10/11/2026
-St. John’s Pulpit (Oct. 11, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)-
“Grow Yourself!” Matthew 22:1-14
22 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 10 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.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Sermon Note:
Recently, I had lunch with a fellow Korean pastor, Pastor Kim, who serves New Light UMC in Annandale. For the past four or five years, I have visited his church to preside over their annual Charge Conference. Every year, Laity Sunday frees me from the pulpit to help them. Many immigrant church members work long hours during the week, so they prefer to hold all major meetings on Sunday after worship. Additionally, they prefer to conduct their Charge Conference in their native language. That is why the District Superintendent asked me to assist them.
Looking ahead to next Sunday, October 18, it is St. John’s Laity Sunday! It will be a particularly meaningful day because we are celebrating two other special events as well: Children’s Sabbath and the launch of St. John’s Stewardship Campaign. Please plan to attend. You will see firsthand how wonderful our laity are, and through Children’s Sabbath, you will see the future of St. John’s. Plus, you won't want to miss the performance by the Bells of Praise!
During our lunch meeting, Pastor Kim shared that this year’s Charge Conference will be somewhat challenging. He has struggled to finalize his church nomination and leadership list. As the congregation grows older, it becomes harder to recruit members for leadership roles. There are very few new immigrants arriving these days. While Annandale was once the primary destination for Korean-American immigrants, today it is mostly senior immigrants who remain. Their children have moved away to other areas of Northern Virginia or out of state. This is an unexpected challenge they face in 2026. What is their solution? The only viable option is to deepen their own passion and strengthen their leadership from within. But it is not easy. They are being called to move beyond mere attendance—to do more than participate.
Beyond Attendance
Matthew 22:1–14 can be a challenging passage to understand. The story consists of two parts: Matthew 22:1–10 and Matthew 22:11–14.
The first section (verses 1–10) reflects how difficult outreach can be. Many churches struggle with evangelism and growth. They invest time and effort, but often see a wide gap between their work and the results. They begin to doubt their ministry and feel tempted to give up on inviting others altogether. Yet, this parable reminds us that there are still people ready to respond, even if they were not the original invitees!
Unexpectedly and improbably, people do answer the call. In this way, the Kingdom of God is filled with those from the highways and byways, much like the wedding banquet in Jesus' story welcomed those who were initially overlooked.
That is an encouraging lesson. It inspires us to keep reaching out, praying, and trusting that God will bring people through our doors. What a beautiful story!
However, the parable takes a surprising turn in the second section (verses 11–14). The king looks at the guests who gathered at the banquet and singles out a man who is not wearing a proper wedding robe. It’s like pouring a bucket of ice water over the entire celebration!
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless.” Matthew 22:11–12 NRSV
This feels quite different from how we usually expect church to work. If a guest or visitor comes through our doors, we wouldn't criticize their attire! But Jesus uses this moment to challenge us to go deeper than mere attendance. He calls us to transform and grow so that our lives fit the Kingdom of God. It means doing more than simply sitting in a pew on Sunday morning. I believe this is the central takeaway for us today.
Growing into the Calling
Twelve years ago, on a beautiful October autumn day, I attended a training workshop for newly appointed clergy led by Bishop Young Jin Cho. All the attending pastors were Asian-American. My biggest takeaway came from Bishop Cho’s closing remarks right before his benediction. He said:
“Dear clergy, as your Bishop, I have opened the door for you into the Virginia Conference. Welcome and congratulations! But please know that my role is only to open the door. It is your responsibility to cultivate a fruitful ministry. Pray hard and grow!”
Throughout Scripture, we see figures who received great opportunities but failed to hold onto them because they refused to grow spiritually. Lot in the Old Testament and the rich young ruler in the New Testament are two prime examples.
Think of Lot. He was the nephew of Abraham, one of the greatest models of faith in Scripture. Lot traveled with Abraham everywhere. When Abraham built altars and gave thanks to God, Lot was right beside him. Yet Lot failed to mature in faith. He remained complacent—no growth, no spiritual challenge, no personal transformation. Ultimately, Lot is not listed among the patriarchs of faith in Genesis. He simply faded away, leaving his life's potential unfulfilled.
What about the rich young ruler in the Gospels? He was ambitious, well-trained in scripture, and kept the law diligently. He had enormous potential to be a powerful disciple of Jesus. Yet when Jesus invited him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him, the young man walked away. He wasn't willing to go beyond outward religious performance. He remained at the level of the Law rather than stepping into the realm of Love. Because he refused to put on the "wedding garment" of self-giving faith, he missed his calling.
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Luke 18:22–23 NIV
Putting On the Garments of Faith
Are there positive examples of people who did put on the proper attire? Consider Zacchaeus. As a chief tax collector, he carried a terrible reputation. He had little respect, honor, or social standing. Yet when he heard Jesus was coming to town, he made up his mind to see Him. Though obstacles stood in his way, he climbed a sycamore-fig tree to get a view of the Lord.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. Luke 19:5-6 NIV
Doesn't this scene mirror our parable? To the religious world, Zacchaeus was the last person who should have been invited. Yet Jesus graciously called him by name and invited Himself into his home. But Zacchaeus did not stop at being host to Jesus—he decided to put on the attire of true transformation. He reoriented his whole life:
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” Luke 19:8–9 NIV
Zacchaeus reminds us why spiritual growth matters. Coming to the table is just the beginning; letting Christ change our lives is the response.
A Living Example of Growth
A couple of weeks ago on a Wednesday evening, I stopped by the sanctuary during bell choir practice. I was delighted to see Oliver playing with the Bells of Praise! I have watched him grow up here since he was in preschool, then elementary school, and now as a middle schooler. Seeing him step actively into music ministry was such a blessing. It is a sign of his personal growth in faith, a sign of his parents' trust in the church's ministry, and a sign of vitality in our congregation. Yes, we are still growing!
From next Sunday (October 18) through Consecration Sunday (November 22), we are all invited to reflect deeply on our faith identity. Are we content to simply sit at the wedding banquet? Or are we striving to wear the garments of faith, growing each day to honor the One who invited us?
