2026.04.12 | When the King’s Feast Meets My Calendar

I’ll be honest: I don’t naturally think of God’s kingdom as a party.

When I hear “Christian life,” my mind goes to discipline. Trying to read my Bible more. Showing up to church. Serving when I can. A wedding feast is not the first picture that comes to mind.

So when we walked through Matthew 22 this Sunday, I felt both encouraged and uncomfortable.

Encouraged, because Jesus is very clear: life with Him is meant to be like a feast. A celebration. A place of belonging and joy. The King isn’t inviting people to a lecture. He’s inviting them to a table.

But also uncomfortable… because of how people respond.

Some just ignore the invitation. They’re busy. They have fields and businesses and plans.

Honestly, that sounds a lot like me on a normal week.

When I’m too tired to pray, but somehow still have energy to scroll for 45 minutes.

 When gathering with God’s people is the first thing to drop, but everything else feels non-negotiable.

And that hits close to home.

Others in the story respond with hostility. They reject the servants completely.

I don’t usually see that kind of reaction in myself, but I do see quieter versions:

Brushing off conviction

Getting defensive when something hits too close

Staying busy so I don’t have to deal with what God might be saying

Then there’s the part that lingers the most for me. The man at the feast without a wedding garment. He’s in the room. Close to everything. But not clothed the way the King provided. And that’s the part that makes me stop.

Because it’s possible to:

 Know the songs

 Show up every Sunday

 Say the right things

 Serve in the right places

…and still be relying on myself.

Still quietly thinking, “I’m doing pretty well.”

Still trying to stand before God in my own effort.

But the good news is this: The King doesn’t just invite us. He provides what we need to belong. The wedding garment is not something we earn. It’s something we receive.

Jesus is the One who covers us, our sin, our striving, our pretending.

The invitation isn’t “try harder.” It’s “put on Christ.” 

That’s what this passage keeps bringing me back to. Not just being in the room. But actually trusting Him. Not just going through motions. But coming honestly and letting Him change me.

For me, this week looks like paying attention to the small ways I treat God’s invitation as casual:

Choosing distraction over time with Him

 Letting days pass without real conversation with God

 Serving out of obligation instead of love

And then asking Him to restore something deeper.

Not just discipline… but joy.

 Not just routine… but relationship.

 Not just attendance… but hunger.

Because this isn’t just an invitation to show up.

It’s an invitation to a feast.

And the King is still inviting.

If you want to go deeper, you can watch the full message on our YouTube channel or through the Hope App.