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I am in the middle of watching the second season of Last Chance U, and ELAC coach John Mosley is frustrated with his team. He has a few high-level transfers in his starting lineup, including a 7 foot 1 inch center from LSU, but Coach Mosley is struggling to get his starters to buy into the hardworking, blue-collar culture that has brought his program success in the past
Instead of continuing to start his more high-profile athletes, Coach Mosley has chosen to turn to his tougher, harder-working bench athletes whom he can trust to do what he demands, make the adjustments he needs them to make, and do what he is teaching. His assistant coach said, “There are only 5 guys and 40 minutes, and the dudes that are playing are doing what they are supposed to do.”
There are consequences when we do not do what we are supposed to do or are asked to do, and there are rewards when we do.
Parable of the Great Feast
In Matthew 22, Jesus the priests and elders, the Parable of the Great Feast, a story about how a group of people was overlooked because they didn’t do what they were asked to do.
Starting in verse 2, Jesus tells the story of a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. The king invited many people, but they weren’t willing to come (verse 3). When the king sent out other servants to invite the people, some made light of the invited and continued doing what they were doing, and some seized and even killed the servants (verses 4-6).
The king was enraged, and he sent his army to avenge the death of his servants. He then sent invitations to anyone his servants could find, and they filled the wedding hall with guests (verses 7-10).
But during the feast, the king saw a man who did not have the proper wedding clothes. When the king asked the man why he came without a wedding garment, the man was speechless and the king had his servants bind his hands and feet and take him away and cast him into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of the teeth (verses 11-13).
Jesus then said, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Everybody has choices in life, and the choices we make define us. We have all been given the message of Jesus. The king in this story is God the Father, and the son who is being honored is Jesus. Israel was invited to the kingdom, but they refused to believe it and they refused to follow Jesus. Many prophets (the king’s servants) before Jesus, like John the Baptist, had been killed, and there is a punishment for that.
God instructs us to share the gospel, the story of Jesus, to anyone who will listen, and because we don’t know who will listen and respond and who won’t, oftentimes, unlikely candidates will come to faith.
Later in Matthew 22, a Pharisee asks Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You should love your neighbor as yourself.”
Listen to the people who are leading you. Listen to your coaches, your parents, and your leaders. Listen and respond. When you show up for practices and games, don’t be like the guest who showed up without the proper wedding attire. Show up dressed and prepared to perform.
Most importantly, listen to God and follow Jesus. That is where life begins and ends.
THIS WEEK
1 - What is one takeaway that you have from The Parable of the Wedding Feast?
2 - What is something that your coaches are trying to get you to do that you need to listen to or respond better to?
3 - What is something that is holding you back?
4 - What can you do to overcome that barrier that is holding you back?
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