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• Illustration: Once Pentz received an invitation to a party but there was no signature or return address: What if they gave a party and no one came?
• Nowhere do we see more the revolutionary character of Jesus Christ than his invitation to his party, the table of Communion.
• People then and now have a hard time conceiving of the Kingdom of God in terms of the joy of a party.
• Illustration: Martin Luther was befuddled over how Paul could speak with such joy of the Christian life.
• Let's be prepared to discover the nature of God's party.

• Imagine a king giving a wonderful party and none of his invitees showing up, in fact some killing his messenger!
• The excuses given in parable are our excuses.
• It's not that our busyness is evil, it just puts a stranglehold on the interior life.

• The king then reissues the invitation to "the good and the bad."
• Illustration/quote: C.S. Lewis once said: "You know, you show up at church on Sunday morning, and you look around, and here are the very people you've been trying to avoid all week long."
• God invites to his party people of every stripe and ilk.

• The king throws out the one who was not invited, who had no wedding garment.
• What is the external token that makes us visible to the world? The imputed righteousness of Christ.
• Are you clothed in Christ's righteousness?
• If not, won't you wear the robe and come to the feast?