Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, let Your Holy Spirit instruct us about the wedding garment and put it on us. Amen.
Text: Matthew 22:1-14
And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 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.”‘ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 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. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Devotion
The kingdom of heaven, or Christ’s Church, is a kingdom of grace in this world and a kingdom of glory in the world to come. It is compared to the marriage of a king’s son, because it is more glorious than anything else. There we are reunited with God, and receive what our soul needs: righteousness, peace, and joy; love, life, and salvation. We who are baptized and who use God’s Word and Sacraments are guests at the wedding. But it is necessary to have the wedding garment. If we do not have it, we are cast out into outer darkness, into eternal hopelessness and despair. How very important to have the wedding garment!
Here we are speaking about the righteousness and purity that is valid before God. Whoever is righteous and holy in God’s eyes has the wedding garment. Now “Christ became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1Co 1:30), and as many as were baptized into Christ, and believe in Him, have put on Christ (Gal 3:26-27). Christ Himself is our wedding garment, Christ Himself, the Savior of sinners, who died for us and lives for us and who through the Church’s Means of Grace distributes His righteousness and holiness to everyone who believes. “The wedding garment is nothing other than Christ’s righteousness” it is often said, and rightly so. But “Christ’s righteousness” means His whole saving grace, that presents us as righteous and spotless before God. Whoever will stand before God must be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ and trust only in His merit. As it says in the hymn: “I have naught, my God, to offer, Save the blood of Thy dear Son; Graciously accept the proffer; Make His righteousness mine own. His holy life gave He, was crucified for me; His righteousness perfect He now pleads before Thee; His own robe of righteousness, my highest good, Shall clothe me in glory, through faith in His blood” (One thing needful: ELH 182:6).
There I have been clothed “with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments” (Isa 61:10). Whoever has put off his own righteousness and has his life’s hope only in Jesus’ merit has put on the wedding garment. But such a person then is also born again and sanctified. In Christ he has not only the forgiveness of sins, but also cleansing. He is not just pure in God’s eyes by this gracious knowledge for Christ’s sake, but he also has received Christ’s holy mind and daily becomes purer in spirit and soul and body. As a result of God’s gracious decree which the Scriptures call “justification” he is free in Christ from all accusation and can be confident before the judgment seat of divine justice. But also, by the indwelling of Christ’s Spirit and the purity of mind and life that flows from Him, he is set apart to live with God and to experience His eternal joy. Christ’s merit covers him. Christ’s purity adorns him. Now do you understand what the wedding garment is? Blessed are those who can say with Paul: “For the sake of Christ I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Phi 3:8-9). But though they sing with David: “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart” (Psa 15:1-2), they still belong to the Church: “which Christ also loved and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Eph 5:25-26). Blessed are those who can say to the Savior: “You are my precious robe, my heart’s gold. In Your righteousness I have an eternal bridal adornment.” Help us to this, Lord, by Your good Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn
Lovely is Your throne in heaven
At Your glorious wedding feast,
Peace and righteousness now given
From Your Word to us, the least!
There is balm for ev’ry sorrow,
Blessedness today, tomorrow,
There in You we shall rejoice,
For my soul the happy Choice.
To Your wedding with Your greeting
Me You graciously invite
And show me the choicest seating
Where there’s room still at Your side.
Guide me ever to Your glory
From this world so transitory
Be my soul’s pure righteousness,
E’er to live in blessedness!
Let all worship and adore Him,
God of mercy, King of grace,
Who now leads us to His glory
Where we see Him face to face,
Where the halls are set for dining,
And with heav’nly glow are shining,
When our Victor-Lord shall come,
Leading us unto our home!
Rist: Jesus, Livets rige Kilde L 544:2-4 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Du, O schönes Weltgebäude (ELH 336); alternate hymn: Wake, awake ELH 544:2