Invitation to God's Party (Matthew 22)

If you could invite one historical person to your home for dinner, who would it be?  Why?  What would you talk about?

What is the best invitation you have ever received?  What made it so great?

What factors make an invitation special?

Read Matthew 22:1-14 together.

Who do you think each of the following characters represent:

• The King
• The King's Son
• The Servants
• The Guests who were invited first
• The Guests who were invited second
• The "good" and the "bad" people (verse 10)
• The Guest without wedding clothes

Where do you see yourself in this parable? What are some of the lessons we can learn from this parable?

What do we learn about God from this parable? What do we learn about God's final judgment?

Who should God's servants be "inviting" today?  To what should they be inviting them?

Make a list of ways we can invite people to God's "banquet".  Which of these things are easy?  Which are difficult?

How often should we be inviting people into a relationship with God? Is the group willing to set a goal for "invitations given" this week?  Why or why not?

How will you pray for and support one another this week?