1 July 2010
Psalm 131, 132; Num. 23:11-26; Rom. 8:1-11; Matt. 22:1-14

This isn’t going the way Balak had planned. He tries to limit Balaam’s field of vision so that he won’t see what he himself had seen, the reason he had sent for Balaam, the horde of Israelites. Perhaps, he thinks, if Balaam only sees a part of their number he will no longer feel the fear that surely is the reason he spoke highly of them. The reality is that Balaam is a man under compulsion to speak according to the word of the Lord, he has no choice but to say what the Lord puts into his mouth. He has become like the donkey, knowing the Lord’s strength and is acting as the donkey to Balak but Balak, like Balaam before, cannot see. If he could, he would be striking Balaam as Balaam had struck the donkey. The words spoken by the prophet actually could keep Balak from a great mistake and save his life if he will but hear them.

The parable for today of the wedding of the king’s son is similarly plain to all those who hear it. To have ignored the king’s invitation to a banquet in honor of his son would have been unthinkable and yet that is what some do, they make light of it, go back home and some mistreat the servants who deliver the invitation. Not surprisingly, the king is angry and destroys his own chosen ones and then sends the servants out to invite the rabble because those who were invited were unworthy to partake of his hospitality and largesse. The final part of the parable concerns how we come to the party. Guests were provided with clean robes to wear at the feast and one guest has apparently spurned this clean robe and chosen to come as he is. That is unacceptable and he is thrown into outer darkness, bound hand and foot. We have a choice to make, come according to God’s plan, putting on the righteousness of Jesus, or share in this man’s punishment. God’s way is through Jesus, period, end of sentence.

The first verse of the Romans passage agrees with the Gospel, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Paul doesn’t offer some other way in, only through Jesus. If God has made a way and made that way plain, why do we look for other ways? We have been given the Spirit in order to help us to live according to God’s will and purpose, to allow our flesh to come into agreement with our hearts and minds and live as new creation. Paul is not speaking of dualism here, the soul and body as separate entities. Righteousness is the agreement of body and soul, living in concert with our beliefs. Right action ensues from living from the Spirit.

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvellous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.