“Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Matthew 22:10

“The movie Wedding Crashers could have been based on this verse, except for one thing. The people “crashing” this party have invitations. They’re replacements for the original no-show guests. The party goes on. The hall is filled. Drink flows; maybe Jesus is turning water into wine again. It’s a celebration, a holy ritual that takes place with both “good and bad” present. “The good and the bad.” We sure think we know the difference, don’t we? But we are all capable of bad. It’s a good thing God has invited us into the celebration.” (Laurie Hanson. The Funny Shape of Faith: Devotions for the Rest of Us (Kindle Edition.)

The Party No One Wanted to Attend

Can you imagine planning a huge party, putting weeks and weeks into the planning, and no one returns their RSVP card to you? Can you imagine the President holding a dinner party for international delegates and no one comes to have dinner in the White House? If it were your party no one wanted to come to, what would you do? Would you redo the invitations and widen the scope of who you were inviting? Imagine the President of the United States putting out a FaceBook post inviting anyone and everyone to come to his dinner party? Would chaos ensue?

I was not invited to a lot of parties when I was a college student. I was not very popular – I was not into the Fraternity or social scene. My excuse was always that I went to college to get a degree, not to “party like it was 1999” (It was only 1980 anyway). But do not cry for me – for I believe I am the better for not being invited.

The Gospel story about the party no one wanted to attend is one of my favorites – for it reminds me of my youth. It reminds me that I have always felt that I was intended for the clean-up crew rather than the first to be invited. And truth be told, this is how the stories of Jesus usually turn out. Those who thought they should be first end up staying home, while the least likely to receive an invitation are lifted to the front of the line. Jesus has always had a different invitation list than the rest of the world – remember, the last shall be first and the first shall be last.

Let us pray,

Lord of the nobodies, lover of the last, lost, least and little, your “guest list” gives me hope that the party in your kingdom is one everyone wants to attend. Help me to reach out and invite others, as you reached out to me. Amen.

Pastor Dave

“No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Luke 16:13

“It’s not riches alone, but the blind pursuit of wealth that “enslaves” a person. Money can help us do tremendous good for others. But all who focus on getting more and more stuff are caught in a vicious cycle. Like drugs, alcohol, or gambling, money and stuff can be powerful addictions. The powerful trap of pursuing wealth is always present in our world. But Jesus is always present, too, and he is more powerful than money and any stuff we can accumulate.” (Laurie Hanson. The Funny Shape of Faith: Devotions for the Rest of Us (Kindle Edition.)

Heaven: A Place With No Class (Read on McDuff before you crucify me)

Rich or poor – all fall short of the glory of G-d. Rich or poor – all are dependent on G-d’s love, mercy and grace. Rich or poor, Nasty or Nice – it is G-d who chooses who will be a part of the Kingdom. Paul will write in Galatians 3: “…in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” In other words, there is no class system in Heaven – there is only our G-d who chooses based on his system of determination – not ours. As such I have this feeling that once we get to paradise, we might be just a little surprised at who is being welcomed. It will not be based on our list of qualifications – for we are too quick to make class distinctions.

Instead of fighting to be at the front of the line or spending too much time deciding who should be at the end of the line, why not focus on paving the way for others to join the line of those who feel welcome and invited. Yes, heaven has no class, because all are equally welcome to the kingdom.

Let us pray,

Lord of the rich, poor, and all creation, help me avoid the trap of class distinctions when it comes to offering your love, mercy and grace. Give me the strength to help break down the divides that separate people, and help me see all people as your children. Amen.

Pastor Dave