WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MAY 03, 2025
TOPIC: WHERE IS YOUR WEDDING GARMENT?
BY T. O. BANSO
“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” (Matthew 22:11-12 New King James Version).
The Bible does not say what he was doing when one of the king’s servants came to him, sounding very urgent. He must go with him to a wedding. He had no prior invitation, and couldn’t understand why the invitation was urgent. But he felt it would be a great honour to be the king’s guest. That motivated him to honour the invitation.
He went with him and the other people the king’s servant had gathered. He also met others gathered by the other servants of the king. He entered and sat down, probably wondering what qualified them, poor people, for this royal invitation, and at short notice. He most probably had not attended a colourful ceremony like that before.
The Bible does not say how long the guests had sat down before the king entered. The guests welcomed him with honour according to their culture. The king walked majestically, looked around, and was satisfied that the hall was full. His food and drinks would not be wasted! The original invitees who rejected his invitation had been put to shame! They would hear later the news of the success of the wedding.
Then suddenly the king stopped, and the servants around him wondered what the problem was. His countenance changed. He moved towards a particular direction and pointed at one man there. He said, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” (Matthew 22:12 New King James Version).
The man couldn’t say anything because there was no justification for his action. Although the invitation was urgent, he wasn’t the only one so invited. He wasn’t expected to go and buy a wedding garment if he didn’t have one. Some sources say that, customarily, the king prepared wedding garments for his friends or guests who didn’t have them. Anyone could apply for a wedding garment and would be given one. Otherwise, the king’s question would have been unfair because the guests were brought from the highways. If others could wear the wedding garment, why did this man refuse to? The man could not explain the reason for his action, and the king ordered that he should be bound, taken away, and thrown into outer darkness to suffer
Some details in the foregoing story are just an imagination of the parable of Jesus in Matthew 22:1-14 to illustrate the kingdom of heaven. This is not trying to add to the Word of God.
Two kinds of invitations to a wedding were usually sent out to guests in the cultural setting of this parable. The first was a long invitation to prepare for the wedding. The second invitation was to tell the invitees that all things were ready. But the guests who failed to honour the king’s invitation to his son’s wedding were invited three times.
Unfortunately, they didn’t say they wouldn’t come when they received the first invitation. They gave excuses at the second invitation when the dinner had been prepared, the oxen and fatted cattle killed, and everything was ready. They were not willing to come.
In Luke’s account, he talks about the excuses these invitees gave. “But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come’” (Luke 14:18-20 New King James Version). These were just lame excuses.
Matthew 22:5-7 says, “ 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” (New King James Version). The phrase “made light of” means “paid no attention”, as some Bible translations put it.
Could you imagine the invitees maltreating and killing those sent to invite them to come and eat and drink? Since when did such an invitation become an offence? This was an embarrassing situation for the king. The king was furious. He quickly took a step to redeem the situation.
Matthew 22:7-10 says, “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” (New King James Version).
Things were going very well until the king came into the hall. “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” (Matthew 22:11-12 New King James Version).
The parable continues: “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’” (verses 13-14 New King James Version).
The unworthy invitees, those who turned down the invitation, are the Jews. The king is God. The Son is Jesus Christ. The servants are the preachers. The wedding is eternal life. Those on the highways who were eventually invited are the Gentiles. The wedding garment is the righteousness of God that comes through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
In Philippians 3:9, Paul talks about not having his own righteousness, which was from the law, but that which was through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.
Like the rest, this man was not qualified for the wedding, but when he honoured the invitation, he chose to enter the hall on his terms. For whatever reason, he didn’t wear the wedding garment.
The man sat there wearing his clothing. This was considered an insult to the king. He was not better than the wicked invitees who rejected the king’s invitation. “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3 New King James Version)
No man’s righteousness is good enough to save him. Self-righteousness cannot save anyone. We must have faith in Jesus Christ and put on God’s righteousness. Otherwise, there is no hope of being saved. Isaiah 64:6 says we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 New King James Version). Romans 3:24 says God justified us freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Three groups of people can be identified in the story of the invitees to the wedding in Matthew 22. They represent three groups of people on earth concerning their attitude to the invitation to the kingdom of God. Those who, sadly, have at different times rejected the invitation to be saved. Next, those who have accepted the invitation and are genuinely saved. The third group is those who are in the church but are not saved. They are like the man who didn’t wear the wedding garment. The third group constitutes the people in the church who think they can be saved on their terms. They have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. They have not surrendered their lives to Him. Of course, there is another group on earth today: those who have not heard the gospel and must be reached and invited into the kingdom of God. This is an assignment for those who have been saved.
Back to the story of the wedding. Did you notice that the king pointed out the man who didn’t wear the wedding garment, not the servants? Why did they allow the man to enter the hall? Didn’t they see him?
Note that the king sent his servants to go into the highways and bring in people, good or bad. Similarly, Jesus has sent His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). The dragnet of the gospel cast into the sea will gather both good and bad, but God will do the separation at the end of the age. Sinners shall be cast into the furnace of fire (Matthew 13:47-50). Matthew 25:31-33 says there shall be a separation of the sheep from the goats. The wise virgins shall be separated from the foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).
The pastors can only preach, teach, rebuke, warn, and discipline erring members who engage in open sin, but they don’t know individuals as much as God knows them. They might not know who will go to heaven because only God truly knows those truly saved. No pastor or denomination will take anyone to heaven. Are you wearing your wedding garment?
See these words from Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares: “So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn’” (Matthew 13:27-30 New King James Version).
Make sure you’re not a tare; be a wheat-Christian! Don’t be a goat; be a sheep. Don’t be like the foolish virgins; be like the wise virgins. Put on the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21 New King James Version). Wear your wedding garment, which is God’s righteousness. Put it on by placing your faith in the Son of God for your salvation. Self-righteousness cannot save anyone.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, thank you for Your righteousness that comes through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. I shall not be a tare or weed; I shall be a wheat-Christian. I am a sheep, not a goat. Holy Spirit, convict the self-righteous people who are ignorant of God’s righteousness and seek to establish their righteousness. Help them submit to the righteousness of God.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
BE OUR FINANCIAL PARTNER
Account Name: Cedar Ministry International
Bank: United Bank for Africa
Account Number: 1027304911 (Naira); 3004481420 (USD)
