 ESV
Daily Verse: “And again Jesus spoke to them in parables,” (Matthew 22:1 ESV)
ROOT WORD: “Fictitious narrative of common life conveying a moral. A placing beside, to throw or lay beside. Christ’s parables most frequently convey truths connected with the subject of the kingdom of God. Two dangers are to be avoided in seeking to interpret parables: ignoring of important features, trying to make all the details means something.”[i]
Stories help us relate.
Jesus used parables, short stories, to make His point. Today’s verse begins the parable of the wedding feast. A king hosts a party for his son’s upcoming nuptials, but no one comes. The slighted father becomes angry, retaliating against those who didn’t come; he sends his servants to gather more guests, “good and bad” (vs. 10), to fill the wedding hall.
Dissecting Jesus’s parable could lead us in many different directions. People turn down God’s invitation to eternal life with Him. For whatever reason, they don’t accept the invite.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14 ESV)
When interpreting Jesus’s teachings, deciphering important details from unimportant ones requires God’s help. If we rely only on our human interpretation, we may find ourselves in a rabbit hole. To see life application, we must spend time with our Creator.
Trust God’s Spirit.
Reading the parable of the wedding feast makes me think of people in my life who deny Jesus. Friends and family members who, for whatever reason, choose not to follow God. Hurtful experiences in church cause them to stop attending, causing a slow drift away from God. Or they worship something or someone else. I have friends who worship their jobs or a personal relationship first and foremost. When God gave the 10 Commandments to Moses, having no other god before Him, number one (Exodus 20:3 ESV).
Any one of us can unwittingly place someone or thing before God, missing the invitation. When we take our eyes from Jesus, putting unrealistic expectations on something temporary, we’ll miss out on the gifs of God. Peace that surpasses understanding, hope that never dies, love that never ends, all gifts received when we accept God’s invitation.
Don’t miss the invitation God extends. Trust His promises. When reading Jesus’ parables, ask God’s Spirit for help understanding the lesson.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p 188) Thomas Nelson
