Joel B. Green Delivers Message at All-Seminary Chapel

Green preaches a sermon entitled “Invitation Anxiety” :: 02/03/10

All-seminary chapel was held as a service of Word and table in the United Methodist tradition on Wednesday, February 3. The traditional Gospel lesson was drawn from Matthew 22:1-14, the parable of the wedding banquet. Joel B. Green, associate dean for the Center for Advanced Theological Studies and professor of New Testament interpretation, offered a sermon based on the text entitled “Invitation Anxiety.”

Green pointed out that, as humans, we have a need to belong, and are naturally concerned with whether or not we will be invited to certain events. The parable of the wedding banquet, however, is not about the invitation, but about the response. “Accepting the invitation and even showing up is not enough,” he observed. Drawing attention to the story’s emphasis on proper attire, Green said, “Clothing is a signpost for what’s on the inside, putting on display our inner character, our attitudes, and our allegiances.” He paraphrased an idea from John Wesley, noting that righteousness entitles us to heaven, but holiness qualifies us. Clothing ourselves with holiness requires “aligning ourselves with God’s agenda.”

Green emphasized grace as the key to both invitation and response. “Grace is the empowerment to accept the invitation and to come appropriately attired—clothed with the Word of God.” He concluded his message with an invitation to “come and feast” at the Lord’s Table with a celebration of Communion.