Good morning. Today is Monday, June 22nd!

🥳 Congratulations on starting today with God, and thank you for letting us be a part of it.

— Matthew 22:14

“Many are called, but few are chosen.”

Jesus says this in Matthew 22:14 at the end of the Parable of the Wedding Feast.

The context matters.

Jesus is in Jerusalem during the final week before His crucifixion, speaking mainly to the chief priests and Pharisees. These religious leaders believed they were right with God because they knew the Law, had the Scriptures, and were part of Israel.

So Jesus tells a story.

A king prepares a wedding feast for his son and sends servants to invite people, but many refuse to come. Some ignore the invitation and go back to their businesses and farms. Others attack and kill the servants.

Jesus is referencing Israel’s history here. God repeatedly sent prophets to His people, and many were rejected. Now the religious leaders were rejecting God’s Son Himself.

So the king opens the invitation wider.

Matthew 22:9 says:

“Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.”

The feast fills with all kinds of people. This pictures the kingdom invitation going beyond religious elites to ordinary people, sinners, and outsiders.

But then the story shifts.

The king notices a man not wearing a wedding garment and removes him from the feast.

In the Bible, clothing often represents righteousness or spiritual condition. Isaiah 61:10 speaks about being clothed with “the robe of righteousness.”

The issue is not wealth or appearance. The point is that the man wanted to attend the feast without truly honoring the king. He accepted the invitation outwardly, but not inwardly.

Then Jesus says:

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The “called” are those who hear the invitation. Many hear the gospel and are exposed to God’s truth.

The “chosen” are those who truly respond to the King in faith and surrender.

Jesus is warning the religious leaders that outward religion, knowledge, and proximity to God’s truth do not save someone if they reject the King Himself.

So… The invitation is wide open but the response must be real.

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: Lord, You are holy and worthy of my life.

Confession: Forgive me for the times my heart has drifted from You.

Thanksgiving: Thank You for inviting me into Your kingdom through Jesus.

Supplication: Help me truly follow You with faith and obedience. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen

“Get Behind Me” by Emerson Day (ft. Zach Williams)

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Thanks for letting us be a part of how you start your day with God.

See you tomorrow,

Zach | Start With God